Finished my Mini WSM basket last night w/ Photo

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bbqgeekess

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Just snapped a photo of the cook I'm starting on my Mini WSM with my new fire basket. (Didn't have a basket before).

I always used lump but bought some kingsford briquettes to try something someone recommended here on the forum: use lump but use a certain number of briquettes (6 for this test) to start it.

Hey all you Mini WSM owners can you describe to me how you set your fire up , what type of fuel you use.. how consistent it is and how long of a burn you get? How many wood chunks do you use, etc..

330s57l.jpg
 
Just curious. Why the new thread each update instead of continuing the OP??

I'd love to follow it but not to the point of searching so many new threads.

Guess I'm just lazy that way :-((

There are some really cool and long threads UDs,PBC, WSM Mini, Akorn and when they are add too, they "bump" to the top and back into consciousness.

Best wishes for many happy cooks.
 
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I have a basket in mine too. I pack it with Lump and 3 man fist sized chunks of wood. Light 8 briquettes( HEB brand) once they ash over they go on the lump. I wait 5 min and I put on the body no lid. Wait for TBS then put on the lid about 10 min. I normally run 275+ so when my temp hits 250 I bump the intake just a tad.
I can get 6-8 hrs depending on the wind & outside temps
 
I'm using HEB Grand Champion natural briquettes. I fill my homemade charcoal basket, which looks a lot like yours, then remove about 6-8 briqs to my Weber mini-chimney. I put a half of starter cube in the center of the charcoal basket, light it, set the chimney on top until I get a good start on the fire. Pour the briqs, close the bottom vents to about half on my SJ silver with chicken can mod. And I get ~ 275 degrees.
I've only gone around four hours, but I'd guess I could go at least two more hours, based on what's left when I shut the WSM down.
 
I got longer times without a basket on my mini and just filling the whole bottom with briqs and chunks and starting via minion method.
 
+1 what Peeps says. No basket.
 


I burn from the edge of the basket...this is how one burn finished. I then shake out the dust,slide over the old and add some new. Each time i'm lighting my fire with the partially burnt stuff which makes for a better hotter fire from the get go.

Doing this method i'm always burning from old to new and i always have wood chunks that turn into lump like pieces....it makes a great blend of briquettes and lump.
 
16Adams said:
+1 what Peeps says. No basket.
Click to expand...

A basket makes for a hotter fire and cleaner burn which makes for better smoke. Also by having the bottom cut out of the pot which many have you can stack your charcoal for longer burn times. I have the basket set up for my mini as well as my jumbo mini build (the Jimmy) and it works incredibly incredibly well....wouldn't dream of not having a basket.

The basket is most effective for people with the sjg because the fire gets air from the sides as well as the bottom. It is also effective with the sjs but with those builds i recommend adding side air.
 
bbqgeekess said:
This is the OP. I think you might be mistaking my 30 gallon UDS build with my Mini WSM?
Click to expand...

My apologies. I guess it was just close enough topic to your other basket topic my calamari oil Co Q10 infused brain did not snap that it was a different cooker.

As I told my last girlfriend before I met my wife " it's me-not you"
 
Fwismoker said:
The basket is most effective for people with the sjg because the fire gets air from the sides as well as the bottom. It is also effective with the sjs but with those builds i recommend adding side air.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking about buying a SJG just to see the difference. I am using the SJS inverted chicken can mod (with plenty of holes drilled in can on inverted upper sides).
 
16Adams said:
My apologies. I guess it was just close enough topic to your other basket topic my calamari oil Co Q10 infused brain did not snap that it was a different cooker.

As I told my last girlfriend before I met my wife " it's me-not you"
Click to expand...

No problem. *giggle*

I am trying to resurrect my Mini WSM and make it a reasonable cooker. It's always been so hard to control the temp. I was told a basket would help so I am giving it a shot--I might have to get a SJG as well. My 30 gallon UDS burns nice and consistent (just built it), however I don't like that it uses so much more fuel than my Mini WSM. I am mostly cooking just for 2 and the Mini can handle most of it (I don't mind cutting my rack of ribs in half for cooking for 2). I am going to give my 30 gallon UDS to my brother for christmas and build a 55 gallon for myself instead. Then anything I can't cook on my Mini WSM I'll just do on the 55 gallon UDS without regard for fuel cost (won't be that often) e.g. spatchcocked turkey, packer brisket, full racks of ribs, etc..
 
bbqgeekess said:
I've been thinking about buying a SJG just to see the difference. I am using the SJS inverted chicken can mod (with plenty of holes drilled in can on inverted upper sides).
Click to expand...
Just use your step bit you bought for your UDS build and drill (4) 3/4" holes. and use 3/4" pipe plugs to fill them. That's what I did with my SJS. I can use the bottom, the sides, or both.
 
bbqgeekess said:
I've been thinking about buying a SJG just to see the difference. I am using the SJS inverted chicken can mod (with plenty of holes drilled in can on inverted upper sides).
Click to expand...
It just makes a difference having air from all directions. Before getting a gold just maybe add a nipple with a cap on each side. The gold basically has two 1" holes on each side.
 
peeps said:
Just use your step bit you bought for your UDS build and drill (4) 3/4" holes. and use 3/4" pipe plugs to fill them. That's what I did with my SJS. I can use the bottom, the sides, or both.
Click to expand...

Yep, in essence make it a sjg but have the option of bottom air which is good when you sear.

I'm actually considering adding a valve at the bottom of my gold to introduce air from underneath for that reason. This is how my Jimmy build is...the jumbo has the bottom vent and i added two wsm type vents and a 3/4 ball valve for side air.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173767 I open up the bottom vent when i want super high heat or for searing mode.
 
I even went one step further and put a full port valve on one of my side holes.
 
Umm, how do you guys adjust the airflow with those nipples/caps/plugs? Seems like I would want it adjsutable on each side?
 
Btw, I have noticed there isn't enough airflow on a stock SJS for a good searing. Like Fwismoker said, I think it will really help with searing/grilling.
 
Adjust by removing 1 to 3 caps and fine tuning with the one valve, just like folks do with a UDS.
 
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