BrettK
TVWBB Member
Hah! I must’ve had CB on the mind. Indeed they are Unknown BBQ. Good catch
Uncarted Territory
- Thread starter BrettK
- Start date
BrettK
TVWBB Member
This thing is incredible. I have no idea why Weber doesn’t offer Performer WSM’s like the do their kettles, but it worked flawlessly. I let the touch-n-go run for 7 minutes, and it took another 20 minutes to get up to temperature. Also if you notice in this picture, the heat deflector is full of ash. It’s super easy to clean now. I got 2 pan fulls before it emptied out. Side Note: I moved it in the woodshed so it would be insulated from freezing temps and could be in a more controlled environment.
About 16 hours later, this guy came out looking great. I would’ve gotten a presentation picture once it was cut up, but the guys tore into it before I had a chance.
The only problem I really had were the legs are kind of short. It’s really tight with the one-touch handle and the ash catcher/heat deflector. One could remedy this by getting a more shallow pan or tray fairly easily. I’m going to use it a few more times before I make any decisions though.
We hammered the geese over the weekend. I’m itching to smoke some goose meat and throw it in the dehydrator to make some jerky. That will probably be the next venture.
I’ll try to keep this thread about the cart specifically and any drawbacks I come across, just in case anyone attempts this in the future. That way they know what to look out for. For now though, couldn’t recommend it enough.
Attachments
BrettK
TVWBB Member
Hope y’all had a great Easter!
Smoked a turkey for the big family gathering, but picked up a leg of lamb just for us. First attempt, and it’s easily the best thing I’ve ever cooked. I’m glad I chose to be a little selfish.
As far as Performer mods for the smoker, it puzzles me more and more why Weber doesn’t offer these from the factory. Makes lighting the coals effortless and quicker.
I did try to use the factory heat deflector as an ash tray, but with the added one touch, there’s just not enough clearance. It ended up being too deep. My next attempt is to use an ash tray from a 22” kettle. I’ll come across one eventually, but for now, I’m using a split charcoal bag to catch all the ash. Not desirable, but still cleaner and easier than disassembling the entire smoker and dumping the ash. Other than that, I have zero complaints.
Smoked a turkey for the big family gathering, but picked up a leg of lamb just for us. First attempt, and it’s easily the best thing I’ve ever cooked. I’m glad I chose to be a little selfish.
As far as Performer mods for the smoker, it puzzles me more and more why Weber doesn’t offer these from the factory. Makes lighting the coals effortless and quicker.
I did try to use the factory heat deflector as an ash tray, but with the added one touch, there’s just not enough clearance. It ended up being too deep. My next attempt is to use an ash tray from a 22” kettle. I’ll come across one eventually, but for now, I’m using a split charcoal bag to catch all the ash. Not desirable, but still cleaner and easier than disassembling the entire smoker and dumping the ash. Other than that, I have zero complaints.
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Platinum Member
Brilliant work. Weber should be taking notes. Since you did the holes for the sweep so well the only minor improvement may have been to use the newer P shaped hole design that is supposed to be better for smoking. The whole concept is great!
BrettK
TVWBB Member
I didn’t know that was a thing until I found this forum. I just went off the template that I had.
I don’t leave the sweep vents open while I cook, only while I light the coals. I don’t have times before/after to compare, but the increased airflow does seem to help speed up the process. I’ve still got the 3 standard vents that I use to fine tune temperatures.
We used to have a member on here named Mike Durso who was on the design team that produced the 22" WSM back in 2009. He mentioned there were issues trying to retrofit the One-Touch system to that grill. Interesting to see that it appears you've made it happen. Maybe the issue was the inability to use the attached ash catcher without having longer legs for more ground clearance but perhaps less stability as a result.
Last edited:
Joe Anshien
TVWBB Platinum Member
Since your so good at this, may I suggest that you add another daisy wheel vent to the top. I had wished mine had that as it would really speed up lighting, getting to the "good" smoke, and higher temps, so you can crisp up the skins on Turkeys and chickens. I used to have to prop my top up with a stick or something to get my WSM above 300°
BrettK
TVWBB Member
That makes sense. Without a cart to secure barrel section to, it would probably just add to the instability. The more rigid performer cart might not be economically feasible to them either if that was their only option.
BrettK
TVWBB Member
Not a bad idea, I never had all that much trouble reaching those higher temps though. I’ll set a timer and leave the lid open for 5-10 minutes, and as long as I have enough charcoal in the bottom, the temps will reach 300-325 fairly easily.
I found that out when I forgot to shut the lid when wrapping a brisket once, I had a hard time getting the temperature back down. It works well for crisping skin though because it doesn’t take all that long and that’s the last thing you do before you shut everything down.