Burn times

[super smoke]

Hello everyone

I'm new here and I have  question. But first, what I did today. I started my new, slightly used WSM 22.5 for a trial run. Here is what it was.

Outside temp at start 54 deg's. at finish it was 60 deg's with a 12 mph wind. I used 150 Royal Oaks ridge briquetts per recommendation in user manual. (How do you spell Briquetts)? I started abt 100 of them in a weber chimney starter and poured them over the other coals after 20 minutes. I also added 20 cups (2 coffee pots of water). The smoker settled down to abt 225 deg's. After 4.5 hrs my smoker temp fell to 160 deg's and the charcoal was almost gone. No food was placed in the smoker.

My questions.

How is the best way to increase burn time?

How do you run your smoker?

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[krex1010]

Ok, I have never run the 22 wsm but I've had an 18 for a while now.....the easiest way to get long consistent burn times for me has been with the minion method. Basically fill your coal ring up with unlit coals, bury some wood chunks in the coals.....light about 1/3 of a chimney full of coals, when they are burning and ashes over pour them in the center of the coal ring on top of the unlit coals.....close your lid and have all vents open, let it come up to temp, when you're about 20 degrees lower than your target temp close the bottom vents halfway and take it from there, when I I hit my target temp I close all the bottom vents down to about a quarter open and she will stay within about 20 degrees high or low of my target for 8-10 hours, sometimes longer. I run no water in the pan and just wrap it in foil for easy clean up.

 

[SmokinAl]

My 22 will run about 20 hours at 225 without adding any wood or charcoal.

This is how I pack the ring & start about 12 briquettes & put them on the top.

This one has a BBQ Guru attached.

Minion method 4.jpeg

• SmokinAl
• Apr 9, 2016

Hope this helps

Al

 

[super smoke]

OK thanks everyone for the comments. I will try it.