WSM versus kettle pellet/wood smoking


 
Darren Lebner

Darren Lebner

TVWBB All-Star
I've been very successfully lately in grilling nicely smoked meat and poultry on my 22" kettle using pellets in a smoker tube or wood chunks. Please enlighten me to the difference when cooking instead with a WSM or similar. For the record, I've never owned a smoker.
 
If you are putting out good BBQ with your kettle then I see no reason to change as it seems you have the kettle dial in with temp and amount of smoke.It’s just smoke and heat only diffence would be the amount of meat you can cook on a smoker like the WSM and your kettle.
 
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Darren Lebner said:
I've been very successfully lately in grilling nicely smoked meat and poultry on my 22" kettle using pellets in a smoker tube or wood chunks. Please enlighten me to the difference when cooking instead with a WSM or similar. For the record, I've never owned a smoker.
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I think the technique you are using is cold smoking for an hour or two, then grilling, correct? I think a WSM or similar would yield similar results using that technique, but more often it seems that the technique used there is L&S, where smoke is applied at a higher temp. Are you asking if the appliance itself makes a difference?
 
Fletch is dead on with that question. What is the desired result, how long do you have, all the basic “what should I do” questions.
Darren, you’ve been around this place long enough to know most of the answers to your question. The units work differentl, both are exceptional at the specific use given for each design. YES, crossing those lines can be done successfully without tearing out your hair (I can’t afford losing any more!) but, fine results can be enjoyed from both designs.
 
I agree with everything Tim just said, but will add that the 22" WSM is capable of turning out more product vs 22" kettle. All things being equal, I think the 22" WSM is also capable of a longer smoke without refueling. The 22" WSM will also burn more fuel over a given cook time...

On the other hand, the 22" kettle is much better at grilling steaks/burgers and chops. You can do this on a WSM but it takes sone finagling.
 
I don’t have a WSM.
I have a master chef smoker (that I don't use anymore) and a couple of kettles.

I do just fine with smoking in the kettles using the SnS set up.
Am I handicapping myself doing that?
Maybe but it seems to smoke just fine for the wife and I and if I want I can easily serve 6 people.

I only use the smoke tube when I want to go colder than briquettes will allow.
For instance, I use the smoke tube in my kettle for smoking salmon.
If I don‘t use a smoke tube on the salmon it is a baked or bbq’ed salmon at best rather than smoked salmon.
The tube works well on cheese too.

If I still had to feed my kids and their sport teams, a few neighbors and such the WSM would be a better choice.
 
Ed P said:
I think the technique you are using is cold smoking for an hour or two, then grilling, correct? I think a WSM or similar would yield similar results using that technique, but more often it seems that the technique used there is L&S, where smoke is applied at a higher temp. Are you asking if the appliance itself makes a difference?
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When using a gasser, I like to cold smoke before grilling. Here I'm referring to when I use my kettle, as in the title. See pic I just posted.
 
Andy Kaminski said:
I don’t have a WSM.
I have a master chef smoker (that I don't use anymore) and a couple of kettles.

I do just fine with smoking in the kettles using the SnS set up.
Am I handicapping myself doing that?
Maybe but it seems to smoke just fine for the wife and I and if I want I can easily serve 6 people.

I only use the smoke tube when I want to go colder than briquettes will allow.
For instance, I use the smoke tube in my kettle for smoking salmon.
If I don‘t use a smoke tube on the salmon it is a baked or bbq’ed salmon at best rather than smoked salmon.
The tube works well on cheese too.

If I still had to feed my kids and their sport teams, a few neighbors and such the WSM would be a better choice.
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A lot of things you do are similar to me. Lots of kids and grandchildren. For them, I need the capacity of my G 310 or G2 435. That's when I often cold smoke first. Also cold smoke for salmon.

For fewer people, I like to use the kettle. There I'm finding that the smoking is quite tasty. That's why I brought up this subject.

So what I'm concluding is that using a large smoker would give me greater capacity and similar results, along with John's note about burgers steaks and chops being easier to do on the kettle.
 
Darren Lebner said:
Vortex in the middle.

View attachment 62376
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Darren….looks like you got the chicken nailed. Looks awesome but I don’t think one more wing could get on there!😀
To me, for chicken, I like a hotter cook like you do to get the best skin. It’s typically a 45 min to 75 minutes cook. I’ll put a chunk on top of the grates like you do as well. A one hour cook can’t give me a heavy smoke flavor but we kinda like the touch of smoke. Plus…….that skin!
 
RLittle said:
Looks awesome but I don’t think one more wing could get on there!😀
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Lately every time I want to cook on the kettle, my wife suddenly asks me to throw another 1000 pieces of chicken on the grill. After the batch in the pic I posted above, I was delivered a dozen boned thighs to do. Much of this was frozen and distributed to our very appreciative children.
 
Andy Kaminski said:
Damn Darren that chicken looks good.
What do you have on that bird?
Are you smoke tubing it before using the vortex?
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The chicken was delish!

The wings were spicy curry, brown sugar, and garlic. The spice was a big splash of peri-peri sauce.

The rest of the chicken is marinated with lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic, and coarse black pepper.

I cold smoke meat and poultry with a tuber prior to gas grilling. For this cook, I simply tossed some pecan wood smack over the vortex at the start of the cook and a bit more later on.

However, in my previous Performer cook about 2 weeks ago, I did indeed place a tube full of pellets over the hot vortex at the start. I already posted this pic on another topic. Here, too, the Mrs. made me take up more real estate than was originally planned:

20221028_135536.jpg
 
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