redfinjim
Newbie
rdwhahb - I got my WSM22.5 about 3 years ago and did some mods to it.
1. drilled a hole in each of the 3 legs at the bottom and installed locking caster wheels (don't go too small)
2. I installed 2 more handles on opposing sides of the main barrel - this helps so I can rotate the main barrel 180° so I can stoke wood onto the fire from the other side.
3. Bought some high temp sealing tape to put around the charcoal/water pan door and lid where it sits down into the main barrel to make it even more smoke efficient. I did not put tape where the main barrel meets the bottom section.
I bought a new charcoal starter and I took the insert out of my old charcoal starter and I now use it for the minion method (hard to find big enough aluminum/tin cans).
I put a mixture of water and cheap apple juice in the water pan and keep an eye on it so it doesn't run dry during the cook.
I prefer my wood to have less than 20% moisture content when I put it on the hot coals - if it's below 12%, I'll soak it in a 5-gal. bucket of water for 30-45 minutes before putting it on the hot coals. Moisture meters are cheap and easy to use. Mine is a General model. I also purchased a Maverick Redi-Chek remote smoker thermometer which monitors the smoking chamber temp and the meat internal temp.
I can smoke four 10-lb. briskets on my WSM.
1. drilled a hole in each of the 3 legs at the bottom and installed locking caster wheels (don't go too small)
2. I installed 2 more handles on opposing sides of the main barrel - this helps so I can rotate the main barrel 180° so I can stoke wood onto the fire from the other side.
3. Bought some high temp sealing tape to put around the charcoal/water pan door and lid where it sits down into the main barrel to make it even more smoke efficient. I did not put tape where the main barrel meets the bottom section.
I bought a new charcoal starter and I took the insert out of my old charcoal starter and I now use it for the minion method (hard to find big enough aluminum/tin cans).
I put a mixture of water and cheap apple juice in the water pan and keep an eye on it so it doesn't run dry during the cook.
I prefer my wood to have less than 20% moisture content when I put it on the hot coals - if it's below 12%, I'll soak it in a 5-gal. bucket of water for 30-45 minutes before putting it on the hot coals. Moisture meters are cheap and easy to use. Mine is a General model. I also purchased a Maverick Redi-Chek remote smoker thermometer which monitors the smoking chamber temp and the meat internal temp.
I can smoke four 10-lb. briskets on my WSM.
