WSM Conversion


 
Richard Garcia

Richard Garcia

TVWBB Wizard
I Want to set-up my WSM 18" Classic" primarily as a "Pit-Barrel" type cooker and want to hear from some of you Forum member's success/failed cooks using this cooking method in turning-out succulent chicken and ribs.
 
I've done it a few times on chicken, chuck eye roast and butts. You gotta be careful with having the lid off. adding that burst of oxygen on grease soaked coals causes some serious flames.

Tim
 
I took out the water pan tonight and cooked chicken halves. They were brinded then sprayed with oil and dry rub before they hit the pit. I glazed them with a local orchard's peach bbq sauce for the last third of the cook. The pit run between 300 and 325 the whole time. Then for the last 10 minutes I took out the middle section put the top grate on the charcoal ring and put the lid on top. Let it closed for five minutes, flipped them, one last glaze, let the other side get dark and pulled both haves off the pit. They were sooooo good.
I love the vercitility of my WSM. In only 5 weeks I have used it without the water pan, with the water pan but no water, with water in the water pan, and with no middle section. I have been able to maintain temps where I want them for hours anywhere from 230 to 325 to just straight hot. When I have not used the water pan it is to run hotter, but I bet you could keep it lower with a little work. I was actually thinking about what a mini minion method would do to temps without the water pan tonight when I lit more coals then I needed to start with, but was able to get it around 300 within an hour and put the meat on. Good luck, let me know how it goes holding low temps without the water pan.
Other options and a lot of info about it here all through the forum is using other heat shields, from the pizza pan, to the clay saucer, to the vortex charcoal basket, to many other options. I don't have any experience run my pit with these, but maybe one of these options may help you set your pit up like you want it.
Michael
 
Michael Richards said:
I . I don't have any experience run my pit with these, but maybe one of these options may help you set your pit up like you want it.
Michael
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Thanx Mike for your input and also to the other Forum Members that replied to this thread. To control the Temperature; I am leaning in purchasing the Hunsaker Vortex Plate for my WSM 18" Classic, however, with Costa Rican Import Taxes and Shipping Costs the price of this $33 unit will balloon-up to around $70.
 
Richard Garcia said:
Thanx Mike for your input and also to the other Forum Members that replied to this thread. To control the Temperature; I am leaning in purchasing the Hunsaker Vortex Plate for my WSM 18" Classic, however, with Costa Rican Import Taxes and Shipping Costs the price of this $33 unit will balloon-up to around $70.
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Rich,
I think that sounds like a good option for a heat shield to run you WSM the way you want. I am going to highlight this post, please check back in after a few cooks in with your pit set up Hunsaker Vortex plate and let us know how you are doing dailing in the Temps.
Michael
 
Michael Richards said:
Rich,
I think that sounds like a good option for a heat shield to run you WSM the way you want. I am going to highlight this post, please check back in after a few cooks in with your pit set up Hunsaker Vortex plate and let us know how you are doing dailing in the Temps.
Michael
Click to expand...
Thanx Mike; I just placed the order for the Hunsaker WSM Vortex Plate and will advise after the 1st cook with this BBQ Unit. A long-time ago I purchased the "Gateway Drum Rib-Hanging Kit" which is still unused.
 
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I have found that you can load them right from you phone into the post. It is extremely easy. I think that is a newer feature of the forum so when you look at older post they used platforms, but my experience so far is that it was not necessary.
 
That is great news about the pictures. I see the options for it now and it seems pretty easy. I didn't post pictures of my "work" before because it seemed too involved. This will definitely increase my visits to the board. Thanks for this update to whoever made it happen!
 
I haven't set any of my WSM's yet to mirror that of a PBC but I do also have a PBC. I don't speak for others but to my taste buds there's a distinct difference in flavor between the two. To me, it depends on my mood as to whether or not I want the drippings-on-coals flavor but I wouldn't necessarily want to be without both options.
 
Gib Gibson said:
That is great news about the pictures. I see the options for it now and it seems pretty easy. I didn't post pictures of my "work" before because it seemed too involved. This will definitely increase my visits to the board. Thanks for this update to whoever made it happen!
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No it is, super easy. This is from a few hours ago the start of my first overnighter with the WSM. 20200502_201939.jpg
 
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