How I start and use my WSM....

[kargov]

The visible que is no black smoke. Just heat waves. I usually wait until it's burning clean before I put it together. Others don't.

I throw the wood on top after putting it all together. I throw the wood on the pile through the door. Others bury it in the pile.

When you say black smoke, do you mean medium to dark gray? I've only smoked once, and the darkest it got was similar to the below. My understanding is, you personally wait until there's no smoke whatsoever to reassemble—correct? If so, sounds good and will do the same.

smoke.jpg

• kargov
• Sep 23, 2013

 

[bama bbq]

When you say black smoke, do you mean medium to dark gray? I've only smoked once, and the darkest it got was similar to the below. My understanding is, you personally wait until there's no smoke whatsoever to reassemble—correct? If so, sounds good and will do the same.

smoke.jpg

• kargov
• Sep 23, 2013

You got it. If you have that much smoke IMHO you have too much. ...but that could be a picture on a cold day and a hot cooker making a cloud.

 

[n2 bbq]

 

When you say black smoke, do you mean medium to dark gray? I've only smoked once, and the darkest it got was similar to the below. My understanding is, you personally wait until there's no smoke whatsoever to reassemble—correct? If so, sounds good and will do the same.

smoke.jpg

• kargov
• Sep 23, 2013

You got it. If you have that much smoke IMHO you have too much. ...but that could be a picture on a cold day and a hot cooker making a cloud.

good point not all that appears to be smoke is smoke :/

 

[kargov]

Great—many thanks for the clarification.

 

[jerry reddick]

Great Post.  Thanks for sharing.  I use a similar method to start my WSM.  Curious though, do you find that using the amount of charcoal you start with burns the entire smoke time or do you have to add some part way through?

Maybe I burn through so much due to my elevation and thin air as I usually have to keep the vent half to full open and add coals maybe twice during a 12 hour smoke.

 

[bama bbq]

Great Post.  Thanks for sharing.  I use a similar method to start my WSM.  Curious though, do you find that using the amount of charcoal you start with burns the entire smoke time or do you have to add some part way through?

Maybe I burn through so much due to my elevation and thin air as I usually have to keep the vent half to full open and add coals maybe twice during a 12 hour smoke.

If I use a full ring I don't have to add more. I don't use water -- I use a clay flower pot saucer-- and the bottom vents are nearly closed and the top partially closed. Very efficient this way.

 

[dumasbro2]

I can get usually get 12 hours or more out of one load . Top vent all the way open (now that the smoker is seasoned), bottom vents closed except for one that is 1/4 to 1/2 open. Towards the end, hour 10 or so, I usually end up opening up one or two of the other slightly

 

[kargov]

My WSM is brand new. Going to smoke a pork butt on Saturday. Will one load of charcoal using Minion Method suffice, or should I prepare to re-stock considering the WSM isn't seasoned?

 

 

[dumasbro2]

Should be ok but.......:-) start maybe 1/4 to 1/3 a Weber chimney of coals. Get the smoker closed up ASAP so the heat doesn't get out of hand. Start with 2 of the bottom vents closed from the get go and the 3rd one maybe 1/4 open. If you can't keep the temperature down, don't be afraid to close down the lid vent. It is  a lot easier to gain heat than lose heat. The first couple smokes were an experience for me but now the WSM is almost like cheating. Set it and let it go. The Butts I did last Saturday I didn't see until I foiled them. (just tweak the vents every so often)

 

[kargov]

 
Should be ok but.......:-) start maybe 1/4 to 1/3 a Weber chimney of coals. Get the smoker closed up ASAP so the heat doesn't get out of hand. Start with 2 of the bottom vents closed from the get go and the 3rd one maybe 1/4 open. If you can't keep the temperature down, don't be afraid to close down the lid vent. It is  a lot easier to gain heat than lose heat. The first couple smokes were an experience for me but now the WSM is almost like cheating. Set it and let it go. The Butts I did last Saturday I didn't see until I foiled them. (just tweak the vents every so often)

Thanks. It'll be a bit chilly here in Canada, so I'll try 1/3rd full of lumps. I assume I should still let the charcoal smoke for ~10 minutes once lit so there's no 'black' smoke? Then put the middle section + lid on and throw in the wood? Once it hits 200 I'll slow it down even more 'till it hits 225...then throw on the meat.

 

[dumasbro2]

I close mine up right away to keep the heat down. You're not putting the meat in right away anyhow. I bury chunks of wood with the lump and then add every hour for the first 4 or 5 hours. There are many way to do things, find a method that works for you and go with it.

 

[maloff28]

Back to the clay saucer question... I bought a 14 inch saucer for my 22" WSM because I was not smart enough to bring the water pan to Home Depot with me.  Went to Lowes another day and got the 16.  Is there any value to staking the 14 inside the 16?  Would the additional thickness add to the effectiveness of the heat sync?

Any thoughts would be helpful.

Thank you.

Seth

 

[overground]

I don't think it could hurt.

Just more clay mass.

The only possible ill effect I could envision is together they may be too heavy for the water pan supports without modification.

 

[resstealth]

image.jpg

• resstealth
• Jun 16, 2014

That's an 18 pound, full pork shoulder. There was another 18 pounder on the bottom grate. You can fit a lot of meat on the 18.5

 

[dumasbro2]

Only problem I seen was fitting full size racks of ribs which is why I went with the 22.5. I would be nice to have both.:-)

 

[kargov]

Fitting full slabs of ribs in the 18.5 is brutal. You can snake 'em in a rack...but when it gets to the foiling stage it's tough. I can fit max 4 slabs of baby-backs cut in half, and even then some get burnt as they're pressed against the edges.

Anyone figure out any space-saving techniques when foiling spares or baby-backs?

 

[seadog]

Okay folks,
I have a question about lump charcoal. Please be aware that I am newbie that is 73 years young. I have the 14.5 inch WSM. When using lump charcoal do I let the lump burn until it gets a white ash on it then reassemble the WSM, and start cooking?

 

[dumasbro2]

The quick answer is no. I'm not familiar with the 14 1/2 but I would load up the ring (if that's how it is set up) leaving a little room for lit coals. Start a small amount in a chimney and close it up.

 

[srv1990]

 
Fitting full slabs of ribs in the 18.5 is brutal. You can snake 'em in a rack...but when it gets to the foiling stage it's tough. I can fit max 4 slabs of baby-backs cut in half, and even then some get burnt as they're pressed against the edges.

Anyone figure out any space-saving techniques when foiling spares or baby-backs?

Some of the previous posts in this thread (which, btw, is awesome!) suggest cutting the slabs in half and then using rib racks.  I don't have a WSM -- yet!! -- but that would seem to allow you to do up to 6 slabs (3 on top, 3 down below) total. 

 

[heyer5]

I always see people talking about only having one vent open or two partially open.  I run my WSM with all three open, 275 degrees (verified with a Maverick thermometer), and I can run all day on one load.  No re-loading charcoal, the hotter temp lets me power the butts through the stall a bit quicker, and I'm a no foiler. 

I'm doing two over night tonight and throwing a couple racks of ribs on tomorrow morning, following that all by two more butts once the ribs are off.  Should be a loooong 24-36 hours of smoking, but I would imagine that I'll have one full reload and that will be about it.