Too Much Fuel & How much Fuel

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Hi,

I just did my first BBQ on the WSM and had a couple of questions.

Here some info first
Cooking BB on the top grill, dry rub (3 slabs)
3/4 Kingsford in the ring
20 lit briquest
2 fist size apple chuncks
2 fist size hickory chuncks
Sand in the Pan
Using a dual channel Thermocoupler thermometer
Temp was 76 degrees with a mild breeze at 8-10mph

Initially all vents opened. Toward the middle of the cook I ended up closing 2 bottom vents and left one open at about 15% and had to close the top vent also maybe left it open at about 20%.

It took about 45 minutes to get warmed up with all the vents open to about 235 degrees.

By the 2 1/2 hours into the cook ran up to 260 with all vents open and then I had to close the vents. Didn't think I was going to run that hot. So I ended up closing most of the vents. I've seen most people run with most of the vents partial open. Once most of the vents were closed it settled down to about 235 or so.

Cook time was about 4 1/2 hours.

I was wondering if this was too much fuel for just 3 slabs of ribs?

Should I have just used maybe just one chimmney of unlit briquets next time?

Also I was planning on trying a brisket (flat) running about 5 lbs or so any sugguestion on the fuel amount and time.

Thanks,
 
JJ,

I did my first Q on the WSM one weekend ago and here’s what I did.

3 slabs of BB using the BRITU rub.
1 chimney of lit Kingsford and 1 chimney of unlit Kingsford.

I let the WSM set up to long after assembling the cooker (1hr) so I was at a temp disadvantage about half way through the cook.

It took me almost six hours to do the ribs (top rack) and probably could have cooked them another half hour or so but the wife was hungry so they had to come off then!

I think if I would have assembled the cooker after dumping the unlit coals in and started cooking I would have been better off in the temp regulation department.

As I have come to find out, this is a trial and error process that, luckily, doesn't yield poor results. I think I would have had enough fuel for a 6 hr cook and could have held it between 230-250 for that timeframe.

I'm sure I haven't helped you much but being a newbie to the WSM arena (I'm an expert on the grill) I wanted to share my first time with you.

Just this past weekend I did a 12lb turkey breast and it was great. 8 hours at 250 and I was able to hold it most of the way. Had to invert the door the last 2 hours to keep the temp up but I should have added more coals sooner than I did.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU!
 
Standard Method: Two Weber chimneys (12 lbs.)
Minion Method: Full charcoal ring-- probably 14-15 lbs, if I had to guess.
 
I've owned a WSM for a couple of months now, and both the regular Minion and Standard methods make my smoker too hot. Over the weekend, I used the Standard method to cook a small brisket flat and I couldn't get the temp below 290 degrees, even with a full water pan. Finally had to disassemble the cooker and remove some briquettes. Next time, I'll scale back.

I'd guess the Minion Method uses closer to 10 pounds of briquettes, BTW. I used Minion about a month ago for an overnight, and also filled up my barrel grill with briquettes, and still had about five pounds left out of a 24-pound bag.
 
I use the TVWB standard method. I fire up 2 chimneys of coals and put them all in.

This helps me to get to temp quicker. Sometimes it gets hot but I control it with the top vent if I have to knock the edge off.

After having a few cooks that took way to long to get up to temp and also a few cooks that I struggled with keeping the temp up from trying to "save" charcoal I now do the 2 chimney thing.

4th of July I will be doing my first over night so I will be using the SCKCHCWDTOTJMM.

SUPER-COOL-KINDA-CREATIVE-HOW-COME-WE-DIDNT-THINK-OF-THAT-JIM-MINION-METHOD
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> both the regular Minion and Standard methods make my smoker too hot <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Randy, it almost sounds like you have an airleak somewhere. If you're doing MM starting out with only 15-20 lit coals on a ring of unlit, you're not lifting the lid to peek thereby letting in more oxygen, and you're STILL getting too hot, sounds to me like there's definitely something else going on. Does your center section fit securely and tightly into the bottom bowl with no air gaps? Does your access door fit down well? Does your lid fit well in the center section?

By the way, if I'm doing ribs, I usually use about a half a charcoal ring of charcoal, do MM with 15 coals on top, and save whatever charcoal is left at the end of the cook for the next cooking session. Always works fine for me.

Personally, I ONLY use the all-fired standard method if I'm cooking poultry, fish, or biscuits wherein I know that I want to run at 325 to 360.

Keri C, smokin' on Tulsa Time
 
Hey All,
Far be it from me to argue with Keri.......
But I use sand in the water pan and I could not get the pitt over 310F if I tried.
I use about one fourth of a Weber chimney (hot) to start the thing and call that the MM.
Maybe you guys should start choking the lower vents down at around 190F, and that way control the temp. on the way up instead of trying to get it back down,.... just an idea,


Arthur
 
I did a Minion on my first cook and it went great, and I started with a full chamber of lump fired off by about 18 briquettes. No problems with it getting too hot. I started fully open on all and closed to 25% on all bottom vents at 200 degress to end up with a lid temp of 250. At a later point after opening it to remove the tri-tip, I had to go down to about 15% open on the three bottom ones but was okay. Maybe you have an air leak somwhere?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Randy Lilleston:
I've owned a WSM for a couple of months now, and both the regular Minion and Standard methods make my smoker too hot. Over the weekend, I used the Standard method to cook a small brisket flat and I couldn't get the temp below 290 degrees, even with a full water pan. Finally had to disassemble the cooker and remove some briquettes. Next time, I'll scale back.

I'd guess the Minion Method uses closer to 10 pounds of briquettes, BTW. I used Minion about a month ago for an overnight, and also filled up my barrel grill with briquettes, and still had about five pounds left out of a 24-pound bag. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
Now Arthur, you just go right ahead and argue with me all you want - it keeps things interesting! /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

I've never tried to run at hot temps with anything in the waterpan, except for one or two times when I used sand and decided that I didn't want a heat sink at all for the kind of heat I was after. When I run hot for poultry, biscuits, cornbread, or the like, I just foil the waterpan and don't put ANYTHING in it. It makes a difference.

I agree with Arthur about starting to shut down the vents around 190 or so. 185-190 is where I shut 'em down to about 1/3 open, and it'll usually creep on up to about 240 in the lid and pretty much stay put.

Keri C
 
Ditto about shutting down the vents at 190. Especially if you're using sand. Once I learned that, (and fixed my leaks around the access panel) using the MM was a snap. The BBQ guru site has a good suggestion if you suspect a leak around your bottom and top connections. Fred says to cut about 4 inches off the bottom of an old tee shirt and soak it in water. Stretch it around the bottom of the mid section and set it back on. He claims it won't burn even after it dries. An added benefit is that if the ribs are no good, you can chew on the shirt. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif Cliff
 
Thanks for some more tips guys.

I'll try closing the vents at around the 190 mark. And maybe try a little less fuel this time.
 
I find about a pound of charcoal per hour works as a good guidline. It will of course vary with tempature and wind.

With the WSM able to hold almost 20 pounds, I cant hardly ever see a reason to add fuel.

Also, you should NEVER cook over charcoal that isnt completely lit, so if you have to add, remove your food untill all the charcoal is 100% gray.

Later...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Also, you should NEVER cook over charcoal that isnt completely lit, so if you have to add, remove your food untill all the charcoal is 100% gray. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Chris,

I would suspect that 75% of the members on this forum would disagree with this assertation. With the Minion Method for long cooks being the method of choice with most cooks around here,(Many with cheap plastic trophies to back up their opinions) I'm sure there is no problem cooking over coals that aren't all 100% lit.
 
Hi Garrett.

I dont know what the Minion method is, but as I stated, I dont see a reason to add fuel to the WSM.

As for unlit briquette charcoal, they contain certain molding chemicals and agents (some of them even petroleum based), that not only can give the food a bad taste, but can be toxic as well.

Even "100% natural" charcoal can contain these agents. All charcoal manufactuars recommend to have the briquettes fully gray before cooking, for this very reason, as fully lit charcoal dispenses (burns off) these agents.

Im not trying to start a fight, but I am a 3rd generation pit man, and also have my share of wins. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

I also remember Alton Brown on some food show, echoing the exact same thing...never cook over unlit, or partialy lit charcoal.

Later.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Randy Lilleston:
I've owned a WSM for a couple of months now, and both the regular Minion and Standard methods make my smoker too hot. Over the weekend, I used the Standard method to cook a small brisket flat and I couldn't get the temp below 290 degrees, even with a full water pan. Finally had to disassemble the cooker and remove some briquettes. Next time, I'll scale back.

I'd guess the Minion Method uses closer to 10 pounds of briquettes, BTW. I used Minion about a month ago for an overnight, and also filled up my barrel grill with briquettes, and still had about five pounds left out of a 24-pound bag. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can use the top vent to intitialy lower the temp before you put your food on. Ive found the temp is easier to manage once I get it lowered that way.

Good luck.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I dont know what the Minion method is... <clip> Also, you should NEVER cook over charcoal that isnt completely lit, so if you have to add, remove your food untill all the charcoal is 100% gray. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Description of the Minion Method can be found here.

These are all very familiar cautions brought up by those who have not used this approach. We each cook in the manner that works best for us, and we each use the approach that creates the best product possible in the situation at hand - to that end, the "Minion Method" works great for many of us. Long cook times, no undesirable fumes or flavors, and no reloading needed. Some, such as yourself and others that I know, prefer all briquettes to be fully lit during cooking, and thus this method is not acceptable - no problem! There are thousands of backyard cooks as well as top national barbecue circuit competitors (and winners) using this method that was somewhat accidently created by Jim Minion. The method is also now being successfully used by many offset owners using charcoal baskets, and is quite entrenched in the barbecue world. You'll see this method discussed on pretty much all barbecue-related forums, not just here.

Out of sheer curiosity, I'll take an unscientific poll at the comp this weekend and at the Rocky Mountain Championship at Denver in a few weeks, and see who all is using MM in their WSM's.

Keri C, smokin' on Tulsa Time
(who STILL can't write a short post to save her life)
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Doug D:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Chris G.:
I dont know what the Minion method is... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html#minion <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the link Doug.

It looks like he does a good jod addressing the issue of un-lit charcoal. I guess I find myself in that "group" of folks who oppose it. I have in fact been able to "taste" un-lit charcoal...especialy on long smokes. I would guess the effect would be less pronounced when grilling, but there is also the chemical issues.

But hey...to each their own... /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Have a good 4th everybody...
 
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