Terra Cotta Saucer Method

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I am smoking a brisket for the first time using the saucer over my water pan with no water. Seem to be having problems with high temperatures. After 1 hour, the temp seems to be holding at 280 and thats with all 3 vents closed. Can't seem to get the temp down to 250.

Now I'm afraid with all vents closed, my fuel might starve for air and die out. I will see how it goes but at the present I'm not to happy with the saucer --- might add water to the pan if my temp problem persists. Anybody have an ideas for me?
 
Did you Minion the start? How much lit? Did you assemble after putting in the lit and immediately load in the meat?
 
Yes Kevin I used the Minion method and had a full chimney full of hot coals, assembled and added the brisket.

3 hrs now into the cook and I have the temp down to 252 now. 2 vents closed and one slightly cracked.

Question? Do you or anybody else reading this post thinks that a 25 degree diffence in temperature really makes that much difference?
 
Depends on what you mean. 25 degrees will make a difference in cook time--higher temps mean a shorter cook. This is more noticeable at temps over, say, 240-250. It will not, as is often assumed, dry out the meat.
 
Thanks Kevin --- don't mind the shorter cook time, I was just worried about drying out that rascal.
 
a full chimney of lit coals for waterless is way,way too much. use no more than 12 and le tthe temp gradually go up to 200 before you start to throttle down the vents.
 
Originally posted by Johnny McKinney:
Yes Kevin I used the Minion method and had a full chimney full of hot coals, assembled and added the brisket.

I will see how it goes but at the present I'm not to happy with the saucer --- might add water to the pan if my temp problem persists.
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WOW, a full chimney of lit, I'm amazed that at 1 hour you were only at 180, my first saucer cook with too much lit I was over 300 and totally stressed out and ready to place that saucer under a pot in the backyard.

I'm with Tony, next time start with much fewer coals. I start with between 8 - 12 lit. When your temp hits 200 close all your bottom vents and then adjust accordingly for your desired temp. Also, I'm making an assumption here so please forgive if I'm wrong; it looks like you're a new member so I'm guessing your WSM is fairly new too, your WSM will run "hotter" until its seasoned/broken in. I'm not sure what the magic number of smokes are but it will run hotter than when she's fully broken in.

Don't throw the clay saucer out just yet, I was in your shoes after my first clay saucer cook, stuck with it and I don't think you could pay me to go back to water . . . well, it depends on how much you'd be willing to pay me
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Are youy using the stock charcoal pan or the Brinkman?

I experienced that the 12 inch saucer in the stock pan brings the temps up fast and vents need to be closed soon as described above however yesterday I ran the 12 inch saucer with the Brinkman pan with 6 butts at about 4.5 pounds a piece and had trouble keeping temps above 260 even with a vents open.

I had to open the door to keep vents up. I needed to have the meat done at 3:30pm and put the butts on at 6am so I needed higher temps to achieve the cook in that period of time.

John
 
Are youy using the stock charcoal pan or the Brinkman?
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I use the stock water pan with either a 12" or 14" saucer; I use the 12" if I'm using the bottom rack and the 14" if I'm only using the top rack.

I'm no pro but based on my limited experience and what I've read on butts, if your butts were on at 6:00 a.m. figuring 1 1/2 hours per pound, 225 - 250 grate temp. and the roasts weighing 4.5 lb each, that should have been plenty of time to finish them and provide ample time for foiling too. Maybe I'm not following something here.

How'd they turn out? Hope great!!!
 
Quick question.

Do you wrap the saucer with foil first then place it in the empty water pan?
 
Originally posted by Chris P:
Quick question.

Do you wrap the saucer with foil first then place it in the empty water pan?
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then I wrap the foiled saucer & water pan with foil. I figure the air trapped between the saucer and the pan might do good things for me.
 
Originally posted by Johnny McKinney:
Yes Kevin I used the Minion method and had a full chimney full of hot coals, assembled and added the brisket.

3 hrs now into the cook and I have the temp down to 252 now. 2 vents closed and one slightly cracked.

Question? Do you or anybody else reading this post thinks that a 25 degree diffence in temperature really makes that much difference?
Click to expand...

On my first brisket I was ready, using the minion method. My ring was full on unlit coals and was waiting for the lit coals. I was grilling pork chops on my small smokey joe and decided to use these coals in my WSM. I must have dumped about 40 lit coals in there. It burned too fast. 8:00 next morning it was 180* lid temp. I just about had to restart the whole thing. Brisket came out OK though.
 
I use the stock water pan with either a 12" or 14" saucer; I use the 12" if I'm using the bottom rack and the 14" if I'm only using the top rack.

I'm no pro but based on my limited experience and what I've read on butts, if your butts were on at 6:00 a.m. figuring 1 1/2 hours per pound, 225 - 250 grate temp. and the roasts weighing 4.5 lb each, that should have been plenty of time to finish them and provide ample time for foiling too. Maybe I'm not following something here.

How'd they turn out? Hope great!!!

Baba Booey to you all,

----------------

There was also a lot of meat in there. I wasn't taking any chances. I was feeding 40 guys. I needed to have the meat done so I used high heat (260-280). They finished just in time.


John
 
I wasn't taking any chances. I was feeding 40 guys.
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Yes, last thing I would want is 40 people standing around staring at my WSM waiting for the smoke to finish. I've been there with 6 people and it's not fun at all.

You didn't mention how every thing turned out? I hope great!
 
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