Regulating Temp?


 
S

Scott LeRette

New member
I am going to ask a really newb question. Please keep in mind- tomorrow will be the very first use of my beautiful 22.5 WSM. I also came from using an electric. So... I would love any and all suggestions on regulating the temp...use if the vents etc. Doing ribs and chicken so want to be in the 225-250 range so thats what I will be trying to get to and maintain. Ready....go! Thanks.
 
Hi Scott,
A very valid question. Just a little heads up... Since your WSM is new, it may run hot. And since both ribs and chicken benefit with a hotter temperature, you should do well. Unless things get really out of control, you'll be fine.
What are your plans... Are you going the minion method route ? (hopefully)
 
Yes to your question. I really need to learn how to best use the vents...
And ive already burned a load through it tonight...seasoned it.
 
Fire your Pitt up with all the vents wide open when it gets to temp close all the vent to about 1/4 open. If temp rises, close them more, if temp drops open them a bit, if temp holds, you're good to go. Top vent is always wide open
 
Excellent.
One problem that is seen often when cooking short-term meats on a first time is insufficient unlit coals and too many lit coals. I believe it's a carry over from people's kettle days.
If one were to completely fill the charcoal ring, to the top, with unlit. Then remove no more than a dozen from the very center of the pile (so as to create a little well) and place in your chimney. Once the dozen (or less) are fully lit, pour into that well you created earlier. Assemble the smoker. With all vents open, keep an eye on the temp. When you start approaching no less than 50 degrees of your intended run temp, close down 2 of the 3 vents. Also close down the 3rd vent to 50% (as a starting place). This way you'll only have to adjust the one vent. Have some patience, as the temperature will continue to climb. Give it a little time, but not too much... Further adjust that one vent to arrive at the temperature you intend to run at.
Hope that helps.
 
Bob offers great advice above. If using water in the pan, use hot water if you can. Also, be aware that the dome gauge will probably be a good bit cooler than the actual grate temp as long as the meat is relatively cool, say maybe 25* or so. It just depends on the weather and amount of meat in the cooker.
 
Bob Bass said:
Excellent.
One problem that is seen often when cooking short-term meats on a first time is insufficient unlit coals and too many lit coals. I believe it's a carry over from people's kettle days.
If one were to completely fill the charcoal ring, to the top, with unlit. Then remove no more than a dozen from the very center of the pile (so as to create a little well) and place in your chimney. Once the dozen (or less) are fully lit, pour into that well you created earlier. Assemble the smoker. With all vents open, keep an eye on the temp. When you start approaching no less than 50 degrees of your intended run temp, close down 2 of the 3 vents. Also close down the 3rd vent to 50% (as a starting place). This way you'll only have to adjust the one vent. Have some patience, as the temperature will continue to climb. Give it a little time, but not too much... Further adjust that one vent to arrive at the temperature you intend to run at.
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Bob, I have 2 questions for you:
1) you start with 12 lit briqs. Have you ever tryed with 1 fully lit chomney ? Or half fully lit chimney?
2) don't you use ever the exhaust vent to control T?

My personal experience is with 22 WSM is:
1) usually 15/18 lit briqs to start with but i have had great difficulty to reach 250/270 ish ( i use water in water pan, may be too much)
2) in the very last cookings I started using lid vent to control T. It works surprisingly well
 
Hi Enrico,

The number of lit coals basically determines the temperature range. When running with water in the pan, additional lit coals will be required.
Looking over the posts from other members here who run dry pans seems to suggest for the 250 deg range, they are using somewhere around 8 initial lit coals.
Given that additional lit coals will be required if running with water in the pan and you intend to run at a higher temperature, it would not be inconceivable to start with a half to full chimney.

I have never actually placed an exact number of coals in the chimney. Just filled it up a quarter to third full or so. Also, I run a dry, foiled pan and use an ATC (Stoker) for temperature control.
The logic of available heat energy (number of lit coals) applies to both a normally aspirated system (vent control) and a forced air system (ATC).

You are right. The exhaust vent is great asset to control temperatures. I have used the exhaust vent when conditions warrant. Mostly when temperatures get out of control on the high side. An ATC can only control additional combustion air. When temperature control is lost on the high side, the only control is to adjust the exhaust vent.

Last year our bbq association, CBBQA, hosted the west coast (USA) premier showing of the movie American Smoke. Prior to the event, we held a pot luck using member provided cooked food. I did a nice full chafer of Pepper Stout Beef, using the recipe found on this site. The chuck was smoked at our normal 250 degrees for the time indicated in the recipe. Once everything is combined, the recipe has one increase the temperature to 350 degrees. Instead of moving the pans from the WSM to the oven, just dialed up the ATC's setpoint to 350 degrees. Within 15 minutes, the WSM was smoothly running at 350. I did add some additional lit coals to help it along, otherwise it would have taken too long to get up to temperature.

Have you tried to run without water in the pan ? To help overcome the difficulties you are seeing, it might be something to try. Would also reduce your brig usage. If you do, foil the pan or placing something to catch the drippings so they don't burn.
 
Water does have its advantages, with temperature moderation being the greatest.
Personally, my pan is always dry. Was taught that way and has worked well.
You already have a heat sink in the meat you're cooking.
Also, less charcoal usage without water in the pan.
 
Some really interesting info here! Has given me some ideas to try next time I fire the WSM up. I have been doing similar, but using half a Weber chimney of lit coals & all 3 vents fully open and adjusting to keep required temperature should it go too high. Have been using water in the pan as well, so will try a dry pan. The only question I have is, will lining the inside of the pan with foil make any difference (other than easier clean up!)?
 
I have a hard time with temps getting too high. I generally find it best to bring the 22.5 up slowly. I usually put 3 gallons in the pan and just foil the bottom. I'm not dead set on water in the pan. Usually I have all three bottom vents about 25% open to start and put 15 lit coals in the center. It usually talkes about 45 min to an hour to heat up which is probably crazy slow. Then I put food on.
and usually wind up closing 2 bottom vents completely with 1 at 25 to 50%.

Usually at some point in the middle of the night I'm suddenly at 260 with the maverick alarm going off at which point I find the best way to get temps down is to set top vent to around 75% I'm usually not getting much smoke at that point, but I would never set the top vent below 50%. Very small adjustments seem to make it trend very slowly in temp one way or the other. I'm hoping adding the cajun bandit door and the latch, sealing it, etc. help.

Keep in mind I'm in Texas.
 
Still have my first WSM in the box...will start to put it together later this week. I also was wondering about how to get the right temp... When I bbq on the grill I always had a pan of water there, since I heard your meat or chicken will stay more moist. So not adding water will not cause chicken or ribs to dry out more? If not, I would prefer this way due to an easier cleanup I would think.
 
Hi Darren,

Foiling the pan does not affect the cook, but makes the cleanup afterwards much easier. I foil the bottom, then the top. Then repeat, so that there are 2 layers on the bottom and the top. The last layer will be the top so that afterwards, you just remove and toss the top layer. Replace that top layer before your next cook. When foiling the top, leave a depression for the accumulation of drippings from your meats. With some serious searching, you can find rolls with the proper width. If you can't, just combine 2 sheets with a "Z" fold.
 
Bob Bass said:
Hi Darren,

Foiling the pan does not affect the cook, but makes the cleanup afterwards much easier. I foil the bottom, then the top. Then repeat, so that there are 2 layers on the bottom and the top. The last layer will be the top so that afterwards, you just remove and toss the top layer. Replace that top layer before your next cook. When foiling the top, leave a depression for the accumulation of drippings from your meats. With some serious searching, you can find rolls with the proper width. If you can't, just combine 2 sheets with a "Z" fold.
Click to expand...

Thanks Bob, that is what I have been doing with water even (easier than leaving inside of pan unfoiled) so will continue along same route but without the water this weekend to see if it makes much of a difference.
 
I think one of the hardest things to learn is to quit worrying about exact temps. We are BBQing, not making quiche. Learn where your pit likes to cook and run with it. My WSM likes 280*. Unless I am doing chicken and forcing it hotter, I do everything else at where she's comfortable. Makes life a lot easier on me and helps her burn cleaner.
 
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