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Old 09-17-2016, 11:18 PM   #1
Section08
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Join Date: 08-08-16
Location: HARRISON, NJ (NYC Metro)
Question WSM 18.5 Seasoning?

Hey guys, I appreciate any help!

I'm probably on my 6th cook on my brand new WSM 18.5. So I would think that would be good enough for a semi-well seasoned WSM. But I'm still getting a huge discrepancy between grate vs lid temperature.

What I tried: Three babyback ribs ~3lbs each, top grate, for around 2.5 hours using Gary Wiviott's Low & Slow 1 Lesson 3

What kind of fuel: KISS method fire, using Cowboy lump, and 4 pecan / 4 apple wood chunks, full cold water pan, all 4 vents at 1/3 closed

What I observed: Lid fluctuated between 200-210F, grate between 280-300

What I used: ThermoPro TP08, BBQ/Oven thermometer on center of top grate with a probe that registers 212F under boiling water

End result: tough baby back ribs with very minimal light-pink smoke ring, light smoke flavor

My question: Why such a huge discrepancy between grate vs lid temperature? Does it need more cooks to have a better seasoning? And how do I get a much deeper pink smoke ring? It seems to happen at random and I have no idea how to make it more consistent.

Thanks!
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Old 09-18-2016, 12:07 AM   #2
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The lid thermometers in the WSM's are notoriously crappy.

Trust your grate temp thermometer.

Keep cooking on it. It will only get better with time.

Cook your ribs until you can slide a toothpick in with no resistance or until they pass the bend test. Sounds like they needed a little more time.
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Old 09-18-2016, 06:38 AM   #3
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A few things come to mind. First off I had all three sizes of WSM's and none of them would get anywhere near 300 at the grate with a full pan of cold water even with all the vents wide open. I used a Maverick and or a Guru to measure grate temps. Second if you cook babybacks for 2.5 hours at 300 they are going to be done or very close. I'm thinking your grate therm is off. WSM lid therms are junk.

If you want more smoke ring and smoke flavor you need more wood chunks. You also need to put the meat on cold, straight from the fridge. Open that top vent wide open and regulate temp with bottom vents.

Like Pat said just keep cooking and your WSM will get better and better.
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Old 09-18-2016, 11:57 AM   #4
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The Weber stock terms in the dome are finicky, but they aren't completely worthless, if you think about it, the inside of your wsm has a lot going on and it results in a lot of hot and cold spots. Hot fire, with a pan of water on top, then cool meat on top of that...all inside a compact cooker.....no wonder therms at different places show different readings.....but th reality is that it all works out in the end.......I've found that the Weber therm on my wsm really isn't that far off if you run without a water pan, especially once he meat warms up and things settle down after the first hour or two....as for the smoke ring, after 3 hours with a couple wood chunks i wouldn't expect a smoke ring to be as bold as on a piece of meat that smokes for 8 hours. Also, i think a pan off cold water reduces the smoke ring on shorter cooks, smoke rings occur when the smoke particules react with the cool meat, well if you have a pan of cold water over the fire, a lot of those particulates are going to condense out on the bottom of the water pan before they ever touch the meat, not a big deal on a long cook but a short cook it may make a difference (this is just an opinion I've come up with that makes sense to me, I've been wrong before though lol).....as for your tough ribs, they simply didn't cook long enough. Don't go on time or a recipe that works for someone else, regardless of temp, let ribs cook until they pass the toothpick test and the bend test, trust that and you'll have good results. Good luck with your wsm, they are really great cookers, I love mine.
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Old 09-18-2016, 01:18 PM   #5
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I don't even bother looking at the dome thermometer anymore I just use a Maverick to monitor grate temps, it's usually about -30 degrees off but there have been times it was off as much as -70.
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Old 09-18-2016, 02:53 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cheez59 View Post
Open that top vent wide open and regulate temp with bottom vents.
This.
Try cooking without water in the pan. I use 4-6 crushed aluminum cans in the pan and cover it with a layer of HDAF.
My WSMs get 4 chunks of smoke wood. They're about the size of my fist. I get a great smoke ring and great smoke flavor. Too much smoke and your meat can get bitter.
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Old 09-18-2016, 06:30 PM   #7
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Agree with what other's say about top vent. The dome stat is good at a glance to see if the temp is rising or falling in the rig but that's about it.
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Old 09-18-2016, 07:15 PM   #8
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I have an older WSM 18.5 that was made before Weber put a thermometer in the lid. Mine has a TelTru in the dome and it still measures considerably different than the Maverick probe on the grate especially when I first put the meat on. The gap eventually gets smaller, but it is never the same. I don't worry about it because it's just back up for my grate probe with I'm doing a long LNS. When I do ribs or something like that, I just use the dome thermometer and it gets me close enough. I use a clay saucer inside my water pan covered in foil instead of water. It is just as stable without the messy clean up. I also have Nomex gaskets between the sections and the door seals. Since I made those mods, I have zero problems with temp control.
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Old 10-02-2016, 12:09 AM   #9
Section08
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Hey just wanted to thank everyone for the advice. Was away on vacation but was finally able to apply these techniques on a spare rib low & slow cook. Will open another topic for critiques. Thanks!
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