So yesterday, I attempted to cook Meathead’s Ultimate Grilled Turkey recipe, but ended up punting and sticking the turkey in the oven. The problem? I COULDN’T GET THE SMOKER HOT ENOUGH. How do you get your WSM 18.5 to run in the 325-350 degree range for hotter cooks like this one?
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WSM 18.5 for Higher Temp Cooks
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Club Member
- Jul 2017
- 1408
- Southeast Illinois
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Cookers I have:
Weber S-335 gas grill
Weber 26†kettle
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SnS XL
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Several Thermoworks items
Set of Grill Grates
It could be so many different things….
Poor Fuel
Windy and cold outside
Poor air flow
Turkey was big and really cold
Just a thought but you could do a test run with the same fuel and same location and just see if you can get it up on temp without anything in it?
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Club Member
- Mar 2021
- 806
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Cookers:
WSM 18.5
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Traeger 575
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Accessories:
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Signals X4
This what I’m currently debating right now. I also have a pellet smoker. I did my one and only turkey 🦃 on my WSM 2 years ago on Thanksgiving. Turned out awesome. Naturally I didn’t write down any notes on what I did so here I am wondering just what the heck to do.
I do remember injecting the bird with a butter based liquid and using sage and some other spices on it. I also spatchcocked it.
The one thing I can’t remember is what I did with the water pan. When I have done chicken on the WSM I have always removed it, so I’m assuming I must’ve done the same with a turkey. If I did leave it in, it definitely would have been empty. I only use the minion method when starting the charcoal, and I probably use a full charcoal starters worth of charcoal to get it going. I also remember the weather wasn’t too bad either so that didn’t really come into affect. I’m still torn between using my WSM This year or using my pellet smoker. Also thinking of buying a Thermoworks Billows too.
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Not a problem in my pellet grill 😁
as @Dadof3Illinois said, "It could be so many different things…."
Keep trying, the fun of BBQ is learning and eating your way to success.
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Founding Member
- Jul 2014
- 5715
- Maple Valley, WA
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Grill/Smoke/Roast = SnS Grills Kettle + SnS Deluxe Insert & Drip n' Griddle
Grill/Smoke/Roast = Hasty-Bake Gourmet Dual Finish with HB rotisserie and Grill Grates
Smoke = Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5"
Pizza = Blackstone Propane Pizza Oven (Stacy's, but she let's me use it sometimes)
Indoor Cooking = LG Studio 30" gas range
Camp Cooking = Coleman 2 burner white gas stove
Thermometer = FireBoard FBX2 with 2 ambient and 6 meat probes
Thermapen Mk IV = Light blue
Thermapen Mk IV = Black
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Auber 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 1 fan)
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Fireboard 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 2 fan)
Knives
Wusthof Classic Ikon set: 9" carving knive, 2X 8" Chef's Knife, 7" Santoku and three utility knives
Kamikoto Kuro set: 7" Santoku, 6.5" Nakiri, 5" Utility
Amazing Ribs Brazilian Steak knife set
Favorite wine = whatever is currently in the wine rack
Favorite beer = Sam Adams Boston Lager or Shiner Bock
Favorite whisky = Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 16 year old single malt
Best Cookbooks - Meathead's "The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling", Chris Lilly's "Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book", Aaron Franklin's "Franklin BBQ"
Cookbooks to check out - Raichlen's "Brisket Chronicles" and anything by Adam Perry Lang.
Current fanboy cookbook - "Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant"
Some Posts in Pitmaster to check out:
Eric's Brisket Method
Eric's Method for Drunken Texas Beans
Stacy's Bouef Bourguignon
Eric's Smoked Texas Chili
Rancho Gordo Beans and Bean Club
Troutman's Ribs - Step By Step Primer
Grilled Pork Chops: Harissa Marinade
Light My (Hasty Bake) Fire
Eric
Some details on how the WSM was set up would definitely help :-)
When I set my WSM 22 up to cook hot for a turkey, here’s what I do
1 full dragon chimney (80 briquettes) lit, dumped on 1 full unlit chimney in the charcoal ring
no water pan
gravy pan on the bottom grate to catch drippings, smoke, etc
turkey on the top grate
Start with all vents wide open, adjust them once WSM top grate is over 300F
The WSM 22 is going to be different from the WSM 18 because there is basically double the volume of space in the 22.Last edited by ecowper; November 7, 2021, 12:08 PM.
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Founding Member
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Author of the book Barbecue, fire and smoke
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Yes, we definitely need more details. Type of fuel? Temp outside? How much lit fuel, how much unlit fuel? Vent positions?
I've done a couple of cooks on the WSM 18". I've filled the charcoal basket with unlit briquettes (like a donut, with a 5-6" hole in the middle), and then dumped 10-12 lit briquettes in the "hole". Look up the Minion method if you haven't heard of it. I start with all vents fully open. After 30 minutes it hits 150° C / 300° F easily, and then I can start dialing it down, typically by closing one of the bottom vents fully, and then reducing the top vent a bit.
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Thanks for all the input! As far as my set up goes, I used probably about 1/2 to 3/4 of a weber chimney of wet charcoals. I took these out of a fire ring of Kingsford blue charcoal. I’m using a thermal works Billows, and had the top that open, with the bottom vents shirt except for the one that the Bellows was hooked into. I couldn’t get the temperature above about 250°. The outside temperature was in the 50s and 60s yesterday when I did it. Hope that’s more helpful!Last edited by NotTheGolfer; November 7, 2021, 02:11 PM.
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I have an identical setup and could never hit those temps either when I first started cooking on it.
Knowing what I know now, try starting with a full lit chimney, and removing the Bellows, all vents wide-open. (I don’t think the Bellows can provide enough air.) Maybe even try letingt it run for a little bit with the lid off, just to get it up to temp, then put your bird on.
I don’t know how Henrik gets to 350 with only 10-12 briquettes. That would take me hours. 😂
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Founding Member
- Jul 2014
- 5715
- Maple Valley, WA
-
Grill/Smoke/Roast = SnS Grills Kettle + SnS Deluxe Insert & Drip n' Griddle
Grill/Smoke/Roast = Hasty-Bake Gourmet Dual Finish with HB rotisserie and Grill Grates
Smoke = Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5"
Pizza = Blackstone Propane Pizza Oven (Stacy's, but she let's me use it sometimes)
Indoor Cooking = LG Studio 30" gas range
Camp Cooking = Coleman 2 burner white gas stove
Thermometer = FireBoard FBX2 with 2 ambient and 6 meat probes
Thermapen Mk IV = Light blue
Thermapen Mk IV = Black
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Auber 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 1 fan)
PID Controller = Fireboard Drive + Fireboard 20 CFM Fan (FB gen 2 fan)
Knives
Wusthof Classic Ikon set: 9" carving knive, 2X 8" Chef's Knife, 7" Santoku and three utility knives
Kamikoto Kuro set: 7" Santoku, 6.5" Nakiri, 5" Utility
Amazing Ribs Brazilian Steak knife set
Favorite wine = whatever is currently in the wine rack
Favorite beer = Sam Adams Boston Lager or Shiner Bock
Favorite whisky = Lagavulin Distiller's Edition 16 year old single malt
Best Cookbooks - Meathead's "The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling", Chris Lilly's "Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book", Aaron Franklin's "Franklin BBQ"
Cookbooks to check out - Raichlen's "Brisket Chronicles" and anything by Adam Perry Lang.
Current fanboy cookbook - "Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Around the Levant"
Some Posts in Pitmaster to check out:
Eric's Brisket Method
Eric's Method for Drunken Texas Beans
Stacy's Bouef Bourguignon
Eric's Smoked Texas Chili
Rancho Gordo Beans and Bean Club
Troutman's Ribs - Step By Step Primer
Grilled Pork Chops: Harissa Marinade
Light My (Hasty Bake) Fire
Eric
Assuming you mean lit charcoal, not wet charcoal and that is just a typo. Did you have the water pan in? Was there water in the pan?
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Club Member
- Jan 2018
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- Shingle Springs CA
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Grills and Smokers:
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Charter Member
- Oct 2014
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Backwoods Chubby G2
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Started with half chimney of lit coals and let it spread into unlit. Used a water pan with boiling water. Put a foil covered water pan in place of lower rack to catch drippings. Monitored WSM and bird temps with a Maverick. Top vent left 3/4 open. Controlled temp using lower vent. Had no trouble getting over 300. Used John Henry Pecan Rub. Crisped skin at end with a searzall.
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Great input, folks. I am doing my trial bird tomorrow. Will be using a dry water pan (or shallow plate if it gets delivered) very similar to what ecowper is doing. I have the small Weber chimney. Should I get the larger one for bird cooks?
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Charter Member
- Dec 2014
- 1475
- NC, The Triad
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WSM 22.5", Pitmaster IQ110, Weber 22.5" Kettle with SNS, Weber 14" Smokey Joe.
Super easy to get the temp up on the WSM 22 for turkey, the smaller one should be even easier. Leave the water pan dry, line it with foil. Put a foil pan on the lower grate. I use Harry Soo's donut method to get the coals lit and open up all of the vents top and bottom. When within about 40 degrees of target smoker temp adjust vents very slightly to slow it down. I wouldn't use a blower controller to achieve higher temps as it isn't needed and might blow ashes all inside the chamber getting it on the bird. Meathead's recipe is incredible and spot on for turkey. Have fun!Last edited by Hulagn1971; November 12, 2021, 04:40 PM.
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