Ok, so while this will be my first cook on the WSCG, I did fire it up last night. Using just the charcoal baskets and the fuel grate at the grill setting (higher elevation), I lit it up. It took about 10 minuets of having the gas assist on before the charcoal started really going. It then, with vents wide open, proceeded to reach temperatures in excess of 600 F before I backed the bottom vent down to the smoke setting and closed the top vent 1/2 way. Now this only brought the temps down to the 450 range before I had to shut it down completely (had to go to my Daughter's science fair).
One thing I noted is that my Rapidfire lid damper, was moving easy before the cook. After it got up to 600 F, it began to "stick" meaning it took much more effort to rotate the daisy wheel. I thought this was due to thermal expansion, but once the grill completely cooled I still noticed this. I wrote to Weber this morning to see if this was common and if there was some maintenance I should do to bring it back to its original ease of use.
Ok, now on to the cook. First, you must understand that this is not a Performer, nor is it a WSM. This is its own beast! I am learning that it operates quite differently ( as was expected, but not fully anticipated). I will go into more detail about what I mean as I describe this first cook.
I started the cook this morning around 6:30, when I first salted my 13 lb pork shoulder. I went outside to start the fire. I removed the charcoal baskets, lowered the fuel grate to the bottom level and began putting the coals and the wood together:
Next, I remembered what Tony R did, which was to put foil on the defuser plate, to keep it clean. I like easy to clean, so I followed his example and placed it in the bowl.
Ok, here is where things get interesting. I started up the gas assist, and remembering my experience from the previous night but trying to account for the fuel being on the lower grate and closer to the burner, I turned on the gas for 5 minuets. While it was going, I went back in side and applied Oakridge's Competition Beef and Pork rub to the shoulder. It took about 5 minuets and when I came back out to check on the fire, it was really going (lots of smoke), and the grill was already up to 125F. I shut the Rapidfire lid damper to 1/2 and put the bottom vent on the smoke setting, just to the left. I am targeting between 250 f and 275 f. Well, the temp really took off on me. It just kept climbing and climbing, no reduction in the vent openings seemed to make a difference. It climbed all the way up to 340 f, before I had to take my Son to a school function. Before leaving, I clamped down on the vents leaving just the slightest openings thinking that when I came back It would be down below 275. Wrong! I returned after 1 hour with the temp at 425 F. I was totally confused, so I shut the grill down completely, it took about 45 minuets to fall down to 260 F, at which time I put the meat in and opened the Rapidfire lid damper 1/4 and the bottom vents to 1/2 way between smoke and shut off.
After putting the meat on the temp fell to 215F, but then started to slowly rise. This time I watched it intently, made adjustments, and after about 30 minuets, I got it settled between 257 -265F. That is where it is now and has been there for the last hour. So what went wrong initially? I suspect I kept the gas assist on for two long. I further suspect that once you allow a certain level of fire going it is somewhat self sustaining as the draft it creates is maintained even when the vents are closed substantially. Next time, when I see the temperature excursions that I saw this morning, I will be quick to shut the vents completely until I get the grill down below my set temperature, and then slowly bring it back.
Anyway, this has been my experience so far. I will continue to post as I get through my cook.
One thing I noted is that my Rapidfire lid damper, was moving easy before the cook. After it got up to 600 F, it began to "stick" meaning it took much more effort to rotate the daisy wheel. I thought this was due to thermal expansion, but once the grill completely cooled I still noticed this. I wrote to Weber this morning to see if this was common and if there was some maintenance I should do to bring it back to its original ease of use.
Ok, now on to the cook. First, you must understand that this is not a Performer, nor is it a WSM. This is its own beast! I am learning that it operates quite differently ( as was expected, but not fully anticipated). I will go into more detail about what I mean as I describe this first cook.
I started the cook this morning around 6:30, when I first salted my 13 lb pork shoulder. I went outside to start the fire. I removed the charcoal baskets, lowered the fuel grate to the bottom level and began putting the coals and the wood together:
Next, I remembered what Tony R did, which was to put foil on the defuser plate, to keep it clean. I like easy to clean, so I followed his example and placed it in the bowl.
Ok, here is where things get interesting. I started up the gas assist, and remembering my experience from the previous night but trying to account for the fuel being on the lower grate and closer to the burner, I turned on the gas for 5 minuets. While it was going, I went back in side and applied Oakridge's Competition Beef and Pork rub to the shoulder. It took about 5 minuets and when I came back out to check on the fire, it was really going (lots of smoke), and the grill was already up to 125F. I shut the Rapidfire lid damper to 1/2 and put the bottom vent on the smoke setting, just to the left. I am targeting between 250 f and 275 f. Well, the temp really took off on me. It just kept climbing and climbing, no reduction in the vent openings seemed to make a difference. It climbed all the way up to 340 f, before I had to take my Son to a school function. Before leaving, I clamped down on the vents leaving just the slightest openings thinking that when I came back It would be down below 275. Wrong! I returned after 1 hour with the temp at 425 F. I was totally confused, so I shut the grill down completely, it took about 45 minuets to fall down to 260 F, at which time I put the meat in and opened the Rapidfire lid damper 1/4 and the bottom vents to 1/2 way between smoke and shut off.
After putting the meat on the temp fell to 215F, but then started to slowly rise. This time I watched it intently, made adjustments, and after about 30 minuets, I got it settled between 257 -265F. That is where it is now and has been there for the last hour. So what went wrong initially? I suspect I kept the gas assist on for two long. I further suspect that once you allow a certain level of fire going it is somewhat self sustaining as the draft it creates is maintained even when the vents are closed substantially. Next time, when I see the temperature excursions that I saw this morning, I will be quick to shut the vents completely until I get the grill down below my set temperature, and then slowly bring it back.
Anyway, this has been my experience so far. I will continue to post as I get through my cook.
Comment