Would this accomplish anything as a diffuser, sitting directly on the factory charcoal ring?


 
J

Justin Hood

New member
I imagine it wouldn't last very long even at low temps, but are its holes too small, risking suffocation? Or is a pizza pan too light & thin to achieve any significant diffusion in the first place, vs. direct exposure to coals?

Having trouble gathering direct spec comparison among the real diffuser plates popular here:

gateway .05" (=18ga?)/10lbs overall
Vortex 11ga (=.125")/?lbs
Firedial .0625"(=16ga?)/?lbs

This would be for hanging ribs on an 18.5".PXL_20210713_205937124 (1).jpg

(edit: added reported firedial thickness)
 
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Why not put it on top or instead of the water pan instead. There it would last and do the same thing.
 
Why cover the charcoal? If your trying to protect the last couple of ribs on your rack my recommendation would be to place a Vortex, a gallon can with the bottom/top removed or a hoop of roof flashing on the charcoal grate and spread the fuel around which ever you chose. The ribs can hang into this area, protected by the Vortex, a gallon can with the bottom/top removed or a hoop of roof flashing; acting as a shield.

If that's not possible, then remove a couple of bones. Hook the rack your hanging down about three bones and add a second hook that goes over the first and through the rack of ribs. I hang St. Louis trimmed ribs in my 18 without issues.
 
I see what you are trying to do there Justin and it may work. You are probably right about it not lasting very long. This reminds me of a project I did that was inspired by a Tom Horsman YT video. The purpose was to make a heat deflector similar to the one that comes with the Master Touch Premium kettle. It also sets right on top of a charcoal ring. It works great in the kettle so I don't know of a reason it wouldn't work in the WSM other that vent locations being different, it may well smoother. I think the idea is worth a try with a sacrificial pizza pan. Please give it a try and let us know how it works.
Honestly though, I think the Fire Dial is your best bet for hanging meat in the WSM.
Also, welcome to the forum and I hope this helps a little.20210117_140402.jpg
 
I sometimes use my FireDial down on the ring when I hang full StL slabs in my 18 WSM (hunsaker hanging rack). Works well. Some others use a FD in that way as well.

Mostly, the difuser is protecting from the flames shooting up when the grease drips down. So your pizza pan would probably work for that just fine. Side benefit is protection from ribs falling into the ashy coals.

For my standard rib cook (Costco StL three pack), though, I find it easiest to hang six half slabs in the 18 WSM direct over the coals. No difuser.
 
These ribs were hung for two hours in an 18 WSM with a Hunsaker rib rack with the thick end up. The length of the rack was with no trimming. No shielding of the bottom and no pans or baffles. Cooked at 275°F and then wrapped for an hour.
 
I use a fire dial in my 22" WSM and a gateway hanger rack when I want to cook 3 or more racks of ribs. I also like the fire dial for direct heat cooks on the WSM. Fire dial claims that it helps even out temperatures between top and bottom racks. I haven't tried that yet, but I do like the fire dial, and I don't think it's all that expensive.

Here are some pics of my modifications

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^Brilliant, could suspend at any height; just above the charcoal ring, but not taking up so much hanging space as it would all the way up at the water pan position.

Between Colin's project & seeing that a solid diffuser sitting directly on their charcoal ring is an official weber setup, I think the answer to my first question is yes, guessing it should breathe okay enough even through this pan's tiny holes. Granted Colin's charcoal ring is going to offer much more airflow than the weber ring. The answer to my second question, how much diffusion would such a thin pan even provide, might be immaterial given B.A. Poole's & other's success without any shielding at all... B.A. what is your charcoal setup for that type of unshielded cook (inside or outside ring, #coals start to lit/total, minion/snake, target temp etc.)? I'd rather not bank outside the charcoal ring directly against the WSM interior wall, which is why a diffuser appeals so much. And as Jim C. mentioned, it will temper flareups.

Yes, going in knowing that's a sacrificial pan I never use anyway, until I figure out which real diffuser to get, if any- just these two accessories in a hanging rack + hooks & diffuser would cost more than my WSM did on its own. The firedial is cheap enough, but with shipping, for me it's actually more expensive than the Vortex, whose steel is twice as thick... unless, would someone confirm that I'm actually using the right chart to convert gauge to inches thick in my OP?

Otherwise, side-by-side on-edge racks, vertically layered flat racks over one another, cutting/curling I've made great food with, as I'd consider unevenly colored or even a crispy rib or two at the end great food, but are not perfect solutions for my ideal of a rack of ribs- I've only ever made what I consider truly great ribs, laying flat on an offset.

Appreciate everyone's info, ideas, and advice. I'm waiting at least until I fill in the specs I have for all these hangers and diffusers. I've asked elsewhere, here, amazon answers, and directly to mfrs; but most immediately I want to know the diameter of the top/smaller ring of the hunsaker 18.5" hanging rack, & its rod diameter if anyone here has one and wouldn't mind measuring for me.

Thanks all.
 
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Justin Hood said:
. The answer to my second question, how much diffusion would such a thin pan even provide, might be immaterial given B.A. Poole's & other's success without any shielding at all... B.A. what is your charcoal setup for that type of unshielded cook (inside or outside ring, #coals start to lit/total, minion/snake, target temp etc.)? I'd rather not bank outside the charcoal ring directly against the WSM interior wall, which is why a diffuser appeals so much. And as Jim C. mentioned, it will temper flareups.
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The Hunsaker rack is 17 7/16" x 11 3/8" and is 1/4" diameter rod. The distance between the rings is 4 1/2" vertically. There is also a detachable, three spoked piece that nests in the top ring.

My typical set up for ribs would be to fill the charcoal ring and remove enough charcoal to fill the bottom of an inverted Weber charcoal chimney. I start those briquettes and once they are hot I dump them back in the center of the charcoal ring, in a single pile.

Then I'll assemble the WSM, leaving the vents and lid open. I wait approximately 15 minutes or the time it takes to finish prepping. Then I close it up and target 275°F. Once at temperature, I open the door and put in 3 or 4 pieces of smoke wood. By this time the fire is usually hot enough to burn clean. Ribs go in for two hours. Every 30 minutes I rotate the rack and spritz, if I'm going to.

At two hours, I remove the Hunsaker rack and wrap the ribs in two layers of foil and the ribs go back on the top grate for approximately an hour. The ribs are hooked under the third bone on the big end. Add a second hook inter-connected to the first hook and pass it through the rack of ribs. I hang St. Louis trimmed ribs in my 18 without issues.
 
Wow thank you for all of those measurements, and your charcoal setup in step by step detail! I greatly appreciate you you having taken the time to do that for me... just one question about that. You literally rotate them, radially, not that you ever flip them vertically (with hooks on each end) right?
 
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I hang a single rib rack on the spoked part of the rack. I just rotate that about 90° radially. Just to improve the uniformity.
 
I have a setup similar to John K’s, except I also have a 22.5 inch Cajun Bandit stacker. Perfect setup for ribs, as ribs will hang very high above the fire. And with the Firedial, there’s zero chance for burning. Or they can be hung without the FD.

I got a deal on my setup, but brand new the combo would be very pricey.
 
^W.T. do you put your firedial directly on the whatever charcoal ring/basket you're using, or does that stacker allow you enough height to put it on the water pan tabs (where I see that one most commonly positioned)? I think if I get a diffuser at all, it will be directly on the charcoal ring, and for that leaning hunsaker. The value alone of their vortex, plate steel thicker than both the gateway and firedial put together, yet still the least expensive among the three shipped to me. Impressively robust specs all

gateway .05"
firedial .0625"
vortex .125"
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The Hunsaker rack is 17 7/16" x 11 3/8" and is 1/4" diameter rod. The distance between the rings is 4 1/2" vertically.
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Btw anyone with an 18.5 and a 22 wsm, able to shoehorn your diffuser for the 22 into the 18.5? Sounds crazy but I notice the 22wsm vortex plate actually measures 18" in diameter, which would be a very close fit in the base of the 18.5. I'm still undecided on it at all, because preliminary hanging runs (with home made contraption) not only did not burn the end of ribs very close to the coal bed, but actually the opposite- I had them hanging too high, and the top ends right up on the lid actually cooked much faster. Counterintuitive, but there's probably a reason everyone makes their rib hangers 4-5" above the top grate, and I'm certain it's not because they couldn't have made it 7-8". Still results were better than anything I've done not on an offset, and because it was experimental, used the very cheapest 1.80 something/lb giant ribs I could find, so can only get better from here with or without more accessories.
 
because preliminary hanging runs (with home made contraption) not only did not burn the end of ribs very close to the coal bed, but actually the opposite- I had them hanging too high, and the top ends right up on the lid actually cooked much faster. Counterintuitive, but there's probably a reason everyone makes their rib hangers 4-5" above the top grate,

Not that complicated or mysterious. Heat rises, so the top of the cooker is generally hotter than all but the very bottom.

The only reason the lower ends get crunchy is if they are VERY close to the fire. And/or if they are close enough that they will get cooked by flare-ups.

At least in the 18, raising the hanger up into the space of the lid dome is probably done just to create enough space so that you can hang a full slab of ribs (the primary use of a hanging kit).
 
Justin Hood said:
^W.T. do you put your firedial directly on the whatever charcoal ring/basket you're using, or does that stacker allow you enough height to put it on the water pan tabs (where I see that one most commonly positioned)? I think if I get a diffuser at all, it will be directly on the charcoal ring, and for that leaning hunsaker. The value alone of their vortex, plate steel thicker than both the gateway and firedial put together, yet still the least expensive among the three shipped to me. Impressively robust specs all






Btw anyone with an 18.5 and a 22 wsm, able to shoehorn your diffuser for the 22 into the 18.5? Sounds crazy but I notice the 22wsm vortex plate actually measures 18" in diameter, which would be a very close fit in the base of the 18.5. I'm still undecided on it at all, because preliminary hanging runs (with home made contraption) not only did not burn the end of ribs very close to the coal bed, but actually the opposite- I had them hanging too high, and the top ends right up on the lid actually cooked much faster. Counterintuitive, but there's probably a reason everyone makes their rib hangers 4-5" above the top grate, and I'm certain it's not because they couldn't have made it 7-8". Still results were better than anything I've done not on an offset, and because it was experimental, used the very cheapest 1.80 something/lb giant ribs I could find, so can only get better from here with or without more accessories.
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The stacker gives enough height to put the fire dial on the lower rack position and still have PLENTY of room. Even heat, and no trimming needed. The stacker SO pays for itself in this manner (15 racks hung, no problem; can also do 3 full packers on the WSM).
 
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