Hey, Hey. Welcome. I can't believe nobody has answered this post. All I can do is show you what I do for high heat cooks to create an even indirect zone. I do basically the same as you I think. I use a Slow N Sear as opposed to the baskets and I took an 18" pizza pan and cut it down to fit leaving the SNS portion open. The pan is a nice fit but I cover it with foil and try to keep it tight to the bowl around it. I cook everything this way and I can do 10 chicken thighs and not have to juggle them to get them to finish at the same time. I did check out the indirect area before cooking with it and was amazed at how uniform it was. I don't recall the temp differential but it was less than 10 degrees. I would think that this would apply to smoking as well.
Hey, Hey. Welcome. I can't believe nobody has answered this post. All I can do is show you what I do for high heat cooks to create an even indirect zone. I do basically the same as you I think. I use a Slow N Sear as opposed to the baskets and I took an 18" pizza pan and cut it down to fit leaving the SNS portion open. The pan is a nice fit but I cover it with foil and try to keep it tight to the bowl around it. I cook everything this way and I can do 10 chicken thighs and not have to juggle them to get them to finish at the same time. I did check out the indirect area before cooking with it and was amazed at how uniform it was. I don't recall the temp differential but it was less than 10 degrees. I would think that this would apply to smoking as well.
Hey, Hey. Welcome. I can't believe nobody has answered this post. All I can do is show you what I do for high heat cooks to create an even indirect zone. I do basically the same as you I think. I use a Slow N Sear as opposed to the baskets and I took an 18" pizza pan and cut it down to fit leaving the SNS portion open. The pan is a nice fit but I cover it with foil and try to keep it tight to the bowl around it. I cook everything this way and I can do 10 chicken thighs and not have to juggle them to get them to finish at the same time. I did check out the indirect area before cooking with it and was amazed at how uniform it was. I don't recall the temp differential but it was less than 10 degrees. I would think that this would apply to smoking as well.
Thanks Chris! I’m mostly aiming at a steady 225-250 smoking environment. Mainly for smokes at <6 hours, as I use my Weber Smokey Mountain for longer cooks. I’ve used both baskets before and it was nearly impossible for me to keep it below 300. My vents are usually 1/3 open on bottom and completely open on top. I use a similar method as you, slowly moving the food closer to the coals as needed (I smoke a lot of bacon wrapped meats) and it seems to be working better with switching to briquettes. Just can’t quite dial in that ideal temp and hold it there. Thanks for your help!
Thank you! I think I still need to get a better handle on the bottom vent positions. I believe it’s one of the biggest issues I have. Cincinnati weather can be insane (60 one day and 30 and windy the next). Not blaming the weather, it just makes it a little tougher for consistency. What would you recommend for vent position and coal quantity to achieve a steady 225-250 temp? I had my last smoker/grill for 13 years and it’s like I knew what was happening in there without looking and always knew exactly when to add more coal. Like having a new girlfriend after dating for 13 years and none of the old tricks work haha
By the way, I love your grates! I love cooking on cast iron grates. I purchased the cast iron sear plate that fits nicely in the center of the master touch, but I gotta say I like yours much better. May I ask where you found those?Hey, Hey. Welcome. I can't believe nobody has answered this post. All I can do is show you what I do for high heat cooks to create an even indirect zone. I do basically the same as you I think. I use a Slow N Sear as opposed to the baskets and I took an 18" pizza pan and cut it down to fit leaving the SNS portion open. The pan is a nice fit but I cover it with foil and try to keep it tight to the bowl around it. I cook everything this way and I can do 10 chicken thighs and not have to juggle them to get them to finish at the same time. I did check out the indirect area before cooking with it and was amazed at how uniform it was. I don't recall the temp differential but it was less than 10 degrees. I would think that this would apply to smoking as well.
Thank you. You’ve been very helpful. Great idea with the bottom vents. I’ve got about 5 grilled and 10 smokes out of her since I got her. Less bottom vent airflow has proven favorably. I’m just not used to the vents being minimally open. Seems to just be a learning curve I’m slow to pick up on. She’s great for a seared wood fired ribeye or chop, just have had inconsistent results smoking. Getting much better though! I am thankful for your and everyone’s input
I do my briskets, butts, etc on the WSM. I purchased the Master Touch to replace my old grizzled vet, to have a grill for steaks, burgers, and chops as well as the capability to do short smokes that are under 6 hours (ribs, chickens, fish). Wanted a dual purpose grill/smoker
Thank you for your input. I tend to find when intake vents are wide open
Thank you for your input. I tend to find when the intake vents are wide open and output vents are restricted, the air/smoke flow kind of becomes stagnant. I think a common ground between this and the opposite has been working better for me recently with more fine tuning required to achieve that perfect balance. I’m enjoying the process of perfecting this
Chris, I tend to agree more with what you’re referring to. But hey, to each his own as long as you’re enjoying the process and the yield is tasty!
I’m finding the two are more similar than I thought. It’s been right in front of me the whole time haha. Combine this with switching to briquettes and only using one side basket have been proving favorable. Really appreciate the inputTo control the temperature, leave the bottom inlet wide open... Adjust the temperature using the lid vent....
I can agree with that if just cooking. But smoking with a kettle is a different matter. Personally, I don't want to choke the smoke to control temps. Weber seems to agree when smoking. These directions for the WSM indicate the temps should be controlled with the bottom vents.
But as with all things cooking, it's whatever works for YOU.
