Wind and the E6


 
What vent setting do you use and how do you use/light your charcoal?

I always like to hear/see what people do on theirs...
 
Mark Foreman said:
Smoking BBRs on the E6. In direct 20 plus mph winds. Temperatures has stayed rock solid at 235. Love my E6!!!
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that's pretty impressive to get that low. 250 has been my best to date. what's your secret(s)? my ribs yesterday were perfect. everyone raved. had 6 ribs left from 3 racks StL's. looking forward to your knowhow.
 
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For my low/slow, I can pretty well hit any temp from 225+ without too much issue (though I think 250 is my happy temp), but once set it can be sensitive to lid openings where it wants to spike up easily if I open the lid for anything other than a quick glance. I have to plan my openings very carefully and make them SHORT!

I start with a very large load of lump or briquettes underneath, then light a very small spot with my torch, and then let it come up to temp VERY SLOWLY (takes over 1 hour) with the bottom vent just above smoke and the top open no more than 3/4. When it gets closer to desired temp, I then set the bottom vent to just a smidge LOWER than the smoke position, and the top to maybe 1/4 open?

Really trying to find if anyone does it differently and finds a better sweet spot.
 
Minion method. Start JD in small chimney. Add to left side of charcoal. Wait 30 to 45 minutes till temp Is 220 ish. Adjust vents to keep temps down.

Lesson learned for me, start low on temps and sneak up from there. Adjust sooner than later.
 
GrantT said:
For my low/slow, I can pretty well hit any temp from 225+ without too much issue, but it can be sensitive to lid openings where it wants to spike up easily if I open the lid for anything other than a quick glance. I have to plan my openings very carefully...

I start with a very large load of lump or briquettes underneath, then light a very small spot with my torch, and the it come up to temp SLOWLY (takes over 1 hour), then set the bottom vent to just a smidge LOWER than the smoke position, and the top to maybe 1/4 open?

Really trying to find if anyone does it differently and finds a better sweet spot.
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makes sense. i'm using my CB's to hold the lump and i'm guessing i have too much lump lit at once to get down to the 225 mark. maybe i'll have to set it up in snake fashion and use the CBs to shape the snake and not to hold lumps. are you using lump or briq? i continue to be very satisfied with JD XL. it's the cleanest burning fuel i've lit to date and the smoke flavor is very clean. my next fave is the B&B charlogs and briqs and then Cowboy for burgers. Cowboy oak just adds a great flavor to beef.

i also agree with a smidge lower than Smoke setting. i did extinguish a cook with too low on the bottom and top two weeks ago. had to finish the half birds in the oven as i only needed 7 degrees to finish them.

looking forward to hearing of other's success in ultra low temp smokes.
 
Mark Foreman said:
Minion method. Start JD in small chimney. Add to left side of charcoal. Wait 30 to 45 minutes till temp Is 220 ish. Adjust vents to keep temps down.

Lesson learned for me, start low on temps and sneak up from there. Adjust sooner than later.
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which sizes of the JD. my XL bag has some impressively large pieces and a lot of normal sized pieces. any pics to share? where are you setting at on bottom and top openings?
 
Brett-EDH said:
looking forward to hearing of other's success in ultra low temp smokes.
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Brett, I know you know I have a BGE just restating it here for others that may not.

I had similar challenges until I started using a temp controller.

I went with a billows and a smoke X4.

I get a small amount of coals going manually with a chimney, dump coals and bring temp up to around 250F, then I choke it back, plug in the billows fan and let then fan bring it back to the target temp.

I've done 220F grate twice, and 250F grate several times.
 
Brett-EDH said:
... i'll have to set it up in snake fashion and use the CBs to shape the snake and not to hold lumps. are you using lump or briq?
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I don't use a snake at all...I have a LOT of lump (or briquettes - used both) in the bottom level, and just light a very small spot and then always keep it restricted. I never let the air flow get too large. I think the trick is just NEVER giving it enough oxygen to get it get too large.
 
DanHoo said:
Brett, I know you know I have a BGE just restating it here for others that may not.

I had similar challenges until I started using a temp controller.

I went with a billows and a smoke X4.

I get a small amount of coals going manually with a chimney, dump coals and bring temp up to around 250F, then I choke it back, plug in the billows fan and let then fan bring it back to the target temp.

I've done 220F grate twice, and 250F grate several times.
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Do you find the billows provides the needed airflow to keep temp? As in a choke down and billows provides the majority of in-flow air to keep that low temp?

I’m willing to move to snake and then choke down at bottom and keep top vent at 30-50% open.

Curious of what other WSK people are seeing as well.
 
Brett-EDH said:
Do you find the billows provides the needed airflow to keep temp? As in a choke down and billows provides the majority of in-flow air to keep that low temp?

I’m willing to move to snake and then choke down at bottom and keep top vent at 30-50% open.

Curious of what other WSK people are seeing as well.
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I read a bunch of places suggesting to choke the top to almost closed and let the billows manage the temp. When it was well below temp, the billows was running full to get the temp up and it was pushing smoke out any place it could. smoke was coming out the crack in the top vent, and between the dome and base. Second time I used it I opened the top a bit more until it reached target temp.

Once at target temp all the inflow is coming from the billows and even with the fan off it let's a fair amount of air in.

When I asked on the BGE forum for guidance about half of the responses were I didn't need it, and the other half agreed but said they had some sort of temp control and liked the convenience -- especially for long low and slow cooks to ensure the fire does not go out.

See if you need an adapter or not to mount to your E6, and I can loan you mine for a cook.

I think there are lots of ATC and fan choices out there, but it would help you decide if you "need" one or not. ( yeah, there's that "need" word again)
 
I use a BBQ Guru on my WSM 22, I like to run between 225-245, works like a charm. I sometimes even set up a snake in the WSM & use the Guru with it. People are always stating that the WSM is a fuel hog, but if you use good quality charcoal and an ATC it will surpise you.
 
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I am currently running my Fireboard Drive with the BBQ Guru fan on my WSC for the first time, I'm trying to maintain 275. I started with a modified Minon method. I lit some leftover lump in a basket over the Snap Jet then used one empty basket to take up some room on the bottom grate while I filled up the rest of the grate with charcoal, dumped the lit leftover lump & left the vents wide open until about 225. From there I shut the vents down to the smoke setting & used the fan, it wouldn't stay bellow 290 that way so now I have the bottom vent completely closed with the top open about 1/3, right now it's hovering around 280 with the fan turning on & off as necessary.

I think the right move is to leave the bottom vent completely closed, let the fan be the intake & keep the top vent open some to keep airflow going in the cooker.
 
Learning curve on the Summit/E6 was short but crucial. I would initially set vents about where I would on my kettles and have uncontrollably high temps and couldn’t get them down. On a whim I choked it back one day and it’s been magic ever since. Top vent is CRUCIAL; I’ve seen folks say to run it wide open and they’re absolutely bonkers or wanting to cook at max temp for some damn reason.
 
TimA said:
Learning curve on the Summit/E6 was short but crucial. I would initially set vents about where I would on my kettles and have uncontrollably high temps and couldn’t get them down. On a whim I choked it back one day and it’s been magic ever since. Top vent is CRUCIAL; I’ve seen folks say to run it wide open and they’re absolutely bonkers or wanting to cook at max temp for some damn reason.
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Agreed, the top vent is crucial for the Summit. On a kettle or a lot of other cookers you can/should run the top vent wide open but the Summit is too efficient for that.
 
CarlB said:
Agreed, the top vent is crucial for the Summit. On a kettle or a lot of other cookers you can/should run the top vent wide open but the Summit is too efficient for that.
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The manual for the E6 says set bottom vent to the “smoke” and control temps with the top vent. Once I started adjusting this way, temperature control was really easy.
 
Mark Foreman said:
The manual for the E6 says set bottom vent to the “smoke” and control temps with the top vent. Once I started adjusting this way, temperature control was really easy.
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I agree, but try starting with a kettle and the only thing you know is a kettle and then getting the E6.
Frustrating at first, took me a few cooks to get it under control.
They work exactly opposite, which at first doesn't make any sense to me but it works.
So using that theory, and the only other big deal is starting the right size fire.
A half chimney of red hot coals and you wont be able to keep it under 250 without fighting back and forth with the top vent closed to open and the back to closed ect for hours just to fight it.
I use red hot coals but not a lot. I usually try to smoke at 250 for the most part anyways. Creates the texture in my meats I am looking for, unless its bb pork ribs, then I like to be closer to 325.
 
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