What's your trick to get to and keep 225?


 
S

Shaun H

TVWBB Fan
Or any other temperature?

Your process?

I have a hard time maintaining temp. I cook well enough, but I'd like to learn how to keep a temp throughout.
 
Try lighting a small fire and bringing the temp up slowly, also make small adjustments to the vents at a time. The small padjustments will keep the fire from getting out of control.
 
What are you cooking with? You might add that to your title to get specific responses.

On my 18.5" WSM I use the new modified minion (adding meat and wood early) method and am careful to use the low amount of pre-lit coals. Over doing it loses control. I keep water in my pan (the deeper brink's model doesn't run out if you keep the fire cool)and by the time it's at 200 I have closed all vents but one which is barely open. Then I watch it settle. If it closes to 215 quickly I'll close the final vent. I try to get it to start slightly downward then make small changes. I react well in advance as the temp climbs. If I don't overshoot a full bowl will stay between 200 and 225 all night. Once I overshoot I find it nearly impossible to regain control.
 
I use the Minion method starting with 2 gallons of cold tap water in the water pan. I start with a full ring of charcoal, light between 25-40 depending on conditions and place them on top. I start with all vents 100% open and when the temperature hits 185 - 190 I cut back to all vents 25% open. I shut down the vents to 25% a little sooner than some, but I find it prevents the fire from getting away from you. If the temperature hits 210 too fast, then I shut down the vents more. It's a lot easier to control the temperature going up than it is to try to bring it down after it runs away from you.

Once I'm at 25% open I try to make small adjustments allowing for adequate response time. Depending on weather conditions I may open one vent more than another. Usually within 1.5 hours I'm stabilized at 230 or so. Then I don't mess with it until morning. It's expected to get some variations in temperature, but as long as they're not extreme then I don't worry about it.

It just take a little practice and experience. My last overnight cook was at 230 at 11:30PM. I went to bed and got up around 8:30 and I was at 210. Granted I don't know what the temperature did all night, but when I got up the water pan was still 2/3's full and the food came out excellent.

I don't personally do it, but many people keep a long of their cooks to try and duplicate a good cook and avoid making the same mistake twice.
 
Minion method with 15 lit, no water. I start with 1 vent closed and adjust the other two based on how fast the temp comes up. Once up, I usually keep only 1 vent barely cracked
 
It really depends on what your cooking with. With my old side by side it took a lot of fiddling with the drafts and charcoal, not to mention special effort to between the lid and the base.

Since I got the new wsm, if I really want to keep a rock steady temp around 225-250, I just use a full charcoal bin wih the minion method, and use water in the pan. Get the drafts set, and check it every 5 hours. Holds temp great with no real effort.
 
I have a WSM 22. Once it got fairly seasoned, I start with a packed ring of Blue using the Minion Method with 15-20 lit briquettes.

Once it gets to 225, I usually shut down 2 of the 3 bottom vents and crack one slightly......the top vent is always 100% open.

I will run at 225-250 forever using this method.
 
I echo the Minion Method...and a BBQ Guru.
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Minion method similar to everyone else. When I started I tried to maintain a specific temperature and I spent a lot of time chasing it. I took someone's advice and started cooking in a temperature range such as 200-240 or 225 to 275 or 300-350. You pick it. I get my temp initially near the center of the range and let her run.
 
What city are you cooking in?

I follow the same minion plan with good luck but no water and vents more open in Denver.
 
Im pretty much with Lew. I have just accepted a range, and have produced good cooks.

I have a WSM 22, and use the MM, etc.

It usually takes it though 1 1/2 hours to get it into a steady temp. With ribs, that is almost half the cook.

I have only recently started shutting down vents all together. I have typically scaled the bottom three vents to < 25%. Maybe I need to go further.

I live in Los Angeles area, btw. So pretty good temp year round.
 
"A" trick to get to and truly keep a certain temp would certainly be an ATC like a BBQ Guru, but I'm not concerned with perfectly steady temps. That said, I do like some degree of predictability in terms of temps and times. So water works fine for 250 and under, and I use a clay pot base in the pan for cooking any hotter. I get a lot of wind on this hill and rarely smoke on the bullet over 300*, anyway.
 
Two different strategies for Minion Method and non-MM.

MINION

1. Warm water in pan.
2. No more than 20 lit coals.
3. Close ALL bottom vents when lid temp = 200.
4. Adjust single LEEWARD vent to allow lid to get to 225.
5. Adjust all bottom vents to keep temp = 225

NON-MINION (e.g., rib cook with two lit chimneys)

1. Cold water in pan
2. Add lit coals and close ALL bottom vents.
3. Add meat and wood when lid temp descends to 250
4. Start to regulate temp with single LEEWARD bottom vent. Adjust other bottom vents as necessary to maintain temp.

Regardless of method above, top vent ALWAYS 100% open.
 
When everyone is talking about temps, are they using the temp of a thermometer through the top vent or the temp at the top grate?
 
Originally posted by J Hoke:
When everyone is talking about temps, are they using the temp of a thermometer through the top vent or the temp at the top grate?
Click to expand...

There are ups and downs to every method, so pick what's best for you. Just suffice it to say that measuring temp at the grate isn't easy if it's full of meat, and cooking with a therm hung in the vent that reads 225* isn't a good idea, either.
 
Originally posted by J Hoke:
I guess that's my question because 250 at top vent is about 225 at grate last time I cooked.
Click to expand...

Yep. That's about right, round it off.

And that, my friend, is why so many folks post ultra-long cook times on the wsm cooking in the sacred 225-250* range.
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I noticed that holding the desired temperature got easier as my WSM accumulated a layer of seasoning (crud) on the inside. It bounced-around a fair amount when it was new and was MUCH more sensitive to vent settings than it is now.

SO - I also use the modified Minion start (I usually use Lump) with a PACKED ring of un-lit with smoke wood mixed-in.

Then (ALL Vents 100% to 3/4 open) I dump a FULL Weber chimney of fully-engaged lit on top, assemble the cooker, fill the water dish with HOT water, and put the meat on.

After about a half-hour and hour later, I check the temperature and adjust the vents accordingly. I usually catch the temperature on the way up.

Usually, from then it's smooth sailing for about 6-hours, when I sometimes need to stir the coals and check the water pan.

I also don't lose sleep over about 25-30 degrees. I find that once it gets in the zone, the less poking and prodding that I do; the better my cooks usually turn out. If it's running a little hot, I'll try to adjust the vents down a bit but if it's close to what I want - I leave it the heck alone!
 
That's exactly how I do it, even down to the lump charcoal. I was just unsure where the temp was being measured when people gave a temp, top or grate.
I did 12 hours last Thursday and had to add water once and more charcoal once. Temp held rock solid entire cook. I was very amazed.
 
I only use 225 to do a spiral sliced ham and then I use water. Otherwise I use an empty foiled pan with a air-space. I learned long ago that my WSM in my backyard likes to cruise in the 250-275 range with no fuss. I don't fight it I just accept it.
Find you're happy spot and go from there.
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Tim
 
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