Seasoning WSM 22.5


 
D

David Fletcher

New member
I plan to season my smoker this weekend. I plan to do the Harry Soo method. But I was reading his directions he says weather outside should be 72 degrees. I live in Chicago. Its around 10 to 20 degrees here. Does the temp outside matter when seasoning a smoker
 
Myself along with many other far more knowledge people on here will tell you to just start cooking. I recommend something with a higher fat content like a pork butt or a couple of fatties, etc. You will be pleased how quickly you will season it in just a few cooks and realize how much easier it will be to maintain temp.

I am not saying in any way that Harry is wrong in this method. After research and cooking when I first received my 22.5, I just feel it's not totally necessary and was cooking a lot faster. Good luck and looking forward to see your cooks in the photo gallery.
 
my new 14.5 will get its first run out this weekend - wasn't planning on seasoning, just can't wait to start cooking!!!
 
I think Harry lives in California, here outside Boston it is mild, about the middle 20's and I use my Silver B to grill (propane) and my smokey mountains

With my 14.5 and even the 22.5 I have created a wind break and thermal wrap, the easiest is to get a fireproof water heater cover at Home Depot $40 let me make 2 and have left over material I just folding it down by 1/3 length wise so I could still get at stuff. On seasoning, what I did was put some pork belly fat alongside what I was cooking to get more grease in the air.





 
Just as they said start cooking. I first lit some coals and let the WSM get as hot as it could (never monitored temperatures) just so it would burn of factory grease. Later that day through a few slabs of ribs on then the next a butt.
 
I fired mine up for the first time last weekend. I started early and kind of seasoned it. I got a costco pack of chicken thighs and a few pounds of bacon. I ran the chicken and bacon between 275 and 300 for a few hours, took them off, got the temperature down to 225-250, and put some ribs on. The bacon was toast but the chicken actually turned out good. We turned them into pulled chicken sandwiches. Ribs tasted good as well.

After assembling my unit and checking it over, there was little to no 'factory grease' or anything else on it. I just did the fatty stuff anyway, just in case, but like I said, the taste was fine.
 
In the pro bbq competition world, following Harry's seasoning procedures produces a smoker ready for the bbq circuit, which mean only cooking the 4 competition (kcbs) meats. Harry lists some foods that never see the insides of his competition wsm since they impart a flavor that is not in keeping with the usage of his competition wsm. Most people, not in the competition circuit, will venture out and cook things outside of those 4 meats. As such, following Harry's procedures is not as important, other than the initial burnout. It all depends upon what your planned usage of your wsm is.
 
Wash the cooking grates with a mild detergent, dry with a towel, and start cooking.
The WSM is porcelain enameled coated, a baked on coating which needs nothing more than a quick dust-off.
There are no factory oils present in the cooking chamber, like on a raw steel smoker.
The only oil should be on the charcoal grate, cause that is raw steel, and that needs to be protected from rusting during shipping.

Tim
 
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