So I got a WSM...

[TornACL 7698]

Like you were foiling the whole thing...wrapping it like a Christmas present?

 

[Baboontyme 2809]

Well not the outside of it.....I mean come on, that's absurd. But foiling the inside of the bowl, yes. I thought for years that's what foiling the water pan meant. It did make cleanup "easier" but only slightly and I was always confounded as to why people would rave about how easy cleanup was once they started foiling the water pan. 

[dcbc 14464]

28 minutes ago, Baboontyme said:

Can we talk about something here? It was mentioned in the old thread and apparently I was not alone so I am going to willingly open myself up to ridicule again to help out my WSM homies that may have not had this realization yet. For like a decade, I was foiling the bowl. Not the top of the bowl. The bowl itself. Don't foil the bowl. Put the foil over the top of the bowl. 

 

Yeah yeah, username checks out. 

I did that once.  There are people on the web advocating that.  It's just a different kind of mess.  Wide heavy duty foil over the top in a criss-cross pattern makes for easy cleanup.

[krevo 142]

1 hour ago, Baboontyme said:

Can we talk about something here? It was mentioned in the old thread and apparently I was not alone so I am going to willingly open myself up to ridicule again to help out my WSM homies that may have not had this realization yet. For like a decade, I was foiling the bowl. Not the top of the bowl. The bowl itself. Don't foil the bowl. Put the foil over the top of the bowl. 

 

Yeah yeah, username checks out. 

I quit using water in mine for years after getting used to cooking a little hotter and didn't even remember how much more stable the temps held with water in it.  The other thing is the fuel usage seemed to be much more sporadic without water.  I went back to using water and was shocked that it actually stayed below 250 and felt like an idiot.   A lot of people regularly say they don't use water but they don't specify that they're cooking on an 18 which seem to stay around 225 more easily.

Edited May 8, 2018 by krevo

[krevo 142]

14 hours ago, Grimas said:

I did a brisket this weekend and pulled it at 204 and I must have overlooked it as it felt like it was going to fall in half when I pulled it off and when I cut into the fatty end 2 hours later, it basically fell apart  like pulled pork... still tasted fantastic but we were eating chopped beef rather than slices... it hung around 200 the last hour (fire was dying but still had 235ish at the top rack) but I never tested the meat for "softness" at that point and was just waiting on the probe to get to 204...

 I'll pull it at 190-195, cut the point off and put it back on to continue rendering.  Then slice the flat up.  I mean, it varies based on so many different things - but I've always heard 185-190 IT for good slices.

Edited May 8, 2018 by krevo

[Landomatic 3813]

4 hours ago, dcbc said:

I did that once.  There are people on the web advocating that.  It's just a different kind of mess.  Wide heavy duty foil over the top in a criss-cross pattern makes for easy cleanup.

Makes adding water a bitch though.

[TornACL 7698]

We had this exact same conversation on Shaggy and y'all still make zero sense.

What does criss crossing the top of the bowl do? All the grease and shit just runs off and goes down into the fire? Yeah no thanks.

The foil wrapped on the inside of the bowl makes cleanup super easy and takes 5 seconds, if you do it right. After the cook, you slowly undo the foil, keeping the fat and greasy water and shit inside the foil. Pull it out and throw it away. Your bowl is the same as it was when you started the cook - dry and clean. Yes, if you do a dumbass job of wrapping the bowl, and you have a giant seam of foil in the bottom of the pan, the grease will run through and it's all over the bowl anyway and you'll have to hose out the bowl. So in that case there's no point to using foil.

Next someone will tell us how expensive foil is, like they did last time. I don't know what else to say to y'all.

[dcbc 14464]

2 hours ago, TornACL said:

We had this exact same conversation on Shaggy and y'all still make zero sense.

What does criss crossing the top of the bowl do? All the grease and shit just runs off and goes down into the fire? Yeah no thanks.

The foil wrapped on the inside of the bowl makes cleanup super easy and takes 5 seconds, if you do it right. After the cook, you slowly undo the foil, keeping the fat and greasy water and shit inside the foil. Pull it out and throw it away. Your bowl is the same as it was when you started the cook - dry and clean. Yes, if you do a dumbass job of wrapping the bowl, and you have a giant seam of foil in the bottom of the pan, the grease will run through and it's all over the bowl anyway and you'll have to hose out the bowl. So in that case there's no point to using foil.

Next someone will tell us how expensive foil is, like they did last time. I don't know what else to say to y'all.

On mine, the two layers of foil across the top dip to the middle, allowing the grease to pool.  I use the wide foil.  So the seam are at the very edge of the bowl.  Some of it burns off most likely, but most of it is sitting there when I'm done.  I wait a little longer and it congeals.  At that point, it's easy to ball up those two bits of foil and toss them.  Since I don't use water, this is my preference and no bowl cleaning required.

 

If the little bit of grease that is burning off on the foil is enough to create "smoke fog," it's not an amount I can detect compared to the time I foiled the surface of the bowl and filled it with water.

YMMV

Edited May 8, 2018 by dcbc

[TornACL 7698]

Ah ok that makes a little more sense. As long as you have a grease trap you're good. Whether you foil the surface of the bowl or just make a dip in the middle is personal preference.

[Baboontyme 2809]

9 hours ago, krevo said:

 I'll pull it at 190-195, cut the point off and put it back on to continue rendering.  Then slice the flat up.  I mean, it varies based on so many different things - but I've always heard 185-190 IT for good slices.

Are we going to talk about this. 

[thunderlounge 7812]

10 hours ago, krevo said:

 I'll pull it at 190-195, cut the point off and put it back on to continue rendering.  Then slice the flat up.  I mean, it varies based on so many different things - but I've always heard 185-190 IT for good slices. 

 

What in the flying got damn fuck are you fucking babbling about?

 

 

1 hour ago, Baboontyme said:

Are we going to talk about this. 

There's only one thing to say about it...

 

[luke duke 6412]

Anyone in DFW interested in buying a 22.5” for $250?

[Hank_Hill 18785]

What’s so complicated about properly foiling the top of the pan so that the drippings collect on the foil? 

[dcbc 14464]

9 hours ago, Hank_Hill said:

What’s so complicated about properly foiling the top of the pan so that the drippings collect on the foil? 

Not a thing.  I think he envisioned someone's making the foil drum tight where the drippings would run off the foil and into the coals. 

[dcbc 14464]

A different topic, and something I mentioned in passing above, which even after reading the entire thread on TOS twice through I hadn't figured out for whatever reason.

 

The bottom rack cooks quite a bit cooler than the top rack.

 

I'm a little slow apparently.

 

Username checks, etc.

 

 

[Brew 3049]

Just put on two butts for a mid afternoon Mother’s Day meal. Chickens go on in the morning and I’ll try and remember to get some pictures then.

[Brew 3049]

WSM ran hot last night so butts are probing at 195 way too early. The meal is about 8 hours from now. Should I wrap and cooler and just monitor the temp? If it goes below 140 then put in oven close to time? Or would you go ahead and rest, pull, refrigerate, and reheat? 

[Baboontyme 2809]

I think you could cooler wrap tightly in foil and towels and you'll be fine. I would just wrap them right off of the cooker though since they're butts and there's no risk of over cooking. i.e. don't let them rest before wrapping. If they keep cooking a bit so what. 

[Brew 3049]

Thanks. One was a little low in the thickest part, so I’m going to let it go for a little while longer. While messing with them the internals dropped quite a bit, so I’m going to keep an eye on them and pull them in an hour or two when they get back up and then cooler them.

[Baboontyme 2809]

You could also probably slow your temps down a bit and I wouldn't be scared to leave those things on to 210 or higher if you want to eat up time. Pork butts are very forgiving. Almost as forgiving as your mom. 

[dcbc 14464]

I ordered the Cajun Bandit Door and latch yesterday.  Considering putting some handles on the midsection of my 22.5" WSM after I dropped it last cook and cut the snot out of my thumb in the process..  Most of the videos show putting Genie garage door handles vertically using the bolts for the grate supports.  Problem is that that works for a 18.5" WSM, but the 22.5" has a bolt patter that is 7.25" apart and thru-bolt handles don't seem to be readily available in that size. 

Anybody drill for handles.  Any issues sealing with just bolt/flat washer/nut?  Any grinding on the inside necessary or does a good washer compress any pointy metal parts on the inside well enough.  I'm handy enough to screw things up good and proper, but I'd prefer to make this WSM better as opposed to a mess.

[thunderlounge 7812]

Lit off 45 min ago, now waiting for the temp to stabilize at 275 and the smoke to clean up. It’s pretty close.

Brisket trimmed and waiting in the fridge, couple racks of ribs waiting in the wings to go on this afternoon.

 

 

[thunderlounge 7812]

Wrapped in butcher paper at 155*, made it to 198*, now it’s at 191*.

Waiting...

 

Smells fuckin good though. 

[thunderlounge 7812]

Up to 192* now. That fuckin thing couldn’t have stalled at 199, could it? That’s fuckin crazy talk. 

 

 

[dcbc 14464]

How's the fuel level. 

Only I see a fall off on brisket temperature is right after I wrap.  Once I'm past 195, I open the vents to kick it in the ass a little and get it done.  But I'm riding below 250 up until that point typically.

[mdleast 8289]

Pork ribs. Not my favorite cut of meat but you can do them so quick and easy.

[Incredulity 11643]

What kind of time are you guys getting out of a full ring on a 18.5?

Specifics on techniques?  I have been starting with 10 or so well lit in the center with wood chunks spread throughout the ring.

[Baboontyme 2809]

That's the basic formula. I don't really go for low and slow anymore but if I'm doing an overnight cook I will dial it in the 225-275 range just so I can sleep. I generally get 12 hours or so if I need it. 

[Incredulity 11643]

What are you doing on dampers?

[Brew 3049]

With a full ring and half a chimney of lit charcoal, I can run mine 12 or so hours easily. Then I’ll add another half to 3/4 chimney if it needs to go longer. It was still hot at the 24 hour mark last weekend when I did an overnight cook.

i usually run my vents at about 1/4 open.

[Incredulity 11643]

What kind if temp are you at with 1/4 vent?

To run at 250 I am 3/4, which isn’t getting me 12 hrs.  

[baboso 6054]

I have been getting 15+ hours by putting an oak split in the middle of the fire ring, filling the rest with unlit charcoal, and adding a half full starter chimney of lit charcoal.  Vents dialed back to about 1/4 after getting up to 250.  That is with the larger Cajun Bandit fire ring, however.

[dcbc 14464]

On the 22.5" WSM, I will need to refuel at the 12 hour mark.  I put about 10 burning coals in the middle with wood chunks mixed in with the charcoal.  Once I get near my desired temp, I close off two of the vents completely and close the third down to about the width of a pencil.  I run under 240 without any adjustments. 

 

Cajun bandit door on order.

[thunderlounge 7812]

18 hours ago, dcbc said:

How's the fuel level. 

Only I see a fall off on brisket temperature is right after I wrap.  Once I'm past 195, I open the vents to kick it in the ass a little and get it done.  But I'm riding below 250 up until that point typically. 

 

It was pretty fuckin weird. Still had fuel left, and was cruising along at about 255*. Although I started at 275*, I backed it down when I put ribs on. This was after the weird temp reading. No idea what the deal was, but when I wrapped the ribs I checked the brisket and it was ready. So no idea WTF was going on. Maybe probe placement, or some other oddity. Either way, it all worked out in the end.

[Napoleon 8657]

I've got an 18" (18 1/2"?) WSM at my parents' house in Texas that I use some when I'm back, but mainly my brother uses it to grill stuff. (No water pan, just grilling.)

I'm looking at picking up a used one on Facebook Marketplace ($125 in good shape, but may be sold or $150 closer, but not in as good shape), but there also happens to be a "Napoleon Bullet Smoker" (coincidence, no?) for $150.

 

https://express.google.com/product/4277341018368125053_2841700845025027105_1699011

The advantage is that you can remove a section and it is easier to use as a grill, or you can keep it as a smoker. Like this...

 

Has anyone every used one of these?

 

[Napoleon 8657]

On 5/20/2018 at 4:53 AM, Incredulity said:

What kind if temp are you at with 1/4 vent?

To run at 250 I am 3/4, which isn’t getting me 12 hrs.  

How much water are you putting in the bowl?

Have you tried sand instead?

SIDE QUESTION TO ANYONE: Has anyone tried wet sand? (If so, how much sand? How much water?)

[Incredulity 11643]

Little More than half full.

[BabaYaga 15286]

9 hours ago, Napoleon said:

How much water are you putting in the bowl?

Have you tried sand instead?

SIDE QUESTION TO ANYONE: Has anyone tried wet sand? (If so, how much sand? How much water?)

Never used sand.  Never saw the need.  When I'm ready I just use a foil water pan anyway that I could refill if it ever runs out.  There are so many more things to worry about. 

And I'm torn on using chunks of real wood mixed in with the lump charcoal.  Causes flare-ups as they burn faster than the slower burning lump.  It may impart some extra flavor, but not enough to mitigate fluctuations in temp (your biggest killer in BBQ consistency).

[Gil Bang 25907]

I use wood chunks, and my temps stay steady as a rock (if I'm using Stubbs or Kingsford)

[dcbc 14464]

5 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

Never used sand.  Never saw the need.  When I'm ready I just use a foil water pan anyway that I could refill if it ever runs out.  There are so many more things to worry about. 

And I'm torn on using chunks of real wood mixed in with the lump charcoal.  Causes flare-ups as they burn faster than the slower burning lump.  It may impart some extra flavor, but not enough to mitigate fluctuations in temp (your biggest killer in BBQ consistency).

I recently switched to a pair of clay pot bases in the bowl and have had good results compared to water.  I find it more consistent since as your water evaporates, the capacity of your heat sink changes.  For shorter cooks, this is fairly insignificant, but with things like brisket, I think it can make a difference.  My temperature has been so easy to maintain ever since I switched.

[immortal13 4059]

On 5/7/2018 at 4:37 PM, krevo said:

 

[immortal13 4059]

Bought a gasket kit and stainless hinge on ebay. Both were easy installs and the hinge is great.

Someone tell me how the clay pot bases work, what sizes? I have an 18.5"

[Landomatic 3813]

Just now, immortal13 said:

Bought a gasket kit and stainless hinge on ebay. Both were easy installs and the hinge is great.

Someone tell me how the clay pot bases work, what sizes? I have an 18.5"

As my wife (no pics) says...it’s like a Barbie for men.  Never enough accessories we can buy

[krevo 142]

13 hours ago, immortal13 said:

Bought a gasket kit and stainless hinge on ebay. Both were easy installs and the hinge is great.

Someone tell me how the clay pot bases work, what sizes? I have an 18.5"

any size that will fit in your water pan.  others remove the water pan and buy the size that will fit snugly in place of your water pan.

[dcbc 14464]

14 hours ago, immortal13 said:

Bought a gasket kit and stainless hinge on ebay. Both were easy installs and the hinge is great.

Someone tell me how the clay pot bases work, what sizes? I have an 18.5"

For the 22", I have a 14" clay base and a 12" clay base.  Wrapped both in foil and the 12 sits inside the 14, both in the bowl.  Then, I foil the bowl for easy cleanup.  Check the diameter and depth of the bowl on the 18" WSM and go from there.  I found the sizes for mine on the internets.  Just got lucky.

[Lat22 4010]

Bunch of foil wasting mofos up in here. 

[dcbc 14464]

2 hours ago, Lat22 said:

Bunch of foil wasting mofos up in here. 

 

2 hours ago, Lat22 said:

Bunch of foil wasting mofos up in here. 

Well, I leave the foil on the clay pots and wipe off whatever couple of drops of grease makes its way through during the cook.

But yes, I do, in fact, go through a good amount of foil.

[GhostOfTomJoad 9323]

Put this 10 lber on about 15 minutes ago. Bullet is locked at 225°. Time for some coffee. My dog's got the first shift.

And for the lulz, the patio TV is on and a Traeger infomercial is airing. Happy smoking, you surly bastards

[Grimas 669]

On 5/16/2018 at 6:06 PM, dcbc said:

I ordered the Cajun Bandit Door and latch yesterday.  Considering putting some handles on the midsection of my 22.5" WSM after I dropped it last cook and cut the snot out of my thumb in the process..  Most of the videos show putting Genie garage door handles vertically using the bolts for the grate supports.  Problem is that that works for a 18.5" WSM, but the 22.5" has a bolt patter that is 7.25" apart and thru-bolt handles don't seem to be readily available in that size. 

Anybody drill for handles.  Any issues sealing with just bolt/flat washer/nut?  Any grinding on the inside necessary or does a good washer compress any pointy metal parts on the inside well enough.  I'm handy enough to screw things up good and proper, but I'd prefer to make this WSM better as opposed to a mess.

I bought 2 black "gate handles" that were 10" between holes for my 22.5 and was able to use the existing bolts. Had to do some creative bending in a vice to make the tip of it to miss the upper lip of the drum and to get the holes to line up.  Would have been easier if my golden retriever pup didn't steal one of the bolts...

[Grimas 669]

8 minutes ago, Grimas said:

I bought 2 black "gate handles" that were 10" between holes for my 22.5 and was able to use the existing bolts. Had to do some creative bending in a vice to make the tip of it to miss the upper lip of the drum and to get the holes to line up.  Would have been easier if my golden retriever pup didn't steal one of the bolts...

Gate pull from Lowes