temp control


 
D

Dave Ellison

TVWBB Member
Am currently involved with the first smoke on my new 22.5 wsm. problem is temp control -- too hot. I have two bottom dampers fully closed and one about 1/4 open (if I fully closed all bottom vents wouldn't that extinguish the burning charcoal?). Top damper is fully opened. According to my Maverick, temp is hitting about 270 degrees at grate; on the wsm lip, temp is just outside the "smoke" bar. I'm using lump charcoal and fired up with the Minion method. Water pan is full. Any suggestions to stabilize temps at 225-259 would be greatly appreciated. I've read that temps will run hot on the first smoke or two. Is that correct? And could that be the problem in this case? Thanks.
 
Hey Dave, Hard to give you a proper response because you are missing too many variables such as how much charcoal are you using?, how much lit did you use?, how tight did you pack your lump?

I wouldn't worry too much about your temp in the 270 range. You are close enough. What works well for me is that I try to adjust all three bottom vents the to the same settings. Once you make an adjustment, be patient. Wait 10-15 minutes for your adjustment to take place.

The reason that a newer WSM will run hotter is that the seal between each section is not as tight yet. As you do more cooks with your unit, the gunk will build up inside thus creating a better seal to restrict more air entering your unit to fuel to coals.

This is going to be hard at the beginning but try resist opening the lid to check your meat too often. Opening the lid equals to introducing more oxygen to feed your fire.

Once you do a few cooks you will quickly learn how easy it is to set and tweek your WSM. Owning one of the best verticle water smokers also helps!
 
Dave, welcome to the party. I did an experiment last week to see how long the temp in my 22.5 would take to drop from 350 to 270. I closed all the vents top and bottom after maintaining 350 for 10 min. It took 17 min for temp to drop to 270, more importantly, in your case, is the coals still had enough heat to fire up when I opened the vents. I typically run my lower vents all closed except one a sliver open to maintain a desired cooking temp. So if you want to lower the temp close all the vents, or remove some coal.

Mark
 
Have been able to get temp to hover at 259-262 at top grate. Best I can do so far. For initial firing, I used full ring with hole in middle for lit charcoal. Used about 3/4 chimney lit charcoal in middle. Top grate contained some sausage links, rack of St. Louis ribs (flat on grate), 6-lb. pork butt. Put all is wsm when lid temp registered 200 degrees. Sausage came off in about an hour and 15 minutes. Pork has now been on about 3 1/2 hours and meat temp is 143 degrees.
 
thanks. guess i'm in the ballpark with this first smoke. hope, though, that i eventually will be able to maintain a 225-250 grate temp.
 
thanks. Have been able to get temp to hover at 259-262 at top grate. Best I can do so far. For initial firing, I used full ring with hole in middle for lit charcoal. Used about 3/4 chimney lit charcoal in middle. Top grate contained some sausage links, rack of St. Louis ribs (flat on grate), 6-lb. pork butt. Put all is wsm when lid temp registered 200 degrees. Sausage came off in about an hour and 15 minutes. Pork has now been on about 3 1/2 hours and meat temp is 143 degrees.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">, that i eventually will be able to maintain a 225-250 grate temp. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You can, but it is not necessary. You cooktemps are fine.
 
The WSM is notoriously hot during the first few smokes. The more you season your WSM, the more it gets some "gunk" that traps off some ventilation.

Make sure everything is relatively tight-fitting, including the access door...that thing is frequently bent and needs adjusting (see the home page of this site for advice on adjusting the access door).

Sounds like you started with a relatively small amount of lit charcoal...was it K? Sometimes lump burns hotter, too. I have had absolutely no problem starting with a full ring of unlit, put in 1/2 chimney of lit, and that baby goes 225* for 14-18 hours.

Hang in there...it's a journey, not a destination.

JJ
 
Re-read that you are using lump.

Also, how are you measuring your grill temp? The thermometer in the dome of the WSM is by most considered a hood ornament. That thing can easily be off by as much as 50* either way. I find that mine is fairly accurate until I get to about 250 and then it quits going up!! I swear I could have mine at blast-furnace temps and the built-in thermo wouldn't move. A good digital thermo is a great addition.
 
Thanks for all the valuable input. I used 3/4 chimney of lit charcoal. Also am using a Maverick digital temp gauge that registers meat temp and temp at grate on which meat sits (top grate. The Weber lid gauge registers about 25 degrees lower than the grate temp gauge. Everything is a tight fit -- door, lid to mid, mid to bottom. Put butt on at 10:30am and at 8pm temp at grate is 235 and meat temp is 177 (been in the dwell mode for awhile).
 
I guess that many will fret over temps while learning to use the WSM. I know that I did, and I've been cooking with charcoal since Kennedy was president.
It's amusing to fiddle with vents and therms while cooking...but basically, the meat just doesn't care.
But, after spending hundreds of hard-to-comeby dollars, I expect some fun.
If that is not forthcoming automatically, I will invent it.
I have finally decided that once I establish an even burn, at what ever temp, I just concern myself with the meat. Once it's ready...I'm done, and so is it.
So far, so good.
Have fun.
 
Your comments are appreciated. It is refreshing to read comments from a culinary devotee with a philosophical approach. Thanks.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">once I establish an even burn, at what ever temp, I just concern myself with the meat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Absolutely. Not a clock, not a temp, just the meat.
 
Jim--Was pleasantly surprised at the results of my first cook. Butt was succulent with a respectable, tasty bark. The dwell, though took four hours. Ribs were pretty good but could have been a bit jucier (slightly overcooked). Sausage was very good.
Overall, I enjoyed the experience, and I appreciate all the advice and encouragement from the forum folks. That, actually, was part of the fun. I also agree with you that I should have used a third of a chimney or so to keep initial temps down somewhat. For most of the cook, two of the lower vents were completely closed and the remaining one was just a tad open. Top vent stayed full open the entire time.

Before long, I'm going to try a brined turkey. Besides being juicy I want the bird to have a noticeable but not overpowering smoke flavor. I also want the skin to be very crisp and tight to the flesh, not rubbery. I've read that accomplishing these goals requires higher temps -- in the 350 range as I understand. In this case, I may opt for a waterless water pan within which is a terracotta saucer, and start out with a full chimney. Does that sound workable? Thanks.
 
Weber doesn't recommend lump in their wsm manual, but I used it successfully and apparently so have legions of others. Maybe Weber thinks it will clog the holes in the fire ring. Didn't with me, though.
 
Legions.

Many here use it exclusively. I use it if I can get quality lump. If not, I use non-adulterated briquettes. Not issue at all with using it. Just lay it in and pack it well to minimize air space and thus maximize burn time.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Ellison:
Wonder if anyone has ever asked Weber why the company recommends against using lump charcoal in the wsm? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I did. Customer service told me that Weber recommends using briquets because they believe briquets give a more predictable burn. They are marketing to the masses and want the users to get consistant results. Also according to the CS agent I spoke with, the folks that are responsible for making those recommendations are familiar with the burn characteristics of briquets and not so familiar with lump. Be that as it may, I have used Lump for years in my Weber kettle and from day one in my WSM. It is like anything else we use, once you figure it out it is predictable and not a problem. Your millage may vary, of course.

Mark
 
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