Temp Questions

It is much easier to let temp come up than trying to get it down.  up just add a little air and then it makes more fire, to come down, it's hard to get rid of extra heat and make less fire at the same time IMHO.  I start shutting lower dampers (2 off and one open just a little 1/8 inch maybe) about 20 degrees from my cook temp and then see where it lands.

Personally I don't use the minion method.  I use the "load and dump" method.  I'll put in a layer of charcoal, some wood, some more charcoal, some wood, more charcoal and wood if there's room (usually not), then dump a load of hot briquettes in the middle of the pile.  If I want low n slow, I use 1/4 chimney or less of hot briquettes.  If I want hot n fast, 300F+ , like for poultry with crispy skin, I'll use 3/4 to a full chimney. 

Learning the vents is half the fun.  Top full open.  The lower the temp desired, and depending how leaky your WSM is, the lower vents could be all closed. 

If the temp started to run away on me, I would act like I'm shutting off the fire.  Heat rises, and when it does, it pulls air in through the lower vents and the leaks.  Now, if the temp starts to runaway, close down the upper vent.  Don't do it when there's a lot of smoke, but later in a smoke you can do it without getting stale smoke on your meat.  Once you close down the upper vent, less air will be pulled up through the smoker.  You can close it completely, or down to 1/4 open.  It all lowers the temp because it is choking the fire.  Remember the fire triangle: heat-fuel-air.  Shut any one down and you'll impact the burn.  You'll see a drop in about ten minutes. 

Just remember to open the top vent back up. 

Hey everyone. So I have done around 7 cooks on my 22" WSM 3 of them being 12+ hour cooks. I get it going great for the first 4 to 5 hours then after that I am babysitting. I use the minion method I guess. Fill the great right full make a indent and dump hot coals that are ashed over good. I was hoping to do over night cooks and get some rest but haven't been that lucky yet.

Also part of cooking is pit management but a little shut eye is nice.

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

:canada-flag-68:

A WSM shouldn't been any baby sitting after 4-5 hours.  A few questions:

1.  Wet or dry smokes? (water or no water in water pan).

2.  What charcoal are you using?

3.  What chamber temp are you maintaining for the first 4 hours?

4.  What happens at 4+ hours that requires babysitting?

5.  What are you calling babysitting (vent changes, temp fluctuations, etc)?