New WSM..any tips/trips you'd like to share with me?

[Theresa B]

Funny to see the comments about the door...after the hubby built it and I saw it for the first time that was my comment....what the hell is up with the door?

[NorthwestBBQ]

Originally Posted by KnucklHed BBQ

Didn't see this one mentioned... if using water in the pan, make sure that it is boiling hot water, cold water will suck the heat from your fire and make temp control a PITA!

A ROL and expansion ring are great chicken/rib cooking mods too! swamprb or nwbbq can prolly supply some pics...

Like this?

[Kings over Queens]

That is just flat out sexy.

[thirtydaZe]

Originally Posted by swamprb

I'm new to smoking with charcoal and wood, so please forgive my ignorance.

How do you keep your temps down with that much charcoal? I recently purchased an offset, my first smoke i used what i considered way to much charcoal, and ended up have to scoop about 80% of it out to get my temp back down to 225*.

Looking at your picture i'd say i had roughly that much charcoal, and even after closing my damper still couldn't cool it down.

[Myrdhyn]

WSM is fairly simple:

-Leave the top vent 100% open
-Choose a method for the water pan (water, sand, empty, foiled, etc) and stick with it.
-Ignore Weber's method for lighting it. Learn the Minion method (very simple) and use it.
-The first cook or two play around with the bottom vents BEFORE you put your meat on to get an idea how your particular smoker responds to vent adjustment
-Cook, cook, COOK!

[speedrcer1]

Welcome to the WSM World!
My nickles:
1. If you run no water, foil the pan, put keep a 1" gap between the foil and the bottom of the pan. Or the juices will boil and make for nasty smoke.
2. I always find my lower rack cooks noticeably slower that the top. (on the 22")
3. As someone else recommended, the iQue 110 is a great simple temp controller. And the thru grommets too.

But the most important part.. Have fun with it!

[Jaskew82]

Originally Posted by thirtydaZe

I'm new to smoking with charcoal and wood, so please forgive my ignorance.

How do you keep your temps down with that much charcoal? I recently purchased an offset, my first smoke i used what i considered way to much charcoal, and ended up have to scoop about 80% of it out to get my temp back down to 225*.

Looking at your picture i'd say i had roughly that much charcoal, and even after closing my damper still couldn't cool it down.

The trick is the minion method. If you are cooking a long low and slow, fill the entire ring with charcoal (nearly 20#s) and dump roughly half a chimney of fully engaged (ashed over white) charcoal on top in the center.

Now "catch the temp on the way up". Meaning, open your vents all the way and when it gets to about 205 or so, close them by half (bottom only - top is always open). Slowly dial it in and be patient. If you are new to charcoal and your cooker, it will take time to learn the process. But soon enough, you will care more about the process then the result! It's true!

[thirtydaZe]

Originally Posted by Jaskew82

Now "catch the temp on the way up". Meaning, open your vents all the way and when it gets to about 205 or so, close them by half (bottom only - top is always open). Slowly dial it in and be patient. If you are new to charcoal and your cooker, it will take time to learn the process. But soon enough, you will care more about the process then the result! It's true!

I did a n00b version of the minion method, but what you have here is golden for me!

Thanks for that piece of advice.

[Dave Russell]

Lots of great advice already posted.

I'd suggest to stick with good briquettes like Stubbs or plain old Kingsford, and to at least TRY water (HOT!) in the pan at first. The cooker will likely run hot at first till seasoning builds up, anyway.

A propane weedburning torch like Swamprb pictured is definately the most efficient way to light your charcoal since you're heating up the whole pile of charcoal at once while only lighting part of the top layer. Also really pack the fuel tight for long cooks, especially if you tape the door up as someone suggested.