1st Smoke- WSM

[tysbrock]

This is my first smoke with new WSM.  I'm having trouble getting the heat high enough (even with bottom vents wide open, I can't get much over 200). Most temp issues I've seen involve it being to high.

A quick review of what I did.... anyone see an issue?

Used chimney starter to get approximate 100 charcoal briquettes lit.  I may have let them go too long as about half were all white when I put them in the WSM.

What's the best way to increase heat?  What's the best way to add lit briquettes to the running WSM.

Thank you for any advice!

 

[mdboatbum]

Use the Minion method. Let the starter coals go completely white before adding them. Yours should come up to temp with what you did. it'll just take a little while.
With a properly loaded WSM you really shouldn't have to add any more charcoal even for the longest of smokes.

 

[b-one]

Using the minion method I light 10-15 briquettes fully dump onto pile setup smoker wait for the smoke to calm down top vent always open,unless shutting it down, all bottom vents open to around 200* shut two totally and sometimes the third halfway depending how it goes. What temp are you trying to get to?

 

[damon555]

You should fill the ring with a mixture of charcoal and 5 or 6 wood chunks and then add 15-20 well lit coals to the top. It sounds to me like you don't have nearly enough charcoal.....I've never counted but 100 briquettes sure sounds like you needed to add more.

Don't worry about having extra charcoal in the ring when the smoke is complete. You can always choke out the fire when you are done and use whatever is left over for your next go around.

 

[tysbrock]

I was hoping for 225... give or take.  Seems to be staying around 200.

 

[tysbrock]

I'll definitely try the minion method.  Thanks.

 

[tysbrock]

That's what I was thinking... not enough briquettes.  I'll try what you've said.  Thanks.

 

[letthemeatrest]

 
I was hoping for 225... give or take.  Seems to be staying around 200.

100 briquettes is plenty. that's basically a full chimney. 

are you leaving your top exhaust vent wide open too? is your charcoal sitting on the charcoal grate inside the ring so that air can get underneth the charcoal? are you at super high altitude? 

your lid therm could be reading wrong, i know mine reads low

 

[noboundaries]

I'm going to take a wild guess and say the water pan is full.