New WSM owner question.

[barrycuda]

Just purchased myself a Christmas present, a 22 1/2" WSM, from Amazon. I have been using a Masterbuilt XL for a while with mixed results. I have a question about cooking methods. Weber recommends the "Minion Method" for long smokes and the "Standard Method" for short smokes but I see most of you guys using the "Minion Method" for most everything. Do you just reduce the amount of charcoal for say ribs or chicken? Do you mix the wood chunks in the unlit charcoal?  I want to use my new smoker for Christmas dinner and smoke a prime rib and turkey breast. Any recommendations will be appreciated. Thanks.

Barry 

 

[mdboatbum]

Most guys on here seem to load the pan full and shut down the vents when they're done to extinguish the fire and save the unburnt coals. So yes, Minion method for both long and short smokes.

 

[SmokinAl]

This is the way I do it for anything under 10 hours. Make a circle around the ring & mix wood & charcoal together. Start at one end with 8-10 lit briquettes & the fire will travel around the ring. If the food gets done before the fire goes out, then just shut all the vents & the fire will go out & you can use the unburned charcoal next time.

 

[realtorterry]

Nice little trick there Al!

I for one will be using it.

With all those chunks you got on there I think smokehound might be an understatment!!

 

[woundedyak]

^^^ What they said

 

[wvhillbilly]

yea what they said!

i just got the  WSM 18in from amazon for xmas! best gift my wife ever got me!

have fun, i have so far.

 

[wvhillbilly]

btw, al, ur the man!

 

[fpnmf]

I do mine a little different than Al..

I load it full and mix the chuncks in.

All vents wide open,when it hits 180 I shut two of the bottom vents and before I got the guru left one open half way.

I have a soup can in the middle that I put 10 or so coals from my chimney in the can and pull the can out.

Works great for me.

The big thing to remember is not let the smoker get too hot at first.

It takes a long time to cool back down.

It prolly wouldn't hurt for someone to make a WSM start up WIKI.

My guess is there will be a bunch of related questions after the holiday

    Craig

 

[nwdave]

I also use Smokin' Al's technique and even without the fancy guru, it burns quite well.  It's a controlled burn in a circle rather than starting from the center and working out on all sides.  I have the 22.5 and the first thing you'll discover is that you've got to get 4-5 smokes under your belt to "dirty" up the interior, which in turns "seals" up some of the air leaks.