Embarrased to ask this question, but am I using my smoker right?

[midwestpatsfan]

Well, my wife and father in law suprised me with a new weber smokey mountain for xmas and I couldn't be more excited.

I have a few questions on if I am using it correctly or not. I did a smoke the other day and while the meat turned out pretty good, I found that I was in a constant battle temperature wise.

What I did:

I filled my chimney with regular charcoal briquettes and let them get nice and hot.

I did the minion method I think. I made of ring of unlit charcoal around the edge with 5 or so pieces of smoking wood.

I put the hot coals in the center of the ring of unlit coals. I did not put the top on immediately. I went and filled the water bowl and put that in. After that I put the lid on and had the top vent as well as the 3 bottom vents completely open.

After about 40 minutes, I was only at 200 degrees but I put my meat on anyways as I was getting worried about time.  At about an hour it was at 215 (was hoping for more in the 230-240 range). I never was able to get it above 220 then entire smoke and it consistently was dipping back to closer to 200 . I added more coals and I tried getting more airflow by putting a small fan near one of the vents but to no avail. I found myself fighting to keep it up over 200-210 the entire day. Not exactly what I had in mind as I accomplished little else that day.

Like I said, the meat turned out fine, I would not say great though.

Am I doing something wrong? Am I putting the water bowl and lid on too early?  I could really use some advice.

Thanks in advance,

Mike

 

[lee 277]

Hi. If I was you I'd type wsm in the search bar and start reading. I'm sure you can find your answers there. I've seen post of people cooking with the wsm and looks really yummmmy. Smoke on.

 

[fpnmf]

Was your top vent wide open??

 

[fpnmf]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/newsearch/?search=starting+wsm+&type=all

 

[cliffcarter]

Was the water pan filled with hot water or cold water? If it was cold the most of the heat went to heating the water IMHO.

The link provided by fpnmf has some good info.

 

[bama bbq]

I filled my chimney with regular charcoal briquettes and let them get nice and hot.

I did the minion method I think. I made of ring of unlit charcoal around the edge with 5 or so pieces of smoking wood.

I put the hot coals in the center of the ring of unlit coals. I did not put the top on immediately. I went and filled the water bowl and put that in. After that I put the lid on and had the top vent as well as the 3 bottom vents completely open.

Mike,  Congrats on your WSM gift.  You're gonna  LOVE this thing.  NO question is dumb when you're getting started.  We've all been there.

When you say you "let them get nice and hot"  do you mean volacano fire shooting out the top of the chimney hot?  If not try that.

When you say you made a "ring of unlit charcoal around the edges" do you mean you left just enought room for the chimney of lit?  I recommend filling the ring with about 2 to 2.5 chimneys of charcoal.  I don't make a ring -- others do.  Pour a whole chimney of lit on the unlit when it's shooting fire out the top of the chimney. 

I like that you put the lit on the unlit and let it get going before assembling. Let the thick smoke clear until the fire is burning very clean - almost non-existant smoke. Then assemble.

When you assemble may I recommend you put the water pan in the mid section with the bottom grate installed.  Pour HOT tap water in the pan either before placing the center section on the lower section if you feel confident of moving it with water in the pan and if not, place the center section on the lower section then fill the pan with HOT tap water. 

Once assembled add smoke wood thru the access door.  Don't add it until your fire is burning clean.  Anybody can make smoke.  Make a clean burning fire is key.  Then you KNOW the smoke is from your smoke wood.  It will be thin blue smoke (TBS).

I plan 1 hour to get the cooker burning clean and up to temp.

I hope this helps.  I do this and run all vents 100% open and it runs right around 250* +/- 20*.  Don't stress about temps as long as they are around 250*-ish.  Remember -- it's not a pinpoint temp -- it's a range.

Good luck.  If you need other questions answered let us know.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I do what Craig and Bama does. Vents full open too

Didnt care for the minion stuff

 

[lght]

It's common to have that problem until it's properly "seasoned".  I took a can of pam and forced seasoned mine and it has been working perfect ever since.  Almost to the point I don't need my stoker anymore.

 

[sqwib]

Check your thermos for accuracy.

 

[black05tj]

I had the same issue first time I used mine.  After that one, I ditched the water and lined the pan with foil and added sand (about 3/4 full).  In other smokers I've had, I never did like water so much but tried it in this one just to see.  Personal preference I suppose, some like it some don't. Maybe I just don't know how to work with water properly, but I find it easier to get up to temp and maintain it with sand.