WSM and Lump Charcoal 14 hours.

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

cleglue

Head Chef
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Messages
1,222
Location
Asheboro, North Carolina
For those they may want to know about the efficiency of the WSM. I filled the WSM with unlit Original Lump Charcoal to the top of ring and added about 5 chunks of hickory. I used 15 lit Kingsford’s briquettes to get the smoker started (placing them at different spots on top of the unlit lump. I started the WSM at 1:15 AM and had the smoker up to temperature by 2:00AM. I had already put the butts on so it seemed to take longer to get to temperature than without the meat on this morning. The smoker maintained a temperature between 210 and 250 until the butts were done at 3:30PM this afternoon. I still had a lot of lump charcoal left.
That is 14 hours and 15 minutes. The early morning temperatures I believe were in the 40s.

Here are the pictures of what was left after 14 hours and 15 minutes.






I shook the ring on this photo to let some of the ash fall through. I also have two grates that the lump is sitting on, one from the WSM and the other from my ECB the grates are criss-crossed.
 
Cliff,

I added unlit lump then shook the ring added more and shook the ring again to try and fill tightly. I didn't place each piece but I did move a few of the big pieces around. That is all I've ever do. I haven't had problems with lump and the WSM but I have seen (read) where other's have.
 
I have had a couple of temp spikes with kingsford. I am going to try lump but not on an overnighter right at first.

cleglue,

Did you have the lid off the whole time while you were foiling ?

This is the point where the temps have got away from me in the past. :x
 
wboggs said:
cleglue, how many pounds of charcoal did you load it with?

I'm not sure. I filled the ring to the top and that was it for the entire cook. I have a 35 pound bag of Original Lump and I just poured it in from the new bag. I would estimate about 7 pounds probably.
 
After the disaster I had with lump on an allnighter I did with some butts I'm kind of nevous about using it again. But I didn't pack them in tight so I guess that was my problem.

Cliff, when yo get ready to foil shut the bottom vents all the way. This will help with the temp. spiking on you ;)
 
wboggs said:
Puff said:
After the disaster I had with lump on an allnighter I did with some butts I'm kind of nevous about using it again. But I didn't pack them in tight so I guess that was my problem.

Cliff, when yo get ready to foil shut the bottom vents all the way. This will help with the temp. spiking on you ;)
Puff, you ought to get a Stoker for your WSM; when you open the door on your smoker it shuts off for a while after the temp starts rising again so you dont get that spike. You get a better nights sleep too.
If you know your pit and have a clue, you don't need that gadget crap. :LOL:
 
Pigs On The Wing BBQ said:
wboggs said:
Puff said:
After the disaster I had with lump on an allnighter I did with some butts I'm kind of nevous about using it again. But I didn't pack them in tight so I guess that was my problem.

Cliff, when yo get ready to foil shut the bottom vents all the way. This will help with the temp. spiking on you ;)
Puff, you ought to get a Stoker for your WSM; when you open the door on your smoker it shuts off for a while after the temp starts rising again so you dont get that spike. You get a better nights sleep too.
If you know your pit and have a clue, you don't need that gadget crap. :LOL:
From the master of no gadgets [smilie=bowdown.gif] Point well taken Pigs ;)
 
Brian,

I have sand in the pan. I haven't ever used water in the pan since buying the WSM. I have the pans to make a piedmont pan but haven't got the drill out yet.

Nick,

One butt was about 7.5 lbs. and the other about 6 lbs. I bought a case of butts a few months back and they are in a cryopac without the pounds written on the packaging.
 
Lump is all that I use. The bricketts burn too fast for me, and all those fillers and glue don't do much to change my mind. Lump is usually a bit more expensive but that is offset by, IMHO, the longer burn time.
 
Back
Top Bottom