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

[Art A]

Do you make these subtle adjustments throughout the cook, or just once or twice to get it to settle in at the start?

Once I get it stable...I just let it go. I pretty much know how I want to set my vents depending on the type of cook I'm doing. Perhaps hours into the cook I might have to make subtle adjustments when the fuel starts to burn down...but generally they will hold steady for hours. I monitor with my Maverick for insurance One of my WSM's I know with a full minion fire, top vent fully open and 2 of the 3 bottoms fully closed with the 3rd half open...it will run consistently at about 225-240. That's with no water.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Do what works for you. Harry Soo does it his way and I do it my way. I have all the respect in the world for Harry Soo. I can control my wsm with the bottom vents no problem at all and my kettles top vent no problem at all. It can be done both ways. When are you going to all learn that there is more than one way to make great bbq? Who really gives a fark? Just saying if it tastes good and it works then just do it and don't worry about it.
I run lump charcoal in my wsm 14.5" and I also only put one to chunks of wood on the entire cook for ribs or pork butt or brisket. I use the bottom vents and can get great results.

Again it is preference on how you control your pit.

Kamados you use both top and bottom vents to control the fire. It works perfectly.

It is dependent on preference, cooker, and the weird quirks between different smokers. So go smoke something and don't worry about it. Do what works for YOU and don't give a chit about what everyone else does. Just saying go smoke something already.

 

[Fwismoker]

Do what works for you. Harry Soo does it his way and I do it my way. I have all the respect in the world for Harry Soo. I can control my wsm with the bottom vents no problem at all and my kettles top vent no problem at all. It can be done both ways. When are you going to all learn that there is more than one way to make great bbq? Who really gives a fark? Just saying if it tastes good and it works then just do it and don't worry about it.
I run lump charcoal in my wsm 14.5" and I also only put one to chunks of wood on the entire cook for ribs or pork butt or brisket. I use the bottom vents and can get great results.

Again it is preference on how you control your pit.

Kamados you use both top and bottom vents to control the fire. It works perfectly.

It is dependent on preference, cooker, and the weird quirks between different smokers. So go smoke something and don't worry about it. Do what works for YOU and don't give a chit about what everyone else does. Just saying go smoke something already.

It's personal preference on how much smoke you want trapped around your food. lol. You can have mediocre, good, better than average or you can have excellent results by setting up the best fire, get the thinnest invisible smoke and get the best convection of the smoke.

The best convection isn't gonna happen choking it down...fact

Harry says one thing in his blog but sends an email to the OP saying he does it opposite... and that's the best way actually. lol

Rusty putting kamados in the comparison is like comparing an apple to a tomato. Kamados burn lump and and minute amount of fuel, so with such little combustion taking place you can crack the top vent.

 

[Porcine Aviator]

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.

I don't see how this statement can be true about charcoal fires.

By definition, and chemical makeup, charcoal will not produce smoke products that are noxious.

Only while acquiring ignition energy, and in the presence of other compounds, can charcoal emit anything but CO2. Quality charcoal, without impurities, will only exist in two states while in a fire: combusting or not combusting. It will continue to combust until there is not enough O2 to sustain itself. There must be enough energy to create a chemical change to CO2-- it will not smolder like wood.

I previously used vertical smokers as an illustration of this fact because, as vertical users know, you can choke the input valve down to almost closed and still maintain a clean fire. That's how they burn less than one pound per hour without nasty side affects. If there is only enough air to burn one piece of charcoal, the others next to it will not ignite and smolder; as wood does.

Charcoal is , therefore, the perfect blank canvas on which to create flavors with the wood that is added.

The only caveat to this is care in adding only enough wood that can be combusted when starting a cook.

If verticals used any other fuel but charcoal for heat, with their small air supply, they would not win one comp. They would have to open the air valves and defeat the purpose of trouble free temp control inherent in the design.

 

[Fwismoker]

I don't see how this statement can be true about charcoal fires.

By definition, and chemical makeup, charcoal will not produce smoke products that are noxious.

Only while acquiring ignition energy, and in the presence of other compounds, can charcoal emit anything but CO2. Quality charcoal, without impurities, will only exist in two states while in a fire: combusting or not combusting. It will continue to combust until there is not enough O2 to sustain itself. There must be enough energy to create a chemical change to CO2-- it will not smolder like wood.

I previously used vertical smokers as an illustration of this fact because, as vertical users know, you can choke the input valve down to almost closed and still maintain a clean fire. That's how they burn less than one pound per hour without nasty side affects. If there is only enough air to burn one piece of charcoal, the others next to it will not ignite and smolder; as wood does.

Charcoal is , therefore, the perfect blank canvas on which to create flavors with the wood that is added.

The only caveat to this is care in adding only enough wood that can be combusted when starting a cook.

If verticals used any other fuel but charcoal for heat, with their small air supply, they would not win one comp. They would have to open the air valves and defeat the purpose of trouble free temp control inherent in the design.

I don't know where to start with that. lol

Charcoal only produces less things like creosote than straight wood but it does produce it. Incomplete combustion of carbon produces creostote....charcoal is carbon. lol It's NOT a blank slate as you stated. Charcoal does produce part of the flavor of wood just not everything such as wood lignins.

Any fire including charcoal you want the most complete combustion as possible, also for meats you want the best convection as you can for the amount of combustion you have.

Example from earlier. Kamado burns very little so you can get away with cracking the exhaust.

WSM, UDS...whatever regular vertical charcoal cooker need more combustion hence need more exhaust. Having the temp control you want is one thing but good convection of smoke is completely different.

If you read Harry's email you'll see he said he keeps the exhaust open!

 

[Skip]

I don't see how this statement can be true about charcoal fires.

By definition, and chemical makeup, charcoal will not produce smoke products that are noxious.

Only while acquiring ignition energy, and in the presence of other compounds, can charcoal emit anything but CO2. Quality charcoal, without impurities, will only exist in two states while in a fire: combusting or not combusting. It will continue to combust until there is not enough O2 to sustain itself. There must be enough energy to create a chemical change to CO2-- it will not smolder like wood.

I previously used vertical smokers as an illustration of this fact because, as vertical users know, you can choke the input valve down to almost closed and still maintain a clean fire. That's how they burn less than one pound per hour without nasty side affects. If there is only enough air to burn one piece of charcoal, the others next to it will not ignite and smolder; as wood does.

Charcoal is , therefore, the perfect blank canvas on which to create flavors with the wood that is added.

The only caveat to this is care in adding only enough wood that can be combusted when starting a cook.

If verticals used any other fuel but charcoal for heat, with their small air supply, they would not win one comp. They would have to open the air valves and defeat the purpose of trouble free temp control inherent in the design.

I am sorry but are you saying that charcoal can't make a dirty fire?

 

[Skip]

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][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]
[/FONT]

You're joking with the conspiracy theory, no?
Harry uses the Minion.

Well I did say it a bit tongue in cheek because although it seemed like a rouse I wouldn't think he would go to that trouble. But as we can see its no conspiracy if the email clip is real.

As for the whole "natural aspiration" malarkey why instruct people on a technique you don't use and obviously don't have the full grasp of.

 

[Fwismoker]

I am sorry but are you saying that charcoal can't make a dirty fire?

Yes he is, there is so much bad info out there. The more incomplete combustion of the charcoal the dirtier it is..how someone can think otherwise is beyond me.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

It's personal preference on how much smoke you want trapped around your food. lol. You can have mediocre, good, better than average or you can have excellent results by setting up the best fire, get the thinnest invisible smoke and get the best convection of the smoke.

The best convection isn't gonna happen choking it down...fact

Harry says one thing in his blog but sends an email to the OP saying he does it opposite... and that's the best way actually. lol

Rusty putting kamados in the comparison is like comparing an apple to a tomato. Kamados burn lump and and minute amount of fuel, so with such little combustion taking place you can crack the top vent.

I use lump in all my smokers and grills these days. I can get good thin blue smoke to clear easily using the top vent on a kettle with briquettes back when I started.

It can be done both ways. Try it sometime and I can walk you through the setup I use to do on a kettle. It's not going to ruin food.

I am just saying try to be open to the idea that there is more than one way to achieve bbq nirvana.

Don't get me wrong the blue smoke off a WSM is easy enough to achieve with the bottom vents but on a kettle I find it easier to use top vents and get a great product.

About the comment that comparing a kamado is like comparing an apple to a tomato I agree. They are both red and yep they are both fruit. Both produce seeds. Lol. Just had to point that out.

Kamados work very similar to how a kettle works. It's why I really like kamados. A kamado is a much more fuel efficient kettle.

Just because you have heard there is only one way to do it does not make it true. I have gotten good Q both ways. If you know how to do it there is no problem getting good Q with the top vent.

There is nothing mystical about a kamado. The only thing is the ceramic absorbs and reflects the heat. A fire is a fire no matter what you are cooking on. A clean fire is a clean fire.

Top vent control works.

I agree the best fire gets the best results but I can achieve the same thing with the top vent.

Have you tried top vent control? Don't knock it unless you tried it.


To say that anything I made or anyone else is mediocre because we can achieve good smoke using the top vent is absurd.

I can cook both ways and achieve the same results. It's all about mastering the pit.

Do you remember at one point low and slow was the only way to cook bbq and well now hot and fast is in vogue and I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone these days who says hot and fast does not work.

My point is bbq nirvana can be achieved many many ways including top vent control.

I am sure your bbq is fantastic but to call ours mediocre if we use the top vent is wrong.

I can control my fire both ways.

 

[Porcine Aviator]

I don't know where to start with that. lol

Charcoal only produces less things like creosote than straight wood but it does produce it. Incomplete combustion of carbon produces creostote....charcoal is carbon. lol It's NOT a blank slate as you stated. Charcoal does produce part of the flavor of wood just not everything such as wood lignins.

Any fire including charcoal you want the most complete combustion as possible, also for meats you want the best convection as you can for the amount of combustion you have.

Example from earlier. Kamado burns very little so you can get away with cracking the exhaust.

WSM, UDS...whatever regular vertical charcoal cooker need more combustion hence need more exhaust. Having the temp control you want is one thing but good convection of smoke is completely different.

If you read Harry's email you'll see he said he keeps the exhaust open!

I will just end with this:

As you stated, charcoal is carbon and the combustion reaction is:

C + O²→ CO²

These are the only two constituents involved. Where does the creosote come from, that you mention? The only way that any other reaction can take place is by adding materials other than Carbon, such as wood or other contaminants. There may be sodium bicarb burn off during initial ignition or other impurities, but that's it. There are, under certain circumstances, Nitrogen compounds formed in negligible amounts, but they are not a factor. Obviously, if meat drippings fall into the fire they contribute.

We are on the same page as to air flow, which is why I prefer sticks-- although, as you know, there are other benefits.

My point about charcoal is that you cannot affect the combustion reaction of charcoal and oxygen-- it combusts or doesn't. What you can affect is the rate of combustion by how much air you introduce. The Carbon reaction is analogous to fission in some ways-- you introduce initial energy to start the reaction and than it is self sustaining until fuel is exhausted.You are controlling how much fuel is burning not its temperature. You can control wood burning temps which is where all the trouble starts.

 

[Fwismoker]

I use lump in all my smokers and grills these days. I can get good thin blue smoke to clear easily using the top vent on a kettle with briquettes back when I started.

It can be done both ways. Try it sometime and I can walk you through the setup I use to do on a kettle. It's not going to ruin food.

I am just saying try to be open to the idea that there is more than one way to achieve bbq nirvana.

Don't get me wrong the blue smoke off a WSM is easy enough to achieve with the bottom vents but on a kettle I find it easier to use top vents and get a great product.

About the comment that comparing a kamado is like comparing an apple to a tomato I agree. They are both red and yep they are both fruit. Both produce seeds. Lol. Just had to point that out.

Kamados work very similar to how a kettle works. It's why I really like kamados. A kamado is a much more fuel efficient kettle.

Just because you have heard there is only one way to do it does not make it true. I have gotten good Q both ways. If you know how to do it there is no problem getting good Q with the top vent.

There is nothing mystical about a kamado. The only thing is the ceramic absorbs and reflects the heat. A fire is a fire no matter what you are cooking on. A clean fire is a clean fire.

Top vent control works.

I agree the best fire gets the best results but I can achieve the same thing with the top vent.

Have you tried top vent control? Don't knock it unless you tried it.


To say that anything I made or anyone else is mediocre because we can achieve good smoke using the top vent is absurd.

I can cook both ways and achieve the same results. It's all about mastering the pit.

Do you remember at one point low and slow was the only way to cook bbq and well now hot and fast is in vogue and I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone these days who says hot and fast does not work.

My point is bbq nirvana can be achieved many many ways including top vent control.

I am sure your bbq is fantastic but to call ours mediocre if we use the top vent is wrong.

I can control my fire both ways.

Rusty I'm not just talking about TBS, and yes kettles can do better with the top.

My God this thread is a freaking mess of misunderstanding. Anyways y'all do what you want. AGAIN y'alls expert Harry keeps his open too. lol

Whom ever wants to bottle neck the top vs the bottom and keep more stagnant smoke around your meat have at it! :laugh:


Porcine...you're a lost soul brother.

 

[oldbill]

Dang, this topic is still being argued over? LOL!:doh: Oh well I guess I'll throw my .02 in... I haven't seen anyone bring up an important point, so the only thing I'll add to the current conversation is... while I agree that charcoal does burn cleaner and creosote is in theory a little less likely,... how many people cook BBQ with charcoal ONLY? It seems to me that most people use some wood chunks or some chips at the very least for wood smoke flavor and if there is ANY wood in the coals at all that is smoldering there can be trouble in paradise!
One time I cooked a little sausage on my kettle and I had one little piece of wood in there that started smoldering when I wasn't looking. Long story short... my sausage ended up smelling like a dirty ash tray and that was with wide open vents on top and bottom,... as well as a slightly ajar lid for extra ventilation! I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd had my top vent choked down! LOL! :biggrin1:
P.S. If the wood chunk/chip equation has already been addressed somewhere in this thread then I apologize and please disregard this post. I worked all day, don't have the energy to go back and re-read everything and I don't want someone giving me chit because I missed a post or two!:razz:

 

[Fwismoker]

Dang, this topic is still being argued over? LOL!:doh: Oh well I guess I'll throw my .02 in... I haven't seen anyone bring up an important point, so the only thing I'll add to the current conversation is... while I agree that charcoal does burn cleaner and creosote is in theory a little less likely,... how many people cook BBQ with charcoal ONLY? It seems to me that most people use some wood chunks or some chips at the very least for wood smoke flavor and if there is ANY wood in the coals at all that is smoldering there can be trouble in paradise!
One time I cooked a little sausage on my kettle and I had one little piece of wood in there that started smoldering when I wasn't looking. Long story short... my sausage ended up smelling like a dirty ash tray and that was with wide open vents on top and bottom,... as well as a slightly ajar lid for extra ventilation! I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd had my top vent choked down! LOL! :biggrin1:
P.S. If the wood chunk/chip equation has already been addressed somewhere in this thread then I apologize and please disregard this post. I worked all day, don't have the energy to go back and re-read everything and I don't want someone giving me chit because I missed a post or two!:razz:

Yup still being argued over but i'm not really sure what we're arguing over anymore! :becky:

If anyone cooks chicken over a crappy half lit charcoal fire tell me it doesn't taste like absolute a** Charcoal isn't a creosote factory but not having a clean burn of charcoal produces enough to make the results of the cook not NEAR as good as they can be.

TBS aside I still don't understand why some can't grasp the concept that more exhaust (not bottling it up) creates better convection. If people want to smother their meat have at it! :wink:

Oh I did bring up the wood chunk thing a few times but no one listens. :tsk: lol

 

[Q Junkie]

I will just end with this:

As you stated, charcoal is carbon and the combustion reaction is:

C + O²→ CO²

These are the only two constituents involved. Where does the creosote come from, that you mention? The only way that any other reaction can take place is by adding materials other than Carbon, such as wood or other contaminants. There may be sodium bicarb burn off during initial ignition or other impurities, but that's it. There are, under certain circumstances, Nitrogen compounds formed in negligible amounts, but they are not a factor. Obviously, if meat drippings fall into the fire they contribute.

We are on the same page as to air flow, which is why I prefer sticks-- although, as you know, there are other benefits.

My point about charcoal is that you cannot affect the combustion reaction of charcoal and oxygen-- it combusts or doesn't. What you can affect is the rate of combustion by how much air you introduce. The Carbon reaction is analogous to fission in some ways-- you introduce initial energy to start the reaction and than it is self sustaining until fuel is exhausted.You are controlling how much fuel is burning not its temperature. You can control wood burning temps which is where all the trouble starts.

I am not arguing with anyone here because of the skinning of cats thing rings true here. However I will say that there is plenty of volatile compounds left in lump charcoal even after the carbonizing process to produce it. Any one who has ever opened a Kamado after having the exhaust closed awhile knows this. That backdraft will remove the hair off your body and fill your shorts. Those compounds are what imparts flavor but can cause soot in high concentrations. Pure carbon is not what we are using for fuel, in fact I have found many pieces of lump that still have distinctive un-carbonized wood left.

Also don't forget about Carbon monoxide, which would not be present if combustion was 100% efficient and we all know that CO is always produced no matter how clean you BBQ fire is.

 

[doug93003]

Yep, Ever watch The BBQ Pitboys videos on youtube? It looks like that's all they use for temp adjustment is the top vent on kettles.

The bbq pitkooks cook with propane. It very well could be the worst example of bbq on the internet.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

The bbq pitkooks cook with propane. It very well could be the worst example of bbq on the internet.

Now that's bull chit... The BBQ Pit Boys are darn good cooks. Their recipes are fantastic. Sure it ain't comp bbq but they have done a lot for bbq. :mad2:

Their recipe for country ribs can't be beat. It is my go to for country style ribs. :thumb:

Now this right here is the worst bbq on the internet.
[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iI2Dgx3kx9E[/ame]

 

[doug93003]

It's fake BBQ. Affected fake voices, over the top hand gyrations. Very low skill level BBQ performed and produced for the cameras.

I don't want to be a total spoiler, but the parties where they all where the zany goggles and hats, those are fake also.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Fake bbq? Really? As for them cooking propane a lot of their videos are on kettle grills.

So what if their way of presenting it is odd. It's good bbq in my opinion. It isn't comp bbq but it's good backyard bbq. No different than PitmasterT and his out there videos but yet I doubt you would find many criticizing him. Darn good pitmaster there. Antics for the camera for sure but still good bbq.

Besides even you have to admit the Tenda Rub bbq is the absolute worst bbq ever. Nothing and I mean nothing could be worse.

 

[Roguejim]

Fake bbq? Really? As for them cooking propane a lot of their videos are on kettle grills.

So what if their way of presenting it is odd. It's good bbq in my opinion. It isn't comp bbq but it's good backyard bbq. No different than PitmasterT and his out there videos but yet I doubt you would find many criticizing him. Darn good pitmaster there. Antics for the camera for sure but still good bbq.

Besides even you have to admit the Tenda Rub bbq is the absolute worst bbq ever. Nothing and I mean nothing could be worse.

Can you provide a link to PitmasterT? Never heard of him.

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Can you provide a link to PitmasterT? Never heard of him.

WHAT? Really holy farking chit! Hang on let me get a few links.