Towering WSM Inferno

[Count Porcula]

I wanted to smoke a butt today, but I am apparently not that great at managing heat in the new 22" WSM.

I put about 8 pounds of charcoal in it, and it went up to nearly 400. A.I. said to pull a lot of the coals out. On the other hand, a different A.I. said the amount of fuel didn't matter. I pulled about half of them out, closed the bottom vents, left the top vent about 1/3 open, and sat down to wait.

Someone toss me a bone. How many pounds of charcoal do I need to get 300 degrees without a water pan?

 

[Count Porcula]

Got her down to 300, opened the top vent all the way, and cracked one bottom vent. I put the meat and 6 ounces of dry hickory in. Now at 291. Hoping for the best.

Guess I'll have to run for more charcoal in case this load poops out early due to the initial overshoot.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

When I had mine for longer cooks I would fill the entire bottom with charcoal and open up a gap in the middle to dump my lit charcoal. Top vent always open and bottom vent would be at about 1-8” open and just let it run. Others have bought a charcoal ring from one of the smaller WSM’s to use for shorter cooks too

 

[Count Porcula]

That is a neat idea.

Seems to be working now. We shall see.

 

[chopsaw]

That is a neat idea.

That's really how they run . You don't want to light all the charcoal at once .
You better watch not having the water pan in there . You're running the chance of causing a grease fire .

 

[Count Porcula]

Sure enough, the coals started running out. I got down to 264. I just put maybe 10 in there along with a big wood chunk.

The Inkbird let me down. When I charged it yesterday, it claimed it had a full charge. Then it pooped out today. I tried to put it on a battery bank and my 250W charger. No dice. I am now charging it on a crummy Samsung phone charger. I didn't know Inkbirds wouldn't fast-charge.

 

[JIMSMOKES]

Sure enough, the coals started running out. I got down to 264. I just put maybe 10 in there along with a big wood chunk.

The Inkbird let me down. When I charged it yesterday, it claimed it had a full charge. Then it pooped out today. I tried to put it on a battery bank and my 250W charger. No dice. I am now charging it on a crummy Samsung phone charger. I didn't know Inkbirds wouldn't fast-charge.

I thought I had killed one of mine with a fast charger. Luckily one of my old samsung chargers brought it back.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

The water pan helps regulate the temp. Without it, it will run hot. And, as mentioned, the grease will fall into the fire, making it even hotter.

 

[Up_In_Smoke]

^ I don't use the water pan and I never have a grease fire.

 

[Count Porcula]

RE fire, I am just trusting Malcom Reed.

So I added maybe a dozen briquettes a while back and got to a nice 300. Thinking the big lesson was to use less charcoal, I let it sit and smoke. Then it started plummeting. Got down to about 220. Now I know this smoker eats charcoal pretty quickly.

Tossed some more in. Trying to manage the vents and make this work. I plan to remove the meat at 165 and finish it on a broiler pan covered in foil.

 

[Up_In_Smoke]

Got her down to 300, opened the top vent all the way, and cracked one bottom vent. I put the meat and 6 ounces of dry hickory in. Now at 291. Hoping for the best.

Guess I'll have to run for more charcoal in case this load poops out early due to the initial overshoot.

So Harry Soo is full of crap, eh?

 

[Count Porcula]

If only he were here. I'd be doing whatever he said.

 

[jcam222]

RE fire, I am just trusting Malcom Reed.

So I added maybe a dozen briquettes a while back and got to a nice 300. Thinking the big lesson was to use less charcoal, I let it sit and smoke. Then it started plummeting. Got down to about 220. Now I know this smoker eats charcoal pretty quickly.

Tossed some more in. Trying to manage the vents and make this work. I plan to remove the meat at 165 and finish it on a broiler pan covered in foil.

I think it's less about how much charcoal and more about how much you light.

 

[Count Porcula]

Danged learning curve.

 

[InstinCure]

So Harry Soo is full of crap, eh?

He has said ton about what works. Without a stoker I am pretty sure he uses one single bottom vent and the top vent to keep very steady temps. As long as the air pressure is positive, do whatever works to keep the smoke clear/blue and fire burning cleanly.

 

[Count Porcula]

What Harry Soo says to do after 9,000 winning smokes, and what I do while panicking and running around in circles with a 400-degree smoker and a dead Inkbird, are two different things.

 

[Quiganomics]

Tip with the WSM...

Rarely do I used the water pan because I don't like introducing all that added humidity to the chamber. But as mentioned, you're running the risk of a grease fire without it and you have the heat hitting the meat pretty directly. What I did was find a cheap pizza pan that is about 2" less in diameter than the WSM and use that as a heat deflector. It removes the possibility of a grease fire, and the heat from the coals flows up from the 1" gap that is all around the pizza pan. Much more even heat and creates a cyclone like effect.

 

[sandyut]

Adding coals along the way is not a problem. I had a 14" WSM and on long cooks I had to reload.

You may want to use the water bowl for a while till you learn how it goes. Then run it dry. I eventually ran mine without but early on I used it. Using it dry, cover it with foil so its easy to clean..

 

[shortnugly]

What Harry Soo says to do after 9,000 winning smokes, and what I do while panicking and running around in circles with a 400-degree smoker and a dead Inkbird, are two different things.

LOL!! We've all had cooks go sideways. Hang in there.

 

[Quiganomics]

Using it dry, cover it with foil so its easy to clean..

Yes! Forgot to mention this in my post....cleanin' them things is a mother-@$#!

Shaun