Question after first use...

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I fired up my new $79 WSM last night for some babybacks and some "boneless" ribs (my mother-in-law always buys those.) Man, we took the boneless ribs off first so they wouldn't dry out, and WOW, they were so moist, tender and flavorful you could actually enjoy them! Next came the babybacks and they were terrific, as well.

I basically used the Minion method, dumping a load of hot coals on a bed of unlit, then I kinda stirred them around a little. Then I put on about 5 good sized chunks of water-soaked hickory (a little smaller than your fist) and a mostly full pan of cold water. I bought one of the screw-in type smoker thermometers and stuck it in one of the holes in the lid vent. It read about 210-220 throughout the whole cooking session. This is Oklahoma in August (hot) and I had the intake vents almost all the way open. Still only about 215 degrees. But, the ribs were quite done in less than 4 hours. It seems to me that there must be a flaw either in my temperature measuring equipment or technique, for the ribs to be done that fast at that temperature. Especially since the temp at the cooking grates would have been even lower. Any ideas?

My real question, though, is how long should I expect the wood chunks to last? I had to add wood chunks through the door a couple times to keep the smoke going. (I know, food only takes smoke when it's cold, but I still had to add some after only about 45 minutes.)

Thanks for listening,
David
 
Hi David!

Congrats on your maiden voyage!!

Sounds to me like the thermo is WAY off. I cook my baby's for 6 hours at 225?. The fact you used a "load" of hot coals seems to be further evidence of the thermo being out of whack. During hot weather, I use the standard 15 briqs and add my meats immediately. This is one reason my ribs take longer than most.

As to the wood chunks, mine will quit smoking after about a half hour, but if you look, you will notice the chunks are still intact....in other words they have not burned completely up. It's just the "visible" smoke has disappeared. Also, you shouldn't have to soak your chunks.

Anyway, check that thermo and then just keep on cookin'!!!

Stogie
 
Soooo Stogie -- ol' Hoss!

You use 15 briquets and put the meat on at that time. What time? Before the briq. have ashed over? And the water? Is the water hot or cold when you put it in?

Yaknow, I need help with this new technology!
And, since I got rid of my Questi 5000, I am relearning all you taught me before!!

So, elucidate. You get 6 hours out of 15 briquets? Just how darn hot does it get in Ft. Wayne? ;~)



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Sespe Pete
 
Gotta agree with Stogie. The last few smokes I've done have all been ribs -- six racks was the most, usually just three. Fired up about 15 to 20 briquettes in the chimney and, once ashed over, spread them over about a half-a-ring of unlit charcoal. Added the smoke wood, hot water to the pan, then put the ribs on. Using hot water the WSM just chugs along for about six hours if I keep the temp in the 235-250 range. Cold water - like I added this weekend - will result in a lower temp for a longer period of time. The ribs I did this past weekend were done in five hours, but even with the vents open full the smokers temp never topped 240.

Next time you smoke, David, skip soaking the smoke wood you're using and fill the water pan up with hot or warm water. What happened this time around was that the fire was using all its energy burning up the water in the smoke wood and what was left was heating up the water, leaving little to cook the meat. I respectfully disagree with Stogie about the thermometer being the culprit. I think your fire didn't have any oomph left. Just my thoughts...

Peace. Out.

Alan
 
Alan
I have to say that chances are Stogie's more than likely right about the threm. In hot weather, even starting out with cold water, with the vents wide open the temps will be over 215?, more like 265-280?.
Check out the thermometers.
I've stop using hot water unless the outside temps get real low.
Jim
 
Get an inexpensive oven thermometer and put in on the top grate and check the lid thermometer against that. Don't use your wife's oven thermometer, the smoke is going to get it pretty nasty. I can tell you from my own experience and from what I've read on this board that there is often a big difference between these two, and it can be in either direction. My lid thermometer runs about 50 degrees higher.
 
Let me get this right? - your ribs were the best ever and you want to change things?. Being a guy as well, I know we all like to turn knobs and flip switches, but "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

"May the smoke be with you"
Steve
 
yeah, I guess I've got "fiddle-itis", the strong desire to mess with things. If something's not broken, I'll break it. Actually, I'm just trying to make my experiences match those of everyone else. I will test the thermometer, I will get an oven thermometer, and I will use dry wood next time. Actually, I have an oven thermometer I used to use with my Brinkman electric smoker. It's just in storage with all my other stuff, since we're moving to Tulsa and waiting for the new house to be ready. (Oh, and the black crud will scrape off the face of the oven thermometer if you scrub hard enough.)

Now, if the lid thermometer is 50* hotter than the cooking grate, that means my grate was only at 165! I'm experienced enough at smoking to know that couldn't have been. Those ribs cooked fast. Thermometer HAS to be faulty. Either that, or it was somehow reading wrong due to just being poked through a vent hole, close to the outside. We'll see.

Thanks
DP

Love that WSM already, though!
 
Hey SESPE!!!!!

How the heck are ya???? Long time no talk!

You need more than 15 briqs!!!! But, follow Jim's method for longer burn times.

Here is the ritual........to get maximum burn times, you should only lite a few briqs. Let them ash over completely and then dump on top of unlit coals. That way, the fire will GRADUALLY burn down into the unlit ones. I have had a 12 hour cook this summer during that hot weather with just one load of charcoal(about 3/4 bag of Kingsford)!! All while keeping the temp at 225?. Not bad, eh?

Many folks recommend letting the meat come to room temp prior to cooking. That is very important when grilling...it will allow the meat to "relax" and therefore aide in tenderizing. When smoking, that is not needed. Also, the earlier you put the meat on, the more smoke will be absorbed.

I use water right from the outside hose, except in the winter I will use hot water.

The above method must be changed when BBQing in cold weather.....but then again, YOU don't have to worry about that!!!! LOL

You should also tweak that if you are filling up the WSM with meat......a full load of cold meat will keep the temps way down.

Stogie
 
Heh... I use hose water too but I haven't fessed up to it yet. I don't think it can make that much of a difference, if any in the taste of the meat. ...but I have wondered about it.

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Couch Potato
 
Hey Couch Potato!!

Many on this forum have done extensive taste testing of various spices and things in the water pan.

Conclusion....

NO TASTE DIFFERENCE! So, save your money and put the stuff on the fire!

Stogie
 
Whiskey in the water pan works. If you want your brisket to taste like whiskey. I didn't like it.
 
Lots of debate about a thermometer...Boil a pot of water; put the thermometer in. If it reads 212*, it's not your thermometer!
 
UPDATE ON MY PROBLEM:
I checked the thermometer in boiling water and it was way off, so I got a different one, this time a New Braunfels smoker thermometer. It read 220 in boiling water. Better, but not good enough for me. I ended up finding a Taylor thermometer (Polder clone) at Target for only $16.99. I cooked with it, but haven't tested it! It seemed to work better, but I still ought to test it. I used it by simply hanging it in a hole in the lid vent. Ribs came out tremendous again.

Pickle
 
You got a Taylor probe thermometer for $16.99? Living in Canada SUCKS!!! All week long I've tried to find a Polder or similar. The Taylor was $46.00 and the only other one was a super no-name cheap looking thing for $35.00

Don't even get me started on beer prices. The beer consumption is usually the most expensive part of my cook.
 
David,

Regarding the water pan. Get a larger pan that is discussed else where in the BB in detail.
I always start a kettle of 6 qts of water on the stove just before I start the charcoal. To the water I add what ever. Onion, garlic, apples , oranges,, what ever depending upon what I'm cooking. Allow the broth to come to a rolling simmer. Never boil. ALWAYS add a three to four tablespoons of virgin olive oil. Makes cleaning the pan a snap.

Some folks will say adding anything to the water pan will result in little if any value. I strongly disagree. As wood adds to the flavor of the meat so will the contents of the water pan. Try a chicken with bay leave, sage, poultry seasoning, garlic, onion, white wine, OLIVE OIL, what ever.

O by the way, try making a gravy from the pan when you pull the meat off. While the meat is cooling / setting up scoope out two to four cups of the broth and make gravy on the stove top. Typically the gravey gets as many rave reviews as the turkey, roast etc.

Enjoy
 
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