Tips on cooking without water in the bowl?


 
B

Benny V

New member
I got my 18.5" WSM about a month and a half ago. Have used it almost every single weekend since then, always with water. The one time I tried to cook without water, the temp kept going straight to 300 and I just filled the thing up with water to get it back under control. I assume my mistake was leaving the bottom vents open too much when the cooker was still warming up, as it doesn't take as long to get hot without water in the bowl like I was used to. Do you guys have any other tips for running the WSM without water? Think I'm going to try again this weekend, I'm still going to leave the bowl in wrapped with tin foil just to keep drippings off the coals.
 
You kind of answered your own question when you said you left the vents open too long. The temp definitely climbs faster with a foiled pan comapred to a full pan of water.

I usually just use one vent to control the temp starting out with it wide open until the temp gets to around 15-20 degrees or so below the target temp and then I start shutting it until it settles in somewhere close to what I'm going for.
 
Don't let the foil touch the bowl bottom or the grease will burn. I put a foil ball in the pan then foil over it.
 
Welcome Benny!
Yeah, without water it's all about anticipation.... ie/ when your 25 to 50 degrees away from your goal: start closing things down.
 
Hi Benny, and welcome aboard.

I run both my WSMs with a foiled clay flower pot base in the foiled water pan, using the Minion method. I light the charcoal in two places with a high output propane torch and let it come up to temperature slowly.

Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top