First run on a WSM. 4/27/16

[captjoe06]

The trick is to catch the heat going up instead of trying to get it down. Get it set up with all vents wide open, when it hits...say 200,,turn the bottom vents down a little more than half, then maybe 1/4 or an 1/8 open. Leave the top open all the time.

I think you started with to many lit coals. I have a 22" and use 12 lit Kingsford Bricks in a hole in the middle of my charcoal ring using a coffee can with the bottom cut out.

If I want high heat for chicken or turkey I dump a full lit chimney on top of a non lit charcoal ring half full and let her rip

I have never used Lump Charcoal  so that may differ

What @Harleysmoker said.   If you catch the temps and get in front of it by closing your vents on the way up it will be wayyyy easier to control. I usually close all three bottom vents half way when they get to 225 and I aim for 275.  She'll settle in where she wants to settle in but using the minion method with about 10 or 12 briquettes in the middle is how I roll.

Good luck and let us know how it goes next time.

Maybe smoke up a couple of fattys to get some gunk into the seams.

I also use briquettes instead of lump for smoking.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Some good advice in this thread.

The thing is however, that he had temps under control, pretty much, at the beginning! Sounds to me like a combination of wind and leaks, each making the effect of the other worse. Keep in mind also that without a drip pan, dripping grease probably just fueled the burn even faster, probably producing some flareups.

So no, you shouldn't need gaskets unless it's windy, etc. Mine will sometimes run away and sometimes perform as expected, with or without grease built up. So a Cajun door and some gaskets remain on my wishlist; bottom line, I need more reliability or I'll sell mine. Currently, I start with no more that 10 lit briquets. I don't ever want to have to take it apart and remove hot coals again.

[TheDude]

@captjoe06 fatties are a great idea. Messy, can handle a higher heat and taste way better than chicken.

[Big Dawg]

Some good advice in this thread.

The thing is however, that he had temps under control, pretty much, at the beginning! Sounds to me like a combination of wind and leaks, each making the effect of the other worse. Keep in mind also that without a drip pan, dripping grease probably just fueled the burn even faster, probably producing some flareups.

So no, you shouldn't need gaskets unless it's windy, etc. Mine will sometimes run away and sometimes perform as expected, with or without grease built up. So a Cajun door and some gaskets remain on my wishlist; bottom line, I need more reliability or I'll sell mine. Currently, I start with no more that 10 lit briquets. I don't ever want to have to take it apart and remove hot coals again.

I think that was probably the biggest contributor to the problem.





BD

[TheDude]

@Big Dawg I had the water bowl in place. Nothing dripping on a live fire.

[addicted-to-smoke]

@Big Dawg I had the water bowl in place. Nothing dripping on a live fire.

No water in the pan. Also forgot a drip pan. Gonna have a mess to clean up tomorrow.

I was confused, sorry. Actually I kinda still am but it's OK.

[TheDude]

@addicted-to-smoke The water pan was in place but with no water in it. All the drippings were caught by it. Next time, I'll just foil line the water bowl and not worry about a drip pan at all.

[TheDude]

Gonna be windy on my days off this week. I'll keep this updated though.

[TheDude]

Wind isn't too bad. So got a fatty going. Holding around 270°, with bottom vents closed. Started with 12 1/2 spent coals, I used to cook lunch.

[toolhead]

I posted about starting a wsm on prior posts..

Usually start with 10-12 lit coals...better to start low than high...wsms are hard to pull back temps...

[TheDude]

Running about 300°. Better than the last run.

[THROUGH THE MUD BBQ TEAM]

Lots of great advice here.

Also check your temp with a digital thermometer.  The dome thermometer on my 22 wsm is out nearly 40 degrees from the upper grill temp.

[iCARRY]

Sometimes my dome thermometer is off by 75-100 degrees. My therm yesterday said 150 all day but my top grate was 225 and bottom grate way 247.


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[TheDude]

My WSM is a 99'. No dome therm. Using a maverick 732.

[iCARRY]

Yesterday was very windy here. 25-30 mph winds all day and the high was 41 degrees. It was rough trying to keep temps steady. Had all bottom vents open about a 1/4 of the way. I run my water dry, just wrapped in foil. Every now and then I will put water In it. Definitely makes it easier to control temps.


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