Trouble Maintaining 250F+ in WSM 18

[Jeff Boudman]

I wish I had your problem. My WSM likes to run hotter than I want. Maybe you should try starting with more lit charcoal. With minion method it's a big dangerous to have the lid off too long. That increased amount of oxygen will cause a massive temp spike if you aren't careful.

If I’m not careful mine can run hot, too.

 

[Tye R.]

Couple of things I’ve learned that helped with temp controls. First, I had to get used to temperature fluctuations. If I want to cook at 250 anything between 220 and 280 is fine. That 60 or even 70 degree variance doesn’t hurt anything. The pit will settle into a zone and you’ll be fine. Constantly fiddling with the vents can lead to pretty wide temp swings. Next resist the temptation to lift the lid. That introduces more oxygen, loses heat and makes consistency tough.

 

[TonyUK]

What Tye R. said. Don't get bent out of shape chasing a few degrees.

 

[Jeff Boudman]

If your dial thermometer is a Weber it’s probably off by at least -10’. The thermometer that came on my WSM eleven years ago was getting condensation inside of it and I ordered a new one to replace it and one for a WSM I’ve been parting together. I did the boiling water test on all three thermometers yesterday and they all stopped at 200’. My Thermopen MK 4 read 211’.
I don’t know if they’re set that way to reflect the temperature difference between the dial and the top cooking grate or if they’re all just off by the same amount.

 

[Andy Kaminski]

I don’t have a WSM but I do have a few smokers.
I found that when I installed a gasket kit on them the temps were a lot easier to control.
YMMV.

 

[John Neuser]

TJ....
It is said that if you can not control your pit manually, you will not be able to control it with an atc. Whatever is creating your manual out of control needs to be corrected.

My pappy used to say, if you can't cut a straight line with a hand saw you have no business using a power saw. Having said that, a friend of mine is a pilot for a major airline but he never flew a prop or biplane. Go figure.