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275 degrees

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    275 degrees

    How do y'all setup the charcoal in the WSM when you want to cook at 250°-275° degrees rather than 225°? Do use a combination of unlit and lit charcoal, all lit? I'm thinking about cooking a 5# pork butt at 275° for about 6-7 hours.

    #2
    How do you normally start your WSM?

    I would use the minion or soos method with 20 odd lit briquettes dumped in the middle, top vent fully open and use the bottom three to control the temperature.

    What size smoker do you have? I run the 18.5 but with a ATC that does most of the work for me.

    Last night I done hot and fast chicken with all four vents fully open, bed of unlit charcoal and then dumped a full chimney of lit on top, I was getting over 400-430F on a chilly night with rain in the UK.
    Last edited by BarbecueUK; September 24, 2019, 01:17 PM.

    Comment


    • BarbecueUK
      BarbecueUK commented
      Editing a comment
      Do you fill the water pan? That will consume more fuel if you do.

    • JoeInTX
      JoeInTX commented
      Editing a comment
      No water pan, I use the Firedial.

    • BarbecueUK
      BarbecueUK commented
      Editing a comment
      Very nice, good luck with the cook.

    #3
    I fill the firebowl, then take out enough charcoal to fill a chimney up. Then I let that charcoal in the chimney get red hot and I add it to the bowl. You can adjust the temp pretty easily from there. I leave the water bowl out of the cooker too.

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      #4
      What they said. 18.5 WSM. I put a couple of wood chunks in the firebowl with the unlit coals too.

      Comment


        #5
        Yes, just to add to my previous comment, I use a clay plant saucer instead of the water pan.

        Comment


          #6
          Ditch the water pan and the saucer. If you feel like you need moisture, either have a small water pan on the lower grate or do what I do and spritz your meat every hour or so to encourage bark formation. I also setup like the fellas above using the ring or minion method. Get some hot coals in the center, they will burn evenly outward. I also interdisburse some wood chunks into the charcoal, not on top.

          At 275* you can easily expect 6-7 hours on a full load of charcoal. I also have a Fireboard and Pit Viper fan running the thing so I get rock steady temps. Did a half-brisket over the weekend in about 5 1/2 hours.

          Comment


            #7
            What is the purpose of the fire ring in the WSM, I have smoked with and without with similarly frustrating results? Can’t seem to keep a study temp more than a couple of hours, I don’t have a fan, is it absolutely necessary?
            So many questions so little Heat!

            Comment


              #8
              Originally posted by Perry View Post
              What is the purpose of the fire ring in the WSM, I have smoked with and without with similarly frustrating results? Can’t seem to keep a study temp more than a couple of hours, I don’t have a fan, is it absolutely necessary?
              So many questions so little Heat!
              The ring is to corall your briquettes.
              Ive dont run a fan and have never had an issue maintaining temps for 10+ hours with either of my WSMs; 18" or 22"
              What charcoal and lighting technique are you using?
              Personally I start with all unlit KBB or Trail Embers (recently available at home depot for 50% the cost of KBB with very similar preformance) briquettes.
              I get approximately one hour per pound of briquettes and allow that estimate to calculate my approximate fuel consumption based on the old stand by estimate of one hour per pound at 250°F.
              When i put the ring on my grate i ensure one of the holes is lined up directly with one of the lower vent holes and that that vent faces into the wind or breeze if any.
              I add the estimated amount of briquettes and wood chunks then fully assemble my WSM.
              I then use a propane torch to light the briquettes by lighting the torch and sticking it through the vent hole and the hole in the ring that aligns with it...sometimes this is easiest to do with the door partially open to see.
              in about 4 minutes enough briquettes are lit to let it go...I'm usually up to temp in 35-45 minutes with ZERO BTU loss or fuel waste.
              In average weather conditions I can maintain 240° ish with two of three bottom vents closed with the vent i used to light the briquettes only open a crack (maybe open enough to fit a round toothpick through) and the top vent only open about 25%.
              Usually once dialed I'm basically hands free for 8 hours before it becomes necessary to knock some ash build up down...
              Don't give up.on your WSM...IMHO they are dollar for dollar the best lower cost smoker on the market.
              Walt

              Comment


                #9
                Tanks Willie. I’ve been making a doughnut of Kingsford blue igniting a half chimney of briquettes until white and then pouring that into the center. Are you able to reach lower temps, like the 220 to 230 with the method described?

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