Vent tutorial on the WSM needed :-)

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Hi all,

I am guessing the 3 air ports or holes at the bottom of my new WSM are for air for the charcoal and wood....

the top one ? ... I don't really know, is this also for air, or for exhaust only ?

The Weber manual says to have all holes totally open when getting it lit and underway.

When I do my ribs, and when they are on, how do you suggest that I arrange those holes now ?

should the top one be 100% closed ? (so all smoke stays in smoker ? ) and the bottom ones 90% closed ? (to make heat stay low ) ?

I have no clue at this point, so thought I would ask.

I know that it will vary with altitude etc, I believe, and conditions, but I would just like a starting point.

The more the bottom ones are open, I guess the higher the heat will go, and faster charcoal will burn, - etc, but what about top vent ?

Mark
 
Hi, keep the top vent open. As you said, the bottom ones control the temperature. You probably won't have to have them open very much for low 'n slow cooking. This site is the best resource for how to use the cooker. Here's the section on how to start it up. Firing up Bullet
Have fun!
I was in Ottawa last summer - beautiful place, nice people.
 
First, when cooking always run the top vent wide open. Only close it to shut down the cooker.

Bottom vents regulate the temp. On an overnighter using the minion method I run all three close to 50%. This seems to keep my lid temp close to 250. In the winter maybe a little more open to keep temp, in the summer maybe a little more closed. I usually don't skimp on charcoal. If I am cooking ribs I fill the ring maybe 75% full, on an overnighter I overfill the ring. When I am done cooking if I think the
charcoal is worth saving I shut all vents down and the WSM goes out.

If you close the top vent you will buildup creasote and have nasty ribs. Leave that vent 100% open at all times.
 
Check this thread and scroll down to the fourth message. It's how my normal cooks go, considering the given outside temp and wind (or lack thereof).
 
Mark,

As Tom said, carefully read the Firing Up Your Weber Bullet section. For each method, I describe in detail how to set the vents at the beginning and then how to adjust throughout the cooking process.

But with all the methods, you want to keep the top vent fully open at all times so the meat and smoke can exhaust from the cooker.

The only time to partially close the top vent is if all the bottom vents are closed and you still can't get the cooker temperature down to your target temperature--then, and only then, should you partially close the top vent.

The only time to fully close the top vent is when you close all the vents to extinguish the fire after cooking.

Regards,
Chris
 
Hi guys, wow !
This is really great info !, I got to print this out and put it in my BBQ binder, this is just great stuff, good tutorials, will check into the links in a minute, just want to read all the posts.

I just had meat off a little turning shiskabob thing I bought last night, and wow, the meat was TENDER! I put some woodchips into a little metal container right on the gas grill burner and the meat had good smokey flavour, - meat on the grill for about 45 minutes max. The thing holds 6 skewers, and uses the regular rotiserie motor to turn the whole thing . I posted images of it in another post but you can also click here:
http://www.ottawa5star.com/bbqturner/

Anyway, thanks MUCH for all the help ! much appreciated.
I will be making ribs the first time with my new WSM, and hope it turns out ok, will have to re-read the Minion Method and see how much charcoal to use. Ribs at Costco are approx. $20 for 4 small slabs ( short ribs) so will just do those and not use the bottom rack, cooking $40 of meat at one shot is not really an option, don't want to eat KraftDinner the rest of the week :-)

anyway sounds good thanks again !

Mark
 
The minion method is really usefull for overnight cooks where you are trying to go for 8-10 hours on one load of charcoal. For ribs I normally fill the ring 1/2 - 3/4 full, light the whole top with my weed burner, get the temp about 250 on dome thermo and I am good to go for 4-5 hours.
 
Mark,

Ribs are a great choice for your first cook, I did ribs on the top rack, chicken on the bottom.
I also used the Minion method, one chimney of unlit coals under one chimney of lit coals, lasted the entire 6 hour cook with coals to spare.
Use the BRITU recipe for your ribs, I promise you wont be disappointed!
Have fun!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Does the receipe for BRITU call for the Minion method? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Actually, it calls for something I call the "reverse Minion", hot coals on the bottom followed by unlit coals on top. Chris explains this step by step under the recipe section.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Randy Parr:
[qb]Actually, it calls for something I call the "reverse Minion", hot coals on the bottom followed by unlit coals on top. Chris explains this step by step under the recipe section. [/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Still, it appears that all charcoal is ignited prior to assembling the cooker, so it's actually not a gradual-ignition-over-time scenario like TMM. Oops, I created an acronym, or whatever you call it... /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
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