(Don't) know my smoker!

[mozoneman]

To be good at this smoking craft, you've got to know your smoker! That advice was repeated often on this forum, and I've got to admit, I don't know "what to know" about my WSM and MES. In other words, as a newb, I don't know what I don't know.

Please educate me, and a whole bunch of other new folks who just getting into this wonderful game, what are the things that I need to know about my smokers, and equally important, how do I go about obtaining that knowledge ?

Thanks,

Huan

 

[fpnmf]

The knowledge is here grasshopper.

Read the wikis.

Use the search toll to find info about anything to do with this great hobby!

For instance put MES in the search tool. It returns with about 350 pages of reading.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/search.php?search=mes  

  Have fun!!

  Craig

 

[SmokinAl]

First of all you have 2 great smokers. Now just smoke & learn as you go. Ask questions & read all you can, and like fpnmf says use the search tool. Good luck!

 

[mozoneman]

Thanks Craig and Al,

The reason I started the question was the fact that I did not have great experience with the WSM since owning it for about 3 months. It was between ok and good, but not great as everyone has raved about. I could not "dial in" the temp as I wished, after many trials and errors. I had settled for putting up with whatever temp the WSM gave me...

Until I came across a reading several days ago about how to set up the WSM and develop a set of "settings" of vent and lid to obtain a desired temperature. It made a lot of sense to me, and I will spend this weekend to "learn" and "develop" this setting. Therefore I posted this thread and asked what else I should try to learn about my smokers, and how to go about doing it. Hope after this weekend, I will gain more confidence in my bbq. 

Any thought and advice would be appreciated.

Huan

 

[scarbelly]

Like the others said search for your smoker and read about the mods and methods others have used to be successful and that will definetly improve your smokes.

 

[cycletrash]

Trust me..its amazing what you will learn on here, great bunch of people!!

 

[rbranstner]

Once you use your smoker enough you learn how it runs and what settings you need to be at to obtain the temps you are looking for. If you aren't getting the performance that you are expecting out of your smoker then this is the right place to come for help.