I’ve got a new 18.5 Weber Smokey Mountain on the way! I’m curious about what vent settings/charcoal amounts to use to achieve 225 degrees, as well as 325. Any help would be much appreciated!
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I don't have one of those (yet) but have you checked in the channels section under WSM section and maybe the product reviews section? Lots of good info in them. Happy Thanksgiving!
You know that 225 is just a guide. cooking hotter can produce good results in less time.
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THere is tons of stuff in the WSM section, but here’s what I can tell you quickly. I have a WSM 22.5, so bear that in mind.
How I get to stable temp .... and my WSM likes to run about 240, so I just go with that rather than trying hard to achieve 225 and always fiddling, etc
- I keep my water pan full
- I fill the ring with charcoal and wood (for smoke)
- pull out about 30 briquettes and start them in chimney
- Form a donut of charcoal when you do this
- Add the lit briquettes to the donut hole
- Assemble the WSM
- Open the vents fully until the WSM gets above 200F
- Then close vents to about 1/3 on bottom and 1/2 on top
- when the temp hits around 240F, I adjust the vents again if I need to. May end up at 1/4 on bottom, 1/3 on top, or not, depending.
That’s itComment
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I’ve got the same exact smoker and have had it for several years now. ecowper made some really good points. It’s important to keep the water pan about half full. It will help a lot for keeping your temps down on long cooks. Once my coals are mostly grey I add the wood and lid. I’ll keep my vents wide open for a few minutes and then close bottom vents to 1/4 and top vents to 1/2. If you don’t have one, get a good grill thermometer, don’t rely on the one on the lid. Once the temp. stabilizes close bottom vents a tad more if needed. It’ll be hard to keep a 225 temp., and it’s not a big deal. I usually cook at about 240-250 most of the time anyway. 225 is not the magic temp. a lot of people think it is. 20 degrees or so difference is usually just fine. For your higher temps. usually half way open on the bottom vents and top vents 3/4 open. Practice your first long smoke with a pork butt, they’re pretty forgiving. One thing I like about the WSM is once you’ve broken it in, it holds the temps. pretty steady.
I also fill the ring full with charcoal. I can get about 6-7 hours before I need to add any additional coals. Or you can add a few at a time during your cook as needed. It’s easy with the door that comes on it.Last edited by Panhead John; November 26, 2020, 09:03 PM.Comment
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Thanks for all the info! Regarding the water pan: do you heat the water prior to filling the pan, or just put it in there at room temperature?Comment
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It’s recommended to add hot water. I just use hot water from the sink faucet. Won’t waste as much heat getting it to 212*.Last edited by Panhead John; November 26, 2020, 01:06 PM.
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Been using the 22†and the 18.5†for about five years. I threw away the water pans about 3 years ago and got a fan and controller 2 years ago. You can dial it up or down at will with those changes. I never looked back.Comment
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Agree with Troutman. An ATC will help immensely and allow you to sleep at night for those long cooks. Here’s a web site dedicated to Webers. Www.virtualweberbulletLast edited by TripleB; November 27, 2020, 11:14 AM.
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I have had an 18 for years. Mine likes to run around 235 to 260. Bottom vents about 1/3 open, top about half. Sometimes I use the pan, usually for longer cooks, sometimes I don't. Like for the turkey today, I ran at an average of 245 without the water pan just cause I forgot to foil it until it was too late. I have a cyber q fan set up that I use for longer cooks.Comment
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