Running the WSM at 160-180


 
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Tom Raveret

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Does anyone have low matinence(I know this is a relative term) way to run the WSM in the 180 range? My local fish monger makes these killer salmon nuggets and strips and I want to try and reproduce his results on the WSM. He is using an electric smoker at 180 for the better part of a day. Once I have this down and can repeat what I've done I will share the recipie. Its a really neat Brine with things like oyster sauce and candied ginger in it!!!
 
Could you share the brine recipe? I have 70lbs of sockeye in the freezer. Been thinkin' about doing a batch sometime soon.

Thanks,

Ryan
 
Hi Tom....

This time of year in our area, you can easily maintain low temps. Just light a few...between 5-10 depending on wind and temp. Always control the pit from the bottom up...in other words, start shutting the vents down BEFORE the cooker gets too near your coking temp. It is much harder to cool it down.

This past weekend did 22 lbs. of jerky and 10 lbs. of andouille...had the cooker humming along at 160-190? all day. Very windy conditions is why the big range.

Now, in the summer when I make this stuff, I only light 3 briqs and only keep about 25-30 total(layed flat.....not piled) in the charcoal ring. Those will burn all day in the hot summer sun.
 
After further discusion with the fish monger I was mistaken about the smoking time as it is much much horter than I earlier thought. I just have to bring the fish up to the 155-165 range so I will still kep the temp down so I can hit it with lots of smoke.

Thanks, I'll post the brine and recipie after I have some success.
 
Heresy, perhaps, but if I were using the WSM for a true smoker, I would lay a 110 volt 1000 watt (thereabouts) hot plate in the bottom and control the temps thataway. Smoking usually takes too long to give it the attention charcoal would require. Use a ss or small cast iron skillet for your sawdust, and spray it wet ever so slightly. This is Spring, and a good time of year to add pruned twigs off your favorite tree to mix in with the sawdust.

When you add the skillet after the fish has flashed off, the temp will plunge, so be prepared to adjust the hot plate.
 
PS, I've never used the WSM for smoking, but I doubt that the domed vent is sufficiently large to allow the air flow you need initially for an efficient job. Just guessing. It could be. But you might want to experiment with leaving the lid ajar. Principle would be to maintain your initial temp (say around 130 F) while allowing the greatest volume of air that you can control to pass up past the fish.
 
Interesting information, Chris. I just assumed that hotplate plug would pass through vent hole. Also, if you go into the 2000 watt range on a single burner, as recommended, you have to use a hot plate wired for 220 volt. I don't think that bother would be necessary. You are only some 15 to 20 degrees shy of your highest need at 150. My GUESS (am most facile and light of foot when it comes to guessing) is that if you used a stainless pan instead of cast iron, which is now proved to be too much of a heat sink in this situation, you could get the temps you needed. At any rate, seems you are close to utilizing the Smoker as a smoker.

Also, instead of using sawdust, if you want a gentler smoke, cover the pan bottom with cross sections of a green limb, say 1/2" thick by 3/4" in diameter. They burn down slowly and you could lay in more through the side door with tongs if you need to. An alternative is to add liquid smoke to the cure, sufficient to your taste, and forego the pan altogether.
 
Or, you can just buy a Luhr-Jensen Little Chief Smoker. They are about half the price of a WSM, easy to use, and specifically designed for smoking fish and jerky. Its electric with a hot plate providing the heat. A little pan sits on top of the hot plate for the wood chips. The one I use is about 30 years old and still works like a charm.

Or, check out Alton Brown, he made a smoker out of a cardboard box, a hot plate, a disposable pie plate for the wood chips, and his polder thermometer to monitor temps.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dave Lewis:
[qb]Or, check out Alton Brown, he made a smoker out of a cardboard box, a hot plate, a disposable pie plate for the wood chips, and his polder thermometer to monitor temps. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes, that's mentioned in the link I posted above. Unfortunately, Food TV has reorganized their web content and the page containing the cardboard box smoker seems to be missing.

BTW, Alton Brown used a small cast-iron pan with a perforated pie pan as a cover to prevent the sawdust from bursting into flames.

Regards,
Chris
 
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