WSM using a ton of charcoal

pal251 · 12-06-2012, 05:09 PM

Fired up the wsm about 11:30 AM with what I thought was a full ring of charcoal. (18.5 WSM). Now its 5:00 PM and it looks like the charcoal is almost completely gone and its dropped to 250 when it was on 300 before. I realize that it is about 45 to 60 degrees out today so not terribly cold and I did not shake the ash off of the coals at any point but shouldn't the charcoal last longer?

I am using the kingsford standard stuff in the blue bag

Toast · 12-06-2012, 05:16 PM

I had to learn to use brand new bricks every time for a long smoke. I use the partially burnt bricks in the starter chimney. I use K-Blue coal.

aawa · 12-06-2012, 05:26 PM

How windy was in? The wind will make it so that you use more fuel if you don't block your smoker off with a wind screen.

Big Ace · 12-06-2012, 05:37 PM

Wind is a bug fuel water, also you will also burn more fuel if your water pan is full, I run my WSM with an empty water pan.

Hoss · 12-06-2012, 05:37 PM

Sorry,wrong spot.

Nitrofly · 12-06-2012, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pal251

Fired up the wsm about 11:30 AM with what I thought was a full ring of charcoal. (18.5 WSM). Now its 5:00 PM and it looks like the charcoal is almost completely gone and its dropped to 250 when it was on 300 before. I realize that it is about 45 to 60 degrees out today so not terribly cold and I did not shake the ash off of the coals at any point but shouldn't the charcoal last longer?

I am using the kingsford standard stuff in the blue bag

Thats not a bad burn time for running a WSM @ 300.
I would add fuel every 5 hours running @ 250.
lift the barrel of push hot coals to one side fill ring with
more charcoal. I use lump in my WSM's

J.M.H.O.

Toast · 12-06-2012, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nitrofly

Thats not a bad burn time for running a WSM @ 300.
I would add fuel every 5 hours running @ 250.
lift the barrel of push hot coals to one side fill ring with
more charcoal. I use lump in my WSM's

J.M.H.O.

I've had about 14 hours at 260 to 270* with a full ring of new coal. Wind was not much of a factor though.

Harbormaster · 12-06-2012, 07:33 PM

Never used KBB in any of my WSMs.
Wind screen and a dry pan or sand in the pan would probably improve your fuel mileage. It takes a lot of energy to keep that water hot.

Pigs on Fire · 12-06-2012, 08:08 PM

Keep the water pan less full. The water, wind and cold is sucking the go-go out of the charcoal.

pal251 · 12-06-2012, 09:39 PM

Empty water pan. No sand or saucer.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

BobM · 12-07-2012, 07:46 AM

It's the combination of the relatively high temperature you are cooking at and the relatively low outside temperature.

bmonkman · 12-07-2012, 07:58 AM

I had the same issue last wknd with my WSM 22.5". I did some research and everything pointed to me keeping the water pan full. So I plan to foil it this wknd and see what sort of difference it will make.

Question - since I am removing water from the cooking environment that will make for lower humidity in the pit. (Obviously) Folks, in your experience does that now mean I should spray whatever I am cooking every hour or so?

Brian

JS-TX · 12-07-2012, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmonkman

I had the same issue last wknd with my WSM 22.5". I did some research and everything pointed to me keeping the water pan full. So I plan to foil it this wknd and see what sort of difference it will make.

Question - since I am removing water from the cooking environment that will make for lower humidity in the pit. (Obviously) Folks, in your experience does that now mean I should spray whatever I am cooking every hour or so?

Brian

IMO no, unless you are cooking just a couple slabs of ribs and you notice they look very dry around the edges. Then you may want to spray. Your bark will probably form earlier, so account for that in your process.

12-06-2012, 05:09 PM	#1
pal251 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-07-12 Location: kansas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	WSM using a ton of charcoal Fired up the wsm about 11:30 AM with what I thought was a full ring of charcoal. (18.5 WSM). Now its 5:00 PM and it looks like the charcoal is almost completely gone and its dropped to 250 when it was on 300 before. I realize that it is about 45 to 60 degrees out today so not terribly cold and I did not shake the ash off of the coals at any point but shouldn't the charcoal last longer? I am using the kingsford standard stuff in the blue bag

12-06-2012, 05:16 PM	#2
Toast Babbling Farker Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, LA Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I had to learn to use brand new bricks every time for a long smoke. I use the partially burnt bricks in the starter chimney. I use K-Blue coal. __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM Weber Spirit S-320 Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Weber GA Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Maverick ET-732 Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen

12-06-2012, 05:26 PM	#3
aawa is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-03-12 Location: Virginia Beach Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How windy was in? The wind will make it so that you use more fuel if you don't block your smoker off with a wind screen. __________________ Weber Mini WSM x2 Weber 22.5in OTG x2 Weber Touch and Go Performer *Sublime Smoke UDS* Maverick ET-732 World's Fastest Blue Thermapen *

12-06-2012, 05:37 PM	#4
Big Ace Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-04-10 Location: Orange County Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Wind is a bug fuel water, also you will also burn more fuel if your water pan is full, I run my WSM with an empty water pan. __________________ Chris Traeger Com200, GMG Jim Bowie, 22 WSM, 18.5 WSM, Weber Performer, Mini WSM, Franken Weber

12-06-2012, 07:33 PM	#8
Harbormaster Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-14-06 Location: Wyocena, WI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Never used KBB in any of my WSMs. Wind screen and a dry pan or sand in the pan would probably improve your fuel mileage. It takes a lot of energy to keep that water hot. __________________ Clark My Boys: Joseph (EI); Andrew (EE); Daniel (EE) My Toys: 10 WSMs (B, C, DH, DA, EZ, DZ, EO, DU, DR, EE/DU mutt); Brinkman Cimmaron; Chuckwagon Cooker; 22.5" OTG (DT); Two 22.5" Bar-B-Kettles; One 18.5" Bar-B-Kettle; Smokey Joes (A, K); Genesis Silver C (DU); 3 WGAs (EZ, DE, N); 3 SJPs (DT, DU, DR). "For when democracy becomes tyranny, those of us with rifles still get to vote"

12-06-2012, 05:37 PM	#5
Hoss is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-31-09 Location: Hernando,MS Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Sorry,wrong spot.

12-06-2012, 08:08 PM	#9
Pigs on Fire Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-20-10 Location: Marietta, GA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Keep the water pan less full. The water, wind and cold is sucking the go-go out of the charcoal.

12-06-2012, 09:39 PM	#10
pal251 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-07-12 Location: kansas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Empty water pan. No sand or saucer. Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

12-07-2012, 07:46 AM	#11
BobM is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 02-16-12 Location: Long Island, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	It's the combination of the relatively high temperature you are cooking at and the relatively low outside temperature. __________________ "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin \| Weber 18 1/2" & 22 1/2" WSM, 22 1/2" & 26 3/4" OTG, Genesis S-330 \| \| BBQ Guru CyberQ WiFi \| Maverick ET-732 \|

12-07-2012, 07:58 AM	#12
bmonkman Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-04-12 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I had the same issue last wknd with my WSM 22.5". I did some research and everything pointed to me keeping the water pan full. So I plan to foil it this wknd and see what sort of difference it will make. Question - since I am removing water from the cooking environment that will make for lower humidity in the pit. (Obviously) Folks, in your experience does that now mean I should spray whatever I am cooking every hour or so? Brian __________________ Weber Performer w/smokenator WSM 22.5" White Thermapen Ex-pat Canadian When all else fails just ask yourself, WWGALD???