Finally got my WSM

[cflatt]

OK finally got my WSM.....wife decided it will be for Christmas so I had to assemble it and watch as she proudly put the bow on it...found it up in Limerick btw, thanks to everyone for their help. Heres my first question... what do I need to do to it first ? Does it need to be seasoned or mod'ed ? or just prepapre to start enjoying the trial and error phase of smoking ?

 

[LarryWolfe]

You could burn a small load of charcoal through it if you want to get the oils burnt off. I just started cooking on mine as soon as I got it. It doesn't need to be seasoned at all. Good luck and feel free to ask all the questions you want, there is alot of WSM knowledge on the board!
Good luck and happy BBQ'ing!

 

[Griff]

I just let mine cook without food for 30 or 40 minutes the first time before I added any food. You're going to love it.

Griff

 

[Greg Rempe]

I coated the inside of mine w/ veggie oil and then burned a charcoal fire in it for 4 hrs...don't think you need to do that though...doesn't hurt...

 

[Captain Morgan]

Yeah, I don't see any need to put oil in it. You can burn a fire if you like, it won't hurt it. Now just start cooking and learning how to control the temps. It'll take 2 or 3 cooks to really understand it, but my first cook
went perfectly. It's amazing how it holds temps and how you can make em rise and fall.

 

[Finney]

I just washed the inside of mine out with hot, soapy water to remove any manufacturing residue. Same with the cooking grates. No seasoning needed because of the finish.

If you don't have one, get some kind of thermometer. You WILL need that.

Read this: TVWB TIPS and the section at the same site about firing it up. Lots of good info there, but the forum is 'dry' and 'under the microscope' at times. This forum is much better for getting answers quick.

 

[cflatt]

ok i will give it a washdown before the first use....next question ...charcoal, lump ? or briquettes ?

 

[Greg Rempe]

It all personal preference...those who like Kingsford say Kingsford and those who like lump will say lump and neither the twain shall meet.

Kingsford will produce more ash where lump won't. Also, some people say the Kingsford leaves a bad taste on the food but I have never seen that to be the case.

Try them both and make ypur decision from there!! :!:

There seem to be pros and cons with each one...you can also do a search on this topic too and find many threads...kinda like brining...

 

[Guest]

Kingsford is probably the best choice to start with, IMO. I'd recommend the Minion Method for firing her up.

 

[Greg Rempe]

Click HERE for Minion Method information!

 

[Jack W.]

This is a great starter site as well.

http://www.wiviott.com/

I find the TVWB a little confusing, overwhelming, and contradicting at times. They are a little narrow over there as well. Although, I've been known to like narrow, learning to control the unit is paramount.

Quick answers...affirmative. Correct is yet to be determined. :^o


Good Q!

Jack

 

[Finney]

This is a great starter site as well.

http://www.wiviott.com/

I find the TVWB a little confusing, overwhelming, and contradicting at times. They are a little narrow over there as well. Although, I've been known to like narrow, learning to control the unit is paramount.

Quick answers...affirmative. Correct is yet to be determined. :^o


Good Q!

Jack

That's just wrong.

 

[Guest]

This is a great starter site as well.

http://www.wiviott.com/

I find the TVWB a little confusing, overwhelming, and contradicting at times. They are a little narrow over there as well. Although, I've been known to like narrow, learning to control the unit is paramount.

Quick answers...affirmative. Correct is yet to be determined. :^o


Good Q!

Jack

I've looked over his course and there's allot of good info in there, but, he is very strict in what's right and what's wrong and over the years, I've learned that there are allot of right ways and only a few wrong ways out there. If you follow his course, you should get very good results but it's not bbq gospel.

While there may be some faulty information on TVWB, most if it is correct. The site is considered by many to be very strict ~ Too strict by most on this board but there's allot of very good information over there.

Check out this couple of pages from TVWB for different startup methods and most important, try everything out for yourself and find what works best for you. Weed out the obvious though.. :!:

Good Luck and let us know how things go. AND, take pics!!

 

[jminion1]

This is a great starter site as well.

http://www.wiviott.com/

I find the TVWB a little confusing, overwhelming, and contradicting at times. They are a little narrow over there as well. Although, I've been known to like narrow, learning to control the unit is paramount.

Quick answers...affirmative. Correct is yet to be determined. :^o


Good Q!

Jack

I don't find the info on TVWB confusing or contradictive as long as you understand that there is more that one way to do things, and TVWB site allows it to be posted. For information that is easily found I haven't seen a better site.

I have had contact with Gary and post from time to time on the forum, he has a lot of knowledge and you will learn at least one way to do things if you follow the course.

There are a lot of ways to play in this art form and because the art form has a lot of different cookers the right technique is the one that produces great product.

Jim

 

[Guest]

... For information that is easily found I haven't seen a better site.

That's the key about TVWB. Chris does keep a tight reign but that's what makes it so easy to find what you need there. This board and several others are much more liberal when it comes to posting and that interferes with searching for information. Not that a liberal site is a bad thing, just a "Pro's and Con's" thing.

 

[Finney]

The TVWB "SITE" is great. Chris does a great job. There is not a better place to find info on the WSM. I always direct newcomers to the WSM there. (thanks for allowing that Greg) The forum used to be great also... now it is good. If I need to refresh my memory on something concerning the WSM, the "SITE" is the first place I go. The forum however is one of my last stops if this one is slow for some reason.

 

[Griff]

Not that a liberal site is a bad thing, just a "Pro's and Con's" thing.

"Liberal" is not the first word I think of regarding some of the posts on this site.

Griff

 

[Finney]

Not that a liberal site is a bad thing, just a "Pro's and Con's" thing.

"Liberal" is not the first word I think of regarding some of the posts on this site.

Griff

Me neither brother. #-o

 

[Thom Emery]

We did Pork Butts for our 1st smoke
The Renoun Mr Brown
It went very well

 

[Jack W.]

http://www.wiviott.com/[/url]

I find the TVWB a little confusing, overwhelming, and contradicting at times. They are a little narrow over there as well. Although, I've been known to like narrow, learning to control the unit is paramount.

Quick answers...affirmative. Correct is yet to be determined. :^o


Good Q!

Jack

I've looked over his course and there's allot of good info in there, but, he is very strict in what's right and what's wrong and over the years, I've learned that there are allot of right ways and only a few wrong ways out there. If you follow his course, you should get very good results but it's not bbq gospel.

While there may be some faulty information on TVWB, most if it is correct. The site is considered by many to be very strict ~ Too strict by most on this board but there's allot of very good information over there.

Check out this couple of pages from TVWB for different startup methods and most important, try everything out for yourself and find what works best for you. Weed out the obvious though.. :!:

Good Luck and let us know how things go. AND, take pics!! [/quote:1681mxp9]

IMHO the professors site is a good start because of the no deviation feature. There is so much information on some of the other sites that one might try to blend good ideas from so many sources that you get kind of lost. For the first couple of cooks it might not be a bad idea to execute one plan that will give you positive results. This will allow you a good fundamental knowledge of the units 'quirks" and produce a good dinner as a by product. After you learn to run a WSM, and produce eatible products the sky is (and should be) the limit.


Good Q!

Jack