As usual, I spend my idol time watching bbq vids or cruising the amazing ribs forums. This video struck me, why I never hear more people hang foods in the WSM. I know there are lots of WSM owners out there and am curious if they have tried or knew about this accessory? I love my PBC, but have been craving (MCS) for a larger UDS cooker, maybe the WSM is/should be a consideration......
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Thanks for posting this video. Just what the doctor ordered. I recently bought a gateway rib hanger for my WSM and have tried it once. Thought I overcooked my BB ribs. But want to try spares this weekend. Got a couple tips out of the video. Thanks again. -
LOL that is funny. I subscribe to TRoy Cooks as well. Watched that video this morning actually.Comment
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I can see where it would be handy if you're doing a crazy number of ribs, but for the most part I don't see the difference between hanging then and just putting them on the racks and taking the water bowl out.Comment
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I’ve got the attachment and have hung some ribs. They always turned out great. I did leave a rack too long once and they fell into the charcoal.
I think the WSM is more versatile that a PBC or UDS. Can rotisserie, smoke, two racks built in and can hang stuff.Comment
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After hankering after a PBC for a while, and thinking of building an UDS myself, I've decided my next smoker is most likely going to be the 22" WSM, and I'll probably get the Gateway drum hanger for it to start off. That gives me the best of both worlds - hanging, or using two large grates. And my PartyQ will go right on it without drilling any holes, which is a bonus! -
I am of the opinion that the pbc does a fine job, and the wsm does too. They probably have different things they are better at, different accessories, different mods. That is why you need more than one smoker. I only have two, and am thinking I need a gasser and maybe two or three others. Then I would have more experience to decide what else I need. You don't see competition cooks with only one cooker, or even one type, I take that as a clue!
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Had a WSM and did not like it at all.
For the attention it needed I would rather have had a stick burner.
I have a PBS and find it puts out a fantastic product with minimal attention.
Does anything I need it to do smoking wise.
Both units are briquette fires,,,you get the smoke from the wood.
If I want light smoke I use apple,,,If I want more throw in some hickoryComment
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I don't have a WSM, but do have a PBC. I see lots of drum smokers on the KCBS competition circuit, more than WSM's.
Those cooks seem to like drums! I do not see PBC's hardly at all in competition (once), but full size drums. Not sure why, and hardly anyone has just one type of smoker.Comment
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I have been using the Gateway rib rack along with a Hunsaker Vortex charcoal Grate on my 22" WSM for the past year. I've mostly used this setup for hanging ribs and it works great. In fact, I've used it 3 times in comps and have gotten top 10 finishes.Comment
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dshaffes I bought a Husaker Vortex basket a couple of months ago to use in my WSM 22. Did one cook with it a decided I had bought a very expensive piece of yard art. I couldn't control the temperature, it was all over the place. Ruined some chuckies. What is your secret? -
I didn't buy the basket, just the Vortex plate that sits on top of the WSM fire ring. I fill the WSM fire ring with charcoal and use a Weber fire starter cube to start the fire. I'll use a Fireboard temperature controller with a Pit Viper fan to manage temp. Often I will set top vent to 3/4 as well.
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I hang meats in both of them. I don't actually own a WSM, but a buddy of mine does and whenever I am over at his house we hang ribs or whatever else we are making.
I am not a fan of water bowls, so it was a natural progression to try hanging them shortly after he bought his in 2015.Comment
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I might buy one for my WSM. I've owned both and like the WSM a little better over the PBC because it's a little more versatile. Esp. with this meat ring hanger!Comment
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When I go down to our to many of our state BBQ championships there are more Webers than PBC's, It may just be a regional thing.Comment
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While we are discussing the merits of the WSM versus the PBC, here's a question for owners of both.
Which is more fuel efficient - the WSM or the PBC? I guess for comparing that we would need to talk about the WSM 18 versus the PBC. How many pounds of charcoal does it take to smoke a butt or some ribs on the WSM, versus the PBC? That is something I've not thought to ask before...
The only vertical smoker I've ever owned was something like one of those crappy Brinkman bullet smokers, back in around 1992 - it was red is about all I recall, and while I did a turkey or two on it, I only used it a few times.
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It's a good question - they cook differently. The PBC cooks more like the hot and fast method, so your food is generally done within the 8 hour life of your charcoal basket. The WSM cooks more like low and slow for about 10-14 hours on a single load, and that usually gets you to the finish line. How much fuel does each hold? Experiment time. -
I put some ribs on my 18†WSM noon today. I placed a full chimney in and used 10 of those to get things going.Cooked them at 225. When the cook was done I let the WSM continue to burn. At 10:30 tonight it was still at 225. I brought my Signals and Billows in for the night. By the amount of briquettes left I’d say I would easy have an hour or two left in them. I’ll post a pic in this thread.Last edited by Razor; September 2, 2019, 09:00 PM.
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Razor awesome cook time in that WSM 18! I imagine a WSM 22 is in my future.Comment
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I love my 18†and for 99% of what I cook it is great. With that said when I do things like jerky, I really wish I had the 22â€. Had I known then what I know now, I would have purchased the 22â€, but as binarypaladin said the 18†is reportedly more efficient.
To be honest I can’t imagine a big difference between the two, yes, there is a larger volume of air you have to keep at your cook temperature, but how much more fuel does that really take? It’s all one big chamber and extremely efficient. -
binarypaladin I need/want the WSM to replace or supplement the circa 1985 offset I have, which has a 748 square inch grate. The offset requires too much fire tending for me to sleep on a long overnight smoke. I smoke lots of ribs, and lots of butts, so don't see the WSM 18 as a good fit for me unless I were to buy a hanging kit for it right off the bat. And a hanging kit doesn't help when I need to smoke 6 to 8 butts at a time. -
Yeah, that surface space would be a tall order the on the 18". Even with the third grate on the stacker ring, you're only looking at 640 sq. in. Although, at 3 per level I could do 9 butts in mine right now. I'm eyeballing that though.
This whole PBC vs WSM has done nothing but make me want a Gateway, lol.
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Gateway drum smokers has a kits that will work on WSMs too.
I've posted about hanging ribs and hanging chicken from mine.
While I like the PBC in theory, I feel like the WSM with upgrades is a more versatile cooker. Mind you, I don't own a PBC, but it really seems geared toward one kind of cook. I've managed the typical low and slow cooks and cooks as hot as 450ºF in the WSM. With the Cajun Bandit add ons, I can do a whole lot of meat in the 18" and I can hang foods with a head diffuser (the water pan), which is my preferred method for slower cooks like ribs whereas I can hang directly over a flame without it. (And the Cajun Bandit ring lets me change the distance from the fire.)
Razor check my link. I've done 12 racks in an 18" WSM. Obviously not my everyday cook, but even for like 6 racks (which I do probably every other month) it's by far best in terms of space efficiency.
I think I just like hanging meats too. It's my preferred cooking method for no reason beyond enjoying it.
With that said, I really don't love the intake on WSMs. The three little dampers are just annoying. I can't think of a single reason why I need three. Is there a good reason for that? It's probably my least favorite thing about the cooker. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I pretty much just try to keep all three set to the same setting. I'd actually love something more like the One Touch setup.
Also, it's a really leaky cooker. Even with the Cajun Bandit door, mine leaks and leaks.
The intake on the Gateway Drum Smokers is pretty awesome, at least from the videos I've seen. Maybe I upgrade to something like that this Christmas!Last edited by binarypaladin; September 2, 2019, 11:47 PM.Comment
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Ha. Razor yeah, my target was 6. Then at Christmas, I did 6 for a family gathering and was like, "I think I could squeeze 12 in here." I put the 6 on one side and they fit.
I have thought about fixing the leaks too... the fact is, even with no controller holding temps has never been an issue for me. (In fact, I've had issues with my Flameboss 300.) I find that how you build the fire is probably way more important than the vents or anything I could do to deal with leaks. -
binarypaladin you are right. The start is an important part of the process that is often overlooked. Took me a while to get confident in the process.
The two biggest things for me are;
1. It’s ok to go +/- 25° from your set temperature. If I went +/- 10° I started freaking out. I didn’t learn this until months after I started.
2. When the temp starts going down I almost always overreacted. Knowing that +/- 25° has made things a little better for me. Telling you though, the fan is worth it.
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