Newb question about setting up the night before and charcoal..


 
Y

Yianni

TVWBB Fan
I’d like to get up early tomorrow morning and start a small pork butt 5-8 pounds. I keep my wsm 18.5 in the garage and move it out to the patio under the deck when in use.

So I’m in Michigan and its cold and damp this time of year, my question is can I get it all set up tonight and load up the charcoal, close up the vents, cover it then just fire up a chimney tomorrow morning and throw the butt on?

Or will the charcoal become too damp?

Thanks!
 
I don't think you would have an trouble setting up the night before. The smoker will be closed and covered. Might even be better then just the paper bag the coal comes in.
Good smokin'.
 
Don't think it would make much of a difference loading up the charcoal a little earlier. Since you mentioned that its cold and damp. Is it damp in your garage? Do you store your charcoal in your garage? Long time storage in a damp area could affect the dryness of your fuel. I like to keep my charcoal in a dry place in the house.
 
Depending on temp and humidity, the charcoal will be slower to light and the cooker will be slower to come up to temp.

I go to bed with my butts rubbed
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and my cooker set up and ready to go, but I keep my charcoal in the house til pouring in the ring first thing next morning.

To help reach my target cooker temp sooner, I use a tea kettle for boiling one of the two gallons of water I start with, and the water is poured in right after I light the charcoal ring with a propane weedburning torch for 1.5 to 2 minutes tops. There's no waiting at that point, and I've just heated up the entire cooker minus the grates, pan, and dome; not just a few briqs in a chimney.

Wood chunks and butts and/or briskets go on next and on my last all day cook I went from getting out of bed to having my butts cooking at 225*(grate) in an hour. Not too shabby for an ultra cool-running wsm and a guy that hasn't had his coffee yet.
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I've only had 3 smokes so far but have set up the night before on each. I did not cover the WSM but did close all vents. We don't have freezing temps yet but the humidity can be close to 95% pre-dawn. I've had no trouble at all with this aspect of the cook.

Good Luck!
 
Cant se any problem @ all! I light left over charcoal after a a few weeks in my cookers. Same resault. Even store a bag of lump outside next to the grill and it ignites just as good.
 
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