Temp to low, lot's of unburned briquettes
- Thread starter Hawk Redhawk
- Start date
I may have missed it but what thermometer are you using? I would not trust the dome thermometer. If it's a probe or air thermometer you may want to check its calibration.
For the low end you can make an ice water bath. I would make it mostly ice. For the high end boil some water on stove. Water will boil at a lower temperature at higher elevation(208 F in Denver)
For the low end you can make an ice water bath. I would make it mostly ice. For the high end boil some water on stove. Water will boil at a lower temperature at higher elevation(208 F in Denver)
Hawk Redhawk
TVWBB Member
I'm using a meatstick. It recorded the ambient temperature 15 degrees higher than the dome thermometer. I just tested it. In an ice water bath it read 35 degrees, and in boiling water it read 210 degrees, both ambient and internal. I'm at 820 feet elevation so boiling temp should be 210.5 so the high end seems good.
Hawk Redhawk
TVWBB Member
Well, I ventured on again this weekend. Pork spare Ribs, St Louis style. Better results but the opposite problem. I think my initial problem with not getting enough heat was being so worried about temps being too high or running out of fuel, I just didn't use enough KBB. So, this time I poured about 7/8 of a chimney ( 70 briquettes) of KBB in and then got another 35 started in the chimney. Let them get good and hot and poured them on top of the others. Left the body of the smoker off until they were going well, then put everything together. It was real hot at the beginning, around 280 but then it cooled off in a hurry, down to about 210. I had asked my girl to fetch me the water for the water pan and never thought to tell her to get HOT water. So I boiled some water, disassembled the body, took out the water pan, dumped it, and filled it with boiling water. That worked well, for a while. I adjusted the dampers and for about 1 1/2 hours the tempo stayed in the 225-235 range. Fine. Later I was surprised to see the temp started rising and it got up to 360. I guess the accumulation of all the charcoal being ignited caused that. It surprised me because I expected the temperature to go down. Anyway, I managed to stabilize it again and after about 3 1/2 hours I foiled the ribs along with some butter, honey, and brown sugar and returned them to the cooker for about another 90 minutes. Then removed the foil slathered it with BBQ sauce and returned to the grill for 15 minutes until carmelized. They came out good, but I know that I need to work at this (Work Hell, This is FUN!) to get them to be great. Since a had the 14" WSM I had to use a rack so the ribs weren't flat. So, I just ordered an 18" from the BBQ guys. Damn! Just thought about I should have taken a picture of the finished product. Bark seemed pretty good (which means by my definition it was ok but could be a lot better), they glazed nice, were tender and tasted good. Next weekend it'd going to be a whole chicken, butterflied. I'm thinking that i don't use water for that and want a higher heat to get the skin nice and crispy.
Michael Richards
TVWBB Emerald Member
Hawk,
I am laughing with joy while reading your post. I did two racks of st Louis style ribs yesterday(cut in half, 2 halves on the bottom grate, two on the top grate of my WSM 14). My daughter was on temp watch and it I got it cruising at 250 to 280. I asked for temp checked and it was perfect 276, then like 15 mins later my daughter ran to me and said dad it's at 350, I said you mean 250, she, said no 350. She was right, it was 350, just in that 15 mind I had a massive spike, I shout down 2 vents completely and it ran the rest of the cook back at 250 to 280. In all my pork cooks, I have one spike each cook, my thoughts is it has to do with putting the cold meat on and that really sucking the heat out of the little smoker, then as the meat starts to heat up a little the temp spikes in the cooker. I make the modifications to the dampers give it 15 minutes to see if it is going down and then watch to see what happens.
So did just say you purchase a WSM 18 in smoker?
Michael Richards
TVWBB Emerald Member
Hawk,
I recommend NO water pan for the whole chicken. I do about 2/3 of a chimney unlit and 1/3 lit and I just let it go. I don't think I would touch the dampers unless it goes over 350. I use a remote meat probe and when the breast hits 165 I check it a few places with the instant read probe and check the thigns to make sure they are 175 and pull it. After I short rest I cut it up, the wings are always the chefs special treat while cutting.
Whole chickens have take me about an hour to 2 hours but others here have been done in 45 mind. I highly recommend an over night brine!
Look forward to more post!
Hawk Redhawk
TVWBB Member
Yes, I ordered an 18" WSM from the BBQ guys, Hopefully it gets here soon.
And thanks for the tips on the other post about the whole chicken. I'm going back and forth whether to smoke or grill. Probably smoke, just because I haven't done it before, but I want a really crisp skin. Maybe finish off with a sear on the Hibachi, if it will fit. Got a Son of Hibachi that I use when I'm cooking just a couple os steaks or burgers for the girlfriend and me.
Michael Richards
TVWBB Emerald Member
So I started with just my WSM 14 and then started to look to add a used kettle to the Arsenal. I cooked about 6 whole chickens on the WSM and all were great (no water pan, butterflied), but I was able to add a 22 inch Master Touch and the last two whole chickens I have done have been on the Master Touch (set up two zone cooking, indirect heat and direct using the charcoal baskets) and started them on the indirect heat side and I moved it right over the coals for the last part of the cook. Everything about the chicken was even better on the kettle, more smoke flavor, more tender meat, skin to die for. If I did not get the kettle I would have continued to do whole chickens on the WSM and love it.
Another option, uses the WSM without water pan, and then take off the middle section and sear the bird right over the fire by placing the grate right on the charcoal ring. I love to do this, if you have not done this yet, I say give this a try.
Jim C in Denver
TVWBB All-Star
And thanks for the tips on the other post about the whole chicken. I'm going back and forth whether to smoke or grill. Probably smoke, just because I haven't done it before, but I want a really crisp skin. Maybe finish off with a sear on the Hibachi, if it will fit.
No Hibachi needed -- you can use the bottom of your WSM as a grill to reverse sear/crisp.
After you are done smoking/roasting, take off the middle section (those add on garage doors handles help a lot here). And (as suggested above) put the cooking grate right on the charcoal ring.
I do chicken and wings like this all the time. I go back and forth whether no pan is better than dry pan. Both work well for chicken.
No Hibachi needed -- you can use the bottom of your WSM as a grill to reverse sear/crisp.
After you are done smoking/roasting, take off the middle section (those add on garage doors handles help a lot here). And (as suggested above) put the cooking grate right on the charcoal ring.
I do chicken and wings like this all the time. I go back and forth whether no pan is better than dry pan. Both work well for chicken.
Arun L.
TVWBB All-Star
Is there a video of someone doing this, so I can see how to do it? And what the final position looks like?
Does the lid then go on top of the end section?
If I was doing a whole chicken, for example, I use the bottom grate because I'm keeping my chicken upright. So would I:
* Remove the top
* Take the upright chicken out
* Remove the lower grate, water pan, middle section
* Put the lower grate on the charcoal ring
* Put the chicken on the lower grate
* Put the lid on the bottom section
?
MikeLucky
TVWBB Pro
So, I have a good routine for my WSM. Start with almost a full chimney of unlit briquettes in the bottom. I light about 1/3 of a chimney of briquettes to nearly completely lit, then dump right on top of the unlit coals. Put together the smoker and add water to the pan, straight tap, no boiling. Leave all vents full open until the temp gets to 275 or more. Then, I add the meat and let the temp stabilize back to about 250. Then, and only then do I close down all 3 lower bowl vents down to pencil width. I literally have a pencil that I hold in the vent to close the vents onto. This way you've stabilized all the variables first, then adjusted the vents rather than trying to hit a temp with 2 or 3 things actively affecting it.
Then I have to be patient and watch the temp slowly go back down to 230. Doing this method, with pencil width vents, the WSM will very reliably hold in the 230 range. And, I've learned that bringing the temp back DOWN to 230 is far easier and reliable than trying to work your way up to 230 while adding meat and adjusting vents, etc.
Then I have to be patient and watch the temp slowly go back down to 230. Doing this method, with pencil width vents, the WSM will very reliably hold in the 230 range. And, I've learned that bringing the temp back DOWN to 230 is far easier and reliable than trying to work your way up to 230 while adding meat and adjusting vents, etc.
Arun L.
TVWBB All-Star
Thanks for sharing. What about the wood? Any routine or details on that?
MikeLucky
TVWBB Pro
Oh, my wife doesn't like heavy smoke flavor so I have some mesquite pellets that I just toss on the coals for a light kiss of smoke flavor. But, when I used wood chunks I just placed one on the edge of the charcoal chamber on top of the coals in front of each vent.
Jim C in Denver
TVWBB All-Star
Is there a video of someone doing this, so I can see how to do it? And what the final position looks like?
Does the lid then go on top of the end section?
If I was doing a whole chicken, for example, I use the bottom grate because I'm keeping my chicken upright. So would I:
* Remove the top
* Take the upright chicken out
* Remove the lower grate, water pan, middle section
* Put the lower grate on the charcoal ring
* Put the chicken on the lower grate
* Put the lid on the bottom section
That would work. When doing the so-called "hot squat" you want to be careful. I bet the reason that Weber doesn't put handles on the WSM mid-section is because the Weber lawyers don't want to encourage people to do this.
So don't do it if you have steaming water in the pan that can slosh around to burn you or drench your fire. Good idea to take a vertical chicken out first so it wouldn't tip over and roll around. Wear hot gloves. Handles definitely encouraged (the 7.25 Everbilt garage door lift handles from Home Depot fit my 18 WSM perfectly). But I usually just take the whole middle/top off in one piece with all the contents still inside.
The dome lid does rest nicely right onto the top of the bottom bowl section (aka the Weber little black egg) but there's no lip/groove to hold it in place. So be careful not to knock the lid off. But in this application, we're just doing very hot/fast searing. So I'm quickly flipping and don't need the lid.
Check out the pictures at the end of Chris' instructional post on how to use your WSM like a grill.
www.virtualweberbullet.com
Does the lid then go on top of the end section?
If I was doing a whole chicken, for example, I use the bottom grate because I'm keeping my chicken upright. So would I:
* Remove the top
* Take the upright chicken out
* Remove the lower grate, water pan, middle section
* Put the lower grate on the charcoal ring
* Put the chicken on the lower grate
* Put the lid on the bottom section
That would work. When doing the so-called "hot squat" you want to be careful. I bet the reason that Weber doesn't put handles on the WSM mid-section is because the Weber lawyers don't want to encourage people to do this.
So don't do it if you have steaming water in the pan that can slosh around to burn you or drench your fire. Good idea to take a vertical chicken out first so it wouldn't tip over and roll around. Wear hot gloves. Handles definitely encouraged (the 7.25 Everbilt garage door lift handles from Home Depot fit my 18 WSM perfectly). But I usually just take the whole middle/top off in one piece with all the contents still inside.
The dome lid does rest nicely right onto the top of the bottom bowl section (aka the Weber little black egg) but there's no lip/groove to hold it in place. So be careful not to knock the lid off. But in this application, we're just doing very hot/fast searing. So I'm quickly flipping and don't need the lid.
Check out the pictures at the end of Chris' instructional post on how to use your WSM like a grill.
Grilling On The Weber Bullet - The Virtual Weber Bullet
Several approaches to grilling on the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker are shown, all of which require bringing hot charcoal and cooking grate closer together.
www.virtualweberbullet.com
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Michael Richards
TVWBB Emerald Member
So I think what Jim added was prefect. For me, I do the whole chicken on the top rack.
I put the lid to the side.
Remove the meat probe and make sure it is not going to catch when I go to make the grate.
Next, I what I really like to do is pop the rack with the chicken on it out of the WSM and put in on my 22 inch Kettle grate and close the lid, so that nothing bad happened to the chicken while removing the middle section.
Next, I remove the middle section and off to the side.
Then I placed the grate with the chicken on it right on the charcoal ring.
Put the lid on top on to make what my kids call Kronos (the robot in the first Incredibles movie).
Then cover/ leave uncovered/ flip/repeat until you its where you want it.
Last, I shut down all the dampers to the bottom and the lid to kill the fire, this takes a little longer then when the middle section is on, but I have never resembled hot.
***Now.. have good oven gloves or BBQ gloves for this whole process and LEAVE THEM ON when working with on WSM turned into Kronos because that lid and handle gets HOT!
***I.m working with a 14 inch WSM and this is soooo easy. I am a young health guy and think I could do this easily with the18, but I don't know about a 22. I think if i got the bigger guys at least the 22 I would be putting handles of the side. (I have removed the center section one handed on my 14, I don't recommend it, but it worked, and would not do it that way with the bigger guys.)
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMtlswE_Mngy2KqUibTm7Vi0rZfx0olnZ5FbOht
Cooking grate placed right over the charcoal chamber to finish chicken halves. Skin side down, no lid, watch closely to prevent burning!
Another photo from another cook.
Another photo from another cook.
Arun L.
TVWBB All-Star
Great pictures. How long do you do this finishing for, and still prevent burning?
Jim C in Denver
TVWBB All-Star
You are talking maybe a couple of minutes, during which time you are continually flipping and reflipping. Because the fire will be really hot.
When doing this, the distance from the coal grate to the cooking grate is like 4-5 inches and the food is 100% direct above the coals.
That's a good bit closer than the distance in, say, a regular kettle grill.
When doing this, the distance from the coal grate to the cooking grate is like 4-5 inches and the food is 100% direct above the coals.
That's a good bit closer than the distance in, say, a regular kettle grill.
Arun L.
TVWBB All-Star
Thanks. What is the distance in a regular kettle grill? I was wondering that when reading the post that you linked to:
Grilling On The Weber Bullet - The Virtual Weber Bullet
Several approaches to grilling on the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker are shown, all of which require bringing hot charcoal and cooking grate closer together.
www.virtualweberbullet.com