WSM - Chicken cook

[BriggsBBQ]

Last week I got a WSM. Cost me a speeding ticket during lunch. I'm past that now and fired her up for the first time.

I did the minion method but without as many coals. After all it just a couple thighs. Added a little pecan.

The highest j could push it was 325 w a fan on the fire. I wanted that crisp skin so I ended up doing direct fire by putting the grating over the bottom layer. Turned out great.

However the real cool thing happened after the cook. I have a prototype grill that is a metal grill that has a ceramic layer in the middle. Anyway that insulated lid bumped the temp 40 degrees. Interesting that insulating just the lid gives a lot of efficiency.

[Huskee]

How many lit coals were you using, and what size WSM? You should be able to get plenty higher with more lit coals.

[Jon Solberg]

Crispy skin in a WSM is difficult to achieve. Well it is in any indirect cooker for me.

Were you using a controller fan? Fan blowing in the door? Got any pics of your setup?

[BriggsBBQ]

I have some pics but for some reason I cannot upload them. Anyway, I am not sure how many briquettes I used of kingsford blue. I have one of those fans that looks kind of like a turbo. I just let it blow into one of the ports on the bottom.

https://www.zoro.com/air-king-portable-blower-fan-120v-310-cfm-gray-9550/i/G1873654/?gdffi=047ada998cf641fa93e55ae8579df863&gdfms=02460155D5D2454FB262FAE229B42C1D&gclid=COfq5oeuncwCFUI6gQodsvcNPA&gclsrc=aw.ds

[BriggsBBQ]

The top lid is just two lids with a ceramic blanket smashed in between. I wouldn't say it is really insulated a lot. Basically I had an idea of a grill that is sheet metal but has ceramic blanket between. Would be cheaper to build than a Kamado and have some similar features. Additionally I wanted to program a arduino to open and close the vents as well as show temperature data on an app via wifi. I also thought about using a hot water heater element as a charcoal starter. So you could start it from your app of course at your own risk. I quickly realized that my accounting degree and CPA did nothing for me to help me complete this project. So I eventually gave up. Just could not make it that nice. Also noticed that a guy had the patent on wifi temperature logging for a grill. Also seems others are making more progress than me in the grill controller area. One other thing is the grill market. Here we are all super into it, but most people still just buy a gasser. We Americans usually pick convenience over function....hence how well fast food does.

[BriggsBBQ]

Also on my WSM I sealed the door. I had some BGE gasket material left over in the garage so I just stuck it on there. Not sure it makes that much of a difference. But was not going to use the material for anything else. I am still very fascinated by the fact that just insulating the lid would help retain so much extra heat. Next chicken cook I plan on just doing 400 the whole cook. Now in terms of temp. I just pocked the probe in the gasket spot on the side. I did not put it right on the grate.

[BriggsBBQ]

[Ernest]

you want crispy skin on the WSM, lose the water bowl. Should be nothing between the fire and the bird.

[BriggsBBQ]

I will try that next time. Thanks for the tip. I thought it wouldn't make much of a difference since there was no water in the bowl. I am loving this smoker. I can see it maintains very steady temps with ease.

[Ernest]

Makes a huge difference. I lose the bowl out on my WSM14 as well.