WSM: Maintaining Constant Temp w/ Exhaust Vent, Not Intake Vent

[Roguejim]

This is according to Harry Soo. Contrary to just about everything I've heard here about vent adjustments on a WSM, or any smoker for that matter. I hear Harry is rather familiar with WSMs.:shock:

""Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It’s the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using “clean” smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM."

http://www.slapyodaddybbq.com/2014/03/fire-control-and-seasoning-a-new-weber-smokey-mountain-pit/

 

[Jeff H]

I already gave you my opinion before I saw this post here. :wacko:

 

[Fwismoker]

To each their own. I don't know if I'm the only one here that is tired of hearing what the "pros" do like it has to be the right way because they are "pros"

I suppose all these years I was dreaming that i barely have to adjust the intake on my cookers and that it was keeping rock steady temps.

What creates better cleaner airflow across the meat open or choked off exhaust?

 

[SC_Dave]

This goes against everything I have learned here about controlling temps in a WSM or UDS.
Not saying it's wrong..........
David

 

[...Dave]

This goes against everything I have learned here about controlling temps in a WSM or UDS.
Not saying it's wrong..........
David

same here, i did a lot of reading up on wsm heat control and this is the 1st time ive ever seen to adjust the exhaust.

 

[oldbill]

People read things like this from "the PROS" and they end up getting needlessly frustrated when they get bad results with their cook.:tsk: Harry Soo uses charcoal cookers that are set up with Gurus or Stokers for airflow control and closing the dampers is part of that cooking method. Under normal conditions however, if you mess with the exhaust... you're messing with the draft of the pit and you may be able to get away with it to an extent with a charcoal cooker (like what Harry uses) but I still wouldn't recommend it and if you have your exhaust damper set at anything but wide open on a stick burner you're almost guaranteeing yourself to have dirty smoke issues and bitter food.:wink:
If you're trying to maximize burn times with charcoal in an Egg, UDS or a WSM then doing what Harry does will work but only if you regulate how much of and the size of the wood pieces that you've added to the coals. With that said however, under regular cooking/smoking conditions good airflow is paramount to maintaining temps and clean smoke, in pretty much any cooker.:-D

 

[ButtBurner]

I have tried this on my Kettle using my Tip Top Temp controller and it actually works quite well.

Not a WSM but same principle

 

[Fwismoker]

This is the same concept as the PB runs on, the intake is set and the exhaust is limited to what can come out of the space that is left around the rebar while it's inserted through the holes.

Now that can be ok especially if the fire is small and hot but that way of controlling the temp is not what is best for consistent good smoke. To be clear i'm not saying it won't work i'm saying you can do better exhaust fully open.


Smoke should kiss the meat not hug it. :tsk:

 

[oldbill]

One thing I forgot to add... That "vacuum" effect that Harry spoke of is better obtained with a wide open exhaust damper and restriction on the intake damper, NOT the other way around. It's the heat EXITING the cooker that creates the draw and the better that it's allowed to do so the more air will be drawn into the fire on the opposite end.:wink:

 

[Porcine Aviator]

Harry is clearly talking about a charcoal fire exclusively, which is what he cooks with.

You can get away with some chimney control on a charcoal fire because there is very little chance of getting nasty smoke residuals that plague wood fires.

This is why verticals work well with very small air flow-- it's the charcoal. Can't be done with a stick burner.

Therefore, because you don't have to be anal about smoke quality with charcoal, as you do with wood, you can control the fire/air pressure on the incoming side, the outflow side, or combinations of both-- unless you add large chunks of accent wood that require lots of air.

The best bet for accent flavor wood on WSM setups is multiple small pieces that won't require air adjustments to burn cleanly throughout the cook.

 

[robert-r]

I have an Auberins temp controller for my WSM & they recommend using it with the top vent closed, I believe. I questioned them about it & they grudgingly admitted the controller would still work with the top vent 1/4 open.
I can't remember the last time I used it.

 

[Fwismoker]

Therefore, because you don't have to be anal about smoke quality with charcoal, as you do with wood, you can control the fire/air pressure on the incoming side, the outflow side, or combinations of both-- unless you add large chunks of accent wood that require lots of air.

The best bet for accent flavor wood on WSM setups is multiple small pieces that won't require air adjustments to burn cleanly throughout the cook.

He is talking about charcoal but the rules of good airflow still apply to both wood and charcoal even though charcoal needs less. It's less likely but you can still have terrible smoke or substandard smoke with charcoal with crappy airflow, plus many people use wood chunks with which require good hot fire and good airflow. So why not just keep the best airflow you can? What's the worst that can happen?....you turn out even better BBQ than you would had you not choked off the exhaust.

It isn't hard to adjust intake, temps stay rock solid when you learn your fire and your pit. IMO it's a bad practice to learn the way Mr Harry is teaching people.

Should smoke kiss the meat or hug it? Your food will have a cleaner taste if the smoke can exit the cooker less restricted.

 

[Bigyela]

Imo, i think the Harry Soo way works for him and his setup, and doesnt apply to all cookers.


I think there is a big difference if you are using a controller to induce air into the cooker!

Natural draft works with heat rising, hot air out the top, colder air introduced from the bottom.

When you use a fan with a controller, you are forcing air inside , so in theory it doesnt need to draft as well because inside the cooker is positive pressure from the fan.

The heat will be pushed out the exhaust.


Just my take on it.

Whatever works best and your comfortable doing,

 

[ButtBurner]

Imo, i think the Harry Soo way works for him and his setup, and doesnt apply to all cookers.


I think there is a big difference if you are using a controller to induce air into the cooker!

Natural draft works with heat rising, hot air out the top, colder air introduced from the bottom.

When you use a fan with a controller, you are forcing air inside , so in theory it doesnt need to draft as well because inside the cooker is positive pressure from the fan.

The heat will be pushed out the exhaust.


Just my take on it.

Whatever works best and your comfortable doing,

if you are talking about my controller comment, the Tip Top Temp has no fan. Its just a vent that goes on top that is controlled by the temp of the escaping heat and moves accordingly. No power, no fan involved.

 

[Bigyela]

No, i was think about a guru or stoker setup, that forces air inside the cooker.

 

[cheez59]

I am not a pro by any means. I do however pay attention to how my smoker is running and how it effects my food as well as paying attention to what others with more experience than me have to say. When I first got my WSM I smoked a butt that had a somewhat bitter smoke taste. I used 4 small chunks of hickory wood with the KBB. Some guys told me that was too much wood and that I should have used apple or cherry. Well I figured my problem was neither the amount of wood nor the type that produced the bitter smoke taste. It was that I was impatient and put the meat on before the smoke cleaned up. SmittyJonz posted a pic last week showing a lot of wood chunks mixed in with his charcoal in his UDS I believe. I tried that on my new 14.5 WSM last Saturday. I had about 1/3 pecan chunks to 2/3 KBB. Top vent wide open,two bottom vents closed and one bottom vent 1/2 open. The little smoker sat rock steady at 240 degrees for 6 hours straight. I cooked ribs and a fatty and they were quite possibly the best, most perfectly smoked ribs I ever ate. The key I believe was waiting almost an hour for the smoke to clean up before putting the meat on. I duplicated the wonderful smoked goodness the next day with a smoked meatloaf that I did the exact same way only with hickory chunks. My top vent will never again be closed unless I'm shutting the fire down after a cook. YMMV

 

[landarc]

Worth noting, that Weber advises that the proper way to control temperature in kettles and WSM's is with the top vent.

 

[BB-Kuhn]

Firstly, I am not claiming I am any better than Harry Soo, or have any insight that makes me special.. I am a competing cook that uses a WSM in my arsenal, and here's my $.02

It is completely easy to manage temperature of a WSM using the bottom vents, and leaving the top open. It's never a struggle - those cookers are easy to maintain temperature if you know how to build a good fire. That just comes with practice.

I am far more concerned with creosote buildup and sour flavor on my food inside a "choked" exhaust. I've also run into situations (in other cookers, not the WSM) where letting a lot of air in the cooker can make the fire run hot, and without adequate exhaust for it - it can smother itself, leaving you with a dirty smoke fire.

SO, my advice (for the $.02 I claimed it to be worth), is just practice intake vent control. Don't build a huge fire too quickly, and let it creep up to the desired temp slowly. Start making moves to lessen intake 25+ degrees below where you want it to land, and just ease yourself up to target temp. It's just learning to control your pit, and THAT'S what I feel makes you cook like a pro, not choking the exhaust down.

 

[Fwismoker]

Worth noting, that Weber advises that the proper way to control temperature in kettles and WSM's is with the top vent.

I would imagine Weber gives that advice is so when people buy their smokers it'll be more idiot proof for them getting good temps from the get go....just good business.

Can and will you get a better product adjusting from the intake and leaving the exhaust wide open? YUP

 

[Roguejim]

Here's an email from Harry Soo, today.

"
[FONT=HelveticaNeue,Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,Lucida Grande,sans-serif] [FONT=HelveticaNeue,Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,Lucida Grande,sans-serif] [FONT=HelveticaNeue,Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,Lucida Grande,sans-serif] [FONT=HelveticaNeue,Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,Lucida Grande,sans-serif] When I run my Stoker, the top vent is full open. All the bottom vents are closed except the vent used to mount the stoker.
When I don't run my Stoker, my WSM runs best with one bottom vent full open and top vent full open. After 3-4 hours, I open the second bottom vent. After 7 hours I open the third vent. This assumes I don't refuel my WSM.

[FONT=HelveticaNeue,Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,Lucida Grande,sans-serif]Just to clarify, my article is for a normally aspirated WSM. That, is, my instructions are for those WITHOUT an automated blower system."[/FONT]
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