burning through charcoal fast?

[marshall]

today I smoked 3 pork butts on 22 wsm, I set up same as always soo donut method..... I filled the ring to the top with charcoal and put about 1/4 of a chimney of ashed over kingsford blue in the middle... hit my target temp of 225, a couple hrs. later temps decline as I open all vents almost 100%. after 4 hrs 70% of my charcoal is ashed over.
I added some lump to bring back temp and struggle for 8 hrs to keep it above 210 degrees, ( I had to keep opening the door to raise temp. cause vents are now wide open)

this seems to happen frequently. im considering selling the wsm and getting a backwoods chubby 3400. any thoughts or tips would be appreciated,

outside temp was 65 sunny and no wind!!!!

it was still a great day to cook

[Attjack]

I've never used a WSM but my Primo XL is extremely efficient compared to smoking on my 26 or 22. I fill her up and smoke again and again without refueling or having to remove ash.

[mountainsmoker]

I have quit using KBB since they reformulated it a couple of years ago. It just doesn't hold the heat that the original did. So if you are using it be aware and know that you will have to add coals sooner to keep the heat up. I have gone to Royal Oak ridge design. There is a test between the KBB and the Royal Oak on the internet showing the superiority of the RO,

Here is one test I came across. https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/th...arison.262989/

[marshall]

thanks, yea it kinda seems like the charcoal is just burning fast and not so hot, ill try royal oak next time

[tbob4]

Great read - thanks.

[JGo37]

I agree marshall mess with your coal choices for a while before you ditch the WSM. And make a snake mold maybe?

[CBM87]

Your mileage may vary, but I've messed with the donut, snake, and minion methods and I've found that for ribs or other 6hr cooks, the snake works well enough, I'll just have to adjust the vents toward the end. I had the outer ring and a homemade inner ring to keep the coals in place. I'll add pics later if I can think about it.

For butts or brisket, I just have a heaping charcoal load in the ring and add lit coals all over the top. I don't just do the center like a minion method because I've seen where it'll just burn one toward one side if the wind is not behaving. I'll get an easy 16 hours at 225 or 250 and not have to reload. I do have the cajun bandit door and it's helped with this.

[marshall]

thanks for the input, ill have to try your method for my next long cook, its interesting what you say about the minion method and wind not behaving because ive had dramatic temp. difference from 1 side to the other and it drove me nuts! thank you for the insight

[TripleB]

Interesting. I’ve been using KBB for years in my PBC, 22 WSM, 18.5 WSM and PK and have had no issues with temp. On my WSM’s I use a ATC for long cooks and my temps have stayed rock solid at 225 - 250 d and I use the minion method. The issue I have, or believe to have, is that my ribs get too dark when I use KBB.

[klflowers]

I have been using a 18" wsm with the kbb and the minion method for years with no problems, get 12-14 hours on a full basket. I dump a full chimney of lit coals on a full basket, adjust the vents and ler her rip. No experience wth the larger wsm though.

[Huskee]

My suggestion is stop waiting for the charcoal to be "ashed over". You're wasting BTUs and energy up into the atmosphere, and you're losing its firepower. Unless you're using lighter fluid and cooking directly over the coals (think uncle Mike, the family reunion's hamburger slayer), there's no need to wait for them to be ashed over. When the smoke dies down and you see flames in the chimney, that's when you dump the coals and start cooking. I use exclusively KBB for everything I do and it's a great charcoal. Reformulation or not, it lasts a good long time. For its price and availability it remains a star player.

[marshall]

ill give it a try thanks

[Big Willie]

I get approximately 1 hour per pound of briquettes on my WSM 18 and only slightly less on my WSM 22".
I have however switched to Trail Embers briquettes this summer...half price as KBB at home depot...burns a bit hotter and has superior longevity.
I light my coals with a propane torch in the assembled unit on my 22".
I pile the ring with about 15lb of briquettes, line up.one of the holes in the fire ring with one of the vent holes facing into the wind, (if any)assemble the smoker then stick a lit torch through the holes to the coal...
ZERO BTU waste and my coals are well enough lit in about 4 minutes to just let it go.
By lighting into the wind or breeze the "pile" of coals tends to burn fairly complete from one side to the other...
I can maintain 240°ish almost completely hands off for 8-10 hours then usually the ash needs to be knocked down a bit to get the final few hours.
IMHO...I'd NEVER abandon a WSM without experimenting with different fuels and fire management techniques...
After running the gambit on lower cost smokers over the last 15-20 years I've found nothing for the price that is as versatile as my WSMs...
Walt.