Post-First Cook questions

[JayT]

Hey y'all, a proud new WSM 18 owner here. Did my first cook on Mother's Day, smoking 2 slabs of St Louis cut ribs (with 4 apple chunks). Obligatory picture below. I was surprised how well they turned out. I am so stocked for summer! Really glad to have found this community. Have learned a lot from here over the past coupIe of weeks. I have a couple of questions:

1. I see that people tend to re-use unspent charcoal from the previous smoke. What process do you follow for that? Should I just leave them in the grill and when the time comes, take out the good lumps (I used Royal Oak Lump), dump the ash and re-use? Or is there a specific way to do this?
2. I bought and used a Automatic Temperature Controller. I do not have much shade in my yard during the day and for summer, it going to be outside in the heat all day long. Do you folks have any tips/hacks to cover it from the sun for long cooks? I was thinking to get a cardboard box and keep it covered inside.

1. 

 

[Geo S]

For the charcoal, I just close the smoker up till the coals go out, leave them to cool off, and shake the basket to get rid of ash and fines.
Then just add to fresh charcoal, cook, and repeat , lol
can't help with the controller issue.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Welcome aboard!
Agree on the charcoal methodology, more or less. I wait until the following day(after shutting down the vents) shake down the grates and anything that stays on top goes into a galvanized bucket (with a lid) then it gets used in the kettle for what comes along next, I always use fresh for a smoke. Better control, still minimizing waste.
Shade? Yes, have some. (Bad ghostbusters reference, sorry) something like a cardboard box will help but, they tend to want to blow away, I’m still trying to decide how I want to make a better wind screen currently I have a fairly protected place where I can use a leftover piece of plywood which works fairly well but, it’s not very convenient to get to the vents for adjustments. You might want some shade for yourself too, helps keep cocktail cooler.
ATC? Sorry, can’t help there, never used one.
Ribs look great by the way!

 

[JayT]

For the charcoal, I just close the smoker up till the coals go out, leave them to cool off, and shake the basket to get rid of ash and fines.
Then just add to fresh charcoal, cook, and repeat , lol
can't help with the controller issue.

Thanks!

 

[JayT]

Welcome aboard!
Agree on the charcoal methodology, more or less. I wait until the following day(after shutting down the vents) shake down the grates and anything that stays on top goes into a galvanized bucket (with a lid) then it gets used in the kettle for what comes along next, I always use fresh for a smoke. Better control, still minimizing waste.
Shade? Yes, have some. (Bad ghostbusters reference, sorry) something like a cardboard box will help but, they tend to want to blow away, I’m still trying to decide how I want to make a better wind screen currently I have a fairly protected place where I can use a leftover piece of plywood which works fairly well but, it’s not very convenient to get to the vents for adjustments. You might want some shade for yourself too, helps keep cocktail cooler.
ATC? Sorry, can’t help there, never used one.
Ribs look great by the way!

Thank you!

 

[Chris in Louisiana]

Those are some nice looking ribs.

I bet is was pretty cool when that first cook turned out so good.

 

[Mike in Roseville]

I usually take out remaining charcoal (when cool) and add to a bucket. Then dump the ashes in the garbage. Some charcoal relights better (and smells better when doing so) than others.

 

[JayT]

Those are some nice looking ribs.

I bet is was pretty cool when that first cook turned out so good.

Thanks, yes it was an amazing feeling. WSM is so easy to cook in. I surprised myself at how easy it was. I was sure I was going to mess up the first time!

 

[JayT]

I usually take out remaining charcoal (when cool) and add to a bucket. Then dump the ashes in the garbage. Some charcoal relights better (and smells better when doing so) than others.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Karl Quist]

Hi JayT, nice job on the ribs! After the first cook in my WSM, I ordered a second charcoal grate to place at 90 deg to the existing grate, and then wired the 2 grates and the charcoal ring together so they are all one unit. Should make knocking off the ash and saving unspent charcoal a little easier.

My first step in the rathole of WSM mods, but a fairly cheap one, approx $10.

 

[JayT]

Hi JayT, nice job on the ribs! After the first cook in my WSM, I ordered a second charcoal grate to place at 90 deg to the existing grate, and then wired the 2 grates and the charcoal ring together so they are all one unit. Should make knocking off the ash and saving unspent charcoal a little easier.

My first step in the rathole of WSM mods, but a fairly cheap one, approx $10.

Thanks! That's a great idea.