Playing with some Mini-WSM mods, and of course Smokin dinner!

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dirtsailor2003

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
Oct 4, 2012
21,947
4,224
Bend Oregon
I have been wanting to try some new things with the mini. Most use a clay pot pan for a heat sink. I wanted to try and use the tamale steamer tray to see if that would work. Amazingly enough it does. However it really cranks the heat out, so for long smokes it won't work that well. But for cooking some burgers at 265* it worked really good!


Barely seasoned new tamale pot with the steamer tray in place. A few burgers on there. Kingsford blue, with cherry wood.


Melted a bit of Tillamook Extra Sharp white cheddar


Extra spicy Habanero pickled pickle burger


Just a plain old burger
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Yummm!!!!!
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Looks real good. Sold my mini while back but do have another 32q pot. I may make another within the next 14 months before my wife retires. Downsize again and sell my WSM, Get a COBB grill and wait for a MAK RV Pellet grill.
 
 
Looks real good. Sold my mini while back but do have another 32q pot. I may make another within the next 14 months before my wife retires. Downsize again and sell my WSM, Get a COBB grill and wait for a MAK RV Pellet grill.
 
I'd never sell my mini!!

I' have drooled over the Cobb Grills ever since I saw one in use last year. I just can't bring myself to pay $129-$369 for one! maybe one of these days
 
I'd never sell my mini!!

I' have drooled over the Cobb Grills ever since I saw one in use last year. I just can't bring myself to pay $129-$369 for one! maybe one of these days
In June i'm going to cut back some, sell some sausage/smoking stuff and use that $ for a cobb
 
In June i'm going to cut back some, sell some sausage/smoking stuff and use that $ for a cobb
The cobb grills cook really good. Last camp season I ran into a family from Germany. They bought a travel trailer and a tow rig here that they use for their vacations. They pick a state each year and camp all over it for 3 months then go back. They had two cobb grills and made some great meals. I ran into them 3 times over the course of the summer. They had six kids so at every meal they had both of those grills going!
 
The only downside from the tamale pot steamer insert as a heat diffuser is the drippings.  They will collect and burn and drip down into the fire.  Not tremendously, but it can be a little bit of a mess.  If you go with the clay saucer and some aluminum foil, clean up is easy.  That being said, I use both. 
 
The only downside from the tamale pot steamer insert as a heat diffuser is the drippings.  They will collect and burn and drip down into the fire.  Not tremendously, but it can be a little bit of a mess.  If you go with the clay saucer and some aluminum foil, clean up is easy.  That being said, I use both. 
I have the saucer and have used it in the first pot I made. It doesn't have the bottom cut out, only drilled. The issue I have been having with the that system is when I put it on the hot coals I get a bunch of white smoke for 15-20 minutes. So I wanted to see if this method would help with that which it did. Another draw back to using the steamer insert is that the lower cooking area temp is way hotter than the upper. With the clay saucer they are within 15* degrees of each other. With the insert its 50*-60*!
 
Good looking burgers, I have a mini myself all I have used it for is my cold smoking cheese. So where do you buy this Tamali pie thingy and where do you put put it at in mini?? Pics please if possible.

Thanks Steve
 
Good looking burgers, I have a mini myself all I have used it for is my cold smoking cheese. So where do you buy this Tamali pie thingy and where do you put put it at in mini?? Pics please if possible.

Thanks Steve
Steve,

Are you referring to the steamer insert? If so  It comes with the pot. It sits in the indented spot near the bottom of the pot. I'll take some photos of it tonight.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/139346/more-mods-to-the-mini-wsm-double-decker
 
Never mind I do have that plate I thought you had like a clay pot you sat in there to asorb heat.
I do have a clay planter saucer that I have been using. I just wanted to try without it, so I have been using the steamer insert as a heat deflector. The clay saucer does work well as a heat sink. The one that I have is 12", I am thinking of trying a 10".
 
That's what I was wondering do you put it on the very bottom of the first pot or under it and did you need to put holes in it ?? Thanks
 
That's what I was wondering do you put it on the very bottom of the first pot or under it and did you need to put holes in it ?? Thanks
Yes if I'm using the lower rack for food it sits right on the bottom, I do have an extra charcoal grate that it sits on though. When I'm not using the lower grate, I set the saucer on that grate.

I am planning on installing some bolts that will get it up off the bottom a bit. I'm pretty sure it and the fact that I just drilled out the bottom of the pot is the reason why I get a large amount of white smoke when I put the pot on. it's snuffing the fire out.

The new pot I cut the bottom out of works awesome, but needs the clay saucer to get the temps down lower. Currently the lower rack is too hot to use (I've only tried with the steamer insert).

I will take some photo's tonight so you can see the mods, and how I am running it.
 
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