I Bought The 18.5 WSM

[kettle man]

So I bought the WSM today and plan out smoking an 8 lb butt and two racks of Ribs this weekend. How much charcoal do i need for the minion method? how long will the ribs take? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[kryinggame]

For the WSM, you should check out the virtual weber bullet website. It's dedicated to the WSM. Here's the link

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/index.html

When you go there, check out th cooking topics section.

 

[damon555]

So I bought the WSM today and plan out smoking an 8 lb butt and two racks of Ribs this weekend. How much charcoal do i need for the minion method? how long will the ribs take? Any advice would be appreciated!

If I'm just smoking ribs I'll make a horseshoe shape inside the ring with charcoal with a few wood chunks mixed in and start about a dozen briquettes in my chimney. When the coals are ready I simply put them on one side of the horseshoe and let it burn around the ring. I can get 7 or 8 hours out of 1/2 bag of charcoal this way. If I'm doing a longer smoke (like your butt will be) I fill the whole ring with charcoal with some chunks mixed in and add my lit coals to the middle that I have created a hole in. This is good for 14 hours easy on my 22.5 WSM ......like this.....

EDL_4327.jpg

• damon555
• Nov 14, 2012

I'll give you the short answer for your ribs....Put them on, keep your temps steady @ 225, leave the smoker closed and don't even bother checking them for 5 hours. Take a peek 5 hours in and give a little tug...if the meat and bone separate easily then they are done....if not close it back up and check again in 1/2-1 hour. If you do it like this your ribs will be pretty darn good. No fuss, no muss. Just keep your temp is check.

One other hint on controlling the temp of your WSM...Once you get the smoker up to your desired temp close all the bottom vents and use only 1 to make adjustments. There is no need to fool with all 3 of them....just make sure you leave the top vent 100% open all the time.

That butt is going to take some time so I'd fill the ring up and go from there. The ribs will probably be done long before the butt so I wouldn't even bother looking at that thing until you're done messing with the ribs. 

The WSM is so easy to control once you get it figured out then you can ignore it for hours on end and not worry one bit. Most of all have fun with it!

Edit: One other thing as Chef Jimmy J mentioned....the rest period after the smoking is finished is very important. Wrap the meat in foil and let it sit in a cooler covered with clean towels or rags for at least 1/2 hour for the ribs and and hour (probably 2) for the butt. The results are night and are night and day with a nice long rest.

 

[chef jimmyj]

For a Pork Butt smoked at 225-250*F you can figure 2 Hrs/Pound plus a 1-2 hour Rest/CYA time just in case something goes wrong. Typically the finished IT should be 180-190*F for tender Sliced Pork and 200-205*F for Pulled Pork. For the Rest time, double wrap in Foil and an old blanket or towels and stuff it in a Cooler. It will stay hot up to 5 hours while you get everything else ready to go...

Here is another option for those Ribs and see the link at the end for a Recipe that works with both of the meats you are preparing...A full rack of Spare Ribs will take about 6 hours at 225*F...The 3-2-1 smoked rib recipe is a good way to smoke ribs and tends to turn out perfect ribs every time whether you are using the meatier Full rack spare rib or the Saint Louis cut. Baby Back ribs use a 2-2-1 method. The ribs are smoked at 225 - 250 degrees for best results...
The 3 stands for the 3 hours that you initially smoke the ribs with nothing but your favorite rub on them and some smoke with your favorite hardwood such as hickory, mesquite, apple, pecan, etc. After the 3 hours you remove the ribs and quickly double wrap them in heavy duty foil.. just before you seal them up add some Apple Juice or Foiling Juice and close the foil leaving some room around the ribs for the steam to be able to flow around the meat and Flavor/Tenderize it.
The ribs cook in the smoker wrapped for 2 hours undisturbed. There is no need for Smoke at this point unless you have something else in the Smoker... After 2 hours remove the ribs from the smoker, unwrap and place back into the smoker for the final 1 hour, with smoke if you wish.This firms them up, creates a nice Bark and finishes the cooking process. You can add a glaze or sauce at this point if you like. The meat will be pretty close to fall off the bone and be extremely juicy, tender and flavorful...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110881/foiling-juice-chef-jimmyj

 

[kettle man]

Thanks. I bought the WSM right off the Black Hawk floor.

 

[pgsmoker64]

Sounds like everyone has you covered.

Just fill up your coal ring and leave a little well in the center for you lit coals and all will be well!

Good luck and good smoking,

Bill

 

[kryinggame]

Thanks. I bought the WSM right off the Black Hawk floor.

Ha, so you're the culprit!

I was wondering where it went.

Check out that virtual weber bullet website.  It's designed for the WSM.  I learned the hard way that smokes that I do with my MES, will not translate to the WSM.  But I love it because it's set it and forget it.  That 18 inch will burn so well w/o major spikes in temperature.  Do youself a favor and pick up 1 or 2 chimney starters--it makes lighting the coals so much easier.  Over the Summer, I picked up 20 bags of charcoal from Home Depot.  They were selling 2 bags for $5.99, I really wish I would have gotten more.  Congrats and good luck with your new toy.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I have a WSM 18.5

Like stated you will like it. Go to the VWB Site and join. Huge amount of info and tips there. Im going to do a turkey for the RV park Dinner.
 

 

[kettle man]

I bought it yesterday and when I got home my wife said Merry Christmas. She was planning on buying for me and is a little bummed.  I gave her a list of other items I need. We are having 14 people over Saturday night. Hopefully the smoke will make her glad I bought it early.

 

[kryinggame]

I was there a little while ago.  I'm in grad school at Pfeiffer.  I had to run to the campus to see a professor--I had a little time so I hung out at the hardware store.  Before I ordered my WSM, I played around with your new WSM.  Took the pieces a part etc. 

This weekend, I'm going to do another test run of a turkey breast. I'll admit, I was a bit excited a few weeks ago. I brined a breast and then injected it with cajun butter.  It was a weird flavor.  I'm not going to allow anyone to eat anything like that on turkey day. 

But enjoy it, you won't be disappointed.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Now all ya need is this.

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_27&products_id=170

My wife asked what i wanted for Christmas and this is all.

 

[kryinggame]

Now all ya need is this.

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_27&products_id=170

My wife asked what i wanted for Christmas and this is all.

There's a lot of discussion on that. But with the WSM, why would you need it?  Controlling the temperature is easy on the WSM.  Now, I'm still a newbie on it but everytime I've done a smoke, I can easily keep the temperature at the range that I want. 

And, controlling the temperture is apart of the fun of queing.

I guess, to each his or her own.  I wouldn't refuse one if it was given to me.

 

[fpnmf]

There's a lot of discussion on that. But with the WSM, why would you need it?  Controlling the temperature is easy on the WSM.  Now, I'm still a newbie on it but everytime I've done a smoke, I can easily keep the temperature at the range that I want. 

And, controlling the temperture is apart of the fun of queing.

I guess, to each his or her own.  I wouldn't refuse one if it was given to me.

I like firing it off before bed and waking up to find it chugging along at set temp...

Course I am lazy..

Love the Guru...

A chimney is  a must for sure..use your camp stove to light it..

I use a soup can in the center..fill it with burning coals and pull the can...done..  easy...

big butt 9-12--12 003.JPG

• fpnmf
• Sep 12, 2012

clean wsm 001.JPG

• fpnmf
• Sep 30, 2012

big butt 9-12--12 004.JPG

• fpnmf
• Sep 12, 2012

 

[kryinggame]

I like firing it off before bed and waking up to find it chugging along at set temp...

Course I am lazy..

Love the Guru...

A chimney is  a must for sure..use your camp stove to light it..

I use a soup can in the center..fill it with burning coals and pull the can...done..  easy...

big butt 9-12--12 003.JPG

• fpnmf
• Sep 12, 2012

clean wsm 001.JPG

• fpnmf
• Sep 30, 2012

big butt 9-12--12 004.JPG

• fpnmf
• Sep 12, 2012

Please help me to understand two concepts.  You use a device like the Guru to keep your temperature constant.  But after many hours, your temperature may start dropping due to needing more charcoal or water in that huge water pan. What will the Guru or any similar device assist you then? The Guru is supposed to keep your temperature constant but what's the difference btwn that and the ET-732.  If your temperature spikes or falls, the ET-732 will alert you. 

Also, please explain the concept of using a can in the center. How does that differ from putting in a chimney of hot coals into the bed and then putting unlit charcoals over the top?  I've seen a lot of guys using the can in the center concept.   (Hey, told you I'm still a newbie on the WSM). lol

Thanks Craig!

 

[fpnmf]

Thats easy.. The GURU has a fan and a small computer..  The 732 is a pair of therms...

I pack my ring tight and high and have never had to refill or mess with it once fired off...

I dont open the door or lift the lid unless I have to for some reason..

No water..got a 12 inch terracotta saucer there..and I dont foil it...wash it out on occasion.

The can in the center was shown to me by TOYO and it works...

I put 10-12 burning coals and pull the can..

I can easily get 15-16 hours out of the initial fill.

  Craig

 

[kryinggame]

Sorry about hijacking this thread. This stuff is really interesting. It's amazing how well built the WSM is. For cold smoking and jerky, ill use my MES. but for everything else, I'm using the WSM.

Ow, has anyone ever used Pitmaster pellets in their WSM. LOL

 

[damon555]

Temp control is almost a no brainer with the WSM....My brother-in-law and I got our WSM's around the same time and we both considered the Guru but figured we'd try it out and see how it would run on its own. Been chugging along for a year now and haven't even considered it again....all day, over night, short smokes, long smokes the WSM has never let me down.

 

[kettle man]

How long should i expect an 8 lb butt take? On my kettle it would take 8-9 hours.

 

[kryinggame]

How long should i expect an 8 lb butt take? On my kettle it would take 8-9 hours.

http://virtualweberbullet.com/pork1.html

 

[kettle man]

Only takes 9 hrs on my kettle. I pulled it off at 195. I was hoping 12 hrs would be plenty. I didn't want to cook overnight.