Cooking direct on WSM vs drum smoker

[ryeguy]

I want to get a drum smoker because I'm intrigued by the fat-over-coals flavor for long cooks. But I'd also like something flexible enough to do more traditional low and slow. I'm looking at a WSM or a Hunsaker or similar. I don't think I'm interested in the pit barrel cooker because I want to have fine control over the cooking temp. I'm not interested in building my own UDS. I'm ok with paying a bit more for something more polished and already built.

I know the WSM is more meant for low and slow, but if I remove the water pan can I get similar results to a pit barrel cooker or other drum smoker, and maintain temps of 300-325?

Likewise, I know drum smokers are often used for hot and fast, but do they work as well as the WSM at typical 225-250 temps?

I'm aware some of the drum smokers like the Hunsaker have higher build quality and some other benefits (lid hinge, wheels, etc), but I'm mostly wondering about the end result and ease of the cook.

I've read some older threads about this, but I'm confused when some people talk about keeping both the WSM and a drum smoker around for due to their different flavor profiles when it seems like you can control this by if you use a deflector or not.

 

[gcs]

Just leave out the water pan, now you got a 3 section drum...works fine.

 

[TexaQ]

I had a drum and a grill and got rid of both. Now I have two WSMs that I can hang or do low and slow. I modified my 22 WSM to grill and use all the Weber Gourmet accessories. I install a 3/16 thick SS plate at the water pan height to reduce the volume when I grill. I used my 18 WSM this weekend to make jalapeno stuffed chicken thighs over direct heat. No problem holding 325 - 350.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

The only way I do yardbird is direct high heat on the WSM. Take out the water pan, use one and a half chimney of lit coals. IDK what kind of temps I get, I know its well over 300*, but the birds are done in a little over an hour. Get great color . The skin is OK, I won't say its crispy, cause honestly, I think crisp chicken skin is a myth

I've started using the WSM direct for pork steak, thick pork steak, like 1 1/2 to 2" .

 

[70monte]

I used to own 3 WSM's and now only have a PBC for a drum cooker. I made some good food on the WSM's but I had to struggle to keep lower temps, mainly I think because the side doors never seemed to conform to the side of the barrel very well. Mine all seemed to like to run in the high 200's to the low 300's.

I ended up buying a used PBC to try out and discovered I preferred it to the WSM's and ended up selling all of the WSM's.

It seems like that most people who have Hunsakers or Gateways like to cook at around 300 degrees. I don't see many trying to keep it at 225-250.

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

Have cooked chicken direct on my WSM. It does well. Also, saw a pic of someone using only the bottom part of the WSM as a charcoal grill. If doing chicken on it direct, do yourself a favor and put it on the bottom rack. It will give better skin than the top rack.

 

[JS-TX]

A drum and WSM are basically the same. Each has their own advantage.. but cook very similarly.

 

[El Ropo]

I've never used the water pan in my WSM. I prefer to cook at 275-325, without the water pan the WSM easily runs at those temps which is perfect for my use. I can't see any reason to cook below ~275 except for maybe doing a prime rib or tri-tip reverse sear. The door on my 22" WSM didn't fit very well upon assembly, but I simply used my hands to bend it into the right shape, problem solved in a couple minutes. When cooking poultry, I use my weber master touch kettle, it's the right tool for the job.

 

[rovster]

I have a Hunsaker on order. I considered the WSM but liked the drum based on the research I did. Don't think you can go wrong with either. I also was OK paying for something built and polished.

 

[Moose]

The only way I do yardbird is direct high heat on the WSM. Take out the water pan, use one and a half chimney of lit coals. IDK what kind of temps I get, I know its well over 300*, but the birds are done in a little over an hour. Get great color . The skin is OK, I won't say its crispy, cause honestly, I think crisp chicken skin is a myth

I've started using the WSM direct for pork steak, thick pork steak, like 1 1/2 to 2" .

Not to hijack this thread, but like you, I too thought that crispy chicken skin was a myth, but then I tried this:


https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=283095

 

[Smokin Dawg77]

I want to get a drum smoker because I'm intrigued by the fat-over-coals flavor for long cooks. But I'd also like something flexible enough to do more traditional low and slow. I'm looking at a WSM or a Hunsaker or similar. I don't think I'm interested in the pit barrel cooker because I want to have fine control over the cooking temp. I'm not interested in building my own UDS. I'm ok with paying a bit more for something more polished and already built.

I know the WSM is more meant for low and slow, but if I remove the water pan can I get similar results to a pit barrel cooker or other drum smoker, and maintain temps of 300-325?

Likewise, I know drum smokers are often used for hot and fast, but do they work as well as the WSM at typical 225-250 temps?

I'm aware some of the drum smokers like the Hunsaker have higher build quality and some other benefits (lid hinge, wheels, etc), but I'm mostly wondering about the end result and ease of the cook.

I've read some older threads about this, but I'm confused when some people talk about keeping both the WSM and a drum smoker around for due to their different flavor profiles when it seems like you can control this by if you use a deflector or not.

WSM can run as hot as you desire. 300/325 is no problem at all. We do competition cooking and run 275 without any issiues.

 

[KevinJ]

Had a WSM and the Hunsaker, the Hunsaker drafts and holds temps better plus the Vortex Fire Basket makes any drum or bullet smoker better. Is it worth the extra cost that is up to you, it is to me.

 

[ryeguy]

Had a WSM and the Hunsaker, the Hunsaker drafts and holds temps better plus the Vortex Fire Basket makes any drum or bullet smoker better. Is it worth the extra cost that is up to you, it is to me.

By holds temps better do you mean the temp fluctuates less once you have it dialed in? Was the "set and forget" experience on the wsm not as good?

What benefit did you see with the vortex plate? More even temps around the outside of grates? Even if I get a wsm I might pick the plate mod up, it's only $33.

 

[QN]

I have a 22" WSM with a Hunsaker Vortex. Works great. No water pan, just direct cook.

 

[KevinJ]

By holds temps better do you mean the temp fluctuates less once you have it dialed in? Was the "set and forget" experience on the wsm not as good?

What benefit did you see with the vortex plate? More even temps around the outside of grates? Even if I get a wsm I might pick the plate mod up, it's only $33.

I had ordered a Pitmaster IQ 110 after about 6months of owning the WSM because it will fluctuate temps which is no big deal when I could baby sit but if I wanted to leave for a couple of hours it might be as much as 50 degrees +/- from when I left. The Hunsaker would lock in once the vents were set and just hum along like it was on a automatic temp controller. The Vortex eliminates hot spot across the grate end to end.

 

[Monkey Uncle]

I have a WSM 22.5. I've cooked direct in it a few times, but it really struggles to get hot enough for chicken. Chicken really needs 350+, and I can't get that in my WSM unless I crack the lid open. And then I lose all control of the temp - it might zoom past 450 in a matter of a few minutes. With the lid on and all vents wide open, it tends to settle in around 270 - 280.

 

[Monkey Uncle]

The only way I do yardbird is direct high heat on the WSM. Take out the water pan, use one and a half chimney of lit coals. IDK what kind of temps I get, I know its well over 300*, but the birds are done in a little over an hour. Get great color . The skin is OK, I won't say its crispy, cause honestly, I think crisp chicken skin is a myth

I've started using the WSM direct for pork steak, thick pork steak, like 1 1/2 to 2" .

If your cooker is hot enough, chicken skin will crisp up just like a pork rind. I do chicken on the gasser at around 400-450. Thighs are done in about 45 minutes at that temp, but I really have to watch out for grease flare-ups.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

If your cooker is hot enough, chicken skin will crisp up just like a pork rind. I do chicken on the gasser at around 400-450. Thighs are done in about 45 minutes at that temp, but I really have to watch out for grease flare-ups.

Well heck, why don't you just fry it .

Puttin it on a gasser is not barbecue.

 

[Monkey Uncle]

Well heck, why don't you just fry it .

Puttin it on a gasser is not barbecue.

You still get flavor from the drippings vaporizing. Much different from typical indoor cooking methods.

Personally, I don't care for smoke flavor on poultry for the most part. There isn't much flavor difference between cooking over clean-burning charcoal and cooking with gas, so I take the easy way out.

My only exception is the chicken I make for cold chicken salad. I like smoke flavor in chicken salad, so I do that chicken on the WSM. But I throw away the rubbery skin.