WSM- Using Heat Sinks


 
George L said:
Just curious, have any of you ever tried running your WSM with no barrier, letting all the grease hit the coals, UDS style?
Click to expand...

George I did it when starting out with my new 22 and my hardly used 18 more to season or Gunk them up. I did chicken leg quarters and let it drip. It made for a pretty greasy charcoal bow at the end but otherwise worked ok. Depending on the vent settings there was some fare-up but nothing extreme. Otherwise I have always caught the drippings. I would be worried about letting butts and brisket go only because there can be so much grease but I guess as you point out it's done in the UDS all the time.
 
Dave Russell said:
If you've enjoyed unfoiled ribs, but like foiled as well...well, sorry you can't find your wsm pan.

Anyhow, no water in the pan needed for a big cook, whether to deal with the grease or temps. Fifty pounds plus of meat is a pretty good heat sink, certainly more than a clay pot base. But you just foil the pan (with a clay pot base, steel disk, or nothing in the bottom) and leave a good indention in the foil over the top to hold all the grease. Thanks for the feedback on using drip pans to catch the grease. Thankfully, I don't have a problem with burning grease at low temps with a foiled pan.

Thanks,
Dave
Click to expand...

Not only do I foil the clay pot with a tight wrap, I usually criss cross it with two sheets just lying on top and push it down a touch to make it curved. I also do the same with the alum. dish on top. In fact, over the last 6 months or so, I have not had to re-foil the clay pot, although it is time, as splatters, and heat has it looking old, but no pools of grease. Best thing I ever did was buy that 500 foot roll of wrap at Sam's;)............................d
 
George L said:
Just curious, have any of you ever tried running your WSM with no barrier, letting all the grease hit the coals, UDS style?
Click to expand...

Yep. That's my preferred way of doing ribs now that I've done it a few times. I also cook chicken without the pan.
 
I hang ribs in my Smokey Joe UDS. I have a 16 gallon drum which sits on the SJ, just like the tamale pot. It's tall enough and wide enough to hang 4 to 5 full slabs.
 
Well, that's an interesting take on the UDS concept. Seems like the end hanging nearest the heat would cook quicker than the end at the top. I have been experimenting a little with rib racks, trying to see if the airflow going across the surfaces of the ribs in the rack affects the way they cook compared to laying flat.
 
Nice link Chris. My problem with that gentleman's technique is clay is porous and once it absorbs so much grease, if you leave the lid off for too long you can have one heck of a grease fire!

Tim
 
timothy said:
Nice link Chris. My problem with that gentleman's technique is clay is porous and once it absorbs so much grease, if you leave the lid off for too long you can have one heck of a grease fire!

Tim
Click to expand...

Yes, I would think so. I've had a grease fire in my wsm once on a high heat brisket cook and don't want another one.
 
timothy said:
Nice link Chris. My problem with that gentleman's technique is clay is porous and once it absorbs so much grease, if you leave the lid off for too long you can have one heck of a grease fire!

Tim
Click to expand...

Dave Russell said:
Yes, I would think so. I've had a grease fire in my wsm once on a high heat brisket cook and don't want another one.
Click to expand...

You would think so. I don't know.
I just saw it and thought it fit this topic. I've never tried it personally.
Weird he hasn't reported any problems, but then again, all may not be told.
 
Chris Sherman said:
You would think so. I don't know.
I just saw it and thought it fit this topic. I've never tried it personally.
Weird he hasn't reported any problems, but then again, all may not be told.
Click to expand...

Yea, he might use a glazed terra cota saucer, which I guess is sealed and won't absorb grease.

Tim
 
Hey, whatever works.:) When I used to use the saucer, I always foiled it just because it was much more easier to just bunch up the drippings/fat and toss that in a coffee can.
But if you read the boards enough, you learn something new everyday, so like my Sig says.
Tim
 
Using a clay/ceramic sink will not aid in low nor high temps (it can help to stabilize if you understand the fire control)! They will slow the temps whether raising or lowering. It is like steering a Limo vs a race car! Air flow is all that matters whether using water, clay, ceramic, empty foiled pan or nothing! Try them for urself, I prefer water for anything below 275!

Good luck
 
Glenn W said:
Using a clay/ceramic sink will not aid in low nor high temps (it can help to stabilize if you understand the fire control)! They will slow the temps whether raising or lowering. It is like steering a Limo vs a race car! Air flow is all that matters whether using water, clay, ceramic, empty foiled pan or nothing! Try them for urself, I prefer water for anything below 275!

Good luck
Click to expand...

You know, I've wondered how it is that ceramic cookers can get so hot with so little charcoal burning if a clay pot base is supposed to help keep the temp in a wsm down. :confused: And when it comes to stabilizing temp with a full cooker, that clay pot base does little to even out temps across the grate. If one side of the cooker gets a big spike, meat on that side will cook faster. On the other hand, a 212* water pan from one side to the other can really help even things out. You probably won't notice much of a difference with small meat loads, but it's really nice when things get done closer to the same time with a full cooker.
 
Last edited:
Glenn W said:
Using a clay/ceramic sink will not aid in low nor high temps (it can help to stabilize if you understand the fire control)! They will slow the temps whether raising or lowering. It is like steering a Limo vs a race car! Air flow is all that matters whether using water, clay, ceramic, empty foiled pan or nothing! Try them for urself, I prefer water for anything below 275!
Good luck
Click to expand...

This is the reason I like Nomex so much with the WSM.
 
Dave Russell said:
You know, I've wondered how it is that ceramic cookers can get so hot with so little charcoal burning if a clay pot base is supposed to help keep the temp in a wsm down. :confused:
Click to expand...

Unlike clay saucers which absorb heat like a water filled pan or a cast iron pan ceramic cookers do just the opposite. Similar to a kiln they do not absorb heat. They insulate and contain the heat. This is why ceramic cookers require very little fuel.
For instance if you can wrap your WSM in insulating ceramic blanket, top to bottom, you'll be able to run it with very little fuel.

As for temperature spikes, large charcoal pans containing large amounts of charcoal are more prone to temp spikes simply due to the fact that you have more fuel sitting there that oxygen can feed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top