Trouble getting WSM to 225-250 degrees


 
J

Justin P.

New member
Hopefully you guys can help me out. I've had my Weber smoker for about 5 years. I have smoked some ribs, a couple briskets, chickens, and lots of pork butts with great success. My problem has been consistent on the last 3 cooks, which were all 2 pork butts on the top rack, typically around 15-18 lbs. of meat total. I have always used the minion method, and always use Kingsford charcoal. I tried some other brands when I first got my smoker, and didn't think the burn time and heat consistency was as good as K, so I've stuck with it ever since. On the last 3 cooks, weather has varied quite a bit, from fall, to middle of winter, to spring, but I haven't battled wind, just a breeze, which had never effected my smoker before. I struggle to get the smoker over 200 degrees. I run all 3 vents on the bottom 100 percent open, and the top vent 100 percent open. My process is to start a full chimney of charcoal in my Weber chimney starter, and then load the smoker with unlit charcoal. Once the coals in the chimney are fully lit, I pour them onto the unlit coals, assemble the smoker, and add some Weber wood chips for smoke. The only thing I've changed since I first got my smoker, is I add more unlit coals to the smoker, in an effort to make it a full 16 hours to get the butts done. Until these last 3 cooks, the smoker would run right up to 240-250 degrees, and I would close the vents down a bit to get it to 230 degrees, and let it go. I can only think that something has changed with Kingsford. What do you guys think? I keep a BBQ log, so I'm pretty sure I can duplicate my success, or failure. At this point I'll take any help I can get.
 
I don't use K, so no help on that.
Have you checked your therm? There was just a thread on one brand getting stuck @ 200°

Tim
 
JMO, but try not covering the lit with more unlit. Maybe you are smothering the lit or at least causing you to take extra time for the temp to climb. A full chimney of lit spead over the unlit should get you plenty of heat in no time. I start with maybe 25 lit as I like the slower climb Again, JMO
 
Hi Justin - I agree w/ Dave. The only thing that sounds "weird" to me there is using a full chimney full of lit coals along w/ the minion method. I typically start w/ between 15 and 20 lit coals and haven't had trouble with getting the temps I want (usually around 240-ish). I also always use Kingsford because of the consistency, and just smoked a pork but this past weekend overnight with no temp issues.
 
I remember reading once where someone decided to foil the grates for easy clean up and ended choking the airflow.... no idea... just thought.

I use the method you described for a high heat cook and it always has worked. Dumping a whole lit chimney on loaded WSM usually gets me in high 300's in 30 minutes.
 
Thanks for the answers guys. Just to clarify, I don't add more unlit charcoal over the lit. I fill my chimney and start it, then pour unlit charcoal into the smoker, then pour the lit chimney of coals onto the unlit, and stop there. My last 3 cooks, the smoker has never went higher than 200 degrees. I really struggle to get the butts to 185-190 degrees, and I can tell they cooked to low, because the fat doesn't melt out like it use too. I would take any other advise you guys might have. Thanks.
 
This is a stretch, but by any chance did the charcoal you used for the last three cooks get wet? Did you check with a different thermometer? The charcoal is on the charcoal grate? (just kidding)
 
I personally think that Kingsford blue is a junk product that burns fast and gives way too much ash. I use Best Choice hardwood charcoal which has chunks of oak in the charcoal(made in KS).
I get super long smokes (12+ hrs)and rarely use more than a chimney and a half of charcoal.
If I want hot I don't use water in the pan, if I want it cooler I will use water.

I'd switch charcoal and don't use water when doing butts. Just foil the pan for drippings.
I can easily cook 18# of butts in 10hrs as I like to cook them around 250.
 
OL' BLUE has been put out to pasture and the young buck that took over is too wet behind the ears! Yes they changed the formula and it doesn't burn nearly as hot as it used to AND it forms a lot more ash!! Try a good lump like Royal Oak or a competition briquet such as Stubbs. Check www.nakedwhiz.com and read their charcoal reviews.
 
As Brad and Bill said, K has changed and I have seen people posting similar issues with K. Maybe they are trying to drive everyone to the Comp K which is more expensive. They will still have their weekend warriors but for people like us...I don't use K either. Try Stubbs briquettes and Royal Oak Lump (made in the USA not anything else).

Couple things might also be happening I didn't see posted. Did you use cold water in the pan? Water is a heat sink and will keep the temp down.

Do you leave your meat out at all of do you pull from the fridge and put it right on the smoker? The more meat you put on, it will also act as a heat sink so if it's straight out of the fridge, def will affect the temps. I don't leave mine out long (no more than 20-30mins while getting the smoker going) but it does make a difference.

Hope this also helped you Justin.
 
Thanks for all the help guys. I'll pick up some Royal Oak lump and try that. Who sells Stubbs? I don't think I've ever seen it here in central Nebraska. Any chain store carry it?
 
Justin - where do you store your charcoal? And how humid or rainy has it been since you bought your last batch?

I live in Oregon and made the mistake of storing a bag on my covered porch. Even though it was technically in a dry area it absorbed so much moisture out of the air that it had a heck of a time getting going and holding temps. Now I store it in the garage.
 
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