WSM help
- Thread starter kettle man
- Start date
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kryinggame
Smoking Fanatic
You def., didn't get it hot enough.
I've copied the following from the Virtual Weber Bullet website on the Minion Method. But seriously, you need to focus on that site and follow the exact directions there. Here's the link (again
)
http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]http://The Minion Method[/font]
I've copied the following from the Virtual Weber Bullet website on the Minion Method. But seriously, you need to focus on that site and follow the exact directions there. Here's the link (again
http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]http://The Minion Method[/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]
[/font] | [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Fill The Charcoal Chamber[/font] [/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Start by filling the charcoal chamber to the top with unlit charcoal briquettes. You can use any charcoal product, but experience shows that Kingsford gives the longest, most consistent burn.[/font][/font] |
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]
[/font][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] 
[/font] | [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Light A Few Briquettes[/font] [/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Using a chimney starter, light a small number of briquettes:[/font][/font]
|
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]
[/font] | [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Spread The Lit Coals[/font] [/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]When the coals are covered with gray ash, spread them evenly over the unlit briquettes in the charcoal chamber.[/font][/font] |
| [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Assemble The Cooker[/font] [/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Fill the water pan:[/font][/font]
[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Add the meat and smoke wood to the cooker immediately. The cool meat helps to control the ascent of the cooker temperature.[/font][/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]The cooker temperature will begin to rise gradually. When it reaches 200°F, adjust all three bottom vents to 25% open and monitor the temp carefully until it reaches 225-250°F. Adjust the vents as necessary to maintain this temp.[/font][/font] | |
| [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]It Keeps Going, And Going, And Going...[/font] [/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Using The Minion Method, you can start cooking in about the time it takes to light a few briquettes in a chimney starter—15-20 minutes tops.[/font][/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]If the cooker temperature begins to drop after 10 hours, gently tap on the charcoal bowl legs to dislodge accumulated ashes and refresh the coals without getting ashes on your food. If you're daring, or have installed handles on the middle cooking section, you can remove the lid and middle cooking section as a unit and stir the coals vigorously with tongs.[/font][/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Check the water pan every 2-4 hours and add hot water, as needed.[/font][/font] [font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]Depending on the weather and the amount of food being cooked, it may be necessary to add fuel after 12 hours of cooking. Light a full or partial chimney of charcoal and add the hot coals to the cooker.[/font][/font] |
Last edited:
Thanks. I actually looked at that before I did my test run. I am down to 250 (bottom rack). I topped out at 285. I now have the bottom vents shut and the dome at 50%. I am 3 hours into my test. I assume with meat on the grate the temp will come down a little. Why am I burning hot???
kryinggame
Smoking Fanatic
I'm no expert but here's what I've learned.
The temp. will come down with meat inside.
If I'm doing poultery, I keep all vents open because I want to cook at 350 or so.
If I'm doing ribs, I keep water in the water pan. That keeps the temperature around the 250-275 temperature. After you have meat in the smoker and the temperature settles down (and don't be opening the top), you can adjust the bottom vents to get to your ideal temperature.
And here's some good advice from Wbers Smokey Mountain:
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]http://WSM Runs Too Hot[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Here are some of the reasons why the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker runs too hot, or appears to run too hot:[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Shiny New Interior
Weber says the WSM may run up to 50°F hotter when brand new. The shiny interior reflects heat back into the cooker, resulting in higher than normal cooker temperatures. After a few cooks, a layer of smoke and grease "seasons" the interior, making it less reflective and causing it to absorb more heat and radiate it out of the cooker, resulting in lower cooker temperatures.
Don't be overly concerned about this during your first few cooking sessions. Some people report that they don't even notice this effect with their new WSM. If you experience high temps during your first couple of cooks, be patient and wait until you've got a nice coating of smoke and grease on the interior surfaces before proceeding to other remedies.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Weather Affects Temperature
Take the weather into account when determining how much charcoal to use, how and when to adjust the bottom vents, and where to physically locate the cooker.
The WSM runs hotter on warm, calm days than on cold, windy ones. It also runs hotter when placed in the direct sun versus in the shade. Did you know that on a warm day, a WSM sitting in the sun with no burning charcoal can register 120°F or higher? That's halfway to a target temperature of 225-250°F. Moving the cooker to a shady location, putting up a patio umbrella, or closing the bottom vents more than usual may be necessary to bring down the cooker temperature on a hot day.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Bottom Vent Orientation In Windy Conditions Affects Temperature
Wind can blow through the bottom vents into the charcoal bowl and feed the fire. This problem can be solved by moving the cooker to a sheltered location, installing a wind break, or closing the two upwind vents and managing the fire using the remaining downwind vent. See Cooking In The Wind, Rain & Cold for more information about cooking in windy conditions.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Cooker Temp Rises Naturally As Meat Cooks
During the early stages of cooking, the meat is relatively cool and absorbs a lot of heat energy. After it's cooked for several hours, the meat does not absorb as much energy and the cooker temperature begins to creep up as a result. Therefore, some increase in cooker temperature during a cooking session is normal. However, if the temperature runs up well beyond the 225-250°F range, there may be too much fuel burning for the amount of food in the cooker.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Some Temperature Spikes Are Normal
The breakdown of charcoal briquettes can play a part in sudden temperature spikes. As ash builds up and then falls away from the briquettes, new material for combustion is exposed and the temperature rises, sometimes rapidly. Also, smoke wood chunks may catch fire when the cooker is opened, due to the introduction of air into the cooker. These are normal conditions that cannot be controlled, but such spikes will usually subside within 15-30 minutes.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Keep Water Pan Full
It's difficult to run the WSM over 275°F with a full water pan, even with all the vents wide open. The water absorbs a lot of heat energy and helps moderate the temperature of the cooker. Keep the water pan full, checking and refilling every 90-120 minutes. Use cool water instead of hot if the cooker is overheating.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Check Thermometer Accuracy And Placement
It's important to check the accuracy of your thermometer occasionally. They can get knocked out of calibration after being dropped, or sometimes a probe just goes bad and must be replaced.
See Testing Thermometers For Accuracy for information on how to test thermometers and tips on what to do if yours is inaccurate.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]If using a probe thermometer to measure temperature on the cooking grate itself, keep the probe away from the edge of the grate, especially the bottom grate. The edges are much hotter than other parts of the cooker, due to heat rising around the water pan.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Check For Air Infiltration
Tight-fitting parts make the WSM fairly airtight, which allows you to easily control combustion and thus temperature using the air vents. When you can't seem to get the temperature down, even with all the bottom vents closed, air infiltration is usually the culprit.
The two most common causes of air infiltration are a poor fitting access door and an "out of round" condition between the middle cooking section and the charcoal bowl. A detailed description of these two problems and the steps you can take to remedy them can be found on the Parts Troubleshooting page.
Don't worry about seeing a little bit of smoke puffing out from around the access door or the edge of the lid. This is normal, especially when the unit is new, and will go away once you get a good layer of smoke and grease built up on the inside of the unit.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Difference Between Temperature At Lid Versus Cooking Surface
As discussed in greater detail on the Measuring Temperature In The WSM page, the temperature measured at the lid is 12-15°F higher than the actual temperature at the top cooking grate. If you're targeting 225°F at the top grate, look for 237-240°F on the lid thermometer.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Change Amount Or Type Of Fuel
Most folks can use the methods outlined on the Firing Up Your Weber Bullet page to achieve good temperature control. If you've considered all the items listed above and are still having problems, perhaps you're using too much fuel for the amount and type of meat being cooked. Firing up 10 pounds of charcoal to cook 1 chicken or 1 slab of ribs is overkill and will make temperature control difficult—you've got too much heat, not enough meat.
Try to determine just the right amount of fuel that will allow you to cook a given quantity of meat for the desired time and temperature, with some heat left over for good measure. This comes with experience, so make sure to use a cooking log to track fuel usage from one cooking session to the next.
For example, 1-1/2 to 2 chimneys of hot Kingsford charcoal briquettes is enough to cook four whole chickens or eight slabs of baby back ribs for up to 5 hours at 225-250°F.
Also, remember that some charcoal varieties and brands burn much hotter than others. Lump charcoal tends to burn hotter and faster than briquettes. Try a new charcoal product and see if that makes a difference.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Stop Peeking
Every time you open the cooker to gaze upon your barbecue masterpiece, you let in air that whips the coals into a frenzy. Open the cooker only when it's necessary to service the meat, fuel, smoke wood, and water.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Combinations Of Factors
Keep in mind that a temperature problem may be caused by a combination of the factors listed above. For example, a run-up in temperature late in a cooking session might be the result of 1) the cooker is now in full sun, no longer shaded by your house; and 2) the natural increase in cooker temperature that occurs as the meat takes on less heat energy. Look for combinations of factors that may be explain what's happening to the cooker.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]If All Else Fails
If the bottom vents are fully closed and the temperature still won't come under control, close the top vent 50%. If even this fails, use tongs and heat-resistant gloves to remove some fuel from the cooker through the access door. If you're feeling lucky, lift the middle cooking section off the charcoal bowl with the lid, meat, and water pan intact to access the fuel. This can be dangerous and messy, especially if you dump the contents of your cooker on the ground or into the hot coals. Remove the cooking section at your own risk. Weber warns that you should never move a hot cooker and you should never operate it unless all parts are in place.
Under no circumstances should the coals be doused with water in an attempt to bring the temperature under control. This will coat the meat with ashes and may crack the charcoal bowl's porcelain finish.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]http://WSM Runs Too Cool[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Here are a few things to consider when you cannot get the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker to run higher than 200°F:[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Increase Airflow Into The Cooker
Open the three bottom vents fully to allow more air into the cooker. This increases combustion of charcoal and thus increases cooker temperature. You can also try propping open the access door to let in more air.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Check Thermometer Accuracy
As mentioned in the "Too Hot" section, it's possible that the thermometer may be the culprit, registering a low temperature reading. See Testing Thermometers For Accuracy for testing methods and tips on what to do if your thermometer in inaccurate.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Weather And Wind Exposure Affect Temperature
Take weather and wind conditions into account when determining how much charcoal to use, how and when to adjust the bottom vents, and where to physically locate the cooker.
The WSM will require more fuel on a cool, damp day than on a warm, sunny one. Wind, more so than cold air temps, will rob the cooker of heat. Move the cooker to a sheltered location or install a wind break, start with more hot briquettes to begin with, and open the bottom vents more than usual. See Cooking In The Wind, Rain & Cold for more information about cooking in windy conditions.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Change Amount Or Type Of Fuel
The WSM will run too cool if too little fuel is used for the amount of meat being cooked. Especially during the early stages of cooking, the meat will absorb a lot of heat energy, causing the cooker temp to drop significantly. Firing up 1 chimney of charcoal to cook a 13-pound brisket plus two 8-pound pork butts just won't cut it—you've got too much meat, not enough heat. Next time, try using more fuel.
Some people find that even with the charcoal chamber filled to overflowing, the cooker won't hold 225-250°F for more than a couple of hours. If this is your problem, try switching to a different type or brand of fuel. Some brands of charcoal briquettes burn much hotter than others. Kingsford seems to be the brand that burns hottest, longest, and most consistently, and it's readily available throughout the United States. If you're using a different brand, try a bag of Kingsford Original Charcoal Briquets in the blue bag and see if this solves the problem.
Lump charcoal can sometimes present difficulties because it does not always burn long or consistently. It generally burns hotter and faster than briquettes, but may drop off in temperature after a few hours, requiring the addition of more fuel. Try switching to another brand of lump to see if it provides a better result. Otherwise, try charcoal briquettes instead, which are manufactured to provide long, consistent heat.[/font]
The temp. will come down with meat inside.
If I'm doing poultery, I keep all vents open because I want to cook at 350 or so.
If I'm doing ribs, I keep water in the water pan. That keeps the temperature around the 250-275 temperature. After you have meat in the smoker and the temperature settles down (and don't be opening the top), you can adjust the bottom vents to get to your ideal temperature.
And here's some good advice from Wbers Smokey Mountain:
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]http://WSM Runs Too Hot[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Here are some of the reasons why the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker runs too hot, or appears to run too hot:[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Shiny New Interior
Weber says the WSM may run up to 50°F hotter when brand new. The shiny interior reflects heat back into the cooker, resulting in higher than normal cooker temperatures. After a few cooks, a layer of smoke and grease "seasons" the interior, making it less reflective and causing it to absorb more heat and radiate it out of the cooker, resulting in lower cooker temperatures.
Don't be overly concerned about this during your first few cooking sessions. Some people report that they don't even notice this effect with their new WSM. If you experience high temps during your first couple of cooks, be patient and wait until you've got a nice coating of smoke and grease on the interior surfaces before proceeding to other remedies.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Weather Affects Temperature
Take the weather into account when determining how much charcoal to use, how and when to adjust the bottom vents, and where to physically locate the cooker.
The WSM runs hotter on warm, calm days than on cold, windy ones. It also runs hotter when placed in the direct sun versus in the shade. Did you know that on a warm day, a WSM sitting in the sun with no burning charcoal can register 120°F or higher? That's halfway to a target temperature of 225-250°F. Moving the cooker to a shady location, putting up a patio umbrella, or closing the bottom vents more than usual may be necessary to bring down the cooker temperature on a hot day.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Bottom Vent Orientation In Windy Conditions Affects Temperature
Wind can blow through the bottom vents into the charcoal bowl and feed the fire. This problem can be solved by moving the cooker to a sheltered location, installing a wind break, or closing the two upwind vents and managing the fire using the remaining downwind vent. See Cooking In The Wind, Rain & Cold for more information about cooking in windy conditions.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Cooker Temp Rises Naturally As Meat Cooks
During the early stages of cooking, the meat is relatively cool and absorbs a lot of heat energy. After it's cooked for several hours, the meat does not absorb as much energy and the cooker temperature begins to creep up as a result. Therefore, some increase in cooker temperature during a cooking session is normal. However, if the temperature runs up well beyond the 225-250°F range, there may be too much fuel burning for the amount of food in the cooker.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Some Temperature Spikes Are Normal
The breakdown of charcoal briquettes can play a part in sudden temperature spikes. As ash builds up and then falls away from the briquettes, new material for combustion is exposed and the temperature rises, sometimes rapidly. Also, smoke wood chunks may catch fire when the cooker is opened, due to the introduction of air into the cooker. These are normal conditions that cannot be controlled, but such spikes will usually subside within 15-30 minutes.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Keep Water Pan Full
It's difficult to run the WSM over 275°F with a full water pan, even with all the vents wide open. The water absorbs a lot of heat energy and helps moderate the temperature of the cooker. Keep the water pan full, checking and refilling every 90-120 minutes. Use cool water instead of hot if the cooker is overheating.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Check Thermometer Accuracy And Placement
It's important to check the accuracy of your thermometer occasionally. They can get knocked out of calibration after being dropped, or sometimes a probe just goes bad and must be replaced.
See Testing Thermometers For Accuracy for information on how to test thermometers and tips on what to do if yours is inaccurate.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]If using a probe thermometer to measure temperature on the cooking grate itself, keep the probe away from the edge of the grate, especially the bottom grate. The edges are much hotter than other parts of the cooker, due to heat rising around the water pan.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Check For Air Infiltration
Tight-fitting parts make the WSM fairly airtight, which allows you to easily control combustion and thus temperature using the air vents. When you can't seem to get the temperature down, even with all the bottom vents closed, air infiltration is usually the culprit.
The two most common causes of air infiltration are a poor fitting access door and an "out of round" condition between the middle cooking section and the charcoal bowl. A detailed description of these two problems and the steps you can take to remedy them can be found on the Parts Troubleshooting page.
Don't worry about seeing a little bit of smoke puffing out from around the access door or the edge of the lid. This is normal, especially when the unit is new, and will go away once you get a good layer of smoke and grease built up on the inside of the unit.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Difference Between Temperature At Lid Versus Cooking Surface
As discussed in greater detail on the Measuring Temperature In The WSM page, the temperature measured at the lid is 12-15°F higher than the actual temperature at the top cooking grate. If you're targeting 225°F at the top grate, look for 237-240°F on the lid thermometer.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Change Amount Or Type Of Fuel
Most folks can use the methods outlined on the Firing Up Your Weber Bullet page to achieve good temperature control. If you've considered all the items listed above and are still having problems, perhaps you're using too much fuel for the amount and type of meat being cooked. Firing up 10 pounds of charcoal to cook 1 chicken or 1 slab of ribs is overkill and will make temperature control difficult—you've got too much heat, not enough meat.
Try to determine just the right amount of fuel that will allow you to cook a given quantity of meat for the desired time and temperature, with some heat left over for good measure. This comes with experience, so make sure to use a cooking log to track fuel usage from one cooking session to the next.
For example, 1-1/2 to 2 chimneys of hot Kingsford charcoal briquettes is enough to cook four whole chickens or eight slabs of baby back ribs for up to 5 hours at 225-250°F.
Also, remember that some charcoal varieties and brands burn much hotter than others. Lump charcoal tends to burn hotter and faster than briquettes. Try a new charcoal product and see if that makes a difference.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Stop Peeking
Every time you open the cooker to gaze upon your barbecue masterpiece, you let in air that whips the coals into a frenzy. Open the cooker only when it's necessary to service the meat, fuel, smoke wood, and water.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Combinations Of Factors
Keep in mind that a temperature problem may be caused by a combination of the factors listed above. For example, a run-up in temperature late in a cooking session might be the result of 1) the cooker is now in full sun, no longer shaded by your house; and 2) the natural increase in cooker temperature that occurs as the meat takes on less heat energy. Look for combinations of factors that may be explain what's happening to the cooker.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]If All Else Fails
If the bottom vents are fully closed and the temperature still won't come under control, close the top vent 50%. If even this fails, use tongs and heat-resistant gloves to remove some fuel from the cooker through the access door. If you're feeling lucky, lift the middle cooking section off the charcoal bowl with the lid, meat, and water pan intact to access the fuel. This can be dangerous and messy, especially if you dump the contents of your cooker on the ground or into the hot coals. Remove the cooking section at your own risk. Weber warns that you should never move a hot cooker and you should never operate it unless all parts are in place.
Under no circumstances should the coals be doused with water in an attempt to bring the temperature under control. This will coat the meat with ashes and may crack the charcoal bowl's porcelain finish.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]http://WSM Runs Too Cool[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Here are a few things to consider when you cannot get the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker to run higher than 200°F:[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Increase Airflow Into The Cooker
Open the three bottom vents fully to allow more air into the cooker. This increases combustion of charcoal and thus increases cooker temperature. You can also try propping open the access door to let in more air.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Check Thermometer Accuracy
As mentioned in the "Too Hot" section, it's possible that the thermometer may be the culprit, registering a low temperature reading. See Testing Thermometers For Accuracy for testing methods and tips on what to do if your thermometer in inaccurate.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Weather And Wind Exposure Affect Temperature
Take weather and wind conditions into account when determining how much charcoal to use, how and when to adjust the bottom vents, and where to physically locate the cooker.
The WSM will require more fuel on a cool, damp day than on a warm, sunny one. Wind, more so than cold air temps, will rob the cooker of heat. Move the cooker to a sheltered location or install a wind break, start with more hot briquettes to begin with, and open the bottom vents more than usual. See Cooking In The Wind, Rain & Cold for more information about cooking in windy conditions.[/font]
[font=Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif]Change Amount Or Type Of Fuel
The WSM will run too cool if too little fuel is used for the amount of meat being cooked. Especially during the early stages of cooking, the meat will absorb a lot of heat energy, causing the cooker temp to drop significantly. Firing up 1 chimney of charcoal to cook a 13-pound brisket plus two 8-pound pork butts just won't cut it—you've got too much meat, not enough heat. Next time, try using more fuel.
Some people find that even with the charcoal chamber filled to overflowing, the cooker won't hold 225-250°F for more than a couple of hours. If this is your problem, try switching to a different type or brand of fuel. Some brands of charcoal briquettes burn much hotter than others. Kingsford seems to be the brand that burns hottest, longest, and most consistently, and it's readily available throughout the United States. If you're using a different brand, try a bag of Kingsford Original Charcoal Briquets in the blue bag and see if this solves the problem.
Lump charcoal can sometimes present difficulties because it does not always burn long or consistently. It generally burns hotter and faster than briquettes, but may drop off in temperature after a few hours, requiring the addition of more fuel. Try switching to another brand of lump to see if it provides a better result. Otherwise, try charcoal briquettes instead, which are manufactured to provide long, consistent heat.[/font]
A new WSM will run hot until you get it broken in an a coating on the inside is formed. That's a well documented fact (I want to say it's even in the manual).
On a WSM you should be smoking with the dome vent 100% open all the time. It's not like a kettle where you fiddle with it to adjust the temps. You use the bottom vents in a WSM to accomplish temp control.
One other suggestion to bring a WSM up to temp if it want to start off low is to open the front water pan access door, or in extreme cases just take the dome lid off (before you put on food). That creates a chimney effect and will get a fair amount of intake air flowing over to coals to stoke them up hotter. Just watch the temps and don't overshoot your target, as it will tend to keep rising once you put the lid/door back on anyway. The load of cold meat will help get it back to where you want it and you should be on the right track after that. I have taken the dome off, and when I put it back on, also close the lower vents to choke the overshoot down when trying to get things going quickly.
One thing about a WSM, and particularly with brickette fuel is that it is consistent so once you get a feel for it, you should be on track for the next smoke and the one after that, etc....
Oh, and if you need higher temps for poultry or a high heat (over 325*) cook in a WSM, use lump not brickette. Lump burns hotter (and therefore faster), but due to the odd shapes is not as consistent batch to batch as brickette.
On a WSM you should be smoking with the dome vent 100% open all the time. It's not like a kettle where you fiddle with it to adjust the temps. You use the bottom vents in a WSM to accomplish temp control.
One other suggestion to bring a WSM up to temp if it want to start off low is to open the front water pan access door, or in extreme cases just take the dome lid off (before you put on food). That creates a chimney effect and will get a fair amount of intake air flowing over to coals to stoke them up hotter. Just watch the temps and don't overshoot your target, as it will tend to keep rising once you put the lid/door back on anyway. The load of cold meat will help get it back to where you want it and you should be on the right track after that. I have taken the dome off, and when I put it back on, also close the lower vents to choke the overshoot down when trying to get things going quickly.
One thing about a WSM, and particularly with brickette fuel is that it is consistent so once you get a feel for it, you should be on track for the next smoke and the one after that, etc....
Oh, and if you need higher temps for poultry or a high heat (over 325*) cook in a WSM, use lump not brickette. Lump burns hotter (and therefore faster), but due to the odd shapes is not as consistent batch to batch as brickette.
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Oh, one more thing. Cooking on a smoker (any brand) ain't rocket science. I don't mean that in the way most people will think at first. My point is don't try and over think it.
So what if your temps drift up to 280 or so. It will tame down in a few minutes with minimal vent changes. It will not however instantly come down seconds after you close the vent down. Like it takes a few minutes to get the coals up to temp, it also takes a little time to choke them back with less air flow. If you fiddle with a vent setting, give it at least 5 minutes to see if the smoker is going in the direction you want (up or down), and then judge if more adjustments are needed. It is also not unheard of to over adjust and go to far the other way. Big adjustments will equal big temp swings. Think small adjustments at a time and give it a few minutes to respond. Then re-evaluate and make further adjustments as needed. Once you get it dialed in where you want it, it should be pretty stable for a long time afterwards. Don't worry about keeping it within 1/2 a degree of 225 (or even 10 degrees). Higher temp will make it cook faster, lower just means it will take a little longer. Nothing wrong with smoking at 250* instead of 225*. But with a WSM you should be able to get it stable where you want it, just think small adjustments and give it time to settle down afterwards.
Smoking meat is not like placing a man on the moon. The precision of the nth percentage of a degree is not necessary. Mankind has been cooking over fire since the dawn of time so we are pretty capable of "adapting" to a wide range of cooker conditions, be it a simple open fire pit or a $10,000 uber smoker.
So what if your temps drift up to 280 or so. It will tame down in a few minutes with minimal vent changes. It will not however instantly come down seconds after you close the vent down. Like it takes a few minutes to get the coals up to temp, it also takes a little time to choke them back with less air flow. If you fiddle with a vent setting, give it at least 5 minutes to see if the smoker is going in the direction you want (up or down), and then judge if more adjustments are needed. It is also not unheard of to over adjust and go to far the other way. Big adjustments will equal big temp swings. Think small adjustments at a time and give it a few minutes to respond. Then re-evaluate and make further adjustments as needed. Once you get it dialed in where you want it, it should be pretty stable for a long time afterwards. Don't worry about keeping it within 1/2 a degree of 225 (or even 10 degrees). Higher temp will make it cook faster, lower just means it will take a little longer. Nothing wrong with smoking at 250* instead of 225*. But with a WSM you should be able to get it stable where you want it, just think small adjustments and give it time to settle down afterwards.
Smoking meat is not like placing a man on the moon. The precision of the nth percentage of a degree is not necessary. Mankind has been cooking over fire since the dawn of time so we are pretty capable of "adapting" to a wide range of cooker conditions, be it a simple open fire pit or a $10,000 uber smoker.
kryinggame
Smoking Fanatic
Once you get meat in there and you get a few smokes under your belt, it becomes easy. Dward51 articulated it properly, don't over think it. It's just meat over fire.
But until you get your confidence in it, you may want to limit giving out your smoked food.
But until you get your confidence in it, you may want to limit giving out your smoked food.
You may be right. I am overthinking this a little but want to have some decent feel when I start. Here is a quick review:
Lit chimney at 7:50:
Added coals to fire arounf 8:05-8:10 (dug out hole in center and filled to rim. added 14 lit coals)
9:30 temp up to 275
10:05 285
10:30 (closed top vent 1/2 and bottom vents) temp down to 250
11:15 Just below 250
1:00 200
1:30 150
I am pretty good with heat control in Kettle. Where am I missing the boat. I get the heat spikes but why the cool down?
Lit chimney at 7:50:
Added coals to fire arounf 8:05-8:10 (dug out hole in center and filled to rim. added 14 lit coals)
9:30 temp up to 275
10:05 285
10:30 (closed top vent 1/2 and bottom vents) temp down to 250
11:15 Just below 250
1:00 200
1:30 150
I am pretty good with heat control in Kettle. Where am I missing the boat. I get the heat spikes but why the cool down?
Quit fooling with the vents...
Leave the top one wide open...
Start with the bottoms full open...
When the temp hits 180..close two bottom vents and let the temp come up slowly...
When it gets to 200 close the last bottom vent to one half way open...
I hope you arent relying on the dome therm for a real temp...
Leave the top one wide open...
Start with the bottoms full open...
When the temp hits 180..close two bottom vents and let the temp come up slowly...
When it gets to 200 close the last bottom vent to one half way open...
I hope you arent relying on the dome therm for a real temp...
Let me throw one more thing into the ring.....
I've never been a huge fan of the "small group of lit coals in the center" minion method. I find 99% of the time even on an overnight smoke I fire my WSM up this way (sort of an upside down "standard" method - but more coals than the standard minion method which is here http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html).
I tried the small group of lit coals (traditional minion method) a few times and I also thought it seemed to be too week a start also (it will catch up). So I might have to add a little more charcoal on a 18 hours smoke using the above method, but it's big deal. I can still run 9 to 10 hours, top off and sleep all night (done it dozens of times and I know it will be stable). I think if we start talking about I ran 18 hours on 1/2 a bag vs 3/4 or a whole bag we are splitting hairs anyway.
Have you noticed how the smoke from a briquette as it's lighting has an odd acrid or bitter smell to it (the "white" smoke)? It's from the binders that hold the thing together. Another plus of the layer of lit on top of the unlit is what smoke comes off the unlit as it lights will be flowing up and through that red hot layer of lit coals. This will burn off a lot of the compounds in the "white" smoke as the other coals are trying to light. You don't get that in a traditional minion method as you always have a cold exposed edge that is lighting and giving off white smoke. If you want to test this theory, put in the lit on the bottom and load with unlit on top. It will smoke (and stink) more and longer. Try the lit layer on top one time and you will notice the white smoke changes to thin blue smoke much faster and you don't get that smell. If it does not smell good, it will not taste good either.
One more thing.... For starting out learning the WSM, I would use a water pan with water in it. This acts as a thermal heat sink and will help moderate temp swings, especially upwards. Eventually you will probably change over to a clay flower pot base for your thermal mass, but you need to be comfortable with knowing how the WSM will respond to vent adjustments before you do. Reason is the clay pot base is a thermal mass like the water is, but the clay pot base tends to run over temp and can be harder to bring back down if you let your fire get too hot. Water will absorb a lot of energy as you jump from 212* water to steam. There is a big energy cost to flash over to a vapor like that. The flower pot just heats up steady and keeps heating up. Water wants to drop to a lower energy state (liquid) if you choke the fire back by closing vents, but the flower pot base is acting like a higher temp heat sink once its heated up and will be harder to get back down. That's why you need some experience before trying the flower pot base, but it does work and will use less fuel on a given smoke for the same reasons.
Just more of my 2 cents worth.....
Oh, and if you don't already have a remote read thermometer, get one (or two). Opening the dome or the door will cause temp swings from the oxygen in rush. Nothing wrong with monitoring the temps with a wired remote thermometer though. The Maverick is a popular and fairly inexpensive model.
Once the meat goes in, leave the WSM dome on. No peeking!!!! If you're looking, you ain't cooking.
I've never been a huge fan of the "small group of lit coals in the center" minion method. I find 99% of the time even on an overnight smoke I fire my WSM up this way (sort of an upside down "standard" method - but more coals than the standard minion method which is here http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html).
- fill fire ring about 3/4 full with unlit charcoal and a few chunks of my smoke wood (fist sized chunks).
- light a full chimney of coals until good and ashed over (I mean well lit)
- spread over the unlit, spreading them evenly over the whole fire ring. Should pretty much fill the fire ring (note: on a overnight pork butt smoke I will use more unlit and end up with a slightly over filled fire ring once the lit is spread).
- put the mid section with water pan or clay pot base on along with the top dome (if you are using the water pan or pot base and I usually use one or the other - also if you do use the water pan and water, pour in the hottest water you have available or else you will take longer to get things going. I use scalding hot from the kitchen faucet)
- If you are running a stock WSM, this is where you would close those lower vents like Craig said (and leave the dome vent 100% OPEN - in fact short of a run-a-way fire in the WSM, you should never have to touch that dome vent). NOTE**** I use a Guru controller so I don't have to fiddle with the vents. On mine all bottom vents are closed but the one with the blower in it and the Guru does the work for me from this point on. However I usually close the Guru fan gate to start with as I want to keep the lit coals under control. I give it about 15 minutes to heat the assembled smoker up and then see what needs to be adjusted.
I tried the small group of lit coals (traditional minion method) a few times and I also thought it seemed to be too week a start also (it will catch up). So I might have to add a little more charcoal on a 18 hours smoke using the above method, but it's big deal. I can still run 9 to 10 hours, top off and sleep all night (done it dozens of times and I know it will be stable). I think if we start talking about I ran 18 hours on 1/2 a bag vs 3/4 or a whole bag we are splitting hairs anyway.
Have you noticed how the smoke from a briquette as it's lighting has an odd acrid or bitter smell to it (the "white" smoke)? It's from the binders that hold the thing together. Another plus of the layer of lit on top of the unlit is what smoke comes off the unlit as it lights will be flowing up and through that red hot layer of lit coals. This will burn off a lot of the compounds in the "white" smoke as the other coals are trying to light. You don't get that in a traditional minion method as you always have a cold exposed edge that is lighting and giving off white smoke. If you want to test this theory, put in the lit on the bottom and load with unlit on top. It will smoke (and stink) more and longer. Try the lit layer on top one time and you will notice the white smoke changes to thin blue smoke much faster and you don't get that smell. If it does not smell good, it will not taste good either.
One more thing.... For starting out learning the WSM, I would use a water pan with water in it. This acts as a thermal heat sink and will help moderate temp swings, especially upwards. Eventually you will probably change over to a clay flower pot base for your thermal mass, but you need to be comfortable with knowing how the WSM will respond to vent adjustments before you do. Reason is the clay pot base is a thermal mass like the water is, but the clay pot base tends to run over temp and can be harder to bring back down if you let your fire get too hot. Water will absorb a lot of energy as you jump from 212* water to steam. There is a big energy cost to flash over to a vapor like that. The flower pot just heats up steady and keeps heating up. Water wants to drop to a lower energy state (liquid) if you choke the fire back by closing vents, but the flower pot base is acting like a higher temp heat sink once its heated up and will be harder to get back down. That's why you need some experience before trying the flower pot base, but it does work and will use less fuel on a given smoke for the same reasons.
Just more of my 2 cents worth.....
Oh, and if you don't already have a remote read thermometer, get one (or two). Opening the dome or the door will cause temp swings from the oxygen in rush. Nothing wrong with monitoring the temps with a wired remote thermometer though. The Maverick is a popular and fairly inexpensive model.
Once the meat goes in, leave the WSM dome on. No peeking!!!! If you're looking, you ain't cooking.
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kryinggame
Smoking Fanatic
dward51, this is good standard information. But quite honestly, I think once Kettle Man really use his smoker WITH MEATand he reads all of the informative information that Chris Allingham put on the Virtual Weber Bulletin board, he'll quickly find out that the WSM is really simple to use.
There's so much information out there as well as in books. I have noticed that some contradicts others so in my opinion, once you get a basic idea, the best thing to do is to just get into it. Ain't nothing hard/difficult about using the WSM.
Once you start using it, all of the theory that folks post will quickly start making sense. I really think that all of the information that's posted makes no sense until you start using the WSM.
Go and get a yard bard and use that as your first smoke. If you screw it up, no big deal.
Enjoy!
There's so much information out there as well as in books. I have noticed that some contradicts others so in my opinion, once you get a basic idea, the best thing to do is to just get into it. Ain't nothing hard/difficult about using the WSM.
Once you start using it, all of the theory that folks post will quickly start making sense. I really think that all of the information that's posted makes no sense until you start using the WSM.
Go and get a yard bard and use that as your first smoke. If you screw it up, no big deal.
Enjoy!
Kettleman appreciates the feedback and plans to crush it tomorrow!! Guys I look forward to sharing many future successful smokes with you!
Great advice. My wife was laughing when I told her my new friends on my BBQ website said I was overthinking it. I overthink everything. Tomorrow I am going large. Going to do an 8lb but and three racks of ribs on the smoker. A whole chicken on the kettle. Worst case the oven becomes your friend. I thought wbout going for an over night 16 hr cook but my wife said I had too many beers. She may be right!
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