Outer edges of my 14.5 seem way hotter than the center

[Alex Jacobs]

Which makes sense because the heat has to deflect around the bowl. But I put a chuck roast on the other day on the top rack and the outer edges were done way before the center. Same with some ribs I tried, the outer bones were much darker. I do run with water in the pan because I'm just starting with this guy and wanted to go 'by the book'. Normal for WSM? Or maybe just the smaller ones?

 

[Robert McGee]

Alex;
I have an 18.5" and a 14.5" (along with a Mini-Joe). All share the characteristic of hot around the edges because that is where all of the heat comes up from around the water bowl, as you guessed.

I don't allow anything to hang over into the edge area unless I am prepared for what I'll get (I have deliberately allowed brisket edges to "hang over" to get unconventional "burnt ends" - worked out, too. However, when I first got my 18.5" WSM, I had problems with my full racks of ribs overcooking the ends. My solution, which works perfectly for the 18.5", the 14.5", and the Mini-Joe is to simply use a pair of rib racks and cut the rib racks in half. Now, I get perfectly evenly cooked ribs on both racks. Brinkman rib racks are what I use (they are inexpensive and easy to clean while doing the job that I ask of them). I can do, using both grates, as many as eight half racks at a time (and have). Typically, tho', I just take a three pack of ribs, cut them in half and use both grates/racks (which gives me six half racks of ribs).

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?49374-Rib-Rack-on-Mini-WSM

Keep on smokin',
Dale53

 

[Alex Jacobs]

Thanks for the confirmation. I have that same rib rack so I guess I'll just have to trim those rib sections down a bit more and space them out between the two grates.