WSM Fuel Prep ?

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Cliff H.

Master Chef
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
6,143
Location
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Getting ready to break in my WSM.

Would appreciate feedback on how everyone preps their fuel.

What method will give the longest burn time. I am sure some of you have tried many variations.

I have read about doing it a few different ways including:

Form a bowl in the middle of a pile of unlit and dump 1/4 chimney in the bowl. This would make the coals burn slow from the center outward.

Also read that just spreading 10-15 lit coals over a heap works well.

Whatcha think is the best way? ;)
 
I form a bowl in the middle of the charcoal with one of my pieces of wood in the bowl. Then I load up the cooker with the cold meat, put the lid on and then I spoon 10-15 lit coals (depending on the weather) right in the middle of the bowl ontop of the wood chunk for instant smoke. Then I let the cooker slowly come up to temp and make my one adjustment when the dome temp hits 200*. Dome temp will settle in the range of 240-260*.
 
Here's how I've been doing it. Used unlit lump charcoal and lit briquettes to get the started. That is what was recommended here last spring when I bought my WSM. It works great.





I think I may try Larry's way next time just because I like trying new ways of doing things...sometimes.
 
Puff said:
Cliff are you using the almighty Kingsford or lump?

As you know I tend to buy whatever is in a busted bag at work. I picked up two bags of RO tonight for three buck each. 8)

I already have a bag of Kingsford. If I do one of the cooks with lump it will be one of the later ones so the inside of the smoker has time to develop a haze. ;)
 
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