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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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04-02-2013, 10:04 AM | #1 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 12-26-12
Location: Goode,VA
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WSM observations and questions
Greetings Brethren,
I have one cook under my belt on the WSM and I have a couple of questions. I started out with an 8 lb. bag of lump and lit it using the minion method. All three bottom vents set at 25% open until the temp reached about 180° (top vent wide open) and then I closed two bottom vents with the 3rd set at about 25% open. Temp settled in around 250° (Dome thermometer) and only fluctuated by about ±20° for the duration of a 5 hour cook with a 13 lb. ham and a foiled water pan. White smoke poured from every crack and crevice of the WSM (the door I expected) for about 30 minutes before there was no visible smoke at all (I didn't use any smoking wood). Does that time sound right? When I went to clean it, I was a little surprised at how much charcoal had been burnt for 5 hours. I'm guessing it's because it isn't seasoned and is pulling air in from the joints (lid, barrel, bowl) of the cooker, but was hoping for feedback from others. I really did my homework here before I even bought it and let me tell you, she is a solid cooker. I was almost bored not having to fiddle around with it during the cook. I was going to replace the door with the Cajun Bandit SS one, but I'm not sure I need to now. Dave
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04-02-2013, 10:09 AM | #2 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 07-19-11
Location: In the Marsh
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That will be normal until you get a few cooks on her. She'll need a few cooks to seal up the cracks with some good gunk! Wait...that sounded woodpilish.
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"You have never lived until you have almost died". "For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know".-Unknown Vietnam Soldier 22" WSM 22" Weber Gold Weber Smoky Joe Weber Gasser Rec-Tec 590 |
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04-02-2013, 10:14 AM | #3 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 12-26-12
Location: Goode,VA
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Thanks Pat.
Does the door eventually seal up also? Dave
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04-02-2013, 10:16 AM | #4 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 07-19-11
Location: In the Marsh
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Yes, Sir. Mine did the same thing.
After three cooks, four butts each cook, she stopped leaking completely.
__________________
"You have never lived until you have almost died". "For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the protected will never know".-Unknown Vietnam Soldier 22" WSM 22" Weber Gold Weber Smoky Joe Weber Gasser Rec-Tec 590 |
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04-02-2013, 10:22 AM | #5 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 02-16-12
Location: Long Island, NY
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What Pat said.
I tweaked my door a little to get it to seal up better. My WSM still leaks a bit, but it doesn't affect the cooks at all.
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"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin | [COLOR=RoyalBlue][COLOR=Red]Weber[/COLOR] 18 1/2" & 22 1/2" WSM[/COLOR], [COLOR=SeaGreen]22 1/2" & 26 3/4" OTG[/COLOR][COLOR=DimGray][COLOR=Black],[/COLOR] [COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Genesis S-330[/COLOR][/COLOR] |[COLOR=DarkRed] [COLOR=Black]|[/COLOR] BBQ Guru CyberQ WiFi [/COLOR]| [COLOR=DarkOrange]Maverick ET-732[/COLOR] | [COLOR=Gray]Gray Thermapen[/COLOR] | |
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04-02-2013, 10:24 AM | #6 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 07-14-06
Location: Wyocena/Pardeeville, WI
Name/Nickname : Clark
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Dave,
If it doesn't stop leaking, some of the components (usually the center section) might be out of round. If you don't have temp control issues, and if the fire goes out when you close all of the vents, I wouldn't worry about it. If you have issues, measure all of the components and adjust them accordingly. You can tweak the door a little to get it to fit properly too. When I fire up a WSM, I open all of the bottom vents 100%. As my dome temp approaches my target (usually at about 220) I shut all three vents down to about 1/3, then tweak as necessary to achieve and hold my desired dome temp. Congratulations on a successful first cook!
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Clark My Boys: Joseph (EI); Andrew (EE); Daniel (EE) My Toys: 10 WSMs (B, C, E, DH, DA, EZ, DZ, EO, DU, DR); 5 - 22.5" Bar-B-Q-Kettles; 2 - 18.5" Bar-B-Q-Kettle; 4 WGAs (EZ, DE, N, B); 2 SJPs ( DR, DR); 2 Smokey Joes (A, K); Brinkman Cimmaron. "For when democracy becomes tyranny, those of us with rifles still get to vote" |
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04-02-2013, 10:29 AM | #7 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 12-26-12
Location: Goode,VA
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Quote:
What had me puzzled was that I was controlling the temp with one vent and at one point it was almost completely closed. I started to suspect it was drawing air in from around the joints. One more question, do you folks ever have to "give it a kick" to prevent ash build up? I didn't this time, but it was only a 5 hour cook. Thanks for the feedback. Dave
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04-02-2013, 10:39 AM | #8 | |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 07-14-06
Location: Wyocena/Pardeeville, WI
Name/Nickname : Clark
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Quote:
Natural products (lump, Royal Oak Chefs Select briqs, Rancher briqs, Stubb's briqs) seem to produce significantly less ash reducing the possibility of ash clogging. I love my WSMs to much to kick them, but if I have temp issues, I'll poke the coals through the access door to knock some of the ash off.
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Clark My Boys: Joseph (EI); Andrew (EE); Daniel (EE) My Toys: 10 WSMs (B, C, E, DH, DA, EZ, DZ, EO, DU, DR); 5 - 22.5" Bar-B-Q-Kettles; 2 - 18.5" Bar-B-Q-Kettle; 4 WGAs (EZ, DE, N, B); 2 SJPs ( DR, DR); 2 Smokey Joes (A, K); Brinkman Cimmaron. "For when democracy becomes tyranny, those of us with rifles still get to vote" |
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04-02-2013, 10:45 AM | #9 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 12-26-12
Location: Goode,VA
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Quote:
I am humbled sir. Dave
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Proud member of the [URL=http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155673]Zero's Club[/URL] |
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04-02-2013, 10:53 AM | #10 |
is Blowin Smoke!
Join Date: 02-17-10
Location: San Antonio, TX
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04-02-2013, 11:41 AM | #11 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 04-30-11
Location: northern california
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yeap, I want to know that too.
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PBC, Cobb grill, Weber Mastertouch, Gosun solar cooker. |
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04-02-2013, 11:42 AM | #12 | |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 02-16-12
Location: Long Island, NY
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Quote:
I generally keep two vents closed and control the temperature with the third vent.
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"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin | [COLOR=RoyalBlue][COLOR=Red]Weber[/COLOR] 18 1/2" & 22 1/2" WSM[/COLOR], [COLOR=SeaGreen]22 1/2" & 26 3/4" OTG[/COLOR][COLOR=DimGray][COLOR=Black],[/COLOR] [COLOR=DeepSkyBlue]Genesis S-330[/COLOR][/COLOR] |[COLOR=DarkRed] [COLOR=Black]|[/COLOR] BBQ Guru CyberQ WiFi [/COLOR]| [COLOR=DarkOrange]Maverick ET-732[/COLOR] | [COLOR=Gray]Gray Thermapen[/COLOR] | |
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04-02-2013, 11:43 AM | #13 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 07-20-12
Location: Springfield, MO
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Probably only difference is that the charcoal in the area where the vent is open may burn before the coals in the area where the vents are closed. I notice this when I use my Auber. Where the fan is will burn quicker.
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Smooth Smoke BBQ Team, KCBS CBJ, porch mounted Jambo. |
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04-02-2013, 12:04 PM | #14 |
is Blowin Smoke!
Join Date: 02-17-10
Location: San Antonio, TX
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Well I've read that a lot of these cabinet smoker guys will light their fire on the opposite side of their ATC, so the fire will burn towards it. I kinda do the same with my WSM. I put a couple starter cubes just off center of my lump stack and let it burn towards my IQ. It seems to work ok.
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04-02-2013, 01:37 PM | #15 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 09-26-12
Location: Locust Grove, GA
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When all else fails, you can always go the Nomex gasket route.
http://www.bbqgaskets.com/catalog_4.html
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OK Joe, KJ Classic, KJ Jr, WSM, 2 -Performers, 2-OTG, mini WSM, Summit 420, Q100, and Schwenkgrill |
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