Keeping temp down in a mini WSM

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fastalkintn

Fire Starter
Original poster
Oct 13, 2007
73
11
Christiana, Tn
I need help. Third run on my mini wsm and I can not figure out how to keep the temp in the 225 range. I have a SJG, charcoal basket, 12" terra cotta dish as a diffuser, using blue kingsford. I start with a full basket mixed with hickory chunks and a can to hold the place for started coals. Use a chimney to start 8 coals and then dump them in the hole where the can was. Top vent open, bottom vent opposite the lite coals closed, the one closest the lite coals about 1/8" open, top vent opposite side from the open bottom vent to get good cross flow. It quickly climbs to 250 and stays there. I realize this ain't all bad but I'd like to stay closer to 225. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Close the bottom vent more.

I just have a crack in my vent to keep 225
 
Just get more use in it. Its still new, all the little gaps need to close up.
 
I'm guessing that you have air getting in somewhere other than just your vents. Do you have the lid attached to the bottom of pot? Does it sit flush? Do you see any cracks where air can get in?

If there is air getting in somewhere another smoke or two we seal it up and then just use the vents. Just a crack open for 225* for me as well...
 
I'm guessing that you have air getting in somewhere other than just your vents. Do you have the lid attached to the bottom of pot? Does it sit flush? Do you see any cracks where air can get in?

If there is air getting in somewhere another smoke or two we seal it up and then just use the vents. Just a crack open for 225* for me as well...

Didn't think about air gaps. I couldn't get my pot to fasten to the lid so it's just sitting on it, I bet that's the culprit.
 
Didn't think about air gaps. I couldn't get my pot to fasten to the lid so it's just sitting on it, I bet that's the culprit.

That was it, I adjusted the pot where it sits more flush and temps are falling. Thanks to everyone for the input. That's why I love this forum.
 
Sorry to come in late. You should look into doing the lid mod on the bottom of the pot. It helps the pot sit flush and also gives you just a hair more room below for more coals. Good luck. The mini is an awesome machine.
- Ryan
 
Had the same issue initially but now just keep the bottom cents a hair open plus now I only light 6 coals to start. Just finished some abts that came out great.
 
Care to elaborate?

  I have the wsm gold...   After a cook  shake out the ash and scoot your leftover partial burnt to one side.  Try to arrange it from most burnt to least burnt and add new charcoal next to that.   I will then light just a couple of the partial burnt briquettes on the edge of the basket. (torch, lighter cube etc..)  and keep all the vents open.

After what you lit gets hot (which doesn't take long) just cut down on your vent to just a crack, the result will be low temps and TBS by just lighting a little of the partial burnt coals and wood chunks. 

The secret is using the partial burnt stuff to get a very small hot fire going which gives good thin smoke in minutes of lighting the basket. 

This was a hot cook but look how the charcoal burned, it barely got into the new.

 
Last edited:

  I have the wsm gold...   After a cook  shake out the ash and scoot your leftover partial burnt to one side.  Try to arrange it from most burnt to least burnt and add new charcoal next to that.   I will then light just a couple of the partial burnt briquettes on the edge of the basket. (torch, lighter cube etc..)  and keep all the vents open.

After what you lit gets hot (which doesn't take long) just cut down on your vent to just a crack, the result will be low temps and TBS by just lighting a little of the partial burnt coals and wood chunks. 


The secret is using the partial burnt stuff to get a very small hot fire going which gives good thin smoke in minutes of lighting the basket. 


This was a hot cook but look how the charcoal burned, it barely got into the new.


Thanks for the reply, that's exactly what I was looking for. Going to fire it up again tonight and I'll give that a try.
 
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