I'm thinking about adding an 18.5 WSM to my stable for those times that I really want some pulled pork for dinner but can't tend to my offset all day. I've done pork butts on my 22" kettle with an SNS in the past, but thought the flavor came out more ham like than pulled pork like. That was probably a function of my not setting the kettle up right even though I got the amount of smoke and temp I was looking for. That said, does the WSM put out results (flavor wise) more similar to an offset or will I end up with a different flavor profile?
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I’ve been smoking butts on my WSM 22 1/2 for years, but have never smoked one on my Weber Performer with SNS. The chef at our American Legion post uses an offset for smoking. We both follow the same recipe, and there is no detectable difference so I think you will not see a different flavor profile. -
I bought a WSM last year. I’m chasing a flavor I can’t seem to attain with it, for what it’s worth.Comment
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I look at it like i do my pellet smoker. I prefer my wsm, hasty bake, and pbc flavor wise but not by a ton. So when I want food and i dont have time to watch and play with fire i get a really good end result, different but good. I get to eat some good que even when im short on time. Thats why we have mcs here, they all have their place.Comment
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Good to know, I appreciate the feedback. This will be #5 on my back deck and I may be sleeping on the back deck beside it when I my wife sees me bring it home; but I agree with you Tenphases, they are each a unique tool with a specific purpose. I think I'll pull the trigger.
Parker-When you say you chasing a flavor that you can't attain, do you mean there's a flavor that you are trying to impart that isn't happening or is there a flavor that you can't get rid of? I have a flavor I've been trying to get rid of on my PBC. I recently asked for some help on here and am going to try a couple different ways to light it based on feedback here. Who knows, the WSM may replace my PBC.Comment
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I can’t quite explain it. I’ve been to some of the barbecue cathedrals (cue all the folks here who say they do it better), and they coax something out of their meat that I can’t. I’ve followed all the steps etc that people post here and I can’t get what I’m chasing (not stopping me). My bbq is good and I enjoy myself.
To me there’s a difference between smoked food and food that’s smoked/cooked with wood. Wood fire puts out a flavor charcoal and a little smoke can’t match. -
I’ve had bbq from pellet smokers, cabinet smokers, etc. nothing matches what I’ve had from whole hogs cooked over wood in pits In Carolina and Texas brisket in offset smokers, and charcoal with wood chunks in my WSM or kettle does not match. Just my two cents.
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Chewey I also enjoy doing things the hard way, for whatever reason. You get out what you put in, and the food responds to the love you put into it.Comment
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Try some lump charcoal in the wsm for those that want a different profile of flavorComment
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Different flavors. I have a WSM, kettle, and a reverse flow from Shirley. The kettle and WSM have a similar profile, so no need to get a WSM if you already have the kettle. marshall makes a good suggestion re: using lump or some other fuel type. I suppose if you burned down wood chunks and used the coals in your WSM or kettle then it would be close to the offset flavor, but that's a lot of work!Comment
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Chewey, in my opinion you’re spot on. I have an offset and a 18.5 WSM and I like having the WSM for just that. Simple cook (butt or chicken) where I can set up an ATC and let it go. Don’t have to sit with the offset. Also bought the Gateway rib rack. Using it tomorrow on MLK to smoke some ribs. But the smoke profile is a bit different. But not a deal breaker.Comment
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Everyone knows I am dedicated to my kettles. I don’t think the WSM is better. I love the airflow of my kettles.
there is a huge difference in the quality of the cook between kettles and a real rig like LSG etc....
the difference I you are cooking with wood in the offset units as compared to "smoking with wood" on the kettles.
between the airflow, wood fuel and low temp on the offset v Kettle is where IMHO The difference is.
I love my kettles and their end product. Learning to use wood as fuel in a cooker may solve your problem.
edit. Sorry I confused responses above and you have an offset. The wood fuel source I think is the difference you reference.
Cooking v Smoking with wood.
ham has more of a surface front of the palate smoke. That happens to me when I use too much wood up front rather than an even gentle clean smoke .
Last edited by HouseHomey; January 20, 2020, 07:48 AM.Comment
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I agree mostly with what people have said above. I had a WSM before I bought my Lang offset smoker to get the flavor I wanted from a wood only fire. I sold the WSM and bought a kettle with a SNS for those quick cooks or ones I don't have time to dedicate for the Lang and cant tell a difference in either Weber setup (Kettle w/ SNS vs WSM) I prefer the Lang flavor profile to any other grill I have and I have 11 total grills/pellet cookers. Its worth the time and effort for me if I'm cooking for family/friends. If its for me or my lunches during the week Ill fire up the kettle and let it do its thing.Comment
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Hmm.... so all of this 'you're cooking with wood, not just smoking with wood' veers a little close to woo-woo territory for me, because....
The food doesn't know what's generating the heat, obviously. Heat is heat of course. So none of the perceived differences here can be about the source of the heat.
That leaves the smoke. By smoke, I mean all of the various gasses generated, not just the visible smoke. So, can we get closer to a stick burner profile with other cookers? After all, when I use my kettle, I'm using wood to produce the smoke. But.... the charcoal also produces gasses. However, I can't do anything about those. But I wonder... in a charcoal smoker setup, a lot of times we put on wood chunks, let them smoke for a couple of hours, then let things go.
What if we instead used a bit less wood initially but fed the wood in over all or most of the cook time? Would that more closely resemble a stick burner in results? #inquiringminds....Last edited by rickgregory; January 20, 2020, 11:42 AM.Comment
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Stick burners with a proper fire producible blue smoke is going to give the superior smoking result imo. The air flow and proper chamber size are the reason. My WSMs and kettles do a wonder job but fall a wee bit short.
Having said that, if I’m reading you correctly you have a PBC which works pretty much the same as a WSM. I don’t see switching one for the other is going to give you any substantial difference in end result.
Sounds like you’re chasing a buggie man, sounds like you want stick burner results from a charcoal cooker. Best just buy a stick burner and learn to baby sit it.Comment
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Yea texastweeter is correct @Andrr, I've actually tried that and had wild temperature swings. It's the same as a stick burner only in miniature. The beauty of charcoal is it's already in its carbonized state which means it burns consistently and longer than hunks of wood can do. Even in a stick burner you need to establish a good charcoal bed for your splits. -
@ troutman I was going to try the same thing so thanks for saving me the hassle. I’ve been impressed over the years with the quality of the bbq I’ve put out on the WSM but always heard how stickburning is like a next level, hence wanting to try it. Given what a good offset costs I may never have to worry about trying it...
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