So I got a WSM...

[TornACL 7,767]

WSM

Gas Grill

Portable Propane Griddle

 

That's what I fuck with.  You have those three things and you can master anything.  All are mobile enough you can also pack them up and take them to a tailgate, your ranch, your buddy's house, whatever.  Get the WSM off Craigslist for 100-150, get the 17" Blackstone griddle for 75, and get whatever gas grill kicks ass for the remaining amount of money. 

 

[thunderlounge 8,054]

14 hours ago, luke duke said:

 

You are correct. Although I like having a gas grill for the day to day stuff. Earlier this week there were 2 WSMs on Dallas Craigslist.

 

This. I also have a kettle as well. 

As much as I hate to admit it, the gas grill setup comes in pretty fucking handy. Great for a quick use or whatever. I use mine a lot more than I thought I would. I still use the kettle, but only when time allows. 

For the smoker, definitely can’t go wrong with a WSM though. 

[baboso 6,057]

I just have a WSM.  It can be rigged to grill also (i.e. empty or no water pan).

[irishtexan 11,613]

16 hours ago, luke duke said:

 

You are correct. Although I like having a gas grill for the day to day stuff. Earlier this week there were 2 WSMs on Dallas Craigslist.

 

There was a WSM on CL Austin for $80 yesterday. If it's still there I'm gonna go get it.

[Dutch 4,499]

On 3/6/2019 at 12:48 PM, irishtexan said:

Convince me I'm wrong and that there's a better way to do this for  less than $500 or so.

I can't, as this is my current setup.  A 22" WSM can be had for ~$400 new and a Weber kettle for $79-99.  I'd go with the 22" WSM if your doing ribs, since you won't have to cut them in order to make them fit.  Whole slabs lay nicely on the 22, and you can also fit a whole packer brisket without trimming.  

There are times where I see the undeniable benefit to a gas grill (instant heat vs waiting 20-30 minutes for charcoal to come to temp, just wanting to cook one or two small items without lighting charcoal, or the weather forecast lied and it's raining during your planned grill session).  I can easily see myself adding a Genesis to the mix in the future.  That said, despite the added hassle that comes with dealing with charcoal, I am still of the opinion that the subtle flavor imparted by burning charcoal and wood chunks is superior to that of gas, and it gives a superior sear to burgers and steaks.  Still love my Weber Kettle.

Edited March 7, 2019 by Dutch

[BradInATX 9,208]

Anyone have a recommendation on what to do with pork belly on a WSM? I bought a big slab from Costco, and cut it into two halves. First half, I did this: https://www.vindulge.com/smoked-pork-belly-burnt-ends-recipe-and-video/

Didn't like the way it came out. It was both tough and rubbery. The meaty part was overdone, and the fat part wasn't rendered properly. 

Trying to figure out what to do with the other half. 

[TornACL 7,767]

Did you follow those instructions exactly? Seems like the last part, braising it in its own fat and covering it would prevent the drying out. Sounds like it wasn't low and slow enough. 

Pro tip: When you pull the pork belly chunks out, dip a couple of slices of white bread in the leftover liquid pork fat and grill them to toast them. See your cardiologist immediately afterwards. 

Edited March 9, 2019 by TornACL

[BradInATX 9,208]

Did you follow those instructions exactly? Seems like the last part, braising it in its own fat and covering it would prevent the drying out. Sounds like it wasn't low and slow enough. 
Pro tip: When you pull the pork belly chunks out, dip a couple of slices of white bread in the leftover liquid pork fat and grill them to toast them. See your cardiologist immediately afterwards. 

It wasn't dry at all. Just overdone in the muscle part of the meat and chewy in the fat part. There was no sear or snap like you'd expect from "burnt ends".

Followed exactly. I did realize that i didnt get good caramelization on the last step because i used Franklin sauce which is really really thin and didn't stick to the meat.

I did take the leftovers today and slice like really thick bacon and a quick skillet sear on each side and it was awesome. But that's a lot of work for bacon.

[Spur08 382]

Thinking a bit selling my 18" wsm (still have a 22). In good condition but needs an extra grate. What would you sell it for?

[baboso 6,057]

Grate only costs about 20 bucks. 

[pops 7,044]

On 3/6/2019 at 10:48 AM, irishtexan said:

OK. I'm in the market for a new grill/smoker. I don't smoke very often these days and when I do it's typically ribs, pork shoulder, occasional chicken, etc. Don't do briskets very often, but would like the option of being able to smoke a whole packer. I'm not looking to spend a grand on a rig, and it seems that most quarter-inch steel offset smoker/grill combos run in excess of a grand. The best and most economic approach seems to be buying a weber keetle for regular grilling and a WSM that I can store in my garage for the occasional smoke. Convince me I'm wrong and that there's a better way to do this for  less than $500 or so.

https://www.chargriller.com/collections/kamado-grills

You're welcome

[dad 557]

So I just noticed someone selling a medium BGE for $375... should I taking vacation and driving down to buy this immediately? They said they've only used it a few times but don't have time to grill. I already have a 22" WSM and a charcoal grill but I have nothing like this that gets those badass high temps for searing some mean steaks.

[pops 7,044]

15 minutes ago, dad said:

So I just noticed someone selling a medium BGE for $375... should I taking vacation and driving down to buy this immediately? They said they've only used it a few times but don't have time to grill. I already have a 22" WSM and a charcoal grill but I have nothing like this that gets those badass high temps for searing some mean steaks.

Yes. 

[Baboontyme 2,848]

I love mine. I never use my gas grill anymore. 

It's also easier to smoke on than the WSM. Less cleanup. No water pan to fuck with and it holds temps just as stead. 

[dad 557]

I'm stressing out that he hasn't responded immediately.

[dad 557]

Fuck he sold it. I even offered $400 lol

[Baboontyme 2,848]

I need to replace the straps on the interior that hold the water pan. I was able to get 2 of them off and replaced but the nuts aren't moving on the other 4 bolts. Stupid flat head on the exterior bolt doesn't help either. Any suggestions for how I can get these things off? I don't have a torch. 

[thunderlounge 8,054]

2 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

I need to replace the straps on the interior that hold the water pan. I was able to get 2 of them off and replaced but the nuts aren't moving on the other 4 bolts. Stupid flat head on the exterior bolt doesn't help either. Any suggestions for how I can get these things off? I don't have a torch. 

 

I hate to suggest it, being on a pit, but get that thing warmed up, like no pan 350 hot. Then take that section off and try some PB Blaster. That section will cool, but the heat should get it expanded just a tick enough to get that blaster shit working into it. Let it sit a few hours, or whatever the directions advise, then give it a go.

 

[Baboontyme 2,848]

I can't even get a flat head to stick in the screw head at this point. I barely fucked with it and it's stripped. In all 4 screws. I already tried WD-40 before it was really stripped. Why the fuck would Weber use a flat head? I think I'm going to have to drill it or cut them out or something. 

For the record I need to replace them because they've become so malleable that when hot they give way and the water pan falls into the bottom section with the charcoal. 2 new straps might do it but I would like to replace all 4. 

[thunderlounge 8,054]

Oh shit. If you stripped the shit out of them then you’ll have to tap them, drill them, cut them, or something. 

[dad 557]

Must get or na?

“Green Egg Mini Maxx. 18" grilling surface, less than 3 years old, price includes a cast iron grate. Perfect for grilling 2 steaks, or 4 hamburgers. Cash only, no trades will be considered. “




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dcbc 14,574]

On 5/5/2019 at 10:46 PM, Baboontyme said:

I can't even get a flat head to stick in the screw head at this point. I barely fucked with it and it's stripped. In all 4 screws. I already tried WD-40 before it was really stripped. Why the fuck would Weber use a flat head? I think I'm going to have to drill it or cut them out or something. 

For the record I need to replace them because they've become so malleable that when hot they give way and the water pan falls into the bottom section with the charcoal. 2 new straps might do it but I would like to replace all 4. 

PB Blaster is a step up from WD40 in these situations.  Can you get the tips of a pair of channel lock pliers around the outside of the screw head while you wrench on the nut (after a 6 hour PBB soak?  Or maybe get the blade of a flat head under the screw head to hold pressure on the nut while you try to turn it?

Edited May 7, 2019 by dcbc

[irishtexan 11,613]

On 5/6/2019 at 12:27 PM, dad said:

Must get or na?

“Green Egg Mini Maxx. 18" grilling surface, less than 3 years old, price includes a cast iron grate. Perfect for grilling 2 steaks, or 4 hamburgers. Cash only, no trades will be considered. “




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What's the point? All it does it grill, right? So it's basically a $175 Weber Smokey Joe that retails for $500+ and is too heavy to actually be portable and would crack and be ruined if you accidentally dropped it. Am I missing some sort of functional benefit to this other than someone wanting their friends to know they bought an overpriced mini grill?

[dad 557]

What's the point? All it does it grill, right? So it's basically a $175 Weber Smokey Joe that retails for $500+ and is too heavy to actually be portable and would crack and be ruined if you accidentally dropped it. Am I missing some sort of functional benefit to this other than someone wanting their friends to know they bought an overpriced mini grill?

I think the point is that you can get max temps at much higher points therefore able to get better chars on steaks. Especially if paired with a cast iron grate. Of course I can also get high temps grilling directly over my charcoal chimney but that’s just one steak at a time. Point is mute for this little guy. It was sold instantly.

[dad 557]

What's the point? All it does it grill, right? So it's basically a $175 Weber Smokey Joe that retails for $500+ and is too heavy to actually be portable and would crack and be ruined if you accidentally dropped it. Am I missing some sort of functional benefit to this other than someone wanting their friends to know they bought an overpriced mini grill?

I think the point is that you can get max temps at much higher points therefore able to get better chars on steaks. Especially if paired with a cast iron grate. Of course I can also get high temps grilling directly over my charcoal chimney but that’s just one steak at a time. Point is mute for this little guy. It was sold instantly.

[luke duke 6,420]

mute?

[Baboontyme 2,848]

3 hours ago, dcbc said:

PB Blaster is a step up from WD40 in these situations.  Can you get the tips of a pair of channel lock pliers around the outside of the screw head while you wrench on the nut (after a 6 hour PBB soak?  Or maybe get the blade of a flat head under the screw head to hold pressure on the nut while you try to turn it?

I ordered these things. They looked like they will work and will come in handy for other odd jobs. They are supposed to come tomorrow so we shall see. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006YJKAPQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Saint Austin 745]

So I just bought myself a WSM 22”. I’ve never smoked anything in my life. I eventually want to work up to smoking brisket, ribs, pork butts, a turkey, etc… but should I start with something simpler? Any other tips for a first-timer are greatly appreciated. 

[Dutch 4,499]

24 minutes ago, Saint Austin said:

So I just bought myself a WSM 22”. I’ve never smoked anything in my life. I eventually want to work up to smoking brisket, ribs, pork butts, a turkey, etc… but should I start with something simpler? Any other tips for a first-timer are greatly appreciated. 

Welcome to #TeamWSM. You won’t regret it. I’d say start with a pork shoulder. It’s (nearly) impossible to mess up, since there’s so much intramuscular fat and connective tissue. You’ll also learn temp control and fire management on your cooker with a cut that isn’t temperamental or have a narrower “done” window. Plus, it’s damn tasty. I did shoulder for my first two cooks then moved on to spares, and I think learning on shoulders helped make my ribs better. 

Edited May 30, 2019 by Dutch

[dcbc 14,574]

43 minutes ago, Saint Austin said:

So I just bought myself a WSM 22”. I’ve never smoked anything in my life. I eventually want to work up to smoking brisket, ribs, pork butts, a turkey, etc… but should I start with something simpler? Any other tips for a first-timer are greatly appreciated. 

Congrats.  Agree to go with pork shoulder.  For starters, spray the inside it down with cooking spray and burn half a bag of charcoal or lump in it to season.  Maybe throw some chicken on.

Since you've never smoked before, a couple of tips:

1.  It's going to leak smoke.  It's fine.  A Cajun Bandit door and lid gasket is a nice upgrade, but not necessary until you get used to it.

2.  Water pan.  You want to cover the top with heavy duty foil.  You can put water in it, but it evaporates over long cooks.  I use a pair of 12" and 14" clay pot bases wrapped in foil in my water pan.  It isn't for moisture.  It's a heat sink to regulate temperature.

3.  Fire.  Fill the ring with charcoal briquettes and 3--4 wood chunks of your choice (scatter the wood chunks (not chips) around the middle perimeter).  Put about 10 briquettes in a chimney and light  them.  When they ash over white and glowing, dump them in the middle of the pile and assemble your cooker.  Bottom vents all open.  Top vent all open (never less than all open on top).  Use a grate level digital temperature probe.  The lid dial isn't accurate for grate temperature.  I think it's hotter, but I forget.  Anyway, when you reach your desired temp, close two of the bottom vents and close the third to the width of a pencil.  You'll roll at between 230--240 F all day/night long, which works well.  At this point, you probably can put the food on.  I don't wait for thin blue smoke.  By the time it gets up to temp, most of the nasty stuff is gone as far as I can tell in the final product. 

4.  For pork shoulder, cook it to an internal temperature of 165.  Wrap it in foil or pink butcher paper and cook it to an internal temperature of about 195.  I like a salt and pepper rub for a central Texas style but, but you can add other things for color/taste. 

 

Good luck. 

Edited May 30, 2019 by dcbc

[TornACL 7,767]

Get one of the remote thermometers like the Maverick. Buy a chimney fire starter. Have good knives, and good heavy duty heat gloves. A rib rack helps if you're doing multi racks of ribs. 

Don't freak out over small temp changes and don't overcorrect. Managing temp is like steering a large ship. Eventually you'll learn exactly how your WSM behaves. For long smokes, mine always settles in at 236-240 degrees unless the weather is insane. 

Go to Costco and get the big kosher salt and big coarse ground pepper in the spice aisle. Also grab a shitload of those disposable aluminum pans, I use them for prep, for carrying out to the smoker, and for serving. 

 

[dcbc 14,574]

19 minutes ago, TornACL said:

Get one of the remote thermometers like the Maverick. Buy a chimney fire starter. Have good knives, and good heavy duty heat gloves. A rib rack helps if you're doing multi racks of ribs. 

Don't freak out over small temp changes and don't overcorrect. Managing temp is like steering a large ship. Eventually you'll learn exactly how your WSM behaves. For long smokes, mine always settles in at 236-240 degrees unless the weather is insane. 

Go to Costco and get the big kosher salt and big coarse ground pepper in the spice aisle. Also grab a shitload of those disposable aluminum pans, I use them for prep, for carrying out to the smoker, and for serving.  

 

Cafeteria style serving trays are really good for some of this type of duty and super cheap as well.

[Baboontyme 2,848]

dcbc is pretty spot on above but you can let pork shoulder go much higher than 195 and have as good or better results imo. I let mine go to 215-220. Let temps be your guide and not a hard and fast rule. For shoulder it's done when it falls apart almost on its own. 

[dcbc 14,574]

1 hour ago, Baboontyme said:

dcbc is pretty spot on above but you can let pork shoulder go much higher than 195 and have as good or better results imo. I let mine go to 215-220. Let temps be your guide and not a hard and fast rule. For shoulder it's done when it falls apart almost on its own. 

Absolutely.  Done when the bone pulls out easily.  I'll have to let one go a little higher some time and see.

With brisket, temp is a suggestion.  Not done until it probes like warm v'butter.

[Landomatic 3,813]

9 hours ago, Saint Austin said:

So I just bought myself a WSM 22”. I’ve never smoked anything in my life. I eventually want to work up to smoking brisket, ribs, pork butts, a turkey, etc… but should I start with something simpler? Any other tips for a first-timer are greatly appreciated. 

Solid advice here.  I second (or third or whatever) starting with the pork butt.  It is damn near impossible to screw up and will serve as a great starter meat for you.

[Dutch 4,499]

Also, make your way over to The Virtual Weber Bullet; lots of great info about the WSM, prepping and preparing barbecue cuts, and cooking with it.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/index.html

[baboso 6,057]

11 hours ago, dcbc said:

Cafeteria style serving trays are really good for some of this type of duty and super cheap as well.

I bought a couple of Rubbermaid bus tubs off of Amazon for meat prep, pulling the pork shoulder when it's done, etc.  Been a good investment for the smoking experience. 

Oh yeah, get some bear claws to shred the pork shoulder with when it is done.

[dcbc 14,574]

39 minutes ago, baboso said:

I bought a couple of Rubbermaid bus tubs off of Amazon for meat prep, pulling the pork shoulder when it's done, etc.  Been a good investment for the smoking experience. 

Oh yeah, get some bear claws to shred the pork shoulder with when it is done.

That's a good call on the tray.  I had some bear claws show up as an add on to some silicone gloves and a silicone basting brush.  They're good for shredding pork and reminding people not to pick at the food until it's time. 

[dcbc 14,574]

39 minutes ago, baboso said:

I bought a couple of Rubbermaid bus tubs off of Amazon for meat prep, pulling the pork shoulder when it's done, etc.  Been a good investment for the smoking experience. 

Oh yeah, get some bear claws to shred the pork shoulder with when it is done.

That's a good call on the tubs.  I had some bear claws show up as an add on to some silicone gloves and a silicone basting brush.  They're good for shredding pork and reminding people not to pick at the food until it's time. 

[thunderlounge 8,054]

Fuck yeah on the tubs. Just for having the space to pull a couple butts is worth it alone. Much better than trying to make do with a half (or even full) aluminum steam pan. 

[77horn 216]

19 hours ago, Saint Austin said:

So I just bought myself a WSM 22”. I’ve never smoked anything in my life. I eventually want to work up to smoking brisket, ribs, pork butts, a turkey, etc… but should I start with something simpler? Any other tips for a first-timer are greatly appreciated. 

Don't know how frequently you expect to smoke, but I do something every couple of months, usually rotating between pork butts, ribs, and brisket.  So it may be 6+ months between brisket cooks.  So, I keep a log what what I cooked, how I did it, how long it took, how much fuel it took, vent setting, and how it turned out.  I refer back to my notes every time I plan a new cook.

[dcbc 14,574]

Also, the "BBQ with Franklin" series on PBS.com/Youtube has lots of good tips for just about everything you can think of (even though he's using a relatively cheap offset pit in the videos. 

[Landomatic 3,813]

1 hour ago, 77horn said:

Don't know how frequently you expect to smoke, but I do something every couple of months, usually rotating between pork butts, ribs, and brisket.  So it may be 6+ months between brisket cooks.  So, I keep a log what what I cooked, how I did it, how long it took, how much fuel it took, vent setting, and how it turned out.  I refer back to my notes every time I plan a new cook.

This cannot be emphasized enough.  And I wish someone had told me this.  Unless you’ve got a photographic memory and/or until you’re such a pro at it that it becomes second nature, keeping good notes is critical.  Otherwise, it’s almost like you’re cooking for the first time every time in the beginning.

[WhatTheBuck 28,854]

Pork butts are easy but so are ribs and they take less time. I think they're a good choice for beginners because it's easy to tell when they're done even if you don't have a temperature gauge. 

Whatever you're smoking, there's always room for sausages. Take advantage of any extra space during a smoke. That's something I never thought of before reading the thread on the old site. Yet it's so obvious. Smoking your own ham hocks for making beans is also a really good idea. 

[Dutch 4,499]

Ditto what others have said about keeping a journal.  Document everything you do: how you prepped the meat, the type of fuel, how much wood and what kind, what temp the WSM is running at in relation to the vent positions, what time the meat went on, if you wrapped and at what temp, when you pulled it...all that stuff.  I kept a very detailed WSM log for my first five or so cooks, and it really helped me see how the cooker performed in relation to what I was doing and where there were opportunities for improvement.  I still keep a log, but much more simply than at the beginning.

And it's like making chili: only change one variable at a time.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Dutch

[Gil Bang 26,125]

23 hours ago, dcbc said:

Also, the "BBQ with Franklin" series on PBS.com/Youtube has lots of good tips for just about everything you can think of (even though he's using a relatively cheap offset pit in the videos. 

I learned a lot from those videos.

Franklin now has a "masterclass" video.  $90.

https://www.masterclass.com/classes/aaron-franklin-teaches-texas-style-bbq?utm_source=Paid&utm_medium=AdWords&utm_campaign=AF&utm_content=Brand-%2Bfranklin %2Bmasterclass-US_BM&utm_term=Aq-Prospecting&gclid=Cj0KCQjwocPnBRDFARIsAJJcf97Ii8j7Xh_RuaZlzkVPtyOSpcaPmAeWlDfO0ZXVpaagSPHr6EaL-iUaAiUFEALw_wcB

[mdleast 8,393]

Ditto what others have said about keeping a journal.  Document everything you do: how you prepped the meat, the type of fuel, how much wood and what kind, what temp the WSM is running at in relation to the vent positions, what time the meat went on, if you wrapped and at what temp, when you pulled it...all that stuff.  I kept a very detailed WSM log for my first five or so cooks, and it really helped me see how the cooker performed in relation to what I was doing and where there were opportunities for improvement.  I still keep a log, but much more simply than at the beginning.
And it's like making chili: only change one variable at a time.

I do the same and actually keep this “journal” on the back sides of the Weber Virtual Bullet print outs I have for each recipe/type of meat I’m smoking. I’ve also watched Franklin’s videos and have his book but find the WVB recipes did a better of walking me through each individual step and projected timeframes specific to a WSM (as opposed to Franklin’s offset smoker). My cooks ended up being a mix of Franklin’s rub recommendations/meat prep coupled with the WVB’s recommendations for wood, charcoal and cook times.

[Spur08 382]

Anyone want to buy a 18" WSM? DFW. Only have top rack

[luke duke 6,420]

Ditto what others have said about keeping a journal.

[Landomatic 3,813]

1 hour ago, Spur08 said:

Anyone want to buy a 18" WSM? DFW. Only have top rack

How much?