22 1/2" WSM question

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Rag1

Executive Chef
Joined
Jun 24, 2007
Messages
3,022
Location
Berks Cty, Pa.
Had the WSM fired up yesterday. Outside temp was in the 40's with light breeze or less.
As usual the dome temp could not reach 250*. It hovered around 210* to 230* all day with a full load of Kingsford and all vents open (had 2 butts and a turkey breast on).
Is this the best they can do in temps? Never have had this thing run hotter.
 
Yep..fill it up and put a fire in the hole. You will find gizmos of that genre are real wind sensitive. Even not much of a coolish wind will knock the heat in the head. Dunk the trashcan down over the top. Didnt you already do that once? Or maybe it was somebody else. I dont recall right now but its a good plan.
 
Always used a wind break when cold weather cooking with my 18. Helped alot.
Bruce might have a say on this subject.
But........I no seeum here any more. :(
 
My 22.5 will get up to 325* with bottom vents wide open, or cruise at 250* for 6 or 7 hours with bottom partially closed, then it needs more fuel.
 
The wind is your enemy, guaranteed. I ruined 4 racks of ribs, one at a time, due to a slight breeze and the ambient temp was right at or warmer than what had. Bigwheel hit it, dump that 55 gallon drumover the top of it with a few bricks under it so the wsm can still breathe.
 
Years ago i watched a utube video of a guy in Canada who cooked a butt over night where there was 5" of snow on the ground. He hit 240* and it was still spot on the next morning on he 18" model.
I'm thinking the 18"er is less sensitive to breeze/temps.
Griff, you pumping kerosine into your cooker? Maybe AK has more oxegen.
Maybe I'll wrap my welding blankets around it.
 
I have the 22 1/2" WSM and fill the ring to top with lump charcoal when cooking pork butts. Light it off with a half or three-quarter full chimney of hot briquets. Vents at start are wide open. As soon as the rack temp. gets to 220, I cut all three bottom vents to 1/2. When temp goes to 250, I cut them down another quarter. The WSM will go like this for six to eight hours.

I've done quick smokes for turkey in the WSM at 325 degrees using the same setup. The only difference is that I have a long chop stick that I stick under the dome lid to let in extra air. When it's breezy, I set up saw horses and scrap sheets of plywood as a screen.
 
Big Bears BBQ said:
Would a Guru help with that problem ?????????????????????????
yes. I have a guru on mine, and have no prob getting it up to temp. Makes it a set it and forget it
smoker :)
 
Hey Rag? What altitude do you live at? I learned a great expensive lesson at Winter Q a coupla years ago. The elevation in Colorado where I live is alot higher than the elevation in Great Bend, KS. More oxygen at lower elevations right? Therefor my smoker temps went thru the roof after I lit it and caught some z's. I was cooking on a 22 wsm and an 18. Finished dead ass last there. I was very embrrased.
 
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