Snake Method on WSM
- Thread starter JackSark
- Start date
ChuckO
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Running a snake in a WSM isn't needed (imho) Here's information on start up
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And running one
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ChuckO
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Do you guys light opposite ends of the snake to have an even zone in your 22 wsm? I've used pellet smoke tube in my kettle for bacon, but I would be concerned about cool zones on a one-lit-end snake. Bottom rack? Just curious, as I've never thought to run a snake in a wsm
This is how I do in on my 18 for pork butts -- I can get a solid 6-7-8 hours out of it and finish in the oven. I don't like the thought of filling the basket and having a bunch of half burnt coals left over myself. Plus it 'times' the wood chunks thru out the cook.
This is how I set up for shorter cooks too..... I find the depth of the coals is more important than the circumfrence.....
This is how I set up for shorter cooks too..... I find the depth of the coals is more important than the circumfrence.....
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I do. Usually use the top rack only.
I do a half moon. Starting from both sides, I put a single layer ( 4 long) then a double layer ( 5 long) then finish with a triple layer.
Temps usually start at 130 then slowly ramp up to 150/160 and finish in the 170/180 range.
ChuckO
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Good to know. The pellet smoke tube is the only success I've had at low temp cooks, and only in the kettle. I'll try the next Beef Jerky or Bacon smoke in my 22-WSM using your method. Thanks
Brendan Slack
New member
Only time I’ve used snake method in the WSM was a 2x2 snake to make beef jerky. Kept it around 150-160°. Otherwise, minion method has worked for just about everything else I’ve done.
Jim C in Denver
TVWBB Wizard
Jack -- Here's the key. A WSM is designed to run as a low temp smoker. In contrast, a kettle is designed to run at much higher temps as a grill. The food in a WSM is two feet from the fire. Only 4-6 inches in a kettle.
So, as others have mentioned above, the WSM is designed to run at 250F (more or less) when using some form of the stock Minion method. Which is having a big pile of unlit charcoal and then adding a limited number of lit coals to the unlit pile. The fire advances slowly through the unlit pile -- pretty much how a snake fire progresses in a kettle. To keep your kettle at 250F, you have to work harder at it and do some extra tricks -- like the snake.
Because of the smoker (not grill) design of the WSM, you'd only need to use a snake (like you use in a grill/kettle) if you want extra low temps under 200F. You'd only use those temps for specialty cooks like bacon, jerky, smoking cheese, etc. Outside of those specialty cooks, us MSM-ers will usually Minion and rarely snake.
The fundamental variable in your WSM cook is how many charocals you light up at the beginning and add to the unlit pile. On a hot day, not using water, no wind and a modest amount of food, you might start with only 8-10 lit coals. On a cold windy day with a full cooker and a full water pan, you might start with 3/4 of a big chimney lit.
After the fire gets going, you can fine tune the WSM temp much easier by playing with the multiple vents. The vent adjustments on a kettle are not as precise.
Bottom line, a kettle is a fine grill that can be a meh smoker if you jerry rig it. A WSM is a fine low temp smoker that is designed to run at 250F without any special methods.
Welcome.
So, as others have mentioned above, the WSM is designed to run at 250F (more or less) when using some form of the stock Minion method. Which is having a big pile of unlit charcoal and then adding a limited number of lit coals to the unlit pile. The fire advances slowly through the unlit pile -- pretty much how a snake fire progresses in a kettle. To keep your kettle at 250F, you have to work harder at it and do some extra tricks -- like the snake.
Because of the smoker (not grill) design of the WSM, you'd only need to use a snake (like you use in a grill/kettle) if you want extra low temps under 200F. You'd only use those temps for specialty cooks like bacon, jerky, smoking cheese, etc. Outside of those specialty cooks, us MSM-ers will usually Minion and rarely snake.
The fundamental variable in your WSM cook is how many charocals you light up at the beginning and add to the unlit pile. On a hot day, not using water, no wind and a modest amount of food, you might start with only 8-10 lit coals. On a cold windy day with a full cooker and a full water pan, you might start with 3/4 of a big chimney lit.
After the fire gets going, you can fine tune the WSM temp much easier by playing with the multiple vents. The vent adjustments on a kettle are not as precise.
Bottom line, a kettle is a fine grill that can be a meh smoker if you jerry rig it. A WSM is a fine low temp smoker that is designed to run at 250F without any special methods.
Welcome.
Agreed. I set up my WSM the way I do - with what I would call a 'radial minion' rather than a snake really - just as a way to 'attempt' to minimize coal usage ---- I can't bring myself to dump 10-12-16 #s of coals for any single cook --- I can get away with 6-8# for a GOOD pork butt cook and know that the wood chunks will lite off sequentially over a longer time time frame instead of randomly. I always end up throwing more chunks in towards the end when the smoke dies out -- and its easy enuff to lift the barrel and reconstruct the pattern to extend cook times when needed.
The 'coal basket' I use for shorter cooks keeps the coal bed deep for more concentrated heat rather than a shallow spread across the grate. But yeah --- its hard to get my WSM to maintain >275 without ALOT of coals ---sometimes impossible..... it just tops out at 275 - you can lift the lid for awhile and it will spike to 325+, but it will always settle back to ~275ish (depending on weather).
I'm so glad that I snagged a Performa to make shorter/hotter cooks more economically viable with as good/if not better results than the WSM with much less setup/clean up/hassle.
The 'coal basket' I use for shorter cooks keeps the coal bed deep for more concentrated heat rather than a shallow spread across the grate. But yeah --- its hard to get my WSM to maintain >275 without ALOT of coals ---sometimes impossible..... it just tops out at 275 - you can lift the lid for awhile and it will spike to 325+, but it will always settle back to ~275ish (depending on weather).
I'm so glad that I snagged a Performa to make shorter/hotter cooks more economically viable with as good/if not better results than the WSM with much less setup/clean up/hassle.
David Dopke
New member
What are these amazing little setups you have? And where can I get them?
Its all DIY..... My neighbor gifted me some heavy duty stainless steel perf sheet that he had leftover from making a grill insert for his truck - he had to buy a 4x6ft sheet of it to make a 2.5x5 ft insert and he gave me the rest -- I felt REALLY bad cutting it up and using it after I found out how much it costs - its like 60$+ per square foot !!!?!!!?!!! I would have been happy using expanded mesh, but this material was basically free to me......
I've got a sheet that I use on/in the grill/smoker/oven that is just KILLER!!!! I cut it just big enough so that I can still clean it in my sink. I've also got another smaller left over piece that hangs out in my toaster oven that sometimes gets used for searing burgers ---- its pretty awesome - the fat and grease can drip thru and flare all it wants - the perf sheet protects the meat from the flames and burning all to hell --- more heat for a better sear !!!! Works good for steaks too!
You can start out as I did easily ---- a 28oz can with holes for the center and a simple brick to split the ring..... I just had to try and make it 'betterer'.
I've got a sheet that I use on/in the grill/smoker/oven that is just KILLER!!!! I cut it just big enough so that I can still clean it in my sink. I've also got another smaller left over piece that hangs out in my toaster oven that sometimes gets used for searing burgers ---- its pretty awesome - the fat and grease can drip thru and flare all it wants - the perf sheet protects the meat from the flames and burning all to hell --- more heat for a better sear !!!! Works good for steaks too!
You can start out as I did easily ---- a 28oz can with holes for the center and a simple brick to split the ring..... I just had to try and make it 'betterer'.
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