Reaching 325° on 18.5" WSM

[Ribber]

Hello, all. Those of you experienced with the 18.5" WSM, have you been successful with reaching and maintaining a temp of 325° long enough to smoke a turkey. I'll be spatchcocking a 15 pounder and also cooking Meathead's "gravy". Last Thanksgiving, as I recall, I got it to 325 and above but once I put the turkey on it was all I could do to maintain about 275°. The meat was good but the skin was a flop. I can cook it on my 22" kettle but I don't want to because I'm stubborn and I want to use my Bullet!

I live in Florida and it's probably going to be around 70° when I'm cooking. Last year I think I used the water pan which was probably mistake number 1. And probably needed more coals and higher temp when adding the Turkey. Hell, I probably just answered my own question!

'preciate any input and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Bill

[wbzipf]

Start with a full chimney of lit charcoal. The best way I have found to control the temp on my WSM is starting it with the appropriate amount of lit charcoal. For 325, it will take a full chimney.

[ecowper]

Also, you should look at using Kingsford Professional rather than Kingsford Blue Bag .... Pro burns hotter when you give it lots of air. I get my WSM 22 up to 340, and maintain that temp with a turkey on, using Pro ..... I light a whole chimney, like wbzipf says and I have another couple chimneys worth in a donut, with the lit charcoal in the center. I open my bottom vents all the way and the top vent I use to control the air draw. I get 340 +/- with an 18-20 lb turkey and a full gravy pan underneath it. i do NOT put any water in the water pan.

[Ribber]

Thanks wbzipf & ecowper I was unsure of the difference between the Kingsford Blue & the Professional. Thanks for the tips. I think I will remove the water pan all together. I'm going to use a cast iron dutch oven for the gravy. I think that will work out well.

[ecowper]

Does the dutch oven fit in the same space as your water pan?

[clkq4]

Make sure you are using a pit probe. The dome temperature is typically about 25 degrees lower than the cooking grate. I use Kingsford Blue. I second the notion of starting with a full chimney poured on top of unlit coal. I also suggest running with a foiled (and empty) water pan.

[Ribber]

Thanks, clkq4 I use a Thermoworks Chef Alarm for monitoring oven temp. Typically I use the built-in probe access point on WSM that is just below the top grate. I use it instead of running the probe cable under the hood to prevent leakage. I may put the probe next to the turkey this time.

[ecowper]

Ribber I have a Thermoworks Chef Alarm and a Maverick ET-732, both of which I use for grate temps, depending on the scenario. I use my grill clip that came with the Maverick to clip the probe a half inch above the grate. I make sure my probe is about 2" from the meat. Reason being, the meat creates a bubble of cold air around it, and if you are too close to the meat it will distort your temperature readings.

I like the idea of using a dutch oven filled with gravy makings in place of the water pan, assuming it fits in that spot well on the WSM 18.

I like Kingsford Pro for my shorter and my hotter cooks. It definitely burns hotter and helps me get up in the 350'ish range. For cooking ribs or other items that get done in the 4-6 hour range I like Kingsford Pro. It burns cleaner and my temps are more stable than with the Kingsford Blue. I switch to Kingsford Blue for longer cooks because I've found the Pro the burns faster than the Blue.

Hope all this helps.

[Ribber]

ecowper Going to go with the advice and get the Kingsford Pro tomorrow. The dutch oven idea came to me when I got home with the pan I bought today and it won't fit in the WSM 18. Dutch oven fits fine. Maybe a tad small for catching the drippings if I spatchcock. It's a Lodge indoor oven so will set right on the bottom grate nicely.

[ecowper]

Ribber if you don't have a grill clip for your Thermoworks probe, use a potato. Stick the probe all the way through the potato so the tip is in the open air and then set the potato on the grate. Works awesome.

I like your plan with the dutch oven, I think it will work well. That dutch oven is going to absorb a lot of heat. You should consider pre-heating it in the oven, get it up to 325 and then carry it out to your WSM.

You also might want to do a dry run tomorrow and figure out the heat management first, since everything is new.

[Ribber]

Good advice. I have a grill clip so no problem there. I'll be sure the dutch oven is well heated in advance. There is plenty of room around the outside perimeter of the DO to allow heat to the meat.