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Full Packer too Big for the 18" WSM

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    Full Packer too Big for the 18" WSM

    So I purchased my first full packer today. One thing I didn't think of was how big the thing was. It's close to 22 inches. Definitely too big for my 18" WSM. What's the accepted/best way of handling this beast?

    #2
    Were it my dang self in that particular predicament (an I have been!), I'd most likely separate point / flat, an either do em separate, or on alternate grates, which will take some dancin, esp if ya don't have mult probe thermos, an a willingness to rotate grates, upon occasions...

    Jus dragged home my 3rd 18.5 WSM, couple days ago, ($85 ) but haven't had this cook sit. In my instance, split up, multi cookers, made th projected finish line.

    Am certain others will have smarter ideas, but this gives ya one take on yer query...

    Comment


    • Anton32828
      Anton32828 commented
      Editing a comment
      I *just* bought my first WSM, and here you are giving me an excuse to think about buying another. The MCS is real, brother.

    #3
    You can fit it in. Place the flat end almost into the handle on one end of the grates. Place a few chunks on the middle of the grates. Lay the brisket on/over the chunks, and back down the other end. It may look weird, but the brisket shrinks when you cook it, and after a few hours it will be smaller so you can place it flat on the grates. Check out Harry Soo’s 20 hour low n slow brisket video on YouTube, where he does this.

    Comment


    • AverageJoe
      AverageJoe commented
      Editing a comment
      I use two large chunks of wood under mine as well when I am cooking in Fred. He has a smaller cooking area than the WSM and that is the only way I can get them to fit in there. And as Troutman said I have also found that doing it this way keeps juices from pooling on top of the brisket that will stop the crust from forming in those spots.

    • Troutman
      Troutman commented
      Editing a comment
      FRED AverageJoe ?? I thought cookers were like ships and had the female gender designation. Of course having said that if I had some big honkin' trailer rig, I'd be hard pressed to call it Sally

    • AverageJoe
      AverageJoe commented
      Editing a comment
      Troutman LOL Fred is kind of an inside family joke. That was my little sisters nickname growing up

    #4
    Here's the video, fast fwd to 11:20:


    Comment


    • Razor
      Razor commented
      Editing a comment
      Wow, I never knew how many videos Harry has out there specifically for the WSM. Not only is that the solution, I learned I needed a defatter cup and bought one of those. Never even knew there was such a thing, lol. Thanks!

    #5
    I was able to fit a 17 pound full packer into my 14.5 WSM by separating the point from the flat, utilizing both grates, and it cooked beautifully.

    Your 18.5" should knock it out of the park.

    Comment


      #6
      I run a vertical offset stickburner that’s 17” across. When I cook a whole packer I cut it in half where the point meets the flat and cook them on two shelves - point on lower rack with fat cap down.

      Comment


        #7
        Santamarina Plus 1 for what he said.
        Also here is a crazier idea. Cut the flat where the point and flat comes together. Then(ya ready for this) lay the flat on the bottom of the grate and then the hunk of flat and point directly on top of it. Then bam. Cook that puppy. The juices from the top go to the bottom of the flat and helps keep it moist. Be sure to have a probe in both the top and bottom flat to monitor the temps.
        You can also do this with your racks of ribs with a criss cross pattern (like building a fire using wood. 2 down the 2 across then 2 down then 2 across.)
        when I use my rib rack and have more than 8 racks I just lay them on top of rack and cook away
        sometimes my 20 lb briskets won’t fit in my 22 wsm so I just lift up the center of the flat so there is a raise in the middle and fit it in. It’ll shrink and fit nicely

        Comment


        • Polarbear777
          Polarbear777 commented
          Editing a comment
          Doesn’t the extra thickness dramatically increase cooking time?

        • Razor
          Razor commented
          Editing a comment
          Doesn't that cheat you a little bit on the crust though?

        #8
        No not when I’m running 275. I’ve never noticed a difference. When I’m cooking 2 pork butts, 2 briskets,full tray of beans they take right around 11 to 12 hours to cook. My pork butts are touching each other to fit(usually 20 lbs). I then put my rib rack with 8 ribs on top grate(I have a wsm extender plus mods for 2 more grates) and put a couple more ribs on top of 8
        This was my last cook and at 330 I put the ribs on and at 930 I pulled the beans. If I don’t have the extender on it only takes 9 hours. (Due to more volume etc
        Click image for larger version

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          #9
          You don't need to cut the brisket. Check out this Cajun ingenuity.



          You basically take your top grate and angle it down so one end rests on the second grate so your top grate is diagonal. You then create a small foil catch that directs drippings into your water pan.

          Comment


          • Troutman
            Troutman commented
            Editing a comment
            Yea I was going to go look for this one too. I remember it from a couple of years ago...Coonass ingenuity at its finest !!!

          • Razor
            Razor commented
            Editing a comment
            Wow, that's like the Rube Goldberg version of Harry's method. While I think you'd be ok, I'd be nervous of putting the center of gravity off. I don't know if I'd be able to sleep at night.

          #10
          Here's the picture.
          Attached Files

          Comment


            #11
            I separated point from flat for WSM 18. Put flat on lower rack since it is cooler and thicker point on top rack. You can rotate if necessary.

            Comment


              #12
              I separate the flat from the point all the time when I am cooking on my18” BGE. The point usually cooks faster than the flat.

              Comment


                #13
                Bring it over to my house. I have the PBC and it'll handle that hunk o meat. sorry had to say it. pbc, pbc,...…..

                Comment


                • Razor
                  Razor commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Ha ha... Some day maybe. Hey maybe I should convert the WSM!

                • jfmorris
                  jfmorris commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Razor someone makes a hanging rack that fits the 18" WSM... I think its the Gateway 30 gallon drum hanging kit.

                #14
                I have a WSM 18, and I've done big briskets on it before. I scrunched the brisket between the rack handles, and during the cook it shrank up and fit nicely.

                And then I got tired of that and bought a WSM 22. I've routinely cooked two briskets (top and bottom racks) with plenty of room to spare.

                Comment


                  #15
                  How rude of me, I never followed up with what happened. I followed Harry's video (thanks Henrik) and things worked out great!
                  Attached Files

                  Comment

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