WSM cooking too hot

[Guest]

I?m half way thru cooking my first pork shoulder (2-6Lb. roasts, Minion method) on my new WSM. With the bottom vents closed all the way and the top vent 1/3 open the grate temp has been in the 260? to 265? range for about 6 hours now. I understand new smokers run hotter but it?s only 40? outside. Is this normal?

 

[Guest]

My first question would be you thermometer. Did you test it for accuracy?

I wish I had your luck with that temp in cold weather. I'm doing 8 slabs tonight and just built a windbreak. I can't get my WSM to get over 240 in 50 degree weather.

On a lighter note, I wouldn't be upset with a 20-30 degree temp difference. It will still taste great when finished. Good luck!

Jr

 

[Jim Minion]

Steve
Those temps are on the high side but still within the range. The cook may go a little faster because the temps are there.
Jim

 

[Danny Hardesty]

I cooked 4 slabs of baby-backs on the top grate and a whole chicken on the bottom grate on my WSM yesterday. I used charcoal briquettes as the main heat source and hickory wood chunks for flavor.

I used a limited "Minion Method" expecting only a four hour cook by spreading twenty lit briquettes over a half-full fire ring of unlit briquettes, and added boiling water to the water pan.

My temps would not rise above 240 at the dome (my grate temps are usually 30-50 degrees cooler than the dome temps). After two hours I added a full chimney of lit briquettes to the fire grate to get my cooking grate temps up which worked nicely. I did have to shut the bottom vents to one-fourth open to keep the temps down at that point.

Jim, what do you recommend fuel wise for a 4-5 hour cook on the WSM?

Danny Hardesty

 

[Jim Minion]

Danny
What were you using for charcoal, some burn cooler than others?
I may fill the fire ring about half full for ribs or a chicken cook.
Jim

 

[Danny Hardesty]

Jim,

Used Kingsford briquettes, with bottom and top vents fully open until I added the chimney of fully lit coals. I think I will experiment with different amounts of lit and unlit briquette combinations till I get it just right for a 4-5 hour cook.

Danny Hardesty

 

[Dwain Gleason]

On the smoker running too hot question, you might take a look at the door on the front of your smoker to see if it's fitting fairly snugly against the smoker body. Mine had warped quite a bit after a couple of years of use, and after re-bending it today it made a remarkable difference. The smoker ran at least 20-30 degrees cooler, and I found myself working upwards, not downwards, on the temperature...which is a much easier thing to manage. There will be a little natural gapping between the door and the smoker (especially on the top of the door), but not much.

 

[Russ Hazzon]

New WSM's have been known to run 25-50 degrees hotter on their first cook. You should start seeing lower temps on further cooks.