My first go round on the WSM

[varekai]

So as I posted the other day, I was fortunate enough to find a 18" WSM here in town for a 100 dollars. So I bought a london broil to make jerky with as my introduction to the smoker. I was thoroughly impressed with my new acquisition!! I was in some deep thought while the jerky was drying away and thinking of you guys here and how many of you that are impressed with the WSM and it holding temps so well. It got me to thinking, yes it could very well be the WSM itself, but also it speaks to Webers overall design of their product. Our kettles do their job just as well.  And it could also be that WE, the operators of said grilling and smoking implements have become attuned to our craft and have learned (and still learnING) the ways of the coals!! We have ALL this great input that we have access to here with other grillfellas and we are always striving for better, easier, tastier, crustier WHATEVER ier your after. Weber has given us a great base to build upon. Thank you to EVERYONE here, for without you guys I might have more money but I sure as hell wouldn't be eating as good as I do OR having as much fun doing it!!!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/varekai/albums/72157675028604941/with/30962675065/

[kettlebb]

Looks good brother! I'd love to know your thoughts on the WSM vs Kettle for low n slow. I think if I find a good deal on one I'd like to try it out.


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[varekai]

@kettlebb , That was literally the FIRST time ever using the WSM. I already LOVE it. I've done some low and slow-ish on my kettles, and this is just my take on the 2 styles but my thinking is for a "true" low and slow it makes sense to use the WSM. DONT BEAT ME UP GUYS!  Even in our kettles with all the gadgets we have, there is still an inherent "directness" of heat just by the proximity to the food being cooked. With the WSM, your heat is a good distance away. AGAIN, this is ONLY my initial observation but I'm sure, NO, POSITIVE, that there will be more input on this subject. And I look forward to hearing others responses to this.

But in the end, we all have the disease and it really cant be cured..LOL  GET A WSM IF YOU CAN!!!... did i need it, NO, did i want one, sure if the price was right... AND THE PRICE WAS RIGHT!  NOW, anybody wanna buy an electric brinkman smoker?!....LOL

[HoosierKettle]

Looks good. I need a couple more cooks on mine and some vent maintenance. Right now I prefer the kettles but I'll give the wsm another crack after I tweak the vents.


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[varekai]

Looks good. I need a couple more cooks on mine and some vent maintenance. Right now I prefer the kettles but I'll give the wsm another crack after I tweak the vents.


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So what was the issue if you dont mind my asking?  I read on here in a thread that the user had 1 bottom vent open and the top about half, I started with that and it held very well. just my 2 cents.

[HoosierKettle]

It held temp great but I haven't been able to shut it down when I'm done cooking. I think it's the top vent and door being loose but not sure.

I like conserving fuel for the next cook so I'll have to get that figured out before my next cook. Beyond that, I think I'm just a kettleman and not the char broil type


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[varekai]

OK, I don't normally shut my kettles down, but i understand fuel conservation. Although for shits n grins, I did close all the vents to see how it would do and when I went back to clean it out there was still unlit coal in there.

[HoosierKettle]

I grill 3-4 times a week at least and reusing the unused fuel saves me around 40-50% of my charcoal expense.  So it saves me a ton over the course of a year. However it sounds like I'm the only one that can't shut down so probably an easy fix hopefully.


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[KevinP]

Varekai, the jerkey looks very good. Can share your recipe?


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[70monte]

When I first got my 18" WSM, I had great luck with it but the last couple of cooks that I did on it were not good.  I could not keep the temps up no matter what I did.  I don't know what the problem was but I have not used it since and that was a few years ago.  I have other smokers now that I like using much better.  I guess I should try the WSM again.

Wayne

[Scott Zee]

Just my 2 cents but I never use used coals in my WSM. I always start with fresh fuel, more consistent that way. If I have partially used left after a smoke I DO use it but only in a kettle or for lighting a chimney of fresh fuel.

[HoosierKettle]

Just my 2 cents but I never use used coals in my WSM. I always start with fresh fuel, more consistent that way. If I have partially used left after a smoke I DO use it but only in a kettle or for lighting a chimney of fresh fuel.

One thing I've learned over a long time of re-using char coal is the used coal doesn't start as easy as fresh.  I partially fill chimney with fresh coal and put the used fuel on top of that.  Or I might light some fresh and pour over the used to depending on what I'm doing.

[SmokenJoe]

I always use once lit coal.  Butt, I NEVER use it for a low-n-slow or a cook that needs attention to a close temp range.  Fresh seems to always behave more predictably.  Used is great for quick grills of burgers, dogs, sausage, corn-on-the-cob, etc.  Normally, in the final analysis, I add a little fresh just to get an even burn sooner

SJ