So I got a WSM...

[Gil Bang 25,922]

those look fairly firm.  

 

Were they tender?

[dcbc 14,465]

10 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

those look fairly firm.  

 

Were they tender?

They pulled back with tongs in the middle and had a pretty good bite.  If I'm honest, they probably could have used another 45 minutes or so, but one of the kids had basketball practice and so on.  I tend to err on the side of slightly firm versus falling apart mess.  So I wasn't unhappy.

Pork ribs have always been a work in progress for me.

Edited February 18, 2020 by dcbc

[Incredulity 11,657]

Team Pork Ribs with a little bite.

Hate the completely disintegrated slop, unless its a pork shoulder.

[dad 557]

So I volunteered to make briskets for my niece's graduation party. They estimate about 100 people maximum (capacity of the venue). How many briskets should we purchase? I've only ever made 2 briskets at a time on my WSM but this time i'll use my father in law's big offset that can fit a whole bunch of them at a time. The food should be served after 4 or 5. What's the best plan on when to try to have them finished? How to hold them? Rotate them within the large smoker so they don't dry out or cook faster near the fire? 

I'm guessing I should try to have them done early that morning so they can hold in a huge ice chest wrapped in foil for several hours? Should I leave them whole and then we (or some other people) slice it on-site or should I slice them all and have them in big metal foil pans just ready to serve? I'd be concerned about them possibly drying out if I go this route but it would help in case we don't have people or time to slice on site.

There will be bbq beans and rice as sides. Crawfish outside.

Any general tips for feeding a lot of people is appreciated!

[dcbc 14,465]

1 hour ago, dad said:

So I volunteered to make briskets for my niece's graduation party. They estimate about 100 people maximum (capacity of the venue). How many briskets should we purchase? I've only ever made 2 briskets at a time on my WSM but this time i'll use my father in law's big offset that can fit a whole bunch of them at a time. The food should be served after 4 or 5. What's the best plan on when to try to have them finished? How to hold them? Rotate them within the large smoker so they don't dry out or cook faster near the fire? 

I'm guessing I should try to have them done early that morning so they can hold in a huge ice chest wrapped in foil for several hours? Should I leave them whole and then we (or some other people) slice it on-site or should I slice them all and have them in big metal foil pans just ready to serve? I'd be concerned about them possibly drying out if I go this route but it would help in case we don't have people or time to slice on site.

There will be bbq beans and rice as sides. Crawfish outside.

Any general tips for feeding a lot of people is appreciated!

If it's only brisket, I'd guess about 5 in the 12-15 lb range would get you some leftovers.  I'd throw a bunch of sausage on the pit, too, just to fill things out. 

Slice on sight at serving time.

 

[Anastasis 23,464]

I ballpark 20 people per brisket, based on past discussions and guidance here. Agree on throw some sausage on because sausage. Add an extra brisket and have a food saver handy for leftovers is also a good idea imo.

 

Somebody can check my math: 13.5# avg per brisket * 0.6 yield * 5 briskets = 40.5# brisket 

[deft 6,843]

220, 221 briskets......whatever it takes

[Landomatic 3,813]

Just got my quarantine WSM.  Should be a good time waster over the next few weeks.  Against my better judgement, I went with the 14.5".  Not really sure why, just trying to save money I guess.  And not thinking I'll be entertaining any large groups in the coming weeks/months.  Since it's just for 3 people, I'm not doing any big cooks so I just thought that would be enough for now.  Did I eff up?

Also, I'll go back and reread this whole thread at some point, but remind me what I have to do to season this little fucker before first use?  I used to have a 22" and had gotten decent enough at cooking on it, but I bought it used off craigslist so it was already seasoned.

Now if I can just find some meat.  Probably gonna' start with a pork butt just to get the hang of things again.  It's been over 3 years.

[Incredulity 11,657]

21 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Just got my quarantine WSM.  Should be a good time waster over the next few weeks.  Against my better judgement, I went with the 14.5".  Not really sure why, just trying to save money I guess.  And not thinking I'll be entertaining any large groups in the coming weeks/months.  Since it's just for 3 people, I'm not doing any big cooks so I just thought that would be enough for now.  Did I eff up?

Also, I'll go back and reread this whole thread at some point, but remind me what I have to do to season this little fucker before first use?  I used to have a 22" and had gotten decent enough at cooking on it, but I bought it used off craigslist so it was already seasoned.

Now if I can just find some meat.  Probably gonna' start with a pork butt just to get the hang of things again.  It's been over 3 years.

You aren’t going to get a packer brisket on a 14.5.

I used a stick burner for years then got a 18.5 a few years ago.  Still have both.  I love doing butts on the WSM.  I hate doing ribs on the WSM and am kind of in no mans land on brisket.  I haven’t been able to get the same product off of the WSM on brisket, but love the set it and forget it operating.  

[Dutch 4,465]

It doesn’t need to be seasoned; one or two pork shoulders will “gunk it up” plenty. If it were me, though, I’d do a trial burn with some charcoal to see how it holds temps/reacts to vent adjustments, because it will have different thermal characteristics than your old 22.5.”

[Landomatic 3,813]

3 minutes ago, Incredulity said:

You aren’t going to get a packer brisket on a 14.5.

Damn...really?  Anyone ever try smaller cuts or is that a no-no?  Full packer brisket was always way too much food for me when I was cooking on the 22” anyway. Wife doesn’t eat beef and kid doesn’t eat much.  Can’t I just cook half and freeze half or some shit?

[Incredulity 11,657]

13 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Damn...really?  Anyone ever try smaller cuts or is that a no-no?  Full packer brisket was always way too much food for me when I was cooking on the 22” anyway. Wife doesn’t eat beef and kid doesn’t eat much.  Can’t I just cook half and freeze half or some shit?

You can find lots of info from all the WSM forums around the web.  When I say you aren’t I am speaking practically, someone will be along shortly to anecdote how if you trim this and twist that and wrap something with foil you can make a 14.5 work for packer.  I frankly struggle getting one on a 18.5.

I have done pre-split flats and made delicious smoked meat, but it’s not the same thing.

[thunderlounge 7,815]

17 hours ago, Incredulity said:

You can find lots of info from all the WSM forums around the web.  When I say you aren’t I am speaking practically, someone will be along shortly to anecdote how if you trim this and twist that and wrap something with foil you can make a 14.5 work for packer.  I frankly struggle getting one on a 18.5.

I have done pre-split flats and made delicious smoked meat, but it’s not the same thing.

 

This. Can’t imagine the tetris-like arranging on an 18”, let alone the 14”. 

[baboso 6,054]

I would burn a load of charcoal first, just to make sure any manufacturing oils or whatever is off of the grates.  Spray it down inside with Pam and start cooking.  Brisket flats turn out OK on my 18" WSM.

[Landomatic 3,813]

Maiden voyage on the 14.5".  Not bad...not great.

Butt on around 10:00 AM

About 4 hours in.  Very inconsistent smoker temps all day.  I remember the 22" being much more consistent.  This thing was all over from about 240 to 310 from start to finish.  Took a lot more tending than I was hoping for.  My ThermoWorks Smoke alarm was going off all day.

Decided to wrap at this point.  Spritzed with some apple cider vinegar.  I think it was doing good up to this point.

Decided to put some ribs on about the same time.  Think I got a little heavy handed with the rub.  Also, cut into thirds to fit, but that was too much for the small smoker.  Two would have been fine...so about ⅔ of a rack cut in half.

Here you can see how the stacking of the three ribs kinda fucked up the consistency as they had to kind of lean up against each other, thereby keeping parts of each from getting smoke.  This was about 3 hours in.  Sauced and put back on for 15 mins then wrapped.  Wasn't loving these results, but didn't really know how to salvage either.

The end result, plated...after resting for 30 mins.

Butt was a little soggy and probably too moist.  Flavor was okay, but not great.  Bone twisted right out on its own like it's supposed to, but it was also kind of falling apart.  I'm guessing I overcooked it.

Ribs were just horribly inconsistent and again, flavor was okay, but not great.

Everything was just a little too peppery with a bit of a weird flavor of smokeyness/vinegar.  And nothing really firmed up the way I wanted.  Crusts were slightly soggy.  Maybe just got a little too heavy handed with everything.

I really need to be getting much better results for this to be worth it for me.  Spent all day fucking with everything, no Saturday afternoon nap (alarms), went to bed and woke up smelling and tasting and feeling like the bottom of an ashtray, drank just enough beer throughout the day to be a little loopy but not in a fun way, more of a bloated drunk uncle way.  All for pretty average results.

I don't have anything else to do during these quarantine times, so I might keep messing with it, but as of right now, the squeak isn't worth the grease to me.

[Landomatic 3,813]

Best part...leftovers.

[dcbc 14,465]

I have no experience with the 14", but with the 22" (and probably with the 18"), it's just a matter of getting it going and making sure it has enough fuel for the cook.  Load it with KBB charcoal and a few fist sized chunks of a wood.  Light it (Minion method) with everything wide open and assemble.  When temp gets above 220 or so, close two bottom vents and close the third vent to about the size of a pencil.  Add food.  Wrap food.  Remove when done.  Sounds like you basically did that.  So I don't know if having to cut it up to get it in the 14er is causing issues.  But other than having to keep an eye on temps of the meat, they're pretty hands off.

[huge 3,793]

Smokem if you gotem

[Napoleon 8,666]

So a week or so ago I was getting toilet paper for my mom and happened by the meats area of a Walmart and saw this.

I have a WSM that can't take the length, so I had to do this.

 

Leaving this much fat behind. (Can of black-eyes peas for scale.)

 

I put course black pepper and coarse salt that I muled back from Argentina (because coarse kosher salt doesn't exist in the US) and then slapped it onto a WSM that needed mods after getting roughed up in last October's Dallas tornado. I didn't use a thermometer, but checked it after about 8 hours at 225F and it needed a lot more time, so ultimately left it on about 12 hours or so.

Removed the top cut...

 

...and left the bottom for about 30 more minutes. (View with cataracts.)

 

Bottom cut in focus and on a cutting board.

 

Black on the outside, and yet so moist and pink on the inside.

 

...so there's that.

[thunderlounge 7,815]

1 hour ago, Napoleon said:

Black on the outside, and yet so moist and pink on the inside.

That’s the rumor. 

[luke duke 6,412]

I put course black pepper and coarse salt that I muled back from Argentina (because coarse kosher salt doesn't exist in the US)

[Landomatic 3,813]

16 hours ago, Napoleon said:

I put course black pepper and coarse salt that I muled back from Argentina (because coarse kosher salt doesn't exist in the US)

 

10 hours ago, luke duke said:

 

Apparently he just likes traveling with salt shoved up his ass.

NTTAWWT

[dcbc 14,465]

For lack of a better place to put this.

How am I just not finding out that the best, cheapest way to get a chimney of charcoal started is four cotton balls with a little rubbing alcohol on them.  No mess.  Gets going first time and fast.  Game changing. 

[Sam Lin 3,551]

How was anyone having trouble with starting a chimney? I've used the cotton ball alcohol starter for years on lump charcoal in kamados, but nearly anything works for briquettes in a chimney, they're so easy.

[dcbc 14,465]

33 minutes ago, Sam Lin said:

How was anyone having trouble with starting a chimney? I've used the cotton ball alcohol starter for years on lump charcoal in kamados, but nearly anything works for briquettes in a chimney, they're so easy.

Works, yes.  Works instantly?  You should have posted about it a while ago.  Because I've learned a shitload from this site, but not that.  Just impatience that has been resolved by this little trick..

[jimmyjazz 45,893]

I'm gonna get the WSM 18" this weekend.  What's the preferred fuel of choice?  I have some Royal Oak lump charcoal, but it's mostly small bits, a very disappointing giant bag.  I have some wood chunks -- mostly hickory, some oak -- that I can use for smoke & flavor.  Should I be buying something specific to get things going or is the lump charcoal good enough?

[Alex Karev 1,030]

On 3/30/2018 at 6:05 PM, Dutch said:

Smoking a 14# brisket tonight for dinner tomorrow. I’ve always placed it fatcap up with pretty good results. The wife & guests have loved every one, but I think I hold myself to too high a standard. Reading (Meathead & few Weber cookbooks) that fatside down protects the flat better. How do y’all smoke ‘em?

Pron will follow. 

Always fat side up. You protect the flat with temp.

[UTexasFight 9,429]

For lack of a better place to put this.
How am I just not finding out that the best, cheapest way to get a chimney of charcoal started is four cotton balls with a little rubbing alcohol on them.  No mess.  Gets going first time and fast.  Game changing. 

Never heard this
I have had a much harder time than I should in more than one occasion using newspaper

Will give this a try

[UTexasFight 9,429]

I'm gonna get the WSM 18" this weekend.  What's the preferred fuel of choice?  I have some Royal Oak lump charcoal, but it's mostly small bits, a very disappointing giant bag.  I have some wood chunks -- mostly hickory, some oak -- that I can use for smoke & flavor.  Should I be buying something specific to get things going or is the lump charcoal good enough?

I used to use regular kingsford and several wood chunks
I switched to B&B briquettes a whole back and never going back.
The larger B&B briquettes burn a lot longer and more even.

[Dutch 4,465]

1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm gonna get the WSM 18" this weekend.  What's the preferred fuel of choice?  I have some Royal Oak lump charcoal, but it's mostly small bits, a very disappointing giant bag.  I have some wood chunks -- mostly hickory, some oak -- that I can use for smoke & flavor.  Should I be buying something specific to get things going or is the lump charcoal good enough?

I’ve been using Royal Oak All Natural briquettes in my WSM since Stubbs went away; they burn clean, long, and give a good flavor. I never really had luck burning lump in my WSM, but others here will swear by it. It would either burn too hot or wouldn’t get to temp (although the 22” does go through more fuel than an 18”). Briqs, at least in my WSM, give a much more consistent and steady cook. As for wood chunks... a few each of hickory, oak, and mesquite for beef; hickory and pecan for pork butts and spares. 

Edited June 6, 2020 by Dutch

[Sam Lin 3,551]

Just make a mason jar of the cotton ball firestarters, then you always have them available. Cram a mason jar full of cotton balls, then pour alcohol (100%) in to soak, and put the lid on. Open and take out a ready-to-use fire starter any time you cook.

[Horn Draoi 255]

7 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Just make a mason jar of the cotton ball firestarters, then you always have them available. Cram a mason jar full of cotton balls, then pour alcohol (100%) in to soak, and put the lid on. Open and take out a ready-to-use fire starter any time you cook.

Not sure if this is sarcastic-I wouldn’t keep a tightly closed breakable jar of cotton balls soaked in alcohol in my house or lab, but then, i don’t keep any gasoline in the garage, either.  Also, the highest concentration of alcohol is our old friend Everclear at 95%. Absolute (100%, anhydrous alcohol) is available only to labs and pharmacies.

[jimmyjazz 45,893]

It probably depends on what you're lighting, but for most charcoal a few paper towels does the trick in my chimneys.

[Sam Lin 3,551]

3 hours ago, Horn Draoi said:

Not sure if this is sarcastic-I wouldn’t keep a tightly closed breakable jar of cotton balls soaked in alcohol in my house or lab, but then, i don’t keep any gasoline in the garage, either.  Also, the highest concentration of alcohol is our old friend Everclear at 95%. Absolute (100%, anhydrous alcohol) is available only to labs and pharmacies.

Not sarcastic at all. How many people already have a bottle of rubbing alcohol at home? All you're doing is repacking it to be ready to use, instead of having to manually dip a cotton ball each time you cook. If you drop and break the jar, it evaporates in minutes. If you somehow light it, it flashes off quickly and is unlikely to ignite a household surface. Walgreens carries 91% isopropyl alcohol, it works great for this, for dirt cheap.

[TornACL 7,698]

2 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

It probably depends on what you're lighting, but for most charcoal a few paper towels does the trick in my chimneys.

I take newspaper and tear into strips. Rub the newspaper strips with oil, twist em up and line the bottom of the chimney starter. Get them jammed up into the grating so they don't fall out the bottom once burning, and get a few ends of the strips to point up into the starter. Flip over, fill with charcoal, light er up.

[Jeffrey 90]

Had no idea this was an issue for people. Crumple up a page or two of newspaper and light works 100% of the time for me.

[UTexasFight 9,429]

Crosspost from brisket thread.

Did my first brisket last night since winning my company’s annual bbq cookoff last year.

I am gruntled

No chimney issues here:

[pops 6,981]

8 hours ago, Horn Draoi said:

Not sure if this is sarcastic-I wouldn’t keep a tightly closed breakable jar of cotton balls soaked in alcohol in my house or lab, but then, i don’t keep any gasoline in the garage, either.  Also, the highest concentration of alcohol is our old friend Everclear at 95%. Absolute (100%, anhydrous alcohol) is available only to labs and pharmacies.

Where do I keep my tightly closed, breakable bottle of everclear,  then?   

[Horn Draoi 255]

10 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Not sarcastic at all. How many people already have a bottle of rubbing alcohol at home? All you're doing is repacking it to be ready to use, instead of having to manually dip a cotton ball each time you cook. If you drop and break the jar, it evaporates in minutes. If you somehow light it, it flashes off quickly and is unlikely to ignite a household surface. Walgreens carries 91% isopropyl alcohol, it works great for this, for dirt cheap.

 

6 hours ago, pops said:

Where do I keep my tightly closed, breakable bottle of everclear,  then?   

Rubbing alcohol ain’t 100%. Evaporation is great, unless it’s ignited.  47 years in a pharmacy lab, and it’s a damned hot flame that takes a while to go away.  Walgreen’s has 91%?  We sure can’t get it-Covid and all that.  Where to keep the Everclear?  I assume a shelf or cabinet where it is unlikely to get dropped.  I”ll continue to use the newspaper lighting method, works OK for me.  No skin off my neck...............

[Landomatic 3,813]

On 6/5/2020 at 7:56 PM, dcbc said:

For lack of a better place to put this.

How am I just not finding out that the best, cheapest way to get a chimney of charcoal started is four cotton balls with a little rubbing alcohol on them.  No mess.  Gets going first time and fast.  Game changing. 

 

On 6/5/2020 at 9:24 PM, Sam Lin said:

How was anyone having trouble with starting a chimney? I've used the cotton ball alcohol starter for years on lump charcoal in kamados, but nearly anything works for briquettes in a chimney, they're so easy.

 

On 6/5/2020 at 9:59 PM, dcbc said:

Works, yes.  Works instantly?  You should have posted about it a while ago.  Because I've learned a shitload from this site, but not that.  Just impatience that has been resolved by this little trick..

 

On 6/5/2020 at 11:45 PM, UTexasFight said:

Never heard this
I have had a much harder time than I should in more than one occasion using newspaper

Will give this a try

 

On 6/6/2020 at 12:15 AM, Sam Lin said:

Just make a mason jar of the cotton ball firestarters, then you always have them available. Cram a mason jar full of cotton balls, then pour alcohol (100%) in to soak, and put the lid on. Open and take out a ready-to-use fire starter any time you cook.

 

On 6/6/2020 at 8:01 AM, Horn Draoi said:

Not sure if this is sarcastic-I wouldn’t keep a tightly closed breakable jar of cotton balls soaked in alcohol in my house or lab, but then, i don’t keep any gasoline in the garage, either.  Also, the highest concentration of alcohol is our old friend Everclear at 95%. Absolute (100%, anhydrous alcohol) is available only to labs and pharmacies.

 

22 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

It probably depends on what you're lighting, but for most charcoal a few paper towels does the trick in my chimneys.

 

20 hours ago, Sam Lin said:

Not sarcastic at all. How many people already have a bottle of rubbing alcohol at home? All you're doing is repacking it to be ready to use, instead of having to manually dip a cotton ball each time you cook. If you drop and break the jar, it evaporates in minutes. If you somehow light it, it flashes off quickly and is unlikely to ignite a household surface. Walgreens carries 91% isopropyl alcohol, it works great for this, for dirt cheap.

 

19 hours ago, TornACL said:

I take newspaper and tear into strips. Rub the newspaper strips with oil, twist em up and line the bottom of the chimney starter. Get them jammed up into the grating so they don't fall out the bottom once burning, and get a few ends of the strips to point up into the starter. Flip over, fill with charcoal, light er up.

 

19 hours ago, Jeffrey said:

Had no idea this was an issue for people. Crumple up a page or two of newspaper and light works 100% of the time for me.
 

 

16 hours ago, pops said:

Where do I keep my tightly closed, breakable bottle of everclear,  then?   

 

10 hours ago, Horn Draoi said:

 

Rubbing alcohol ain’t 100%. Evaporation is great, unless it’s ignited.  47 years in a pharmacy lab, and it’s a damned hot flame that takes a while to go away.  Walgreen’s has 91%?  We sure can’t get it-Covid and all that.  Where to keep the Everclear?  I assume a shelf or cabinet where it is unlikely to get dropped.  I”ll continue to use the newspaper lighting method, works OK for me.  No skin off my neck...............

Jesus y'all can overcomplicate just about anything.  Who still reads the newspaper?  Who wants to fuck with dunking cotton into alcohol?

Weber lighter cubes.  They're $5 for a pack of 24 and work flawlessly.  That's under $.21 per cube.  If you need it cheaper than that, you don't need to be eating the level of pork and beef you need a smoker for, you need to be eating bologna sandwiches and hotdogs.  One cube lights a large chimney almost instantly.

Here's a link, thank me later...

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7417-Lighter-Cubes/dp/B001AN7RGG/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Weber+Lighter+Cubes&qid=1591536912&sr=8-3

[jimmyjazz 45,893]

45 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Jesus y'all can overcomplicate just about anything.

Yeah, 3-4 paper towels is complicated.  Yeesh.

[thunderlounge 7,815]

On 6/5/2020 at 11:56 PM, UTexasFight said:

I switched to B&B briquettes a whole back and never going back.
The larger B&B briquettes burn a lot longer and more even.

 

This.

I switched to B&B when Stubb's got sold off. Can't remember what it was rebranded as, but B&B works just as well or better, IMO.

[WhatTheBuck 28,775]

5 hours ago, Landomatic said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus y'all can overcomplicate just about anything.  Who still reads the newspaper?  Who wants to fuck with dunking cotton into alcohol?

Weber lighter cubes.  They're $5 for a pack of 24 and work flawlessly.  That's under $.21 per cube.  If you need it cheaper than that, you don't need to be eating the level of pork and beef you need a smoker for, you need to be eating bologna sandwiches and hotdogs.  One cube lights a large chimney almost instantly.

Here's a link, thank me later...

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7417-Lighter-Cubes/dp/B001AN7RGG/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=Weber+Lighter+Cubes&qid=1591536912&sr=8-3

I can pick up a free music & arts paper at the grocery store. Crumple up a couple sheets, drizzle a bit of olive oil on them, stuff them in the bottom of the chimney. Without  the oil, occasionally I have to relight. With just a little oil it lights every time. Also, I bought a bottle of olive oil that turned out to be fake so I figure this is a good way to use it. I expect any cooking oil would do. 

[mdleast 8,289]

#TeamPaperTowels

[Landomatic 3,813]

24 minutes ago, mdleast said:

#TeamPaperTowels

Too messy.  Cubes are where it’s at

[luke duke 6,412]

A couple of paper towels with a drizzle of olive/vegetable/canola/whatever oil will light a chimney starter in a hurricane.

[dcbc 14,465]

So down from 4 to 3 cotton balls with a sprinkle of 91% isopropyl.  Worked perfectly with a flame within a few inches of the cotton.  Will try 2 next time.  Oil works.  So does Pam (or is is Pamb)?  Anyway, paper leaves a mess.

Edited June 9, 2020 by dcbc

[Llano Estacado 1,257]

I just soak some dodo down in Romanee Conti stuff those in a castor sac (North American only, preferably West of the Rockies) then light it off with some pre-embargo Cuban tobacco leafs. Is that not how you light a charcoal chimney?

[dcbc 14,465]

20 minutes ago, Llano Estacado said:

I just soak some dodo down in Romanee Conti stuff those in a castor sac (North American only, preferably West of the Rockies) then light it off with some pre-embargo Cuban tobacco leafs. Is that not how you light a charcoal chimney?

There's a distinct possibility.

https://external-preview.redd.it/wjayt7XtjaYmhl0xtdO2g31FrVdkhKoShNxPt41ygvs.gif?format=mp4&s=696a0bc3f059a9668056cdd83c436645c65f5e73

 

[WhatTheBuck 28,775]

1 hour ago, dcbc said:

So down from 4 to 3 cotton balls with a sprinkle of 91% isopropyl.  Worked perfectly with a flame within a few inches of the cotton.  Will try 2 next time.  Oil works.  So does Pam (or is is Pamb)?  Anyway, paper leave a mess.

With Pam you're supposed to use a velvet scrunchy.