Gravity method better then Minon method on wsm

[BriGreentea]

I usually smoke a brisket once a month, every so often a pork shoulder then the rest of the cooks are chicken various types and sometimes a chuck roast.

I've noticed several cooks using the minion method the temps kept falling and if I'm doing a cook overnight last thing I want to wake up to at 4 am to check it is showing temps well below 200. This used to be easy, quarter to a half lit chimney of kingsford blue on top of the unlit charcoal. Leave all the intakes open until over 225 then have all three slightly cracked open. Would have some wood chunks or a small split on top. It was taking forever to get hot and even then seemed was struggling to stay at 250 unless I left all the intake wide open and still struggled to get to 225. It's almost like all the sudden the wsm is having difficulties getting oxygen to the top of the lit coals. I've owed this about a year. I always cook it with no water as it was burning too much fuel quickly when I tried it with water.

I was watching a video on a gravity feeder and uses wood in the ash pan or a grate right above it, lighted charcoal down the chute then puts unlit charcoal afterwards. I tried this method on my wsm for a 12 hour cook. Whether placing the small split below the grate does anything I don't know but seemed like I was getting the hickory smell all night...perhaps to the ash slowly coming down on it? I then put the unlit charcoal on top of it. I held at 225-250 for at least 9 hours. I only put in a little more charcoal the next morning and after the whole 12 cook was done may have not been necessary. I also did this on 2 separate chicken cooks. I got quicker temps and managed it and both about 3 hour cooks on those using less fuel.

I was told when I had a UDS this was a bad idea but I also had problems when I owned that. Is there anything wrong with this method?

 

[THoey1963]

I don't have my WSM any longer, but cooked on a 22" for 2.5 years. Mine loved to run right around 275*. I started with all vents (top and bottom) wide open. I didn't use a chimney, I used a weed burner to start mine. I usually lit the coals in front of the intake vent I planned on leaving open. When it got 25* or so degrees from where it liked to run, I'd close the other two intakes all the way and close the one by where I lit the coals to around half. Thing was usually pretty stable. I did buy a Pitmaster IQ-120 that I only used at night just for sanity sake. I also used a Maverick that would let me know if the temp dropped below a certain temp.

Check out the post in my signature.

 

[pjtexas1]

Has anything changed? Colder outside, different charcoal? It almost sounds like damp charcoal.

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[grantw]

You have tried different charcoal right? You said you had trouble with the uds as well. What you are describing is charcoal related, try buying the from a different store. I usually light half a bucket or more as well.


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[Happy Hapgood]

Same thing happened to me this weekend. I'm thinking it was damp coal left covered.

 

[luv2smoke]

Curious on how you gravity feed a wsm?

 

[Jason TQ]

Curious on how you gravity feed a wsm?

Ditto. Do you have the video link to share?

 

[pjtexas1]

Curious on how you gravity feed a wsm?

I think he meant to place wood under the charcoal basket???

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[JS-TX]

No problem with that method, I've done something similar with wood chunks just to see what would happen. Not a significant difference in smoke flavor. WSMs burn hotter when they are clean/new, is it possible the seasoning is building up in there and your temps are dropping? Could also be your fuel.

 

[Steve S]

I use Harry Soo's method. I fill up a chimney and dump the rest of the bag into the charcoal ring. Hollow out a hole in the center of the charcoal to put the lit coals into. I also usually run 275-300 and that setup will last plenty long enough to cook a brisket.