Turning up the heat in preparation for Thanksgiving

[ChadVKealey]

So, to get ready for my first Thanksgiving with my 18.5" WSM, I've been doing whole chickens (spatchcocked) at high heat. Well, as high a heat as I can muster. This seems to be the trick for good, crispy skin, but what I've found so far is that wide open (all vents open 100%), my WSM barely breaks 300 degrees.

I've got some foil-wrapped bricks in water pan with another 2 layers of foil on top to catch the drippings. Also, I have an old flat-bottomed grill wok inside the charcoal ring to help keep larger, still burnable bits of charcoal from falling through the grates. Now that I think about it, that could be hindering airflow; it's full of 1/4" holes, but it could be that they're getting clogged with ash.

So, maybe the solution is as simple as removing that grill wok, but is there anything else that I could do to get the temp up to the 350 to 375 range to ensure crisp, golden brown skin on turkey day?

-Chad

 

[Doug Selman]

Chad, sometimes I have the same problem with my 22.5. I would go ahead and try removing the wok, and also try starting out with more lit coals. Also try propping the bottom of the access door open slightly with something to support the bottom of it, for more air.

 

[Dwain Pannell]

I run with an empty water pan - no bricks or woks. I use a skewer between the lid and center section to create more chimney. I also use a full ring of unlit and a full chimney of lit lump.

 

[jfortson]

The only time I have had a problem which resulted in a short/incomplete burn was when I had two grates at 90 degrees to each other. When I opened the WSM, the ashes had not fallen through and choked out the unburnt charcoal. Luckily I had completed the cook and was letting the WSM run to see how long it would go.

 

[Paul Pearson]

I always start with 2 full chimneys of lit coals, a mix of KBB and lump. I use anywhere from 50 to 75% lump depending on how long I am cooking.. That and getting more air in/out is key to running hotter temps. I added an extra lid vent to my 18.5 and sometimes even prop the lid and door open still. Ive been able to get up over 400 this way doing chicken.

 

[ChadVKealey]

Yeah, I think the grill wok is interfering with airflow. I did an 8-hour cook on Monday of 4 dozen chicken thighs for an upcoming scout campout (2 dozen at a time, 12 on each grate is all I could fit). With all the vents wide open, it peaked at about 334 degrees, but more concerning is that fact that the temp wandered quite a bit. While I put in the first load of chicken, the temp dropped to about 200. Within 15 minutes, it had hit 275, then dropped down to about 260, then climbed a bit more. It was like that all day. I can only imagine that the wok's not allowing the ash to fall through was causing the fluctuations. I'm doing another load of chicken on Saturday, so I'll try it without the wok and see what happens.

I'm also considering running without the water pan altogether. I like having the bricks in there if for no other reason than helping the smoker recover after opening it up to move things around or check internal food temps. On Thanksgiving, I'll likely just have the turkey on the top grate with a foil pan beneath it to catch drippings. Also, I don't plan on opening the cooker nearly as often, so that heat sink shouldn't be needed.

 

[Todd Phillips]

Just remove the water pan and run it like an open barrel. Use the bottom grate and Don't be afraid to put a heavy lit chimney down there. At 325 a spatchcock turkey will finish in just a few hrs.