Preparing your Charcoal and wood


 
Slap Yo Daddy BBQ Classes

Dennis Stilwell

TVWBB Member
When setting up the WSM.

1. Do you use the "minion method" or do you start with all the charcoal fully lit charcoal?
2. Do you use wood chunks or chips?
3. How much wood do you use for one cook?
4. During that one cook. How do you use the wood, just at first, at least half the cook or the entire time?
5. Do you pre burn your wood or just load it in unlit?
 
Dennis,

I'm relatively new to the WSM smoker but took one of Harry's class a couple of months ago before he became "famous" on TLC. Fantstic class! I've since received a smoker from my kids for Christmas and I've been having a lot of fun with it. Here is my response to your questions:
1. Yes, I use the minion method for starting the smoker.
2. Use wood chunks - no more than three pieces. one for light smoke flavor and 3 for heavy smoke flavor. It depends on what you like.
3. I fill the bottom or the smoker ring about half full. That is plenty to last 6-8 hours of smoking time. A full ring will last 12+_hours before recharging.
4. The wood chunks are partially buried in the briquettets. As they burn down they ignite the wook and it smokes the meat throughout the BBQ.
5. Using the minion method, I fill a Weber briquette lighter chimmney about half full and light a wad of paper under the briquettes. When they are flaming and covered with ash I add them on top of my unburned briquettes inside the smoker. Give them about 10 minutes to heat up the smoker and then add my meat.

I also use a remote thermometer to monitor my intermal meat temp and also monitor the smoker temp with the built in thermometer. I track both on a spreasheet and watch both temps until the intermal meat temp reaches the desired temp.

Remember, slower and lower is better!!!
 
I took Harry's class earlier this year as well. Don pretty much covered it. One of the issues I have had with WSM cooking is temperatures. I use the minion method as well. RULE #1: Don't trust the gage on the hood of your WSM. It's not what's cooking at your food. Use a remote sensor. As far as keeping your temps steady, unless you have something high tech like a stoker or a DIGI-Q you might try this: Start your fire with all bottom vents open. Leave the top vent fully open too. Cover the WSM and let the temp rise until it get 30 degrees from your mark, then fully close two bottom vents, leaving the winward vent open. Always leave the top vent open. Wait about 15 minutes to see if your temp stabilizes. This is what I have been doing although I have to admit, as soon as I get the money together, I am going to get a stoker so I can worry about other things.
 
As a courtesy to our Q&A guest, please allow him to answer the original question before posting your own comments, answers, etc.

Thanks!
Chris
 
1. Do you use the "minion method" or do you start with all the charcoal fully lit charcoal?
Ans: Yes, for 18-inch WSM use 1/2 lit chimney for Brisket and Butts (250 degres); use 2/3 lit chimney for Ribs or Chicken (275 degrees)
2. Do you use wood chunks or chips?
Ans: I use tennis-sized wood chunks.
3. How much wood do you use for one cook?
Ans: For butts and briskets @ 250 degrees, use 6-8 tennis sized chunks; For ribs, use 3-4 tennis sized chunks; For Chicken, use 1 tennis sized chunk
4. During that one cook. How do you use the wood, just at first, at least half the cook or the entire time?
Ans: Wood is arranged around the side of the charcoal basket
5. Do you pre burn your wood or just load it in unlit?
Ans: Wood goes in as the Minion pile is made so it's unlit
 

 

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