This is my second cook on my 18.5 WSM. First cook was great I used the minion method and everything went fine. Tonight the crap hit the fan!!! Started off with about a half chimney of charcoal and filled the ring up. Was coming up to temp and in about 10 minutes all the charcoal was lit. So I took everything out and started again only to get the same result. So I have been feeding it for the last couple of hours to keep the temp in range. Any suggestions on what I did wrong?
Tonight cook is going down the tubes
- Thread starter Taylor
- Start date
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I dunno, what temps are you trying to target?
For me 1/2 a chimney of lit gets in the upper 200's rather quickly, perfect for a modified HH cook. If you want lower temps, start with less lit, and start closing the lower vents when you're 25 deg shy of target.
Oh, and what type of charcoal are you using?
Tim
I'm using Kingsford and trying to stay around 230-250. Finally got things straightened out been sitting at 253 for about 3hrs. The second time I started tonight I only used 5-10 coals from the previous attempt to start with. That's why I very surprised about it the second time.
Robert McGee
TVWBB Gold Member
Taylor;
A new WSM sometimes runs hot. After you have a few cooks on the unit, it'll become easier to regulate. I use the "Tin Can Minion Method" on mine on all low heat cooks. As an example, I run 225-250 degrees when smoking a bone in Boston Butt or smoking Pepper Stout Beef. I run ribs at 275 degrees (still with the Tin Can Minion).
However, when I am doing a short High Heat cook with chicken parts, as an example, I'll simply dump a full chimney of lit in an empty WSM and "get with it". I regulate the temps at 325-350 degrees for the HH cook.
Using the Tin Can Minion Method, I use 12 briquettes of Kingsford Original in the can (put a lit Weber starter cube under the coals). When the 12 are lit, I remove the tin can from the full ring of unlit and let it go. When the temperature hits 200 degrees (using a Maverick 732 for grate temperature) I close down two bottom vents and regulate the third one to catch the temperature on the way up. I put the meat on as soon as the temp hits 200 degrees.
You'll soon get the hang of it.
Keep on smokin',
Dale53
A new WSM sometimes runs hot. After you have a few cooks on the unit, it'll become easier to regulate. I use the "Tin Can Minion Method" on mine on all low heat cooks. As an example, I run 225-250 degrees when smoking a bone in Boston Butt or smoking Pepper Stout Beef. I run ribs at 275 degrees (still with the Tin Can Minion).
However, when I am doing a short High Heat cook with chicken parts, as an example, I'll simply dump a full chimney of lit in an empty WSM and "get with it". I regulate the temps at 325-350 degrees for the HH cook.
Using the Tin Can Minion Method, I use 12 briquettes of Kingsford Original in the can (put a lit Weber starter cube under the coals). When the 12 are lit, I remove the tin can from the full ring of unlit and let it go. When the temperature hits 200 degrees (using a Maverick 732 for grate temperature) I close down two bottom vents and regulate the third one to catch the temperature on the way up. I put the meat on as soon as the temp hits 200 degrees.
You'll soon get the hang of it.
Keep on smokin',
Dale53
Jerry N.
TVWBB Emerald Member
What? Really? You stopped the fire?
Okay, there is a basic principle you need to understand. Fire needs air and fuel. There are these things on the WSM we call vents
and when the fire is too hot, we shut them and when the fire is not hot enough, we open them. On occasion, the fire really gets out of control and we even close the top vent for a short period of time in order to get things back under control. The bottom line is that once you start your fire, you can control it with the vents. When it looks like it's going to high, start shutting down the bottom vents first. Try to leave the top vent fully open until nothing else works. The real key is to shut the vents down before things get too hot. You'll get the hang of it as long as you work on the vents and stop dousing your fire.There is another couple of principles you may need to understand. BBQ is a lazy man's game. Sure, there's a lot of work involved, but grab a beer and take it easy. Busting up a fire was certainly the hardest option compared to closing vents. Another concept is fire control. Calm down. Nothings going to happen if the fire goes hot except the food will cook faster. It's not an oven, the temp will fluctuate. Adjust your vents and give it time to adjust (15 - 30 minutes). Control your temps on the way up and you'll get the hang of it. When I started out, my WSM was very unstable but over time, it gunked up and I calmed down and now, it runs rock solid, right were I want it to.
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
What have you cooked so far? Butts are usually cheap and pretty forgiving on temp swings, and they do render fat which helps season the WSM
Tim
Dwain Pannell
TVWBB Hall of Fame
Add poultry to that as well as fatties. There's a lot of splatter going on with those as well. An added bonus of poultry and a bacon wrapped fattie is you can go higher temps to crisp the skin/bacon while seasoning the WSM at the same time. Since you're running hot it sounds like a perfect match.
BTW... Congratulations -- you're learning. Before long you'll understand what going on and can react accordingly. I always challenge my self to make one adjustment to the vents. I've only been able to do it once over the years. Two adjustments is a great smoke, three is good, four means I'm not paying attention (usually an indicator of two many home brews). LOL The point is, it's like anything -- experience comes with mistakes. Have fun!
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What? Really? You stopped the fire?
Okay, there is a basic principle you need to understand. Fire needs air and fuel. There are these things on the WSM we call vents
There is another couple of principles you may need to understand. BBQ is a lazy man's game. Sure, there's a lot of work involved, but grab a beer and take it easy. Busting up a fire was certainly the hardest option compared to closing vents. Another concept is fire control. Calm down. Nothings going to happen if the fire goes hot except the food will cook faster. It's not an oven, the temp will fluctuate. Adjust your vents and give it time to adjust (15 - 30 minutes). Control your temps on the way up and you'll get the hang of it. When I started out, my WSM was very unstable but over time, it gunked up and I calmed down and now, it runs rock solid, right were I want it to.
Like he said. I have never started over because the fire was too hot. On a kettle you should almost always use a two zone set up so you could move the food away from the heat until the temp comes back down after shutting down the air source. This is why I'm a firm believer in getting the largest kettle (26.5) you can afford so you will have room for this. I can't imagine a wsm getting so hot that I had to remove the food. Just reduce or eliminate the air flow until the temp drops and just always remember that as the temp falls or rises to the desired level make your damper adjustments before it gets to where you want it or it will continue well past that point. Unless you at cooking direct and the food can burn quickly temperature fluctuations are no big deal and with a little practice this will never be a concern for you again. Relax, cook and have fun.
Oh yeah, if the wsm gets too hot immediately that means you started with too many lit coals. While getting the hang of it start with less lit than you think you need and just let the air flow until yo uget up to temp. It's always preferable to need the temp to rise than to have to choke it because it is way too high.
All have done is butts. You guy hit it on the head I panicked (it's my father in laws 60th and we have 20 people coming over)!!!! As soon as I put the fire out I was shaking my head.
I'm about 7hrs in now meat temp is 172 and hanging in 240-260 range I'll post some pictures when she's done.
Also this is a bone in butt does the cooking time change for bone in?
I'm about 7hrs in now meat temp is 172 and hanging in 240-260 range I'll post some pictures when she's done.
Also this is a bone in butt does the cooking time change for bone in?
Also this is a bone in butt does the cooking time change for bone in? Nope its done when its done, bone pulls out with a little tug, dont panic she will run a little hot, thats ok, tune down your bottom vents, maybe close two bottom fully and leave one 1/4 open, I never touch the top vent it's always fully open, good luck
Jason Noble
TVWBB All-Star
I have 10 or so cooks on the my wsm and I had trouble with air leaks for the first five. On my last cook I used hot water in the pan and had less temp swings.
Jerry N.
TVWBB Emerald Member
All done ready for the feast![/URL][/IMG]
And there you go. Good eats!! I love BBQ. Almost impossible to screw up so bad that you wouldn't have something better to eat than you'll find at 90% of the restaurants out there. You'll have this down in no time. People will be telling you how great your cooking is and asking when you're going to do it next. Once you get to the point where you can bang out some BBQ without breaking a sweat, don't tell anyone. Just sit back and enjoy the accolades.
Make sure the mid section is seated correctly, the access it's closed correctly, and the lid is seated correctly.
Make sure you put the silicone washers on properly during your assemble.
Seasoning will help, I wiped my WSM down with cooking oil ran it hot before my first cook also gave me a chance to play with temp control.
Access door may need better fiting around mid section.
The more air allowed in the more fire!
I'm sure your "not" using lighter fluid ;-)
