Advice on WSM

[AJ328]

So, I've officially come down with a bad case of weberitis. Coming into this Spring, I had one Black OTG that I pretty much used as an auxiliary BBQ for big cooks, but last year came to the conclusion that the spare weber did a better job than the huge ones I've usually had by Brinkmann and Charbroil (plural because they only last about 5 years if you're lucky).

As of now I have 3 OTG and 1 OTS and am looking into the WSM but have no experience with smokers in general and don't know what size would be right for me. Most of my cooks (the long ones at least) are for 6-8 people but maybe twice a year I'll have 25-35 people over.

Given these numbers, what size do you think I should get?

Also how many butts could you fit in a 14.5, 18.5 and 22.5 respectively?

Can you fit a good size turkey in the 14.5?

As much as I'm starting to hoard webers I don't really want more than one WSM, I'd rather collect vintage grills.

Any help and advice would be appreciated.

[OoPEZoO]

If I was going to buy a WSM, and was potentially going to feed 25+ people a few times a year......I'd just go for the big one. I have a handful of 22.5" grills, a 26er, and a 22.5 WSM.  I only use the 26er and WSM a few times a year, but I have never regretted buying either one.

If I'm planning to do a small shoulder or 1-2 racks of ribs, I do them on the 26er.  Anything more than that, I go for the big WSM. Back in May was my first really large cook with it. I fed about 30 people with pulled pork and baked beans. I had it set up with 2 9-10lb shoulders on the top rack, and two 9x13 pans of beans under them to catch the drippings. That would have been a nightmare to try and handle with a smaller setup. On the big WSM, it was a breeze.

[landgraftj]

Feeding that many people, get the 22 WSM.

[1buckie]

  "So, I've officially come down with a bad case of weberitis."


                        So......took ya this long,, did it?



WSM's are the goods & numerous folks here will have good answers.....



This is my only real input on the matter of feeding 25~35 or more:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/previous-it's-peaceful-at-night/msg7811/#msg7811

(3 overnite, plus  one or two early, then 4 at a different location for the grilling in the afternoon)


http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/re-print-ok-what's-in-kettle-3/msg35831/#msg35831

(Straight six, five actually)


http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/food-pr0n/brisket-prawn/msg7491/#msg7491

(3 overnite, 7 later the next day)

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/food-pr0n/nothing-new-just-some-pork-beans/msg26001/?topicseen#msg26001

(Two one nite, four the next)

I just signed on for the "Kettle" part of the show....................

[DirectDrive]

If it's only twice a year, you'll have the big crowd, you could do it with the 18.5 WSM because it sounds like you have a ton of backup.
I pondered the 18.5 vs. the 22.5 and went with the 18.5
Glad I did for my purposes.

Here's the excellent capacities page from the Bullet Forum...
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/wsmcapacity.html

[Harbormaster]

I like the 18.5s. A lot.

Usually, I cook 4 butts per WSM, but can do 6 if I need to. I can cook 6 racks of competition spares on the top grate of a WSM, and if I roll them, I can do 6 on top and 6 on the bottom. I can get two briskets on each WSM as well.

I also have more than 1 WSM, so as I need more capacity, I can fire up more WSMs.

[AJ328]

If it's only twice a year, you'll have the big crowd, you could do it with the 18.5 WSM because it sounds like you have a ton of backup.
I pondered the 18.5 vs. the 22.5 and went with the 18.5
Glad I did for my purposes.

Here's the excellent capacities page from the Bullet Forum...
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/wsmcapacity.html

That link is exactly what I was looking for, thanks. I'm thinking of going with the 18.5 now. I mean a comfortable 32# of pork butt sounds like it will cover my needs.

1buckie, thanks for the great links. For you're big cookups do you use any general rule of thumb for how much meat per person? I always eyeball it and so far have never come up short, but I find that amount of leftovers is greatly influenced by how hungry I was when I went shopping

[Harbormaster]

For you're big cookups do you use any general rule of thumb for how much meat per person?

I figure 3 people to a pound of finished product, so about 5 ounces per person.

[1buckie]

 Yeah, HarborMaster's right on....that usually gets everyone a goodly amount.......

there's catering calculators floating around the web that can get you pretty precise for one meat, two meats, # of sides, etc.

Mine are sort of odd cookups in that I'll do a batch of stuff overnite at home, guessing at 35 people, maybe........& have some 'Turds & other things ready to go, or done & hot holding........
Then, hot holding, transport across town to my friend's house w/ the big back yard..........
One time, 85 showed up.....glad I went heavy on stuff!!!!
Then other people will do more sides & sometimes folks bring things like chicken pieces, sausages, pre-made tamales, stuff outta the garden, marinated flank, etc.

Sometimes we just eat 'till it's gone, sometimes send some care packages to folks who couldn't make it by, I'll freeze some lefties for bean pots & other things.....

 These cookups I've done at these friend's house every possible last Sunday of the month for years is how I really learned flexibility in cooking BBQ......no way to get an exact head count, so lots of change-ups can happen.....lite more KETTLES!!!!

[Craig]

Someday I'll bite the Bullet.... pun intended.. 18.5 most likely.

[1buckie]

 Here's an idea of how things might fit together, too:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/off-topic/just-a-fourth-of-july-picture-i-liked/msg113763/#msg113763

Get Help!!!!

[Fo Sizzle My Nizzle]

I had the same dilemma when I bought mine. With the 22 you can always cook smaller as they're pretty fuel efficient.  But if you need to go bigger you can't with the 18. I say if you have the extra cash go with the 22.

[AnakiMana]

The 22 is awesome. Smoke either a little or a hell of a lot. But you're not gonna have buyer's regret because of running out of room!

[G$]

I have a lot of experience with both the 18 and 22 wsms.  Both are stellar.

Blanket statement, the 18 is more efficienct and a tad easier. It also suffices for most family needs. I think it is the pinnacle of efficient smoking.

That being said.....

If: you are concerned about feeding large groups a few times a year OR you cook a lot of spare ribs and larger packer briskets then the 22 is a no brainer. 

It is a can't lose question fortunately. ..

[Bman]

Also how many butts could you fit in a 14.5, 18.5 and 22.5 respectively?

To answer this question, I can say I've had 8 butts weighing in at 65 pounds on the 22.5" and it wasn't an issue.  Just placed nice and neat on both racks. 

That said, I'll also add that I don't fire up the 22.5" WSM very often anymore since getting a 26.75 kettle and the 18.5" WSM.   For that matter, none of the above are fired up 'often' as I use the 22" kettles for most cooks.  But I'll never get rid of any of em' as they all have their place/use.

I agree with everything G$ says above.

If I could only have one - it would be the 22.