WSM vs Pork butt

[texhater42]

I've heard a pork butt "needs" indirect heat. My question is, those with WSMS, are you guys just filling up the ring all the way with charcoal since it's generally a very long smoke, or are you "halfing" the ring and adding fuel as you go and putting the butt on the opposite side of the fuel?

 

[noboundaries]

Well, I fill the ring and reuse old charcoal for the next smoke.

 

[dward51]

I've got an 18.5" WSM.  I fill the ring and either will run a water pan with water or a water pan dry, but with a clay pot base sitting it it for thermal mass to moderate the temp.  I run butts at 225* so it's going to be an 18 hour or so smoke.  I generally run for 12 hours and top off the fire ring again so I can sleep without worrying about running out of fuel.  I use a BBQ Guru for pit temp control.

Yes, I know you can "probably" do the entire smoke on one load of charcoal, but charcoal is cheap and I like my sleep.  If the guru has fuel, it will hold the set 225* so I make sure it has fuel and sleep soundly (I generally start my butts around 1PM with a target of serving them for lunch the next day, adjust your start according to the service time.  This lets me pull them in the 7 to 9am range depending on how the meat stalls. I hold it in a insulated cooler and pull at time of service).

Also like Noboundaries said, I can choke off the airflow at the end and any left over charcoal can be used later.

 

[SmokinAl]

I do the same as the others, using the minnion method & filling the ring all the way to the top with wood & charcoal.

Than I just start about 1 dozen briquettes & put them on the pile.

Here's a photo of the setup.

Minion method 4.jpeg

• SmokinAl
• Dec 31, 2016

Good luck!

Al

 

[texhater42]

Ok, figured it wasn't going to be a big deal. Just gonna fill the whole ring. Just hoperfect it goes better than the turkey lol