2014 WSM. So SWEET!

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Oh yeah you have been a help. Your replying to my virgin posts.!!

I think I got it going now.....I am just hoping a can keep 225 ish over night. I guess we will see

It's not billowing smoke like it was when first started the minion just the nice thin blue smoke.

I just need to get hang of the settings.

I was hoping for a more or less set it and forget it smoker with the wsm. But I am thinking now I need a digital temp controler for that. I am hoping I like the charcoal taste too..everyone tells me they love it
 
Hey I've been there. WSM to me is as close to set it and forget it as you can get with charcoal but ya still kinda gotta babysit it every few hours to make sure it's behaving... You using wood chunks in you BBQ? WHB
 
You are right on the digi controller for the WSM, for the set it and forget it type of smoking.... I recently bought a pellet smoker which is a set it and forget it but will always use my first true smoker, my WSM ! It got me into smokin.... WHB
 
Sorry to ya Desert Fish, we kinda got talking about a WSM temp issue and got off your topic on your thread, my apologies..... If ya feel I ruined your thread, again I'am sorry..... WHB
 
I'll take the blame for ruining the thread. I have did some very minor adjustments to the one vent and I am hanging around 230f

I am from Ontario Canada. Southern Ontario that is. You ?
 
If your still around I got a question for ya. ..

If I am only opening one vent out of three on the bottom won't the charcoals tend to burn in the direction of the open vent leaving unburnt charcoal on all the other sides.

Just trying to figure out how some of the guys on here say they'll leave the smoker for eight hours and go to bed. I had my one bottom vent open about 60% and the temp was still dropping after only 2 and half hours

I have now opened another vent slightly
 
No hunt, it's just I probably should have had ya P.M. me.... No biggie I don't think.. Most the folks on here are really laid back. How's things going ????
 
Yeh, all have their own method but I have always had good luck keeping the bottom vents open slightly less than a quarter and adjusting the top vent...
 
I finally went to bed about 4 hours into it. It was holding 230f when I last looked at it. I looked again at 7am and it was sitting at 225f. That made me pretty happy this morning! I think I got about 9 hours at 225-250f with a full pan of lump and using the minion method. Had boiling water in the pan when I started the cook.
 
If I am smoking tomorrow for the first time, do I really need to "burn off" the newness?  I have read that you can just get after it and smoke right away...
 
Desert fish, as in all things concerning smoking opinions vary. Personally I didn't notice any manufacturing residue on my 18.5, so I just went ahead and smoked some country ribs. They tasted great so I'm in the fire it up and start smoking school. Some folks fire it up, run it hot, then wait a few hours and put on something like chicken thighs, that is a reasonable compromise and lets you  still get some Q right away.
 
  • Like
Reactions: desert fish
Awesome.  That's what I'll do.  As I understand, its more important to burn them in if they are not porcelain.  I've got some chickens in brine right now and I'm going to rub them down tonight along with some St. Louis ribs.  Tomorrow should be fun!!
 
Yep, that was me but then clarified myself later in the postings. I had originally been thinking of another smoker I have that has the three on top and three on the bottom. The WSM bullets have three on bottom and one on top. I do apologize for ANY confusion I caused with that post. It was late and I had a long day, just trying to help another fellow smoker out...., WHB
 
I just saw about half the posts before I replied. My bad. Im new to these WSMs also but man you couldn't pry her out of my cold dead fingers. Im naming my WSM Jennifer Aniston because they are both smoken!
 
Last edited:
On the vents: top vent 100% open, use the three bottom vents to adjust temp. Your WSM will tend to run hot the first dozen smokes or so, so damp it down hard early or the temps will shoot up and get away from you.

Wind is your worst enemy, I wrap a welding blanket around my WSM to act as a wind break and adds a thermal layer.

In non-wind temps ranging from 50° and up I can run at 250° with two bottom vents fully closed and one open about half way for 20+ hrs. I get almost the same results using my welding blanket in gusty high wind with temps down to 28°.

Once you figure out your vent adjustments, just make a mental note of where they are set and you will be able to dial it in very fast from that point on. If you do make changes, make small changes and wait 10-15 min. after to let the temps stabilize at the new vent position. Otherwise you will end up chasing temps up and down and getting frustrated.

I have had my WSM for many years and it has never let me down once. It just does it's job and it usually works best when I just leave it the heck alone! lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: desert fish
Rodriguez my man.....

I have seen a few of your posts on the wsm. I am probably going to grab a welding blanket as I live in Canada...enough said!

Question on the 2 closed 1 open on the bottem vents....do you find the charcoal doesn't burn evenly if you only have the one side exposed to oxygen. Won't the side of the charcoal pan that is closest to the open vent burn leaving the rest un burnt? Or does that happen and then eventually the rest will burn as a result?

I
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky