Getting my 1st smoker (WSM)- Now what?

C

crabjoe

Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Joined
Aug 4, 2020
Messages
36
Reaction score
36
Points
0
Location
Ceciltucky
I've got a WSM 18 on order and it's suppose to arrive this weekend. I've been watching YT videos like crazy to get an idea on how to use it.

My plan, when it arrives is to get it seasoned. The only info I've found was from Harry Soo on how he seasons his WSM. Would you folks agree that it's a safe bet on going his way? I'm a bit worried about loading her up and just running her dry for God knows how many hours for the coal to burn out.

As for my 1st cook, I'm planning on Pit Beef, being that I'm from Baltimore.. I've got a couple racks of St Louis ribs in my freezer, so maybe I'll give that a shot too.

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

BTW, I ordered a 6 probe thermometer to measure temps while cooking.. Is there anything else that I might need to get good consistent cooks?

Thanks all!
 
crabjoe said:
I've got a WSM 18 on order and it's suppose to arrive this weekend. I've been watching YT videos like crazy to get an idea on how to use it.

My plan, when it arrives is to get it seasoned. The only info I've found was from Harry Soo on how he seasons his WSM. Would you folks agree that it's a safe bet on going his way? I'm a bit worried about loading her up and just running her dry for God knows how many hours for the coal to burn out.

As for my 1st cook, I'm planning on Pit Beef, being that I'm from Baltimore.. I've got a couple racks of St Louis ribs in my freezer, so maybe I'll give that a shot too.

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

BTW, I ordered a 6 probe thermometer to measure temps while cooking.. Is there anything else that I might need to get good consistent cooks?

Thanks all!
Click to expand...

Harry is WSM king !! all his videos are great info
 
For seasoning just start cooking, preferably something with some good fat content. Pork butts are forgiving and have plenty of fat so a long cook like that should start the process pretty good. Keep in mind that the WSM will generally want to run a little hotter until the seasoning has a chance to coat the inside of the cooker. Congrats on ordering your WSM, nice choice.
 
After 1st burn off , use either the snake or minion method. Search for details. Take a #2 pencil and open bottom 3 vents so the pencil just slips in. Top vent wide open. This will give you a 250 temp for awhile. May open up late in cook if temp drops. Enjoy. T Roy Cooks has some good WSM videos.
 
I personally like to run pecan when first seasoning my WSM. It lays on a nice heavy smoke to help seal up the little gaps that may exist.
 
Thanks for the tips folks!

Maybe a Pit Beef isn't going to be my 1st cook, since it seems I need some grease build up... I guess I need to keep an eye out for a Pork butt.

BTW, I've always heard that you shouldn't use a rub with sugar in it because it will burn. Is that a hard and fast rule or is it more based on the max temp one uses while building the bark? If I stay under 300F (I'm planning on doing most of my cooks at 250-275), will a rub with sugar be a problem?

Thanks!
 
Give some smoked meatloaf a try. Simple and easy. Great taste. Cook to 165 internal.
I did these on my WSM 18 while cutting grass today.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20200807_125552899.jpg
    IMG_20200807_125552899.jpg
    92.1 KB · Views: 187
  • IMG_20200807_133314788.jpg
    IMG_20200807_133314788.jpg
    72.8 KB · Views: 187
Ceciltucky? I definitely know where you are. Born there, still work there.

You can't go wrong with a WSM. It was my first real smoker. Learn to control the temps while you're seasoning it. Leave the top vents open and adjust with the 3 bottom vents. Go slow and be patient. It'll come to you.
 
I see no need to season. Just wash the grates and start cooking. I would put water in the pan for a nice, moist environment so it will gunk up quicker.

Good choice!
 
I recently got my WSM, any route you choose will come out fine I'm sure. What I did was a 4hr burnout at temps past 350f, then a practice run at 275f so I could learn my smoker. In the practice run, I bought a package of the fattiest bacon I could find to season it with. Next, was a pork butt for 9hrs, each session gets a bit easier with temp control.
 
First, Congratulations on the WSM! it is a great smoker with a short learning curve. I have a 22 and Love it.
I did a half basket burn out at that pencil opening on the 3 bottom vents and damper (top vent) full open. I seasoned it by rubbing down with olive oil on the entire interior. Then I did a 2 lb "break in Fatty", about 3 total hours @ 225*. After that, It became what ever I wanted to smoke. I smoke at 225* normally.
With the racks, I washed them and dried them and then coated the one I used with spray Pam, this makes it easier to clean.
I upgraded to a larger water bowl I got after market @ Weber Bullet.com; and the stainless Steel door, which seals better and holds heat better also at Weber Bullet.com.

Another suggestion is to get another rack for the charcoal rack, place it at 90* of original rack. This helps keep larger pieces of burning coal from dropping down in to the bottom. You can get a cheap replacement grate at Wal Mart about the same size. I wired them together.
I also use Harry Soo's method of setting up the charcoal with "hole" in middle and then about 12 pieces of charcoal in the chimney, which I pour in the "hole" after they are fully lit. The chunks of wood are inserted into the coals prior about an inch back from the "hole" before I dump the lit ones.

Hope this helps you out. It is a pretty easy smoker and you will love it Looking forward to pics of your cooks.
 
I did not need to pre-burn or season my WSM. I just made sure that I thoroughly cleaned all the packing oil off the charcoal grate and cooking grates, then I started cooking.

The WSM is a very simple cooker. Holds temps well, even with no water in the pan (I never put water in the pan).

One thing I had to learn about the minion method, though. Before you put the meat on, make sure you let it burn for 1/2 hour to an hour so that the charcoal heats up completely and gets rid of all the nasty, thick smoke.
 
You’ll love the WSM, I’ve had one for long time and I’m never disappointed in it. I don’t put water in the pan either, although I added a bunch of play sand to the bowl. Some people think it helps. The Harry Soo method of leaving a “Hole” in the middle then lighting the coals seems to work the best for me.
 
Congrats you are going to love the smoker! It took me a while and advice from here to learn don't chase a specific temp with it. Over time you will see where yours likes to run. Mine is around 275*. I don't put water in the water pan except for Brisket and Butts. Also look at cooking chicken and other stuff with no water pan. It's a versatile cooker.

Sent from my SM-A215U using Tapatalk
 
crabjoe said:
I've got a WSM 18 on order and it's suppose to arrive this weekend. I've been watching YT videos like crazy to get an idea on how to use it.

My plan, when it arrives is to get it seasoned. The only info I've found was from Harry Soo on how he seasons his WSM. Would you folks agree that it's a safe bet on going his way? I'm a bit worried about loading her up and just running her dry for God knows how many hours for the coal to burn out.

As for my 1st cook, I'm planning on Pit Beef, being that I'm from Baltimore.. I've got a couple racks of St Louis ribs in my freezer, so maybe I'll give that a shot too.

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.



BTW, I ordered a 6 probe thermometer to measure temps while cooking.. Is there anything else that I might need to get good consistent cooks?

Thanks all!
Click to expand...


Welcome!
You're going to love it!

There are so many threads on cooking with the WSM.
It's a question of informing yourself and then learning by doing.


And you will need good quality charcoal.


Good luck mate!
 
If you're not going to water in the bowl, why even insert the bowl?
 
crabjoe said:
If you're not going to water in the bowl, why even insert the bowl?
Click to expand...

It will act like a heat diffuser like people put in an ugly drum.

Since you are just starting out why not try the way that smoker was designed to be used. Put Kingsford charcoal In It And light using the minion method. Put a quart of beer in the water pan then top off the rest of the way with water. Either bury chunks of dry smoke wood strategically in the charcoal, or just toss a chunk on top at the beginning and throw a new chunk on every 45 minutes or so for the first half of the cook. (Meat Doesn’t take much smoke after it hits 140°f So don’t wast the smoke wood after that.) Apple is a good mild wood to start with and it goes with just about anything. Use a mix of apple and hickory for ribs.

Leave the top vent wide open and adjust the bottom vents to achieve temp.
Have all vents wide open when lighting. Once the temp climbs to about 200°f close the three bottom vents down to about 1/4 open And let it stabilize on temp. (You can use a pencil Diameter for this initial adjustment) if it climbs past your target temp close the bottom vents a little more. If it stabilizes below your target temp open the bottom vents a little more. Don’t chase the temps. Give the temp 10 or so minutes to settle between adjustments. Don’t worry about hitting an exact Pit temp. Getting it in the ballpark is good enough. As your experience increases so will your ability to get the pit temp closer to a desired temp, but in reality 20° either way will work just fine.

The biggest thing you need to learn when smoking meats is patience. Just sit back and have a beer and don’t monkey with anything unless you know it needs it. If you aren’t sure just leave it alone.
 
Shadowdog500 said:
It will act like a heat diffuser like people put in an ugly drum.

Since you are just starting out why not try the way that smoker was designed to be used. Put Kingsford charcoal In It And light using the minion method. Put a quart of beer in the water pan then top off the rest of the way with water. Either bury chunks of dry smoke wood strategically in the charcoal, or just toss a chunk on top at the beginning and throw a new chunk on every 45 minutes or so for the first half of the cook. (Meat Doesn’t take much smoke after it hits 140°f So don’t wast the smoke wood after that.) Apple is a good mild wood to start with and it goes with just about anything. Use a mix of apple and hickory for ribs.

Leave the top vent wide open and adjust the bottom vents to achieve temp.
Have all vents wide open when lighting. Once the temp climbs to about 200°f close the three bottom vents down to about 1/4 open And let it stabilize on temp. (You can use a pencil Diameter for this initial adjustment) if it climbs past your target temp close the bottom vents a little more. If it stabilizes below your target temp open the bottom vents a little more. Don’t chase the temps. Give the temp 10 or so minutes to settle between adjustments. Don’t worry about hitting an exact Pit temp. Getting it in the ballpark is good enough. As your experience increases so will your ability to get the pit temp closer to a desired temp, but in reality 20° either way will work just fine.

The biggest thing you need to learn when smoking meats is patience. Just sit back and have a beer and don’t monkey with anything unless you know it needs it. If you aren’t sure just leave it alone.
Click to expand...

You pretty much nailed the whole cook with perfect instructions. Following this will yield great results. You shouldn’t have any issues for your first cook if you follow shadows advice here. Share some pictures and how things are going during your first cook. We love to watch :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
New Backwoods Cabinet - How do I get more smoke flavor?
Replies
13
Views
785
snadamo
snadamo
Jason TQ
Visiting Brother, Rollin on his RecTec
Replies
17
Views
664
Jason TQ
Jason TQ
J
Electric smoker dying
Replies
16
Views
617
JIMSMOKES
J
S
Anyone make good stainless steel grates for 18” WSM?
Replies
11
Views
982
Shadowdog500
S
W
New to The PK
Replies
16
Views
524
WeberWho
W
Back
Top