I HATE moving

[biaviian]

I bought a new house on the 12th and I am rushing to get my current house ready for the renters that will be moving in on June 1st (it only took me 12 hours to get a military renter but that's another thread) and this process has made me hate moving. Now my dislike probably isn't for the reasons you may be thinking about but rather because I don't have time to smoke anything. Here I've had a WSM for about 2 weeks and I have yet to do the first run. Forget the WSM, I haven't even had time to do a single ABT on my MES.  I am going through withdrawal here.  I just want to have one bite of smoked Mac and Cheese or beans. 

I haven't had any smoked goods since the 11th.  THAT'S 10 DAYS!!!! I almost wish I had been "taken" today although then my poor dog wouldn't have a caretaker (not that he needs one).

 

[pineywoods]

Congrats on the new house and renting the old one so fast. Hopefully you can find a little time to at least do a quick smoke soon

 

[scarbelly]

Congrats on the new house and renting the old one - a little qview wold not hurt

 

[Bearcarver]

Shame they don't have a patch for this addiction---at least for temporary withdrawals.  

You'll get there soon.

Bear

 

[beer-b-q]

Congratulations on the new house...

 

[biaviian]

Well I couldn't stand it anymore so I fired up the WSM today.  I'm trying my hand at the minion method and so far the temps are a lot higher than I'd like (top grate is 291 bottom is 277) but, from what I see, they run hot for the first few times.  I plan on letting it run empty (except for the water pan) for a few hours then I'll throw some ABTs on there. 

I'm sure glad to be off the waggon!!!!

 

[fpnmf]

I just went thru this... Hated it...

Very happy now in the new place with plenty of smoking area.

  Craig

 

[roller]

Congrats on the new house..I moved 14 times in my adult life....all because of my job...

 

[Bearcarver]

The Army taught me to hate moving, as every time I turned around, I had my Duffel Bag over my shoulder.

Little did I know, at the time, how much easier it was to move, when everything you own fits in one large canvas or nylon bag!

Bear

 

[biaviian]

I just went thru this... Hated it...

Very happy now in the new place with plenty of smoking area.

  Craig

That is a very nice area for smoking/grilling!  Is it covered at all?

Well, my temps were holding at 237 and 257 so I was very happy.  Then I left for 30-45 minutes and upon return the temps were at 187.  It looks like the unlit lump didn't catch for some reason.  So I threw a few pieces of lump in the middle (on the smoldering coals) hoping to catch the rest.  I also opened 2 vents 100% (before only 1 was 50%).  Could it be that I had too few lit coals?  I used about 1/3rd of a chimney of lit and about 2 of unlit.  I did as many suggest and put the hot coals in the center with the unlit lump around the lit coals (with chunks of wood in the unlit).

Any ideas other than just not enough lit coals and/or too large of a "ring" in the center?  I'm using Royal Oak from the USA.

 

[biaviian]

After opening a second vent and putting a few more chunks of coal on the temps stabalized around 235.  However, then I stopped seeing smoke so I put 3 chunks of Hickory on, in the middle.  BIG MISTAKE.  Now I have billowing white smoke and it smells HORRIBLE.  I guess the key is to add 1 chunk of wood at a time.

 

[roller]

Mine was canvas...very thick canvas....

 

[Bearcarver]

Mine was canvas...very thick canvas....

My initial one was thick canvas, like the one my Dad had in WW2. That one got destroyed in 'Nam. They issued me a new one---really neat OD nylon one.

Biaviian----Cut that smoke back a bit----It's getting hard to see out my windows over here!!!

Bear

 

[SmokinAl]

No more than 1 chunk at a time. I usually mix about 4 to 6 chunks in with the charcoal at the beginning. It may take you a couple of time to get it right.

 

[fpnmf]

That is a very nice area for smoking/grilling!  Is it covered at all?

Well, my temps were holding at 237 and 257 so I was very happy.  Then I left for 30-45 minutes and upon return the temps were at 187.  It looks like the unlit lump didn't catch for some reason.  So I threw a few pieces of lump in the middle (on the smoldering coals) hoping to catch the rest.  I also opened 2 vents 100% (before only 1 was 50%).  Could it be that I had too few lit coals?  I used about 1/3rd of a chimney of lit and about 2 of unlit.  I did as many suggest and put the hot coals in the center with the unlit lump around the lit coals (with chunks of wood in the unlit).

Any ideas other than just not enough lit coals and/or too large of a "ring" in the center?  I'm using Royal Oak from the USA.

Oh yeah it is covered and with lights and a fan!!

Regarding your WSM --- I am new to WSM but I use a large soup can in the center and build up the charcoal around it using 2 or 3 chunks of smoking wood. No more than 8-10 briquettes in the chimney. Then dump the chimney nito the can and pull the can out. I leave all the vents open til it gets up to a little over 200 then close 2 vents and put the other one at half open..It seems to work pretty good. I have a GURU that I havent hooked up yet..Figure I will get the hang of regular start up and smoking first.

Craig

 

[biaviian]

I guess I need more work with this minion method.  Now temps are hanging at 200 with all vents wide open.  I just put some more lump on so we'll see what happens.  I guess it's better to have low temps than high temps as I can always add more lump.  My plan is to run it each day, for the next few, to dial it in.

Bear, you should be good now...sorry for the bad air quality!
 

fpnmf, that's a great looking porch you have!

 

[michael ark]

With wood one stick at a time .That way you are not charing to much wood at once.The first bit of charing makes the white.Low and slow.Or you run 2 fires like old school does.

 

[Fife]

Good Luck with the move Looks great so far.

 

[biaviian]

Well it's coming along great...the smoke that is....the move is in a stall (due to the smoke!).  I will post some Qview once it is done, in another thread, along with my thoughts on the WSM (as if there aren't enough threads like that).