WSM 22.5 temps

[ecowper]

So, today, running straight Kingsford Blue, I ran the WSM at a steady 340 for 2.5 hours. I have now run the WSM at a low and slow of 230'ish for 12+ hours and hot and fast .... This thing is pretty darn amazing.

I am only using Harry Soo's donut plus 4-8 ounces of wood chunks ... I control the heat using the top vent, with the bottom vents running 1/2 to 3/4 open.

[Huskee]

Great feedback!

[DWCowles]

ecowper I have the PartyQ installed on my 22" WSM so it becomes a"set it and forget it" smoker on the nights that I want to sleep.

[ecowper]

DWCowles I think I'm going to want the PartyQ eventually. That said, I can maintain temps pretty steady as it stands.

[PaulstheRibList]

Love the WSM!

[ecowper]

Got the WSM 22.5 running again. Harry Soo's donut, of course. Full ring of KBB, 40 briquettes lit in the chimney then in the middle of the donut. 5 decent sized chunks of hickory. Cooking beef short ribs. Temp is hanging steady right about 240.

[JeffJ]

That is a thing of beauty.

[ecowper]

JeffJ I had the WSM running at an average temp of 240 all day ... Started about 10 AM and took the ribs off about 5:30 PM ..... Highest temp was 255, lowest temp was 223 over 7.5 hours. Here's what the pit looks like at the end.

[JeffJ]

Like I said, that's a thing of beauty.

[Craigar]

JeffJ I had the WSM running at an average temp of 240 all day ... Started about 10 AM and took the ribs off about 5:30 PM ..... Highest temp was 255, lowest temp was 223 over 7.5 hours. Here's what the pit looks like at the end.

What did you use, if anything at all, for a heat sink?

[ecowper]

Craigar I filled the water pan with hot tap water and I had a pan of baked beans on the second grate. I didn't refill the water pan as the water evaporated off. The beef ribs had plenty of bark going on.

I still plan on trying sand a la Harry Soo. Will definitely post about that.

[Craigar]

I am having a difficult time wrapping my head around the sand so it will be good to read about your experience.

[Spinaker]

Craigar I filled the water pan with hot tap water and I had a pan of baked beans on the second grate. I didn't refill the water pan as the water evaporated off. The beef ribs had plenty of bark going on.

I still plan on trying sand a la Harry Soo. Will definitely post about that.

I have used sand in my Kamado before. Mine actually came with a water pan, believe it or not. So I went from the water to the sand then I just went out and bought a Green egg place setter. That works Sooooooo much better that the water pan or the wimpy "heat diffuser" that Broil King makes. I'd skip the water and see if you can find a place setter that will fit your WSM. You might have luck with some digging. If you have the 18.5 WSM the Large Green Egg setter will work in there. I wonder if the XL Green Egg setter will fit the WSM.......interesting. Now maybe WSMs' aren't designed that way, but, hey maybe it will work better. I am just not a believer in water pans, even in bullet smokers.

After all, the sand is just making a thermal mass like the place setter does, except its less dense than the place setter.

[Craigar]

Interesting. When I get my 22.5" WSM this fall I will be on the lookout for a place setter.

[ecowper]

That's an interesting idea. With a small cook, like the beef ribs (only 10 lbs), I didn't get much humidity in the cook chamber. So water was good. With a large cook, like the 8 slabs of ribs I did on July 4, I wished I hadn't used a water pan. Bark formation wasn't super great.

[JeffJ]

Craigar

I almost always put some water in the pan. I usually fill it about 1/3 (I use the 14.5). It allows for me to have the vents mostly open early in the cook which allows enough oxygen to eliminate any risk of black smoke. Also, it helps apply the smoke to the meat at the beginning of the cook. Once the water evaporates and temps begin to climb I close the top vent most of the way to re-stabilize the temp and then let the bark develop.

[Craigar]

Using the water pan to regulate the temps takes me back to my Brinkmann Gourmet charcoal smoker and grill days. That was about the only way to regulate the temps since it didn't have any vents.

[JeffJ]

@Craigar

One doesn't need to add water to regulate temps in the WSM. It can be done by the vents alone. I have just personally developed a technique in my 14.5 that I have found to be beneficial for low/slow.

[ecowper]

Exactly JeffJ .... Regulating temp is about air plus fuel. Stabilizing temps is about a heat sink/thermal mass

[ecowper]

Craigar I don't see the water pan as regulating the temps so much as stabilizing them. It's a large thermal mass to keep my temps stable since the water can't get hotter than 212F. It's why I'm interested in trying the sand. I can see where, with large amounts of meat in the cook chamber, I will have humidity problems if I'm using water to stabilize my temps.

That said, I really am intrigued by Spinaker and the place setter. Has the potential to be more effective than sand, even. Plus, no humidity. I can see where 4-6 pork butts would cause me to have a significant humidity issue and poor bark formation.

[Spinaker]

Craigar I don't see the water pan as regulating the temps so much as stabilizing them. It's a large thermal mass to keep my temps stable since the water can't get hotter than 212F. It's why I'm interested in trying the sand. I can see where, with large amounts of meat in the cook chamber, I will have humidity problems if I'm using water to stabilize my temps.

That said, I really am intrigued by Spinaker and the place setter. Has the potential to be more effective than sand, even. Plus, no humidity. I can see where 4-6 pork butts would cause me to have a significant humidity issue and poor bark formation.

Even with my keg, When I am doing large hunks-o-meat, I have to go out and burp it every once in a while just to let some of the moisture out of the cooking chamber. You should have seen it when I was using a water pan!! Once I got rid of the water pan and started using the place setter, I started getting great bark on everything I cooked. (but I still have to burp it every once in a while)
....and thats why I don't use water pans. they inhibit bark formation, big time. Plus, the place setter would regulate your temps just fine. You just can't let your pit get waaaaay out of control. Which isn't hard, as long as you are diligent your first few cooks.

[ecowper]

Spinaker thus my quest for a thermal mass to stabilize temps that doesn't involve adding humidity to the cook chamber. Now I am wondering if a BGE XL place setter will fit in the water pan location on a WSM 22.5

[Spinaker]

Spinaker thus my quest for a thermal mass to stabilize temps that doesn't involve adding humidity to the cook chamber. Now I am wondering if a BGE XL place setter will fit in the water pan location on a WSM 22.5

Dude, I just checked, 21.5 inches wide.......this might just work. I think it would fit. Is there a cradle where the water bowl sits or is it just the pegs on the side of the body? I would check Craig's List. Thats where I found mine.

[ecowper]

It's a cradle that is slightly smaller than the main chamber. Basically, the same size as the lower grate. It's gonna be close. Worst case scenario I have to figure out a rig to extend the pegs that hold the water pan. How hard could that be?

[ecowper]

Going to do sand in the water pan first. If that does the trick for temp stabilization, then I'll go find a place setter.