So just currious, is it possible to get the temps higher than 250-275 ? if so how?
Oh yeah ! Take the water pan out , leave all vents wide open , and light a full chimney. Gets me 350 every time.
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ok cool.. just was curious. There are a few recipes I want to do which requires a little hotter temps.. so that is good to know.. thanks!
Yesterday I dumped a chimney of unlit into my 18.5 and on top of that, 2/3 of lit charcoal.
I had 350-400 for a few hours, one or two bottom vents open.
If your WSM is 22.5 you might need more charcoal.
As Brian said...water pan out and wide open!
You can also crack the lid a little...that'll bump it up too.
I've had charcoal burn outs on my 18WSM's in the 450-475 range a few times. With meat in there...the number is closer to 350-400 like
@addicted-to-smoke says.
Get yourself a Hunsaker Vortex firebasket for the WSM and never look back!
Quote from: swamprb on May 11, 2018, 03:21:41 AM
Get yourself a Hunsaker Vortex firebasket for the WSM and never look back!
When using the hunsaker vortex in a wsm and cooking something like a pork butt, do you use a drip pan or what happens with the grease?
And can you still use both grates for cooking on a 18?
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So they now actually make a Hunsaker for the 18? I've seen conflicting info.
Quote from: HoosierKettle on May 11, 2018, 03:49:01 AM
Quote from: swamprb on May 11, 2018, 03:21:41 AM
Get yourself a Hunsaker Vortex firebasket for the WSM and never look back!
When using the hunsaker vortex in a wsm and cooking something like a pork butt, do you use a drip pan or what happens with the grease?
And can you still use both grates for cooking on a 18?
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No pan. Grease hits the plate and vaporizes.
Quote from: Mike in Roseville on May 11, 2018, 05:26:31 AM
Quote from: HoosierKettle on May 11, 2018, 03:49:01 AM
Quote from: swamprb on May 11, 2018, 03:21:41 AM
Get yourself a Hunsaker Vortex firebasket for the WSM and never look back!
When using the hunsaker vortex in a wsm and cooking something like a pork butt, do you use a drip pan or what happens with the grease?
And can you still use both grates for cooking on a 18?
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No pan. Grease hits the plate and vaporizes.
And can you also utilize the lower grate?
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Finally buried deep in the depths of the internet I found a comment by Harry soo saying both racks can be used. If you google it, I couldn't find a single image where someone was using both racks.
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Quote from: HoosierKettle on May 11, 2018, 05:56:40 AM
Finally buried deep in the depths of the internet I found a comment by Harry soo saying both racks can be used. If you google it, I couldn't find a single image where someone was using both racks.
Funny you should mention Soo. His site is where I specifically had read recently, that Hunsaker doesn't make one that fits the 18.5, but that may have been old info he got.
Seems to be the case: Here it is, they say it now fits both: https://www.hunsakersmokers.com/collections/weber-modifications/products/vortex-charcoal-basket-for-22-kettle-smoker
I suppose that since their Vortex (not Vortex) is taller than the typical setup, the concern might be that the handle (for example) is too high to permit the second grate?
Quote from: addicted-to-smoke on May 11, 2018, 07:28:51 AM
Quote from: HoosierKettle on May 11, 2018, 05:56:40 AM
Finally buried deep in the depths of the internet I found a comment by Harry soo saying both racks can be used. If you google it, I couldn't find a single image where someone was using both racks.
Funny you should mention Soo. His site is where I specifically had read recently, that Hunsaker doesn't make one that fits the 18.5, but that may have been old info he got.
Seems to be the case: Here it is, they say it now fits both: https://www.hunsakersmokers.com/collections/weber-modifications/products/vortex-charcoal-basket-for-22-kettle-smoker
I suppose that since their Vortex (not Vortex) is taller than the typical setup, the concern might be that the handle (for example) is too high to permit the second grate?
Yeah, I'm not totally sure. That link is where I saw that it says it fits both but not sure what size wsm soo was referring to.
Might have to sell a grill to fund this so I might send them an email to find out. Swamprb has been unknowingly twisting my arm for awhile.
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Hunsaker makes a firebasket/vortex for both the 18/22WSMs.
They also make a vortex plate that sits on your charcoal ring and acts as a heat diffuser. The 18 and 22 are different sized plates.
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All the Hunsaker baskets I've got are on a 22" charcoal grate platform. I know that they won't fit in my 30 Gallon Drum or an 18" Kettle. I'm pretty sure that they are using an 18" charcoal grate platform now.
As far as being able to use the lower grate- I'm not sure why you'd want to? Meats on the lower grate are going to be so close to intense heat and they'll act as a heat sink to the upper grate meats. Plus the fact you're going to have to rotate upper and lower meats and in doing so you'll risk a grease fire because all that shifting around the lid will be off and all that oxygen is going to stoke the fire and it's a recipe for disaster
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You all really need to join the "Friends of Hunsaker Smokers" Facebook page - I've been dinking around with the Vortex on the 22" WSM's and I personally found them to be too drafty and had to gasket the door and completely plug two of the vents. We compete with Hunsakers and we've also got some clone cans including a Gateway clone running vortex baskets- the drums are much tighter than bullets imo. So much so that I prefer using a 22" Kettle with a One Touch vent and Wsm body. I can easily cook 350* at 50% venting and 275* at 25%.
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Brian, if I'm not mistaken, the question about the second grate comes from the assumption you'd smoke with a Hunsaker ... but this is really for grilling in a WSM/drum instead, yeah?
The 18.5 remains curious to me. If they're using that platform for the Vortex it would mean they either have multiple models for WSM (nope) or that the Vortex is now a smaller diameter from what it was originally. So if it got taller, to retain capacity, that would also hint at why you wouldn't want to use a WSM's second grate with it.
Hunsakers are all about Hot n Fast
Take a look at their Products page and their Vortex plate for the 18" ring and the reviews and pics regarding its use
I've only used it in a 22" so I'm no help with the 18's
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