Ran the first test smoke on my summit

[Richard Chrz]

Last night At 5 pm I began cook, no food on the grill, as I wanted to test 4 different spots on the grate looking for hot spots, etc. I did run a water pan.

This photo was at the 25 hour mark, with no refills. I have a few things to learn, but I’m comfortable enough to run 0ver nights on it,

Half a bag of BB oak briquettes.
No fan. Lead #6 is an outdoor ambient temp

[Redwng]

Wow, not going to get any closer than that.

[STEbbq]

25 hours with no refills and still at 250? That’s an epic first run. I am surprised it did that well.

[Richard Chrz]

I have run a 2x1 snake in my 26. And run 225-240 for 24 hours this summer,

[fzxdoc]

FWIW, a run like that is pretty standard for the WSCG, STEbbq . It's yet another reason to enjoy using that cooker.

Kathryn

[RonB]

I think you are ready for a 30 lb brisket now.

[MBMorgan]

What a piece of junk. PM me for an address where you can ship it for proper disposal.

[Panhead John]

LOL!

[barelfly]

I wouldn’t think there would be hot spots. But to see this after that length of time is sweet! Dang!

So does that mean an overnight cook that doesn’t necessarily require you to get up and fuel? I don’t smoke this way, mine is set it and forget it. But, I’d love to do an overnight on the 22” some day…. Maybe

can’t wait to see what you cook up!

[Richard Chrz]

If I have to get out of bed at 3 in the morning, it is not happening, I would not even care if it was a 150 dollar brisket, it just would not happen.


My 26 kettle can run 24 hours up to 24 hours with a 2x1 snake, so no refuels, ever for a cook, now the Summit is the same, it was still going at 25 hours on the initial fire, my 22 could probably get 10-12 hours, is my guess, as long as I have BB charcoal, and it may run longer even, like 14 hours…

[CaptainMike]

Like a rock.

[fzxdoc]

Yup.

[Sid P]

That should work.

[Skip]

Looking good Richard!

[Mosca]

Wow. Rock solid, no fan. That is a nice unit.

[fzxdoc]

Thanks for posting your test findings, Richard. Your WSCG sure looks pretty.

I think almost everyone who has smoked on the WSCG(C) has enjoyed discovering those same findings. As I recall, Max even mentions its rock solid temperatures for 24 hours or more in the AR review. It's always a pleasant surprise the first time around. And a huge convenience too!

It's an amazingly well-built unit for sure. So much so that I have yet to hook my Pit Viper/Fireboard Drive up to it. Never had the need. It's pretty much its own ATC.

Kathryn

[Richard Chrz]

I assume you run a minion as well?

Although I bought this more as my smoker, I will obviously grill with it too. But your’s, Max’s and everyone else’s reviews are what put it in my radar. The long cook and no refills, only way to go, for me.

[fzxdoc]

I run a minion in my WSCGC, Richard, using the SnapJet igniter. I don't make a center well in the unlit coals (for lit coal placement) as in a true minion method. I'll post my lighting instructions here for you to take a look at.

Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

Richard, as promised:

Kathryn's WSCGC Kamado Mode Lighting Instructions

1a.(Skip this step if you have the diffuser plate with holes in it.) Foil the Ash Bucket (optional) and the Diffuser Plate.
1b. Wipe the (previously cleaned) grate down with a disinfectant wipe and then wipe down again with water.
1c. Set out two disposable aluminum pans for drip pans to be set on the diffuser plate, or, if you want to keep the juices from boiling off, use ceramic spacers and a (16-20 inch diameter) round drip pan.

2. Use 2.5 scoops for short cooks like ribs or chicken and 4 scoops for long cooks like pork butt, chuck or brisket. Four scoops will give you at least 10-12 hours of decent temps (250° or more). Spread them pretty evenly on the charcoal grate. Top with 5-6 chunks of wood (4 to 6 oz each). Don't put a wood chunk directly over the igniter. 5 to 6 chunks will give you about 5 hours of beautiful blue smoke. For short cooks, use 1 chunk of wood. (Reminder: 1 Weber scoop holds about 40 coals, about half a chimney.)

3. Start the SnapJet ignition going. Let it run for exactly 5 minutes with the lid open and bottom vent fully open.

If you don't have the SnapJet igniter with your model, you can start the fire using a modified Soo Donut method:

1. Remove 15 coals from the pile on the charcoal grate to the chimney and light using a Weber cube for 20 minutes or until the topmost coals are ashed over.
2. Make a modified Soo Donut by placing a coffee can in the center of the grate and positioning the unlit coals and the wood around it. Position the wood so that as the fire burns out, it will sequentially light.
3. Also, if desired, place a few handfuls of wood chips near the periphery of the coal for a last burst of good smoke.
4. Pour the lit coals in the center of the donut.

4. After the 5 minute ignition, turn off the SnapJet igniter. Add the ring grate, the diffuser plate, the drip pan(s) and the food grate. Attach the ambient probes to the grate. Close the lid, flip down the top vent but leave the holes fully open (bottom vent still fully open) and watch the temperature climb.

5. When you're about 70 degrees from your goal temperature, close the bottom vent to the smoke setting (or just below if your WSCGC runs hot) and close the top vent to 1/2 or less, again, depending on your Weber.

6. Before adding meat, oil the grate with a soaked paper towel to give it some lubrication.


More Notes:
If using KBB, there's a ton of white smoke until the Weber gets around 225-250°, then it settles out to white wispy/blue smoke for several hours. If the smoke is pure white (no grey), I'll put the cold meat on at 180°F grate level temp so it can get a jump on the smoke flavor. I feel (but don't know for sure) that adding that cold mass helps to keep the temperatures from running away. I've done it both ways--adding the meat early at 180°F and adding it at 225°F, and honestly, if I keep an eye on the temp, I've yet to have a runaway smoker.

With B&B Briquettes, there's no billowing white smoke. Just nice smoke pretty much right after shutting off the SnapJet. I use 3 scoops of B&B and one scoop of KBB, because the KBB lights more quickly. I place the KBB briquettes closer to the SnapJet side and spread the B&B briquettes around it. Ditto with Weber Briquettes.

Smoking in the 250-270 range: A 4-scoop-load of coals (Kingsford Original) lasts about 8-9 hours at that setting. I set the lower vent to just above (to the right of) the smoker setting and the upper vent to 1/3 open. I get a much longer smoke time with B&B or Weber briquettes.

For cooking at or below 250, I close the lower vent to just below the smoker setting (to the left of it) and set the upper vent to 1/4 open. At 250 or less, I can get about 10-12 hours or more of smoke out of a single 4-scoop-load of Kingsford Original coals.


HTH,
Kathryn

[hoovarmin]

The efficiency of the Kamados was more than I ever expected. For long smokes I like to fire up the offset, but if I needed to do an overnight in the Kamado I would be 100% comfortable going to bed once the temp was locked in.

[au4stree]

Totally expected to read this type of results, that Weber Summit Kamado is a boss. Enjoy the future cooks.