Running a 22" WSM at 300* with Stoker

[slowerlowerbbq]

Does anyone else have experience cooking on a 22" WSM at high heat using the Stoker? I have been trying to run mine at 300* in competition, but even though I can usually get it up to temp, it never seems to stay there. It never fails that after about 1-2 hours the temps start to creep down until it settles at 250. I've tried adding a chimney of lit charcoal, adding lump, the temp will go up and then creep right back down shortly after.

Currently, I am cooking with briquets and I have a feeling I need to go with all lump for these cooks. Unfortunately, lump has been near impossible for me to find anything around me.

[Brauma]

have you tried using a firering from a 18" WSM? I've heard this helps managing temps better in the 22.5" WSM's.

We use a 18" WSM at comps and it locks in at 230* for 8 hours and never wavers. We've never considered using an electric fan only because there's no need.

[G$]

I've run the WSM 22 at 300 using a 10cfm stoker for at least several hours. I assume you have no water in the water pan? WSM IS sheltered from the wind?

[Will work for bbq]

I think using the 18" charcoal ring works great for a naturally aspirated burn but not so good with a fan. I tried it with my Guru and Stubbs charcoal for the first time and it took forever to get up to 275* and every time the guru cycled off the temp dropped ~15-20*. Once I figured it had to be the 18" ring I removed it and the temp spiked then settled and was rock solid. I haven't tried going to 300*. But make sure the vent with the fan adapter is open, that happened once on my 18" the vent worked its way closed and I wasn't getting any airflow.

[MG_NorCal]

Originally Posted by slowerlowerbbq

I have been trying to run mine at 300* in competition, but even though I can usually get it up to temp, it never seems to stay there. It never fails that after about 1-2 hours the temps start to creep down until it settles at 250. I've tried adding a chimney of lit charcoal, adding lump, the temp will go up and then creep right back down shortly after.

Currently, I am cooking with briquets and I have a feeling I need to go with all lump for these cooks. Unfortunately, lump has been near impossible for me to find anything around me.

Sounds like the fire suffocates under ash. I think you're right about using lump instead.
Consider also that the 22" loses lots of heat over its large surface area, an insulating jacket would make your temp easier to hold.

[slowerlowerbbq]

Thanks all! I do run the WSM with no water in the pan even for low temp cooks. It seems like the happy place for these 22" WSMs is around 250* no matter what i do. Although it will sit at 225* all night on the Stoker when I start the fire off slow. Also, I have checked to shake the ash off the charcoal and even tried adding a whole chimney of lit to no avail. Wind usually isn't a problem, but the cold may be. perhaps I need to throw a blanky on there . Does anyone have any experience using any kind of insulator on these?

[FireChief]

Originally Posted by slowerlowerbbq

Thanks all! I do run the WSM with no water in the pan even for low temp cooks. It seems like the happy place for these 22" WSMs is around 250* no matter what i do. Although it will sit at 225* all night on the Stoker when I start the fire off slow. Also, I have checked to shake the ash off the charcoal and even tried adding a whole chimney of lit to no avail. Wind usually isn't a problem, but the cold may be. perhaps I need to throw a blanky on there . Does anyone have any experience using any kind of insulator on these?

Sorry, late post I know. I have a Pro Q Excel 18". Try this - crack the lid just a bit. instead of seating it properly, leave it unseated with a gap. I've done this on hot and fast briskets and works like a charm. I would wait until the fire settles down a bit. I've done it off the bat and have had the cooker spike to over 400 degrees! Good luck, let me know if it works on that huge cooker!

[Funtimebbq]

Originally Posted by G$

I've run the WSM 22 at 300 using a 10cfm stoker for at least several hours. I assume you have no water in the water pan? WSM IS sheltered from the wind?

I've had the same success. The key is the 10 cfm fan. What size fan do you use?

Benny

[Sledneck]

I put a clay pot base in my water pan with my stoker, helps retain some heat, you might also need more air, crack the door

[BBQchef33]

im no expert with the 22 yet, just ran it for the first time this weekend, but we ran all lump, and easily got 350 by cracking the lid about 1/2 inch. Once it hit that, we put the lid back, opened all vents and it held at 315 for about 3 hours until it ran out of fuel. Keep in mind, we ramped it up after burning for about 4 hours at 250 so the fuels load was on its way out.


by the way.. that sucker makes alot of steam... it nearly washed all the rub off the ribs in the first 30 minutes. I run the 18 with water, but for the 22, no more water in the water pan for me... switchin to sand.

[mwmac]

Some sort of a windbreak could help. I have used a BBQ Guru smoking jacket for my 18.5 WSM for a couple of years and find that it helps a lot especially when the snow is blowing

[jimbloomfield]

Do not have our 22 anymore. When we did we needed a wind block/ insulator to run the higher temps and be steady. We used Reflectix from Lowes the 4 foot high stuff loosely wrapped around the cooker. It will burn if it touches the cooker. We had handles on the cooker (4) which was perfect for spacing and clipping to. Worked great for overnight cooks too. Cuts the fuel use way down. The BBQ Guru also makes a insulated cover for using when cooking.

[big brother smoke]

No problems getting 350* with my 22" thus far; no water in the pan. I use Royal Oak briquettes and a couple pieces of lump. You can crack the lid or manually blow air via a handheld fan through the vents.

[swamprb]

I tried a couple hot n fast cooks using the Cajun Bandit expanded charcoal ring for the 22" WSM using BBKingsford and the BBQ Guru w/10cfm fan and the amount of charcoal was too much to keep consistant high temps. I could prop the door open and it would soar, but after closing it the temps would settle @ 275*.

Since then, I started using a smaller diameter expando or the ring from an 18" bullet and it works much better with the Guru for HH cooks.

On the flip side, I did the WSM door prop mod on the 18"&22" WSM's and the Cajun Bandit Stainless Steel replacemnet doors and turned all my bullets into Turbo Cookers-no need for the Guru or Stoker IMO.

[slowerlowerbbq]

Hey Brian,

I used your door prop mod on my 22" before I got the Stoker and worked great. I was going to try propping the door along with using the Stoker on my next cook to see if this works better. From what you're saying, it sounds like you were using the Guru with the door propped and your temps soarded? That's what I was concerned about.

Are you getting pretty consistent temps by propping the door and leaving the guru off?

Originally Posted by swamprb

I tried a couple hot n fast cooks using the Cajun Bandit expanded charcoal ring for the 22" WSM using BBKingsford and the BBQ Guru w/10cfm fan and the amount of charcoal was too much to keep consistant high temps. I could prop the door open and it would soar, but after closing it the temps would settle @ 275*.

Since then, I started using a smaller diameter expando or the ring from an 18" bullet and it works much better with the Guru for HH cooks.

On the flip side, I did the WSM door prop mod on the 18"&22" WSM's and the Cajun Bandit Stainless Steel replacemnet doors and turned all my bullets into Turbo Cookers-no need for the Guru or Stoker IMO.