'Newbie' charcoal lighting/ temperature control question


 
J

Justin Kimak

New member
I'm definitely a newbie at this so sorry for the stupid question. I've smoked twice now and started with whole chickens. I am using Kingsford original charcaol and getting it started with the lighter cubes under my Weber chimney. After getting my first chimney lit, I dump into base of smoker and set smoker back on top while getting another chimney going. My first chimney will bring grill temp up to about 200 degrees roughly and then once I drop the second chimney in, I bring my grill temp up to around 300. After putting meat on, water in bowl and wood chips in, with all vents open, I can only hold temp between 265-275. Typically I will start losing temp after 1.5 hours or so. Obviously I don't know what I'm doing so I'm in need of advice for why I can't reach an extremely high temp right off the bat and then control it down with my vents. Thoughts?

Thanks!
Justin
 
Ditch the water, thats the reason why you use water in the bowl to keep the temps down so no water higher temps.
 
Ditto the no water. I would also just fill up the tray, dump about a half a chimney on it, and should have no problem with getting it up above 300. I do anyway.........................d
 
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Justin - it sounds like you're only putting lit charcoal in the WSM. Dump a bunch of unlit charcoal into the charcoal ring and half a chimney of lit on top of that. With the vents open (and not using water) you'll have no problem hitting and maintaining higher temps.
 
Temperature is a function of fuel and air. If the temperature is too low either the is not enough air or not enough fuel. In the case of a WSM with water, water boils at 212 turns into steam and brings down the temperature. Removing the water as suggested should work.

270 for 1.5 hours sounds like the water is doing it's job. At 1.5 hours your temperature starts dropping, you are probably running out of fuel.

With all vents open and plenty of fuel, and you still want a higher temperature, you can crack the door open to let more air in.

Read this on the access door - http://virtualweberbullet.com/accessdoor.html#upside
 
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Ditto on using an empty water pan. Another trick when doing a high heat (Above 300 in my book) cook is to put briquettes in the charcoal ring, and place a full chimeny ontop of the charcoal. I then light up the chimney and when the charcoal in the chimney is ready, the coals in the ring are also gong nicely. I'll mix them all togethor and unless I'm doing a long cook I'm good to go and don't need to light up another chimney.
 
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I don't use water either. I use a foiled clay flower pot base in the foiled water pan.
I fill my charcoal ring up with fuel, with 4 or 5 fist sized chunks of wood mixed in.
I light the charcoal in 3 places with a high output propane torch.
I let the charcoal get going for 10 minutes or so, before putting the WSM together.
 
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