Center filled Minion Method not giving me an even burn spread

[jsaniga]

So, I had an email exchange with Harry Soo last fall to ask him about using a bellows because of inconsistent burns. He told me to shelf the bellows and try what he had been doing recently which is to manage everything from the front vent (below the door) and the top vent (placed at the rear - 180 degrees from the front lower vent). Front bottom vent open at 100%, throttle the temperature using the top vent. Easy peasy.

This does great for 6-8 hours and then I'll see my temps start to drop off. I open the access door an see the fire has burned towards the bottom vent but not outwards from the center in the other directions. I get it wanting to cheat more towards the oxygen source, but the oxygen is everywhere in the burn chamber and should permit the coals to burn outward in all directions. Are others managing their burns like this?

Two days ago, I ended up having to adjust my vets every two hours including opening the other two vents at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock about 30%. But, that just meant more piddling later when my timer went off and I rolled over to check the temperature on my ThermoWorks app. I grill and smoke on my deck which is out in the open, but if there is not breeze it is really dead. That shouldn't matter since the air will be drawn in naturally as the heat escapes. through the top vent. I don't know about y'all, but I do let getting a little sleep during my overnight smokes.

[TripleB]

I went back through my BBQ journals to find what I did when smoking butts on my WSM. I used the minion method, but with a BBQ Guru. No problem maintaining 250d for about 11-12 hrs. So I would invest in a temperature controlled fan and sleep like a baby.

[jsaniga]

I have the one one from ThermoWorks, but when I was using Kingsford Professional it was kicking up a lot of ash. I haven't tried it with Jealous Devil. I also purchased a three setting baffle for it to help keep down the ash. Does the BBQ Guru pulse or does it stay on relatively steady?

[TripleB]

jsaniga - I've always used Kingsford. Use something enough, you know what to expect. Not that Kingsford is better or anything. BBQ Guru pulses, but once the coals get low, it stays on. Also, I don't worry about 10-15 degrees either way. Not going to amount to much in the long run.

[klflowers]

I have one of these charcoal baskets with the minion starter basket. I stopped using my fan - I have an older Digi Q - because the fan destroyed batteries and I was too lazy to modify it to add a plug. Anyway, pre fan, I used to just use a lit chimney of coals on a full wsm basket, but this basket works pretty good. I have gotten 12 hours using kbb at 225.

https://www.arborfab.com/CharcoalAssembly18.5inWSM

[klflowers]

jsaniga i needed a way to make the room in the center of the basket. I was using an old metal coffee can that I would set in the center of the WSM basket, fill with lit coals from a chimney, then yank the can out with some pliers. With this basket, I either fill it with lit coals from a chimney, or more often fill it with unlit coals, light them with some tumbleweeds and when they are lit fill the basket around it with unlit coals. I leave the minion starter basket in.

[Alan Brice]

Coffee can center is how I rock the PBC. Read it here first, like everything else I know about, Q, rubs, swarsh, hdwr, plants, outdoor kitchens and on and on. Even a chuckle now n again.

[klflowers]

Alan Brice sometimes a spit my coffee out full out laugh. This is the best place on the internet. And the most expensive because of the enablers. Because I am a weak man lol

[ecowper]

I bought a fan for my WSM. I found it made very little difference at all. The fan is gathering dust in the garage now :-)

[klflowers]

Yep. I used it twice. The second time the batteries died. That was it for me

[TripleB]

I loved my fans, but they're collecting dust now too. I never use my WSM's anymore. Loan them out to friends that what to give smoking a try.

[Jessterr]

Maybe having all three bottom vents open by equal amounts might work better? It would seem that the WSM might be designed to work best that way, with uniform air intake coming in from all directions. Also, my cookers do seem to work best with the bottom vent(s) just barely open and temperature control depending mostly on the top vent setting. So maybe try a cook with the bottom vents all at about 20% or so open, and control temp with the top vent, and see how that goes?

[klflowers]

This

[Henrik]

This is exactly how I do it, works great.

[dwlacroix]

I tried the single bottom vent after seeing one of Soo’s videos. While not a method I have stuck with, I found it better to place the lit coals on the opposite side from the open vent.

For me the billows was made for overnight cooks. Set the hi/low temperature alarms and get the much needed beauty slip. However, like the above, I place the lit coals on the opposite side of the fan instead of the middle.

[jsaniga]

I was thinking about placing the starter can in the far side next time since it wasn’t to cheat to the O2 source.

[awsop]

The two things that have most improved my wsm cooks are adding a fan controller and switching from kbb to b&b briquettes, based on recommendations from this board. B&b is not nearly as ashy and next time I will try placing lit coals at the opposite end of the fan vs in the center to see the difference. I also replaced the water pan with a vortex thing. Don’t know if it does anything but I don’t have to clean a water pan anymore.

[klflowers]

I haven't used my wsm in awhile but I had stopped using the water pan. I am going to have to break it out again soon. It was my original smoker

[jsaniga]

I don’t “use” the water pan anymore but I line it with foil and it is in place during the make. Easy to clean - just remove the foil…nothing gets through.

[fillirican]

As others have mentioned, my fan controller works well in the WSM but is definitely not necessary to hold consistent temperatures. Additionally, the burn is more uniform without the fan. Without the controller, my vents are opened as Jessterr mentioned. I also utlize B&B briquettes and place lit coals in a coffee can for the minion method. I utlize the water pan but line it with foil for an easier cleanup.

[jsaniga]

Thanks - what kind of fan controller are you using?

[fillirican]

I have a BBQ Guru DynaQ with the Pit Viper fan.