# I've gone completely Dark...The Dark Side: WSM 18.5"...let the journey begin



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 23, 2015)

Hey everyone!!! I finally pulled the trigger and grabbed the last available WSM 18 to be found locally...regular $299 price, with the premium cover...they never go on sale around here, so I was willing to pay that for a new rig and buy locally. I was getting itchy about wanting to smoke turkeys (yes, plural) for this Thanksgiving holiday, and I didn't want to roll out the Smoke Vault 24, as it's been residing at my son's house for him to continue learning the craft with. I guess it was enough to give me a shove off the fence and jump on the WSM wagon, which coincidentally, ends my transition into cooking with only charcoal, with the exceptions being possibly for specialty items, but then, I have cold smoked in a charcoal rig before. So, 3 Weber kettles and a WSM now reside on my covered deck (all black, of course), and I'm already smoking in the WSM today. I've been char-grilling and reverse-searing on my pSnP 40" and 18.5' OTG for years (5+) and loved every minute of it. And, yes, with the tip-up grates, I was also doing quite a bit of indirect smokes on the 18. Then, I grabbed a Smokey Joe 14" for the novelty, mainly, but wanted something portable that I could set my 15" Lodge C/I skillet onto, and it fits that purpose quite well. I ordered the last 26.75" OTG kettle available online from Wally-World about 16 months ago (with gift cards from work) for the same purpose as the 18 but with much higher capacity, better features, and last but not least, a stainless (not chrome plated) hinged cooking grate. The 26 OTG model has been renamed as the "original premium" to confuse the innocent (same for the 22.5" OTG..the 18.5" OTG are discontinued
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






), as they've added the new and slightly improved version (for another $50), but they are available again under the different model name.

Why did I step into the WSM? I love charcoal smoking and grilling, mainly due to the added flavors and the even cooking temperatures...two things I've been noticing the lack of with gassers. I've been down the gas grill and gas smoker roads for long enough to know they aren't for me anymore...not to mention I don't feel the need to have 6 - 20lb propane tanks stashed away to keep my cookers going. The Smoke Vault 24 was my go-to for larger gatherings and such, and it does have it's place for that. I've used a less expensive bullet (Brinkmann Gourmet charcoal with added Smoke n Grill barrel/grates...the Stacker) and a pit (Brinkmann SnP 40" horizontal offset with custom tuning plate, eventually converting to LPG due to massive charcoal consumption). I made tons of mods for them, yet always was left with a gap in performance, excessive fuel consumption, and no possible way to get them to run through the night without refueling...none of which were acceptable for me. We are now a 3 person household, and soon it will be only the spouse and myself at home, so I won't miss the beast, Smoke Vault 24. I already have plans for gatherings to keep my cooking within reasonable limits and the capabilities of my kettles, WSM, and camp dutch ovens, so, no worries on that topic. I leaned away from the WSM 22 for 3 reasons: excessive capacity and more fuel consumption than I would need, and, yep, that extra $100, even though the 22 is a better price for the capacity.

Why did I tell you all of that? A likttle background on myself and the cookers I've used in case you're on the fence and want, but haven't made the decision to buy, a WSM, or something else that's been on your wish-list. My main purpose for this is to give you my experience and insight with a few years and various other cookers under my belt, from a rookie WSM user (myself), to help you decide which direction to go for a new smoker, when you are in the market for said smoker. I will be posting a multitude of smokes provided to me via the WSM 18 in the future, giving details about each smoke, and of course, not to spare any Q-View throughout my journey. That said, I'm BACK, and my future looks dark...very, very dark...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...and now, after finally finding it, I get to use this one, for REAL:
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





EDIT: at some point I will have to jack it down on the posts and just enjoy the new smoker, so don't blame me for cutting back on posts...'cuz I wanna smoke and eat, too!!! LOL!!!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Inaugural smoke: Chicken Drums and Pork Shoulder Chops

Today's journey consisted of building a seasoning fire with KBB, a medium chunk each of hickory, cherry and apple, in preparation for a chicken drum and shoulder pork chop smoke. I filled the ring about 1/2 full, heaped it towards the center, but kept it a couple inches above the grate in contact with the ring. For starting the fire left the barrel off and inserted a lit propane torch on med/low flame into the the center at approximately a 45* angle from vertical, and about 1 briquette above the grate. I also added a extra charcoal grate from my OTG 18 (upside-down inside the ring), placed perpendicular to the original to hold more of the smaller pieces for longer burn before they drop through into the ash pan (before loading fuel, of course). I let the torch ignite the coals until there were ashen coals showing above the torch and about 4-5" in diameter...then I placed the barrel with foil-lined dry water pan and oil-sprayed cooking grates. I attached my Maverick Pit Probe thermometer to gauge accuracy of the lid thermometer. The lid thermometer was approx. 5-6* higher than grate temp for the duration of seasoning and her maiden smoke today...pretty close, IMHO. I did notice the pit probe reading dropped when I added meat while the lid therm read 75-90* higher, until the temps stabilized again (after replacing the lid)...to be expected.

I initially ran with the lid and intake vents fully opened until temps rose above 225*, then I dialed all three intakes back to about 40% open and monitored temps. It settled in at about 270* with very light breeze and ambient temps in the mid 40's. I let it ride there for about 30 minutes before opening the intakes again to about 60%...this yielded temps in the 310-320* range. Note: this is with a dry, foil-lined water pan...probably not possible to achieve these temps with water, even if you burned hardwood lump, unless you planned on going through tons of fuel. I dropped in 10 seasoned (not brined, marinated or anything fancy) chicken drums after a 2hr burn, with smoke still coming on nice and strong. The drums were still partially frozen...not my ideal way to start, but I like COLD meat when smoking for short periods such as smaller pieces, especially when smoking hot & fast...smoke sticks to cold meat faster than warm meat. I gave the thighs about 60 minutes, then dropped in the chops on the top grate. I checked the leg's I/Ts at just a bit under 90 minutes and they spurted clear juices with a ~180* reading...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...WOW, that was fast!!! The chops were coming out about 10 minutes later in the 160* range...could've yanked em out a bit earlier in the 150-155* range and still been safe, but they weren't dried out, either. And here are the results:

I had an initial upset when I went to dump pics to the computer for editing...my camera memory card was corrupted and all my start pics were lost to the virtual black hole...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...technology is great...when it works. I guess that's what I get for not taking/posting pics for so long, huh? So, grab another card, dump photos to a thumb-drive to free-up space, and everything is good, except for those grate pics of the chicken drums...but I kinda-sorta made up for it.

My latest addition to the Weber Family...nearing the end of today's smoke:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






Lower grate with residue of chicken drums...just for the only proof I have that, yes, they were on that grate today...LOL!!!:













2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






And, no, that butane lighter on the table was not used to ignite the briquettes...that would; have been a disaster...LOL!!!













3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






Drums in a S/S steam table pan, ready for enjoyment...seasoning was Alpine Touch (Montana's Special Spice)...just 'cuz I wanted simple and to the point. It's a nicely balanced mix of finely ground (to nearly powder form for easy, uniform application) SPOG, and maybe a couple other spices I haven't yet identified by taste:













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015


















5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






Shoulder Pork Chops just probed, with a 155* I/T...BTW, these were seasoned with a steak & chop seasoning similar to the drum seasoning, with a bit larger particle size and a few variations in the ingredients...again, simple and to the point:













6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015


















7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






The chops were moist and delicious, and the drums were a knock-out!!! I hadn't smoked legs for so long I forgot how good they are. I invited my son and his other half for dinner not long after I got this round rolling. We all enjoyed our dinner, however, my youngest son grabbed 5 (yes, I said five) drums for himself...the last 5 out of 10, that is...he likes chicken...but he LOVES smoked, char-grilled, reverse seared...basically, if it's cooked outdoors, we have zero problems getting him to eat it...LOL!!! OK, enough said about the legs and chops...we're here to talk about what the WSM can (or if it actually happens, cannot) do for me...uh, wait, so I guess the meat IS important...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...moving forward...so, let's face facts here, I love to smoke taters, veggies, and...well, as my avatar line implies.

The crazy part about today? The smoker assembly, meat prep, initial seasoning of the WSM (no, I'm not done seasoning, yet) and today's smoke was stupid-easy...and you know what? I liked it that way!!! The WSM intake adjustments were nearly exactly what I expected. When I let it ramp up after starting and assembling for seasoning, it built up nice and slow over about 30-40 minutes from cold to the 225* range, just like I wanted (the fire was still pretty small). Once the fire spread to the point where it would have ran away, I backed-off the intakes and it climb right into my target range of 310-320*...and it stayed there!!! Monday's smoke will tell me more, as will each consecutive smoke for the next several weeks. Right now, I'm convinced that I should have just dropped the coin on a WSM back in 2008 or 2009 (whenever it was), instead of messing around with the Brinkmann SnP 40, or the Brinkamnn Gourmet "Stacker"...but, they were good stepping-stones, to learn with and experience what it's like to run, mod, test, run, mod, test, run, mod, test...if you're into that sort of thing, which I was at that point in time, it's great. Now, I'm older, wiser, more seasoned, and less apt to fall into a rut...if only I knew then what I know now, I could have saved myself a lot of what I went through and I'd have been just enjoying life in the smoke. And, I'd have purchased 3, possibly even 4 less smokers than I did...and I'd have been that much LESS money invested in smokers and all those 5, 10, 20 dollar mods, for my smoking passion. OTOH, I wouldn't have had the exposure to such challenges, nor would I have gained all the knowledge and skills that came with it, now would I? I also would not have been involved in any secret, prototype projects which I was requested to join along the way. Such as it is, I will end that topic by just saying this: if you readily have the coin or can make compromises/sacrifices in other areas to get a smoker that will not drive you partially (or completely) insane attempting to get it to perform to your liking, I suggest you take those steps to make it happen. Set your priorities, pay your debts, bills, etc, and buy what you can afford, but don't scrimp...put a little away for the right smoker for you when the time is right to grab one.

Speaking of scrimping on gear/cookers, been there, done that, with regrets nearly every time. Am I biased towards Weber or the WSM? Well, I have no serious complaints about any of their charcoal cookers I've owned and cooked with (all received brand-new), thus far, so, maybe that's a trend in their favor, and could sway my opinion, sure. Every manufacturer will experience a certain level of QC issues from time to time, or some design flaws, even if relatively benign...(1) some more than others...(2) some so often you don't even want to walk away from their products, you'll want to RUN. I don't feel that Weber is either (1) or (2), as I've never had to contact their customer support. Most any issues I've had were at least somewhat operator error, and an occasional design flaw, but never a serious one. Most things I've encountered can be corrected with a little common sense and a dash or two of careful consideration for what caused the problem to begin with...then come up with a simple work-around or just be a bit more careful in the future (example: the wobbly 3-legged kettles). So, no I can't couch for their support...but their charcoal-fired products, sure, I'd say give 'em a go. I'm happy with what I have from Weber, and that's not an easy thing to accomplish, as I'm pretty critical about my gear, and look for flaws and ways to avoid possible problems. I have less to worry over since I've gone "dark".

For me, right out of the box, with only minor adjustments (carefully placed and executed hand-bending) to the fuel-door for a better eye-ball fit, this smoker performed very nicely. Sure, there were smoke leaks around the lid/barrel joint...to be expected. Also, a small amount of smoke leaked from the fuel door...again, to be expected. The lid fit rather loosely side-to-side, but level with the flange in the barrel groove, until after this first smoke. I had to grab a good hold on the barrel when I first attempted to remove the lid for I/T check on the drums, because it was stuck from smoke residue, already. That said, I believe within the next several weeks that with regular use, it will seal itself up more and more, with food and smoke residue. So, after it's first smoke,  no I don't plan on the use of nomex gasket material, yet. I may decide to go ahead and add it later, but I want to see how much it will seal on it's own first. Past experience has taught me that a well-used smoker leaks far less than a new one. It's also been my experience that with careful inspection before and during assembly, some flaws can be partially, if not fully corrected before you finish assembly, as was the case here. I'm also convinced that not every smoker has poor fit qualities...some may be better or worse than others. I'm going to give her a chance to prove herself to me before I go completely mod-crazy.

Do I feel this smoker is suitable for hot & fast turkey smokes? Absolutely. If I have to run intakes @ 60% to hold it down in the 310-320* range, it can run far hotter, especially with lighting a bigger fire from the start. I want to push 325-350* on the 24th for her first (of 2, that I know of so far) turkey smokes for the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday...I have no reservations about 14lb birds...I'm wishing I would have chosen closer to 18lb birds, now, just to show what the WSM 18 is capable of. It would handle them, space-wise, and temp-wise, to get through the danger-zone in comfort...that much I'm sure of. Of course, ambient temps, precipitation, etc, will play a role in a downward spiraling chamber temp gauge, if you're not prepared for the weather...that's not a WSM thing...that's a smoker thing, and a grill thing, and a dutch oven thing, and...you get the point.

OK, moving on for some final shots, post smoke...guess what I failed to do away with before I lit the fire in her...knowing upon completion of assembly that I would want it taken care of before her first fire (hint: in regards to extinguishing the fire)? I'll give that away below...

I have a few tablespoons of render chicken fat and caramelized drippings in the water pan foil-liner (for vaporization in the morning to aid in further seasoning of the WSM) when I fire up for another smoke ( a sticky, messy smoker is a happy smoker)...chicken wings, and a couple boneless, skinless thighs for dinner on Monday (thawing it all right now)...maybe I'll figure out something for brunch, as well. That would give me some longer burn time with some meat for seasoning the smoker...:













8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






Just going back together to rest for the evening...lower grate installed...and, no, I'm not cleaning off the residue just yet, as it will be below freezing temps tonight...no worries:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






Upper grate installed, with probe wires still dangling...I left them laying on the top grate to prep for the next smoke:













10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






The moment of truth...remember that question I asked earlier? Got a nice, even burn of the coals with that central torch fire-starting method. Oh, forgot to mention, I did add about a dozen cold briquettes right towards the end...turns out I didn't need them...not even close to low fuel...just couldn't see into the fire ring that well and jumped the gun...BTW, I have a brand-new Brinkmann water pan that should fit for a shallower pan, and give more fuel capacity and the ability to view it a little better. Anyway, that's why you're looking at that appears to be fresh coals on top...'cuz they ARE fresh...classic mistake of adding fuel before checking I/Ts...see, even an old hand at this can get rusty when out of practice for too long:













11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






Looks pretty good...choked all the vents about 90 minutes ago, immediately after the meat was off the grates.  Quite a bit of coals left from maybe 6lbs, after that hot & fast smoke, preceded by a relatively hot initial burn for about 90 minutes:













12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015


















13.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






And..., but, wait...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





... (no flash pic) OK, I had foreseen this coming before I finished assembly 2 nights ago, BUT, I failed to schedule the necessary out-patient surgery...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...and didn't write any notes along the way, sooooooo...you know when you say: if memory serves me correctly? Well, it probably won't...:













14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






I shook it down gently a couple times to drop the ash through the grates, but it was settled a little already...now it's time to grab my Leatherman and do a quick bend of those pesky vent damper tabs...NOW the dampers actually close fully...probably not an actual air-tight seal, but hopefully enough to knock those hot coals into submission before they burn much longer...that should fix it...I'll know more in the morning:













15.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015


















16.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 22, 2015






I didn't raise the coal grate/ring to check on ash deposited in the pan, but I'll do that in the morning...after it's completely cooled down, as I didn't look far enough ahead to have any hooks ready to grab and lift without having an upset and setting something on fire, or, burning the daylights out of myself (I use welding gloves, but hey, trust me, it ain't worth it...it can wait).

Thanks for reading...and most of all, for any of you out there that are prospective buyers of the WSM or whatever your favorite is, if you stay on the fence a while longer...I'll give you more insight as time allows. I work full-time, but it's a little slower right now (well, slow for me is less than 55hrs/week...LOL!!!), so I'll be pounding the coals and wood through this WSM every chance I get.

More to come...stay tuned!!! Got a couple turkeys to smoke in the coming days...one on the 24th, and one on the 26th.

Comments are welcome, and additional insight from seasoned WSM users is welcome, as well. Let me know if I'm totally off the mark (I know, opinions vary, but healthy discussion is how we learn on a forum). I think I've got a good handle on it for now, with hot & fast poultry smokes, anyway. Low & slow will come in due time, but right now I need to get this thing looking (and smelling) not-so-new inside (messy) before turkey-day, hence my choices to smoke poultry and run hotter. I'll figure out a minion firing method that I think will suit me best for low & slow, if the central fire doesn't pan out to my liking. I just don't see it being a problem at this point in time, but, I've been wrong before. A pork shoulder smoke will show me the way down the right path.

See you again, soon!!!

Great smokes to all, and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 23, 2015)

DAY TWO:

This morning I was greeted with a cold, dead coal bed, and a fair amount of remaining coals, so bending the tabs out to fully close the intake/exhaust vents worked, as I expected, just like the kettle grills. So, the saved fuel can be used on each consecutive smoke for no waste.

I was so excited to get a burn for seasoning going yesterday that I failed to foresee the issue of grate/ring removal in order to inspect/remove ashes from the fire bowl,. I did come up with a quick solution and a down and dirty, simple, no-cost mod.

So, the dilemma facing me was that you can't really grab onto the fire grate with the fire ring installed, and, in order to leave the coals on the grate when removing to inspect/remove ash, you really should leave the ring installed. What to do, what to do...OK, I have a spool of metal wire and needle-nose pliers with wire cutter...can't be too hard, can it? I cut 2 pieces of wire about 14-15" long, bent into a semi-loop and bent a hook on each end. I inserted these into the section of factory fire grate, hooked the outermost grate wire/bar and after both sides were hooked I was able to raise the entire grate/ring out to do my deed.

Then, time for a quick mod. I bent and looped the wire through the holes in the ring and around the outer grate wire/bar to secure the ring to the fire grate on opposing sides of the ring/grate. I don't see the need for a trip to the hardware store for stove bolts, nuts and washers...this will be durable enough to handle the weight of a fully loaded ring/grate,as this is 12-gauge wire. Now the grate/ring can be easily lifted and carried by just grasping onto the fire ring, with gloves, of course...I always handle my cooker hardware with welding gloves out of habit, whether it's hot or not. Keeps your hands clean and protected from high heat and cuts/abrasions...that's a no-brainer, IMHO., and welding gloves are cheap insurance.

Now, I have removed the cast iron grate from my Gourmet bullet to check my AMNPS smoke generator mod, and that's not something you want to do without careful planning, because the hot ambers get sent everywhere from even the slightest of breezes...just not a good idea at all...one accidental shake of the fire and you just sent a ton of hot ashes and ambers spewing all over the ground and anything within a good distance, so the risk of igniting a unplanned fire with nearby combustibles is high. And, did I mention, when you grab onto a live fire grate, even welding gloves get hot inside very quickly, adding to the possibility of accidentally shaking the fire due to wanting to ditch it in a hurry? OK, I said it...and, yes, I'm speaking from experience...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 BTW, that is the only time I've ever felt the need to remove a live fire from a smoker, and I don't roll that way anymore. That said, I don't see any need to remove the fire grate/ring assembly with a live fire, so no need for grab handles, IMHO.

The looped wire hooks for temporary lift handles (2):













2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






Fire grate and ring removed:













3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






Ashes from yesterday's burn, lasting approx 6 hrs (with KBB):













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






The wire-loop mod securing the fire ring to the fire grate (semi-permanent):













5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






Back into the fire bowl, looking down the inside...almost can't even tell it's in there:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






A closer look at the remaining coals from yesterday...still around 1/4 to 1/3 of the ring, and I started around 1/2 full...not too bad considering I was running so hot (310-325*F) for the majority of the time:













10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






Time for another mod: I pulled the fire bowl from a SnG (Smoke n Grill) which I was using for a water pan in the Gourmet "Stacker" (for reduced temp grate variances, top to bottom) and cleaned it up for use in the WSM. It is a perfect fit for the factory supports and, best of all it is only 4-3/8" tall, compatred to the WSM factory pan @ 7", so I gained another 2-5/8" in fire grate clearance;













11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






I tared (turn on scale with empty pan to calibrate) the scale with the clean water pan and added 4lbs of washed pea-gravel (not soap and water washed, it's just unused, rinsed with clear water):













12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















13.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






Total weight of pan and gravel...I'll see how much this helps to stabilize temp swings once it's out in the weather on the 24th with a turkey and drip pan loaded with veggies for stock/gravy:













14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






So, far, I think she's ready for round 2, and I just fired it up again with another couple lbs of KBB added to the remnants from yesterday. Just wanted to keep the fire burning as much as I can today to continue seasoning for the turkey smoke in the morning and I had some breakfast sausage links to add more drippings to the foil in the water pan from yesterday. So...

Time for a fire:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






I waited about 7-8 minutes, with med/low flame, then dropped a chunk of hickory on top...this will be smoking in another 10 minutes, or so when the briquettes get hot on top:













2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






About 10 minutes with the torch igniting briquettes...can see much fire yet, but it's in there:













3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






30 minutes with the barrle on and intake vents set @ ~20%...around 160* grate temp, and time for some meat. I'll grab the smoke wood and yank it out if it continues this heavy for more than another 20 minutes...otherwise, that could be some seriously smoke links. Then, I'll put the hickory back in to season the smoker a bit more. The beginnings of a little mid-day snack:













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






So, a quick, low temp smoke (I'll want this to run under 200* and slowly render out some fat) and then I'll ramp the temps up to around 250* and let it soak, add fuel and a mix of apple, cherry and hickory chunks and toss in some wings for dinner!!!

I know our time together has still been quite short, but this smoker is almost too easy. I kinda like that though...easier to use than my Smoke Vault, and anything else I've used thus far. There may be a couple more down and dirty mods in the near future, but I can't think of one I really want or can't live without at the moment...I'm a happy smoker, again!!!

Back later...thanks for peekin'!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 23, 2015)

Man, those smoked breakfast links are really good!! If you haven't yet, you should smoke these. They taste like a cross between a good hot dog and a store-bought smokey link. And, possibly because I smoked them low & slow with very thin smoke, they rendered out just enough fat to NOT have that greasy feel on the roof of your mouth, and the smoke was light and a dead-on match-up (hickory). I had to ask the wife, and she said, no you never smoked these before...this one goes in the (slightly fading) memory bank for future reference. Everyone has had pan-fried links, and me, not a big fan of them... but smoked? Yep, I'm in.

The WSM was running dead-on @ 200* grate temp when I dropped the links in, but I choked the intakes back to ~10% and it rolled through the next 40 minutes with these links without wavering a bit. Gotta love it!!!

About 25 minutes in...nice smoke reaction going...not dark, but a light golden brown:













6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






40 minutes...firm to the touch...casing has some nice tell-tale wrinkles from shrinkage...grabbed one and snapped it in two...interior color alone told me they're done...I know, measure I/T, but when you see all these signs?:













7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






Bursting with juices...yeah, still some fat in there but they did render out a couple teaspoons more into the foiled pan for seasoning the WSM:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






Fats, protein and carbs...that's a balanced diet, right? LOL!!! Buttered white toast, and a couple links on toast...after not eating anything today but 2 small fresh-baked blueberry muffins, now my belly is good to go for the wing smoke...uh, speaking of, time to get the fire built up more, replenish smoke wood and get those wings going soon:













10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






See ya soon!!!

Eric


----------



## dukeburger (Nov 23, 2015)

Already pumping tasty meals outta that WSM!! Those chicken drums look fantastic.

Looking forward to that breakfast sausage 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





You mentioned your bottom dampers were a little loose. Funny you mention that, because mine were fine until just the other day, I went to pull off the cover (maybe a little too vigorously) and the elastic on the bottom of the cover caught on one of my dampers and bent it a little. I've bent it back and is still a little loose for my liking. Just something to look out for when you're pumped up to start a smoke and go to yank that cover off!


----------



## dukeburger (Nov 23, 2015)

Spoke too soon, nice links!! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I've never thought about smoking those, but now I sure will


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 23, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> Already pumping tasty meals outta that WSM!! Those chicken drums look fantastic.
> 
> Looking forward to that breakfast sausage
> 
> ...


You already know this, but yeah, these are like a dream come true in terms of ease of use. Fire control is so easy to manage, and that was a huge bonus when I stepped up from the Gourmet or the SnP. Fire control on the Weber kettles is great, too, but actually the WSM is even better regarding even temps, and way better than any of my gas smokers.

I know what you mean about yanking the cover off. I had mine assembled on the deck, covered for 2 days. I come home from work early, tossed my gear in the house and went straight to the WSM to get a fire started. That cover fits nice and snug, so I didn't notice what was happening right away. Yep, elastic strap hooked on the damper tab on one ide and the screw head (I think) on the other side. I felt around until I found the snag and then all was well. Takes a little wiggle-work to get that love-bite to break away from the smoker, but that's a good thing...between the snug fit and the elastic strap, I doubt I'll ever loose the cover due to high winds (if it's that strong, I may be more worried about loosing all of my cookers, not just covers).

No, the intake dampers were fine, just the pesky tabs to prevent you from completely shutting it down was the issue. The lid fits a bit loose in the barrel lip, but the smoke loss wasn't really that bad...I've seen a lot worse, like the Brinkmann Gourmet. I actually went as far as to wrap a rope in foil to fill that gap, it was huge. But, I also drilled a 1-1/4" hole in the lid to move the venting all the way to the top, so I changed the exhaust configuration on that bullet, as the original design was to vent from the lid/barrel joint, and this wasn't the best for creating even temps from the grate to the top of the lid. No big deal with small pieces of meat, but toss in a pork picnic shoulder and that changed everything in terms of the need for more uniform temps.


DukeBurger said:


> Spoke too soon, nice links!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Brother, you'll love the smoked links...I was cautious, but no need to be...nothing off-putting about them. Nice snap to the casing instead of being anywhere from a rubbery to a tough, chewy texture like when they are pan-fried. And, this was with a low & slow smoke...300*+ for maybe 25-30 minutes for the whole smoke and they would pop quite nicely when you took a bite...just watch out for those hot, spurting juices. Yeah, one smoke with these and I'm hooked...gotta do it again. Wife said, hey, there's another pack in the freezer, and I'll pick up some more next trip to the store. She's not kidding, either...when she likes something like this, she makes sure I'll have what it takes to do it again. Even if it's not something I'm head over heels about...that's the trade-off...she takes care of me and I take care of her.

She even picked me up a fresh 10lb bag of apple chunks when she grabbed this smoker to bring it home to daddy, 'cuz she likes apple with poultry...so do I. I found the WSM 18 online the night before when we were talking about the upcoming turkey smoke, and there were only 2 left in stock...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...I said if we don't get one quick they'll be gone until spring...no more left anywhere close by...she made a special trip just for this smoker while I was at work, so yeah, she's taking care of me...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Originally, I was looking at the 14, but I think I'd have been disappointed with the cooking grate sizes...good for a chicken on top and fixings over the pan, but not much else. Maybe for retirement when it's just a couple of us in an RV, the the 14" would be perfect, and a whole smoked bird would be just right for 2-4 people, and leftovers for chicken salad for lunch, soups, oven dishes, enchiladas, green chili...OK, enough about leftover chicken...bring back WAY to many memories, and all of them ended in a tasty meal.

Back to the smoking...gotta stoke up the fire for a hot & fast wing smoke!!!

Eric


----------



## b-one (Nov 23, 2015)

Looks like your having fun with the WSM! Keep up the great work!


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 23, 2015)

b-one said:


> Looks like your having fun with the WSM! Keep up the great work!


Thanks!!! Been a great ride, so far...no regrets. Only one thing, I don't think of it as work...it's a passion.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 23, 2015)

Dinner is down the pipes, and it was rather tasty.

4lbs of wings and a couple BSCTs (boneless, skinless chicken thighs...for the new guys & gals) came out great!!! A ran to I/Ts of 170* to a bit over 175* in a few of the smaller ones. There's always a couple of variations in size and I try to figure out where the cooler spots might be in the smoker for these occasions, but I don't think there are a lot of temp variances in the WSM. It does seem to run hotter on the upper grate, even with 4lbs of pea-gravel in the water pan, judging by the color on the skin of these wings...bottom wasn't quite as dark, and I don't think that's just smoke color...some has to be a bit of caramelizing due to running above 250*.

Oh, chamber temps were a bit sluggish, but I added about 3/4 of a chimney of cold KBB over a thin layer of hot coals, so maybe it just wasn't quite enough fuel to give it that extra push to get over 300* like I wanted. I'll try to remember to run with at least a half-full ring for hotter smokes from now on, and be sure there is a good amount burning in time for the meat to go under the lid. I really should have been looking @ 300* before these wings went in, and it just wasn't gonna happen, even with starting @ 80% open intakes and then opening them 100% after dropping the meat. I guess I overestimated the remaining coals after the link smoke, and it didn't have enough punch after letting it run for over an hour, maybe 90+ minutes at a bit lower temps with 10% intake, either. On top of that, my wings were...you guessed it...partially frozen, like yesterday's drums. Weird part is, I figured 90 minutes for the wings, 60-70 for the BSCTs, and they were all done at the same time, with adding the thighs about 25 minutes into the wing smoke. So, they all came out on time (straight-up 6:00pm), with chamber temps running nothing over 275*, and starting at 250*, then ending near 250*. Maybe an average of around 260-265*. All is well, but I'll be sure to have at least 3/4 chimney burning and the ring more than 3/4 full before I toss the bird and drip/veggie stock pan under it. Gonna burn some fuel for that run, and the weather isn't going to be favorable, either...cool and windy, but no snow until Wednesday/Thursday.

Speaking of drip pans, I have 6" space between the grates, so I'm not using my S/S pans for the turkey smoke...they're 4" tall. The disposable steam table pans are 2-3/4", so that won't buffer the heat getting to the turkey above nearly as much...but, that's another day and another smoke...we'll see how that all comes together.

This was all seasoned the same as the Drums yesterday, with Alpine. Ready to fly to the dinner plate...the BSCTs will just have to slither like snails, I guess, 'cuz they can't walk without bones...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





:













12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















13.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















15.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















16.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015


















17.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 23, 2015






OK, the rest of dinner is ready...I gotta grab some vittles for the verdict.

Mmm-mmm-mmm!!! Wish we had smoke deliveries through the PM's, 'cuz I'd share this with anyone!!! Wings are one of our favorites, but they are a rare buy for a decent price around here, so they're a treat when we can grab some. Oh, I forgot to mention, but I only added apple to the smoke, as there were some remnants of smoke wood still in the fire when I added cold KBB...didn't want to over do the smoke, and it worked out well. Nice touch of smoke that I could taste even below the skin. The skin was...well, not the best, but then I didn't really try to avoid rubber skin syndrome, either. Maybe a 325* smoke chamber would have helped, along with some pre-smoke treatments, but my fire wasn't running hot enough for that game plan. So, chewy skin again, but I didn't eat much of it. The meat was good even when I couldn't taste seasoning. And, the learning continues...

Catch you all on the flip-side...I have that turkey to run through it's paces later in the morning for a early turkey-day gathering.

I'll post that up when I get a chance, but it may fragmented into several posts throughout the day like a lot of my longer runs, but this will hopefully allow me to drop it all into this thread before I go to bed...back to work on the 25th. Fingers crossed. Turkey day is fast approaching and some of you may want to know a different approach on what you can pull off with your WSM 18, just for "what if" and deciding on your best course of action...so I'll do my best to be of service.

Thanks for peekin'!!!

Great smokes to all, and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## dukeburger (Nov 23, 2015)

Tasty looking chicks there!

Since I've started using Jeff's method for wings, brining them in buttermilk, I've always had nice bite through skin on my chicken wings and drums.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 24, 2015)

Hey Duke, I've heard of the buttermilk dunk a few years back, but I never remember to pick some up and try it when I'm getting ready for a chicken burn. Well, probably doesn't help that most of my chicken runs are on rather short notice. One of these days it will all come together, I hope.

Thanks for the points!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 24, 2015)

I decided to start another thread with today's smoke due to multiple cookers and dishes, so, enjoy the read (smoke currently in progress):

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...-wsm-otg-26-bird-s-mashed-taters-veggie-gravy

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 29, 2015)

14LB TURKEY FOR MY NEIGHBOR AND 5.5LB BONE-IN BEEF LOIN

I had some issues with a new (to me) fuel...Embers Charcoal. Torch-lighting the center of the heap like I do with KBB was extremely slow on spreading the fire, so I added 1/3 chimney of hot coals to give it a jump start...even that took nearly 3/4 hour to get from 216* to 250* as measure by my Maverick Pit Probe.  That may partly be due to using 4lbs of pea-gravel in flat-bottom Brinkmann SnG fire-pan, but, I never had this much trouble getting up to a decent temp with KBB, even with a medium-sized bird dropped on the grate. It may be better suited for low & slow in moderate ambient temps...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...I'll see how it pans out in the coming weeks. Anyway, turkey is smoking, and, cooking closer to par now.

Oh, for more details on the issues I had:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...-have-slow-burn-issues-need-help#post_1491328

I'll drop my Beef Loin in when I'm looking at the 5-hr mark for smoke time. OOPS!!! That would be NOW!!!

OK, back to the post...here's our Sunday dinner subject, cross-hatch scored deeply (up to 1/2-5/8") through tougher sub-cap tissues:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






I spread the scoring open and sprinkled rub all the way down inside, then patted it down on all sides...shooting an I/T of around 140-142*. Carry-over should pull it up around 145*+...guests and wife lean more towards med...I'm a med/rare steak & beef roast guy, but, what's a couple degrees, right?...it's still gonna be plenty juicy:













5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Bird is @ 138*, almost through the 40-140* range in 3.5hrs (probed it from the start @ 36*), even with the low chamber temp issues I experienced early on...needed to dump some heat and choke it back, as it was 275* and climbing, and I wanted to slow it down for the beef loin...so, I'll try to settle it in around 220* or so for the remainder of the smoke. Turkey has no time-frame, they just wanted a smoked bird...but I'm shooting for around 5:00pm or sooner, so they can enjoy it for Sunday dinner:













8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Beef Loin is in, under the bird...hopefully poultry drippings won't flavor the beef too much, but I did season it with the red bell pepper rub used for my smoked bird on my last days off work. Thought about just SPOG & RBP, but quite a bit of this rub left, so...well see...about 10 minutes into the smoke for the beef loin here:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






I invited my son and his family over for beef loin dinner this evening...it'll be nice to share and spread around another smoke from the WSM!!!

Back later when this smoke comes to a close.

Thanks for peekin'!!!

Eric


----------



## WaterinHoleBrew (Nov 29, 2015)

Your really kickin out some nice lookin Q from that new toy !  Thumbs Up   It all looks really tasty !


----------



## dukeburger (Nov 29, 2015)

Good deal on that roast! You'll be eatin' good


----------



## b-one (Nov 29, 2015)

Both are looking tasty! Not sure I would give the neighbors the whole turkey!!:biggrin:


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 29, 2015)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Your really kickin out some nice lookin Q from that new toy !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks!!! I gotta practice when I can!!! Not that I don't know, how, but I want to get through the learning curve with reasonable ease. So far, it's been a breeze. Now today, I changed charcoal types/brands...put a new twist on fire management that threw me off balance for a while, but we're on the rebound and going strong again. A couple more smokes with the Embers charcoal and I'll have a better feel for the amount of burning coals I'll need, based on target temp and ambient conditions.


DukeBurger said:


> Good deal on that roast! You'll be eatin' good


Yeah, my wife spotted this one and a smaller bone-in beef rib a few days back, both on sale. I think she has hidden motives, but I don't mind. If she keeps me stocked up with meats (and taters/veggies), then I don't have any excuses for not smoking on my weekends. I can't complain about that, can I???   
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	






b-one said:


> Both are looking tasty! Not sure I would give the neighbors the whole turkey!!


Thanks!!! The bird was supposed to be smoked on Thanksgiving day, after I got home from work...work ran much later than I expected and I had to post-pone the smoke. They provided the birds (one roasted/stuffed) and most of the rest of the meal on Thanksgiving Day, so I'm just catching up on a late smoke while I fired-up for the beef loin. I'd rather load it up when I can...even though the beef loin is hardly a load for the 18's grate, I try. I'm just not big on leftover meats, for the most part, otherwise I'd have likely bought the WSM 22 instead of the 18.

I'd rather use more fuel to run a partially loaded smoker and have fresh smoked meats and smoke more often, than run a full smoker and eat leftovers...just me. The 18 seems to be the ideal size for most of my cooking situations...There's only 3 of us at home, now, so it's not a monstrous size with a ton of wasted fuel and grate space. Yet, I can still load far more than we can eat when we have a little gathering. And, I can cook an entire meal in the 18, if I think about it a bit and do a little planning. When I really get jamming on a lot, the OTG kettles come out to play...it's all been good.

Been a fun ride so far!!! The beast Smoke Vault 24 is no longer my favorite rig...sorry girl, nothing personal...I just like charcoal fires more...there's still a place in my heart for you (her and I go back through a lot of time and a TON of smokes). She's getting some use at my son's house now and then, so she's not too lonely.

Time for a smoke check...turkey was at 163* in the thigh about 20 minutes ago.

Oh, I got the WSM settled in around 215-220*, so I figured I'd let the heat soak in a bit more slowly for the bird...kinda let things equalize a bit more before the finish, as I did have up to 278* showing on the pit probe a time or 2 before I dialed everything back around 90 minutes ago. I wanted lower chamber temps for the beef loin, as well, otherwise it will be resting longer than I planned for.

I gotta admit, fuel issues aside, I haven't had an easier smoker to operate...EVER.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 29, 2015)

Hmm...it would appear that I have created a forced stall in the bird when I dropped the chamber temps back so sharply. I stuck my digital pen in the opposite thigh and breast to verify the meat probe, and temps are no longer rising, so I cracked the intake dampers open just a bit. Chamber temps were pretty steady around 216*, so maybe a bit too low for my plans. I knew better, but then told my neighbors it would be ready in about 90 minutes when I saw the 163* I/T in the thigh...might have called it too soon with the latest development...time will tell...it might fool me and jump another 10* in the next hour.  I can definitely tell I'm out of practice when I find my self making that classic error...learned that one back in late '08 or early '09 doing a pork picnic shoulder in my old GOSM with sub-zero temps, moderately high winds and an ice-storm that turned to snow. Man, was that ever a long night of no sleep.

So, let the real waiting begin...averaging around 160-162* I/T...shooting for my usual minimum of ~172-174* in the thighs and ~168-170* in the breasts:













11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Oh, and if you hadn't noticed, it is naked...no rub, salt...nothing...per my neighbor's request:













12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Looks good, and the shrinkage of the skin indicates the meat is cooking through nicely, and fats are rendering out...just not quite up to temp yet.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 29, 2015)

BONE-IN BEEF LOIN HAS BEEN DINED UPON!!!

Turkey came out just in time. I tossed the bone-in beef loin on the upper grate, stabbed my probe and it was dead-on @ 140*.

3hrs, 45minutes...pulled it out just short of 4hrs @ 143* and tossed into a warm over on a pan covered with a foil tent:













13.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















15.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















16.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















17.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Heal cut off...moist, even way out there where it's med/well to well done:













18.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















19.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















20.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Now, for the moment of truth...oven was warmer than I thought, and rested longer in it than I planned...carry-over went to closer to 155* or so:













21.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Even with it being over-cooked (IMHO), it is still moist, and butter-knife tender:













22.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















23.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Guests made Potatoes AuGraten, wife made steamed Califlower (I didn't take any, 'cuz I wasn't that hungry, and this is a larger plate (more food than it looks like):













24.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015


















25.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






The dry rub was nice on the beef loin...didn't taste any of the turkey drippings at all...of courswe they fell on the fat-cap, which I didn't eat. Tender, juicy and a nice milder beef flavor, very similar to rib eye sections without the fat. My son asked where he can get these at...I guess he's already thinking of his next smoke in my old SV-24...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Not everything was perfect, with finished temps and extra resting time as they were, but this hunka beef held up to it just fine, and this is pretty lean muscle. One thing that may have given me a bit of an edge is the fact that my water pan is dry...that seals up the surface fibers quickly and reduces natural moisture loss in the meat...I've used dry or wet-to-dry methods for a few years and it does some pretty impressive things like this one tonight. I was impressed, thinking I screwed this one up when I started slicing it away from the bones and saw the color...as it ended up, it was a non-issue. Pink juices on the cutting board, even with drippings in the resting pan. Yeah, I'd do one of these again, in a heart-beat!!! Of course, my finished temps will be much more conservative next time around...maybe 135*-138*...and incidentally, that will reduce cooking time by at ~30 minutes, maybe more.

Gotta check and see if the fire went out after closing the dampers...nope, got one intake damper that flattened-out and won't huge the bowl tight enough, now. Well, I don't have much coals left anyway, but I'll be looking for a fix that doesn't involve drilling out the rivet, first. If not, than there's always screws and washers to refasten...just a minor set-back, IMO.

Oh, forgot to mention this: smoke wood was apple and hickory, but the turkey didn't see much hickory because I placed it towards the outside of the coals, so they would start after I dropped the beef loin into the WSM...as a result, the beef loin got less apple...just a bit of TBS now and then, while it mainly got hickory)...a little play on smoke, if you will.

BTW, chalk this beef loin up as another first for me...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Eric


----------



## WaterinHoleBrew (Nov 29, 2015)

Wow, I just ate & I could still find room for some of that !  Very nice !    Thumbs Up


----------



## dukeburger (Nov 29, 2015)

I'd eat that thing barehanded. Like a watermelon.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 29, 2015)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Wow, I just ate & I could still find room for some of that ! Very nice !


Thanks, brother!!! It's been a fun and interesting ride so far with WSM. No complaints...that damaged intake damper which now is preventing me from killing the coals was likely my own doing during the last few smokes...during handling for transport, I suspect. Should be a pretty easy fix, though. Looking forward to the next smoke!!!

Oh, speaking of the next smoke, which will be Monday 11-30-15...3.8lb bone-in rib eye from the small end of the whole 7-bone..out 1-1/2 bones present. Wife grabbed this with the beef loin...I'll smoke this one for a trial/practice for 2 separate Christmas dinners coming up. Like I need to practice on rib eyes...LOL!!! Well, OK, I need to practice on anything smaller than a 7-bone whole beef rib, just for ball-park timing...there, I said it. Anyway, one will be an early gathering at my youngest daughter's house, and the other will be late at my oldest daughter's house. Everyone has days off work that don't fall together on the same day, so we're splitting up our celebrations and meals this year for Christmas. I usually smoke a 18-22lb 7-bone whole beef rib, but that would be severe overkill with separate meals this year, so I'll do 2 smaller beef rib eye, instead...figuring on hot & fast @ 280-300*, if the WSM will pull the temps (more accurately, if the Embers will produce the temps), depending on the weather. Gonna be playing it by ear...if the weather won't cooperate, then I'll plan on low & slow and start earlier...no big deal.

Funny part about these past and upcoming smokes in the WSM 18 is that it has been, and will continue to be, the perfect sized rig...I did not see that coming. And, for the occasions when it's been too small or I wanted to run different chamber temps, I have the kettles to lean on for indirect or direct cooking...can't go wrong...very pleased with my cooker line-up. Hopefully I have the slow heat build-up issues worked out with the Embers charcoal before the upcoming rib eye smokes (practice, practice, practice). My thoughts at the moment are that I just need a larger fire from the start compared to KBB, as Embers seems very slow to ignite from adjacent hot coals. Even when starting 1/3 chimney to add to the WSM today, they seemed sluggish to get going over a propane burner, although once removed from the flame I could see visible flame in the chimney earlier than with KBB and far less popping and snapping coals throwing out hot embers everywhere. I didn't really think about it at the time, but it all is starting to make sense, now. Guess I'm getting a bit slow in the noggin lately, with changes at work, changes in cooking gear...lots going on and more difficult to stay focused.

The advertised 15 minutes (if I recall) to start cooking and "fast lighting" with Embers would not be very accurate, but a longer burn time might be a good assumption based on how slow they actually ignite and begin putting out an appreciable amount of BTUs...time will tell. I'm just trying to wrap my head around this new fuel and it's characteristics, in the very early stages, so I may be completely off the mark and have it all wrong...but what I saw today indicated that I'm thinking correctly.

I think it would be a PITA to try to ignite Embers with vegetable oil soaked newspaper, like some guys do...might take several attempts to get a burn going, and then, a really long wait to dump the chimney when the coals are finally hot enough to do the job. I like my propane burners for starting charcoal chimneys because the time to get coals burning is somewhat irrelevant...once you know your fuel, that is. To put Embers into perspective, based on what I've experienced from this first round, I would put hardwood lump at #10 and Embers at #2-3 on a scale based upon lightning fast ignition to snails-paced ignition...only problem is that I can't think of anything slower than Embers...LOL!!! Joking aside, I'll stick with it and find out more, soon.

Monday's hot & fast (or attempted hot & fast) rib eye smoke will tell me more. I'll post that all here, of course.

Thanks again to all for your interest and support...you're all GREAT to be around!!!

See ya Monday!!!

Eric


----------



## dukeburger (Nov 29, 2015)

Just a thought, have you emptied the ash from your lower bowl? I have a hard time getting past 240 when it fills up some.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 29, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> Just a thought, have you emptied the ash from your lower bowl? I have a hard time getting past 240 when it fills up some.


Yep, she was emptied out before I brought it home from the last smoke at my daughter's place. Hmm...I'm going to step out and see how much is in it now...coals still had a hot-spot in the center about an hour ago, but with welding gloves on, I can set the ring/grate assembly into my OTG 26 on the coal grate and take a pic, just for giggles.

Just eye-balling it after a shake-off, there's 1-2" of gap between the ashes and the grate in most places...a bit less gap adjacent to the dampers, likely due to more burning coals where the most availability of combustion air was coming in, hence more fallen ash...makes sense. Oh, and just before or just after pulling the bid off I went and removed the barrel, then gathered up the coals with tongs into a heap in the center...just to push temps along with the close to dying fire. DB, do you think that is enough ash to start low-temp issues?

Well, low temps happened right from the start, though...this may be enough ash here to not be very far away from starting to kill the fire on a longer smoke, though.

Before the shake-off...still had a small hot-spot in the center, visible without illumination:













26.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Almost dead, but not forgotten:













27.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






There's the ashes from about 10lbs of Embers...maybe these produce even more ash than KBB (???)...(BTW, that's the bottom of my now legless OTG 26 in the back-ground):













28.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015












...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...OK, so I guess I didn't double-check the dampers close enough, when I THOUGHT they were closed. I had the WSM a bit too close to the house to really get down there and see for sure, other than the one in front. This would explain the coals still burning again after more than an hour. Smoke and learn...I had 2 dampers cracked open about 10%...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...so, I guess I won't worry about tweeking that 1 intake damper just yet, 'cuz this is not a fair or accurate representation of the fire extinguishing abilities of the WSM...nope. It WILL put the coals out...I've seen it once already...just need to see it one more time, now that I've seen the loose fitting damper disc, which seems to be a fairly new development:













29.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 29, 2015






Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 30, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> I'd eat that thing barehanded. Like a watermelon.









Huh, not sure how I missed this...stepped on you while writing that last post, or something.

Still have a few slices left on the bones...wrapped-up in the fridge...if they could only figure out how to send a plate of smoke out through PMs...I'd be ALL OVER that site upgrade!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 30, 2015)

3.8LB RIB EYE & RUSSET TATERS

Well, sadly, this is my last smoke for a few days, until I'm off work next weekend. However, I saved a nice one to end this past two days of fun and learning on the WSM and the new (to me) charcoal, Embers. I probably could have lived without the added challenge of changing fuel while I'm still so fresh with the WSM, but I can handle it.

This evening, I decided to go hot and fast for the Rib Eye and Taters, so I dumped the ashes and fired up 2 Weber rapid fire chimneys, 1/2 full with Embers over propane burners on med/low flame until the charcoal was beginning to flame up through the center, about 5 minutes. Once ashed-over (about 15 more minutes minutes) with one on the WSM fire grate and the other on my Smokey Joe 14 fire grate, I dumped both in, heaping it towards the center and added a few smaller hickory chunks around the outside for a fast smoke. This won't take very long, and with a hot fire and no water in the pan I want some hard-core smoke from the start, because there won't be much time for it to grab onto the meat and taters.

So, we're off for one last push through the WSM...I trimmed most of the fat-cap off of the rib eye, thinking it was too small to stand-up on it's own, but it did:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015






I started the smoke with just sitting the barrel on, tossing on the rib eye and taters to the grate, inserting a probe and dropping a lid over it. So, cold smoker, hot fire, lotsa smoke up front. We'll see how the Embers takes off with wide open dampers. I'll monitor temps and choke it back if it's going to push over 350*, but I'd like to see it hit 300*...just for what if...and I've never smoked a hot & fast rib eye before, so, a lot of variables I'm playing the odds with tonight. I did probe from the start just so I can watch I/Ts by the minute, if desired, and I don't want to dump heat by opening the lid  to probe. That said, no peeking until I see 135* I/T.

Low Temp Issues:

25 minutes into the smoke and I have 235* grate temp with a 22* ambient temp at start-up and calm winds. 35 minutes and the grate temp was already falling off @ 224*. Fired another 1/2 chimney and dumped in after disconnecting probe leads and removing the barrel...quick and painless. Temps were up to 245* on the grate @ 45 minutes, in the time it took me to plug the sensor wires back into the heads after sitting the barrel back on. I did spread the coals out all the way across the grate, in case that was part of the problem, but the original load of Embers were burning, just not as hot towards the outside, so I'm thinking that the WSM doesn't like a partially covered fire grate. Wait and see.

270* grate temp @ 55 minutes...better...not what I hoped for, but it may climb some more...oh, wait, temps are falling just about as soon as I could look a second time...268*...fired another 1/2 chimney for round 2 of probe disconnects and barrel left. 271* @ 70 minutes with the 2nd additional 1/2 chimney...I'm not adding more, 'cuz the WSM fire ring is about 80% level to the top, now. It's gotta just burn and do it's best from here on out. 280* @ 75 minutes in...still climbing...284* @ 80 minutes, and I finally looked at the meat temp: 84*.

Cruise mode now...so far, I'd say for hot & fast, in cold weather, with Embers...2 full hot chimneys is a good place to start...but then I haven't done any mods for leak control just yet. My Brinkmann Gourmet Stacker was about like this, too...but I'd have to say that rig was far worse, especially for it's size.

282* grate temp & 88* meat temp @ 85 minutes into the smoke...I think I can finally relax a little...might even still make that 2.5hr cooking time I figured on for 260-270* grate temp...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





293* grate temp & 101* meat temp @ 100 minutes.

300* grate and 112* meat temp @ 115 minutes...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





286* grate & 122* meat temps @135 minutes.

275* grate & 129* meat temps @ 155 minutes...missed the 2.5-hr mark, but hey, that's why I'm doing this...to find out what it will take for the next 2 rib eyes.

268* grate & 131* meat temps @ 170 minutes. I'd build the fire up more now, depending on how far off my finished temp was and how much coals burned off, but we're so close now that I'd just be wasting fuel. Ambient temp is down to 16* now...and I'm getting hungry. Oh, checked the fire...still have about 3 briqs deep across most of the grate, some spots burned-up a bit faster.

277* grate & 134* meat temps @ 180 minutes...huh...fire must have dropped some ashes and settled in a little tighter for a bit hotter burn...maybe...

I put my Sous Chef to work for a couple minutes @ the 120 minute mark to prep a vegetable stir-fry dish...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...OK, OK, they were store-bought, cut and ready to go...come on, if you would have just rolled with me on this it would have worked...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





:













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015






The only added flavor to this dish is EVOO...cutting back on sodium makes it a good excuse to just leave well enough alone...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...:













5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015






277* grate & 138* meat temps @ 195 minutes...and we're done...that's 3.25hrs & 0.85hrs/lb, for those who want to know. Oh, guestimated average grate temp would be roughly 250*, considering I started out cold and had some speed-bumps along the way, with an hour passing before I got over 250*, and with a peak of 300*, but mostly riding in the ~270* range once I had the coals jamming nicely.

BTW, taters were done up nice and tender, as well. Skin was loose (hollow) in many areas, and a light squeezed indicated a sort of hollow feel to the flesh, like it split in two in a couple spots, so the flesh had shrunken quite a bit...that's a dead-ringer for a great, tender, fully cooked smoked tater!!!













6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015






15 minutes resting on the open board...:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015






Here's my perfect smoked potato...perforated the skin with a fork on one side, split with my fingers easily, give the splits a squeeze and the flesh opens right up...it's a thing of beauty:













13.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015






And, lastly, my reward for the evening:













15.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















16.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















17.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015


















18.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Nov 30, 2015






That, my friends was a delicious, easy and complete meal...OK, I didn't smoke any dessert, but, I doubt we'll want any after packing away all of this...LOL!!!

If I could I'd be sharing this with all of you...nice way to end the weekend...oh, wait, I just did!!! So, what I REALLY meant was to dine with you...yeah.

I did miss the 2-hr mark, but I have a much better idea what it will take for time and fire management with Embers in the WSM on the next 2 hot & fast rib eyes with taters...no matter what happens tonight, I walk away with some more lessons under my belt, and that is priceless

It did some effort and fuel to get those grate temps up in the 300* range, but we did it!!! I'm getting more comfortable with the WSM and Embers now...for hot & fast, just kick it off with a big, hot fire that covers the whole fire grate and don't worry about high temps in the cooler weather...it won't run away very fast with the 4lbs of pea-gravel in the water pan. All things considered, I can amke this work...WSM 18, Embers, Rib Eye & Taters...yeah...done deal...oit worked for me, so I'm gonna stick with it for our upcoming Christmas dinner(s). And, I'm step further down that road on my journey with the WSM...a couple more weeks and we'll be tight friends.

Ah, there's nothing like ending the weekend on a high note with a tasty meal for my efforts.

Great smokes to all, and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## pc farmer (Nov 30, 2015)

Wow.    This thread is awesome.        Great info and food.

  Thumbs Up


----------



## dukeburger (Nov 30, 2015)

Geez Eric, when can I move in?! You're on a roll!!


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 30, 2015)

c farmer said:


> Wow. This thread is awesome. Great info and food.


Thanks, brother!!! Been a pleasure sharing smoke with you!!!


DukeBurger said:


> Geez Eric, when can I move in?! You're on a roll!!









Hey, DB, got a spare room, right now...but, you might have to bring your own smoker and slide it in beside mine, 'cuz I ain't about to give up my WSM!!! I'll share my kettles with ya, though...LOL!!!

Good times in WSM territory...yes they are. Oh, crap!!! Gotta check the fire before I turn in for eyelid inspections...she gets her cover tonight if she's gettin' cold.

Hey, thanks for the points, too, fellas!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 30, 2015)

Huh, I got the coals to die-out tonight when I actually got all 4 dampers in the FULLY CLOSED position...and there's still about 1-1/2 to 2 deep for briqs on the grate, although, I didn't shake the ashes off, so a bit less than it looks like...life is good!! She's under wraps until next weekend. I'll be thinking about what to thaw next for a couple more burns...hmm, wonder what's left in the freezers? OK, time for some rummaging...later!!

Eric


----------



## b-one (Dec 2, 2015)

Looks good! Maybe there's a brisket or pork butt in there for a nice long smoke!Thumbs Up


----------



## WaterinHoleBrew (Dec 2, 2015)

Nice lookin rib eye dinner man,  dang....  Ya know I'm not that far away....  I could have been there to taste test !    :biggrin:    Seriously man, nice lookin chow ya had there !    Thumbs Up


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 2, 2015)

b-one said:


> Looks good! Maybe there's a brisket or pork butt in there for a nice long smoke!


Thanks, brother!!! There were no leftovers between 2 adults and 2 teens...perfect sized meal us.

No, I know there aren't any big hunks of meat. Not sure I'm ready for a long smoke just yet, especially with winter setting in on me. I'm game for daylight smokes, though. I just dug up a 3-1/2lb Chucky to thaw in my Q-Fridge. I believe I'll fire-up for that on Saturday morning and put some more Embers through the WSM. The good thing is that my chucky should be fully thawed this time around...seems like most of my meats aren't given enough thaw time lately...or better put, I don't figure out a game plan soon enough before smoke-day. So, pulled beef with taters (maybe with gravy), and I might scrounge up some veggies to toss into the mix.

Man, 2 more days to wait until I pull the cover off the WSM again...so, it's like 60 hours, and counting down...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...gee-whiz, you'd think I had a new toy...oh, I DO!!! LOL!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 2, 2015)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Nice lookin rib eye dinner man, dang.... Ya know I'm not that far away.... I could have been there to taste test !
> 
> 
> 
> ...









...we need to rally with admin about those PM deluxe smoke deliveries...I've been mentioning it for a couple of years, now...your dinner would have been just a click away. Thanks, brother!!! We do enjoy rib eye...tender and tasty...add a touch of smoke...yeah, it doesn't get much better.

Eric


----------



## foamheart (Dec 2, 2015)

Really well done, all of it, the cooking, the pictures and the explainations.

Nice choice to match those at the table.

You just did it all. Great job.

I always loved winter cookings, its warm at the pit and you don't want to leave. Those nice warm beverages. And those chefs pieces like a link a sausage to accompany the meal, NOT! Its for the cooks delight while cooking!


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 3, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> Really well done, all of it, the cooking, the pictures and the explainations.
> 
> Nice choice to match those at the table.
> 
> ...


Thank you, brother!!! Oh, you're sure bringing back memories of the all-night smokes I've done over the years. On the daylight smokes there's always a rib-flap or rib-tips or something to snack on, eventually....even if you didn't plan on it, you're covered...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 5, 2015)

CHUCKY, RUSSETS, RED ONIONS & BREAKFAST SAUSAGE LINKS (WITH BAGEL, EGG, SAUSAGE BREAKFAST SANDWICHES)

And, I'm off with the start of another weekend of fun in the smoke.

I started cold with a central fire ignited with a torch again. I had about 1-1/2+" of Embers left after the last burn...shook it off and dumped the ashes, then re-foiled the pan for a fresh start, using just one 18" wide piece and not forming it all the way down into the pan. It has about 1" deep bowl formed for drippings, so it should be perfect for today (no water). I dropped the 4lb chuck in on bottom with 3 red onion (only removed the husk, no cuts or other prep). Hickory for smoke and a fresh bed of Embers over top of the remnants, about 2/3 of the ring filled. Intake dampers are set to about 25%, ambient temp was 34* and is now @ 50*, with calm winds...beautiful day for an early December smoke.

I dropped the links in about 1-1/2hrs in...(too good to not try at least one more time...besides, I had grate space...LOL!!!). Links are ready to come out and play in a sandwich...75 minutes @ approx 200* grate temp...taters, chuck and onions have been for about 2-3/4 hours.













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Nice snap to the casing and a smoke ring throughout the entire sausage, with an ever so slight grey center in some spots. Juicy, flavorful and delicious!!! And again, smoke flavor was not over-powering:













2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Toasted plain Bagels with melted butter, eggs scrambled in a bit of butter and seasoned with SPOG, along with smoked sausage links...this was a very simple, delicious breakfast:













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






I'm just kickin' back and waiting for about 165* I/T in the chuck to pan/tent to steaming for the finish...keeps the bark a bit softer for easier pulling. WSM is cruising along around 200* with 153* meat temp @ 4hrs into the smoke and still 1/2 the ring full of Embers charcoal. I'm planning for a simple light brown gravy again, like I've done in the past. Maybe I can recover my drippings from the foil...not as hot with the fire, so it shouldn't scorch. That would be a nice boost for the gravy.

I'll play it by ear based on the amount the potatoes have cooked when the chucky comes out, but if they cooked lightly like I want, hence the lower chamber temps, I can peel the potatoes and cube them into the pot with the chuck to finish, instead of eating them like a baked potato. Potatoes cook VERY slowly @ 225* and under...usually more slowly than medium/small cuts of meats. So, with reduced heat smoking for under-cooking they can be utilized for more variety in how you want to finish them...depends on your dish. The red onions will be for garnish, and leftover onions will go to the freezer for adding to other dishes when I want to incorporated some smoke flavor (chilies, pastas, soups...you get the drift). We love smoked potatoes, squashes, onions, garlic, peppers, chilies...what more can I say?

Easy day in the smoke, toady. Back later this evening with the finish!!!

Thanks for peekin'!!!

Eric


----------



## dukeburger (Dec 5, 2015)

You'll be eating good...well, it looks like you already have - nice breakfast sammies!!


----------



## dukeburger (Dec 5, 2015)

Hey Eric, how long do those spuds normally take to cook on your WSM?


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 5, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> You'll be eating good...well, it looks like you already have - nice breakfast sammies!!


Thanks, yeah, those bagels were pretty tasty, and I'm not a huge bagel fan. They're OK, but with the fillings I had, pretty darn good!!!


DukeBurger said:


> Hey Eric, how long do those spuds normally take to cook on your WSM?


It depends on size, of course, but temps mostly. 225* with a larger russet, probably 8+ hours. Idaho bakers in the 1lb to 1-1/4lb range (the nice big taters) are all night+. If you are pushing temps closer to 250* it will cut down on the time by about 1/4-1/3...get to around 275* and you can cut the time by closer to 1/2. 300*+ isn't that long at all, but, the trade off, as with anything smoked, the hotter the temp the faster it cooks...the faster it cooks, the less smoke you'll get. I went for really low & slow today...average temp was just under 200*.

These med to small russets today came out with the chuck @ 5.5 hours an were partially cooked...loose skin, but still firm inside.

I'll post those pics here in a bit...just got the chuck into a 450 watt 6qt crock-pot on high to steam...figured it's easier to do that than rebuild the fire or crank up the oven and heat-up the house.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 5, 2015)

I pushed until the fire started peetering out...not quite enough charcoal for this smoke, and I didn't wanted to stoke it up more for the little bit of extra smoke I'd have gotten on the chuck. Should have just filled it level to the top of the ring and this wouldn't have been an issue. Almost got to 160* I/T when the chamber temps started falling off...dropped to 184* by the time I got a crock-pot warming-up. And I've been smelling smoke ever since. I put the taters and onions into the crock over the chuck just long enough to steam the tater skins so they're a bit more loose for easier peeling, and a bit more tender onion...about 30 minutes. Taters and onions are cooling in a pan, now.

Outer layer on the onions has some shrinkage, so they've cooked partially, like I wanted, but not to the point of loosing those precious juices and oils:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Not much for drippings in the foil to recover due to to the lower I/T of the chuck, so I won't worry about these drippings...I'll get plenty from the crock-pot for gravy:













10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






I/T was starting to drop when I got this into the crock, so I've increased the actual time to finish it due to the fire dying-down before I wanted the chuck to come out, but no hurry on this. I still have 3 more hours until my planned time for dinner, and wifey might not be home yet by then, anyway. The good thing is, I have options for finishing this chuck, and can remain flexible. I was leaning towards finishing in a crock-pot from the start, just to save on some charcoal when a guy would normally foil...if you do foil. I usually don't foil any more, but for this smoke, I want less bark and more tenderness throughout.

See ya soon!!!

Eric


----------



## WaterinHoleBrew (Dec 5, 2015)

More great cooks, nice !   Thumbs Up


----------



## foamheart (Dec 5, 2015)

Really nice Eric!


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 5, 2015)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> More great cooks, nice !





Foamheart said:


> Really nice Eric!


I have a crock-pot with about 3.5qts of finished product for your drooling pleasures...let me get those pics up and you can see the end result.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 5, 2015)

The chucky road it out for about 2 hours in the crock-pot to reach a finished temp of between 203-205*, depending on where I probed. I rested it while peeling potatoes and trying to make the gravy in the crock-pot...it was just way too slow, so I broke out a sauce pan to gitter-dun. I actually had a light boil going in the crock, added some water and starch while whisking it vigorously, but it never got hot enough to thicken much.

The russets were kinda a bugger to peel just because they were only partially cooked. I finished them in the sauce pan with the gravy stock, before I hit it again with more starch-water. Worked out quick and easy that way.

Ready to rest:













14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















15.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Pulled...some tougher spots due to coming up to finished temps faster than I thought it would, but I managed it fine...all hand pulled, no forks or other tools:













16.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015


















17.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Finishing the potatoes after peeling and chunking them up:













18.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






1st layer is down:













19.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Taters next:













20.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Thickened gravy...time for a gentle folding to bring it all together:













21.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






And, ready to heat through for a few minutes...gravy was still boiling when I poured it over the top:













22.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






Garnished with smoked red onion...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

















23.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 5, 2015






That wasn't too difficult...a little bit more learning with the smoked taters, being I wanted to peel and cut up into larger bite-sized chunks, but I got through it (peeling was tougher than I figured it would be). Red or yellow potatoes are a better choice for a dish like this because you can fully cook, then chunk-up, or vice-versa, and, leave the skin on if you like. I used these because they were starting to sprout, so time to cook 'em or loose 'em...and, the reason for very low & slow smoker temps...so I get more smoke before they were cooked, then, I could peel and finish cooking after cutting them up.

I've done similar meals, but I always experiment just a bit with methods and ingredients. Speaking of ingredients, I added some ham base to the gravy for a little extra dimension in background flavor...man, that was a nice change that I wasn't really expecting. I tasted it before pouring into the crock-pot, of course, just in case that idea was way out in left field. It added even more of a mild smoke flavor. No salt added other than what was in the ham base, and no other seasonings...it didn't need it...perfect.

Wife loves it...gotta agree with her. Tasty meal, for sure...and as always, I'd do it again...if I ever quite experimenting and try a re-do...LOL!!!

Thanks again for peekin'!!! Great smokes to all, and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## foamheart (Dec 5, 2015)

forluvofsmoke said:


> 23.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> ...


<chuckles>

I love it, taters, onions & beef.  

Deliciously simple, (but time consuming). Very impressive.


----------



## dukeburger (Dec 5, 2015)

Looks like you also had a great meal!  You've got that WSM dialed in


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 5, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> forluvofsmoke said:
> 
> 
> > 23.JPG
> ...


Thanks, Foam!!! Really, the finish took less than an hour...peeling taters and pulling beef...gravy took about 5 minutes, once I had the proper tool for the job. I suspected the crock-pot wouldn't get hot enough, but I had to give it a shot anyway...now I know for sure.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 5, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> Looks like you also had a great meal!  You've got that WSM dialed in


Thanks, DB!! Yeah, I'm getting pretty comfortable with it already. When I lit the fire and got the drum on, I didn't open the intakes beyond where I dialed it in from the start (about 25%)...watched the temp slowly rise, smoke coming on nice and strong...just kicked back in my chair and peeked outside through the window at probes and the lid therm every 20-30 minutes until it was stable after a cold start-up (about 1hr)...piece a cake. It settled in around 200* after a little bump to around 210* or less, and I thought, hmm, how'd I do that? With a slower starting fuel? Well, I guess for me, the WSM is a natural...should have went this route long ago. Ah, but then a lot of the learning up until now would have never happened, so I can't complain.

The only thing I didn't get close today enough was fuel quantity...fell a bit short, but another 1.5-2lbs would have done the job, I'm sure. I just got a little itchy about loading up the ring after loosing some coals a few smokes back, but I just wasn't looking/feeling close enough when I choked it off for the night and it smoldered until they were gone. I should be able to load it to the brim and have enough for most smokes without any worries...except a pork shoulder or brisket, of course. So, I'll try to get over that little mishap, and then the WSM and I will be golden (only lost about 3-4lbs of coals, anyway...hardly enough to beat myself up over...LOL!!!).

Oh, and the newer fuel has had some minor challenges, but I think I've got the Embers pretty well figured out, as well. It took a few rounds to get a better handle on it, but it's kinda growing on me...starting to like it's characteristics. Seems like it needs a bigger fire and less unlit coals for hot and fast...just get after it and let it rip. For low and slow, you can start out small and it will bring temps up slowly as the fire spreads, however, I usually like to roll that way with slower cooking...so, it fits right into my game plan, as it did today. It seemed to be pretty darn steady for the better part of this smoke, which was roughly 6 hours. For hot and fast, lump would be better than any briquettes (they burn hotter & faster), and it's no different with Embers, but a big hot coal-base will push the WSM 18 towards the 300* mark in cooler weather...you'll burn up some fuel doing it, of course, and it's not as efficient as running ~225-250* as far as the fuel use per lb of meat to reach finished temp...that I haven't ran actual numbers on, but hot and fast with a big fire seemed to burn up the bulk of an 80% full ring in less than 4hrs on my 3.8lb Rib Eye/Taters smoke. Just something I'll be watching for later this month, as I'll be running through 2 more before January. I may not try pushing it quite as hot, but I don't want to smoking Rib Eyes all day, either, and I'll want some Idaho taters fresh off the grates to dine one as well...I mean, you gotta have a big ol' tater with a nice thick slice of Rib Eye, don't you...LOL!!!

Been another fun ride today, though...a little more of learning curve is under my belt. Huh, I just re-thought that statement...most of the learning curve is gone. Matching everything up between target temps, fuel and smoker...pretty much there already. Sunday is pork steaks, and whatever I can scrounge up to go with them...the challenge will be, I'll want to smoke these steaks nice and slow, too, and whatever goes in with it will probably need finishing in another cooker...maybe (to get hot enough)...but hey, I'm flexible. I might just come up with something that will cook at lower temps, unlike taters. Right now, it escapes me. OK, Cauliflower and/or Broccoli might fit a lower temp cooking (with a bit of steam to help push it along), but they may not a great match for pork steak, IMHO...unless...add a cheese sauce...hmm, I'll be thinking about this until time for eyelid inspections...LOL!!! OK, enough thinking out load through my fingers onto the keyboard for one night...

Later!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 6, 2015)

PORK SHOULDER STEAKS AND BEANS

Another weekend of fun in the smoke has come to an end. I had my pork steaks thawing for a few days in the refer, so the meat was good for a nice slow ride in the WSM. I was contemplating what to toss in with them and though a 1/2 size foil steam pan of beans might be the trick I was waiting for since last night. No need to cook, just heat them, through, however, when I sized these monster steaks, I changed my other mind and decided to go the stove-top route for beans. 4lbs of pork steaks plus that pan, well, it just didn't look good. It was all good eating, none-the-less.

I fired the WSM with a 2/3 ring of Embers briquettes, small fire in the center with torch for ignition and intakes set to about 20%, lid fully opened. Winds were crazy today and out of the S-S/W, which I was not prepared for. This was not the prevailing winds, as it's blowing in some warmer weather form the south. Temps peaked @ 50*, so warm, but the wind was just plain nuts...gusts were strong enough to take me off balance more than once just walking from the door to the smoker, just 10-12 feet away.

I wanted to run close to 200* grate temps...not normal low & slow, no, a bit below, especially for my elevation of 5K ft. The idea is to run slow enough to hold onto those precious juices in the steaks, and that did work. I had my pit probe centered on the lower grate over the foil-lined, dry water pan with 4lbs of pea-gravel. A second probe was on the upper grate...want to be sure there wasn't a large difference between the grates caused by the pea-gravel heating slowly...found out my suspicions were correct, and confirmed by the 2nd hour into this smoke, so I rotated the meats from grate to grate to even out the cooking. Grate temps started out about 35* cooler on the lower grate, then got closer to 20* cooler after 3 hours into the smoke. So, it was a gamble to leave the thermal mass in the pan for this lower temp smoke, but with the winds I figured it would all shake out about the same by loosing some heat and time to do a rotation of meats, or remove the mass and possibly suffer a lot more temp swings...I opted for more stable temps and to do the extra deed to keep things cooking evenly. BTW, wind gusts were often enough to such a lot of heat off the lid, as the lid therm would drop about 5060* at times, while the probes were holding pretty steady throughout, with just minor bumps when I did go have a look now and then.

Here's that 2-hr point in time when I decided to do the swap:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015


















2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






After the swap:













3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






4 hrs and temps measured by pocket digital were in the 150*+ range, so I decided to we'd give 'em the fork and knife treatment (butter knife, that is...didn't need the heavy-duty sharp steak knives)...should have went about 20 minutes longer, but we were getting into the mood for food:













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






The beans are a spin-off version of Dutches Wick Beans. I used only beans (2 - 1.75lb cans), Rotel tomatoes and chilies (1 can), pineapple (1 - 20 oz can of chunks, drained...juice reserved for the chef...LOL!!!), and this time around I used a full 12oz pack of bacon and rendered it down, then drained off the fat. Put it all into the same pot the bacon was slowly rendered down in to heat through, and viola!!! Nice textures and great flavor with a little bit of creeper-mode heat...catches up with you if you just eat beans non-stop...:













5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






This was a little more rare than I'm accustomed to for pork, so I nuked it for 45 seconds...just me...some like it rather pink, but I stepped it up to a bit lighter shade...maybe 155*.













6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015


















7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 6, 2015






That was a really nice, simple meal...not a complete diet for most, but once in a while we skip the veggies. Steaks were relatively tender for the cut, and had a very moist interior...partly due to the really low chamber temps. One thing I did notice with this slower smoke was that slightly off-taste, and bit stronger in the smoke, and I only used one small chunk of apple, so I know it wasn't from that. I suspect the charcoal was doing a bit more smoldering with this lower chamber temp, instead of burning a little hotter and reducing that coal smoke effect. So, I may try to run in the 225* range for the next low & slow smokes and see if that corrects the issue...in theory, it should. That was a bit of a trade-off between the retained moisture running that slow, and that off taste...I'll shoot for loosing the off-taste and probably still see similar retained moisture...I had to try it again, though...works fine in propane rigs...just me...and we learn by doing.

Thanks for peekin'!!!

Great smokes to all, and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## pc farmer (Dec 6, 2015)

Holy crap.    What a thread.    Glad your back and on fire.


----------



## dukeburger (Dec 6, 2015)

Another great job, Eric. Smoky or not, it looks incredible.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 7, 2015)

c farmer said:


> Holy crap. What a thread. Glad your back and on fire.


Ha-ha!!! Thanks, brother!!! Oh, I'm not ready to slow down for a while yet...maybe January, but if the weather isn't flat-out ugly? I'll probably still be rolling. I just may have to gear up for some curing again...miss doing my chicken salami...wife, kids and friends miss me doing it too...LOL!!! I do have to drop the cover back on the WSM for a few days, but Friday marks the start-up for a couple more daily smokes...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	






DukeBurger said:


> Another great job, Eric. Smoky or not, it looks incredible.


Thanks, DB!!! A bit too smokey...maybe...thing is, I'm my own worst critic. Thinking back on it now, my wife said she thought it was really good...ate 1/2 of a 1lbr and that's a lot for her...with no complaints. She's not a heavy smoke lover, either...it doesn't agree with her guts at all. So, yeah, may be it's just me being a bit too finicky, as I've rarely run across this situation in the past...uh, darn...I can't even remember how many years...is that a bad thing??? I have developed a rather keen sense of taste for smoke, though...probably due to my previous experiences with preparing to cook for larger family gatherings and my daughters wedding...it had to be as near to my definition of perfect as humanly possible, given the circumstances...or I wasn't happy with it. If you ever have been into cooking that big you know the feeling, the pressure and anticipation...the gratification when everyone sits down to eat and the voices nearly go silent...that's your first indication that you've done your part well. Of course, the compliments to follow just confirm what you already are feeling has just transpired...there's no better feeling than to know your best was good enough. Anyway, kinda drug myself back a couple years there...fond memories. I really should trust my instincts. I'll still follow through with the plan of staying at or above a target chamber temp of 225*...just makes more sense to me to avoid any possible risk of that off-flavored smoke (still thinking it's from smoldering coals). And, this is just one more step towards getting the perfect smoke from yet another rig in my arsenal.

Oh, did I mention Saturday's smoke victim yet? No, I didn't...double smoked Smithfield ham (9.38lbs, if I recall)...probably will be my longest smoke to date with the WSM. A good reason for a full load of fuel, for sure, especially if mother nature will be showing up for the party. I haven't scrounged through the freezers for Friday's victim yet...rest assured, there is something in there with my name and a that date on it...it just doesn't know it yet.

Have a great evening, fellas, and keep those smokers warm and happy!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 11, 2015)

CSRs FOR DINNER TONIGHT

Lucky for me I chose a shorter smoke for today, because I was working on the wife's car for about 3 hours this morning (coil-packs, plugs and intake gasket).

I still had some Red Bell Pepper Rub from turkey day, so I used more of if this afternoon. Oh, I removed the pea-gravel from the SnG pan today to hopefully reduce the larger upper to lower grate temp variances. Still running with Embers charcoal. I tried starting a fire with the torch through the intake, but the torch went out after I put the barrel on...still unsure what caused that. So, I pulled the barrel and started a central fire again. Loaded the ring about 1/2 full for this shorter smoke. Had about 2/3 of the grate for remnant coals from last smoke after shaking off and dumping the ash.

Wifey picked up the meat yesterday afternoon so I'd have something for a shorter smoke today...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Just sorting out the CSRs so I can drop the smallest ones on the bottom grate, where, according to my limited experience, runs cooler than the upper grate:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015






7.5lbs of irregular cut CSRs makes things a little challenging to load, but I managed...don't think I'd want to try more than this amount, though:













2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015


















3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015






I think if I can find a boneless pork butt and cut my own CRSs would be much better. I'd even be willing to bone it out myself. I like them thick cut, around 1.5", and about 2-1/2" wide. These were very random thickness, and some were more of a wedge. Inexperienced meat cutter, I guess.

I'm running around 190* lower grate and bit over 200* upper grate with a small chunk each of apple and hickory. I'll bump temps up about 10-15* after 1-3/4 hours and give 'em another 3/4 hour before probing the thicker parts. I want to pan/tent for an hour or so @160*+ I/T and brush on a little bit of...(gulp)...sauce. I know, with this rub, they don't need no stinking sauce...just for a change of pace and to satisfy my curiosity, 'cuz I rarely sauce for anything other than the occasional smoked bird or grilled chicken pieces. So, it's sticky CSRs today.

Smoke is on @3:00pm MDT...dinner's planned for 6:30 if you can make it!!!

Catch you with the finish ASAP!!!

Eric


----------



## dukeburger (Dec 11, 2015)

Nice start, I'm on my way!!







Wait, am I already too late??


----------



## pc farmer (Dec 11, 2015)

Looking good, love me some csr's.

Rub recipe?


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 11, 2015)

CSRs have been properly dined upon.

I knew when I started eating that it's been WAY too long since I last smoked CSRs. We had guests over and they brought the sides. The smoke flavor on the CSRs with hickory and apple was perfect...light, but not weak. Sauce was OK...I don't sauce much, but it was a nice change from the usual. In reality, a bit heavier dose of RBP rub will give plenty of sweetness to the overall flavor profile. Nice and easy meal...just what I needed after that back-wrecker of a project I tackled this morning...that, too, was successful...no more codes or check engine light...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Time for sauce to finish these up...I/Ts on the couple I checked were above 155*. Smoke time was 1-3/4hrs @ ~195*, and 3/4 hour @ 215*:













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015


















5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015


















6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015






I sauce so often that couldn't even find my silicone brushes...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...so, I poured on some honey bbq, tossed them around with tongs to coat well and popped 'em into the "O" for 3/4hr @ 250*, and 1/4hr @ 300*, no foil, because they were still sweating quite a bit and rendered out some more fat.

Ready for the "O":













7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015






CSR, potato salad and stuffing:













8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015


















9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015


















10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015


















11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 11, 2015






That was tasty!!! I told my oldest daughter what I was smoking this weekend: "save me some, please, please, please". So, there will be a baggy of CSRs and another of double-smoked ham waiting for her...the ham is Saturday's smoke.

I'm getting more and more comfortable with the WSM and the Embers charcoal with each smoke. Feels like a good fitting glove these days...like it's meant to be. I still want to grab some lump if I can find some for a decent price and see what that does for a hot & fast bird smoke, but in a pinch, with 2 chimneys, I can pour in a load of hot coals and it will do pretty well, just a bit shy on temps, as I'd like to see ~325* in cooler weather...lump should do the trick.

Thanks for peekin'!!!

Great smokes to all and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 11, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> Nice start, I'm on my way!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey, got about 3lbs left, and we've filled our bellies...come on down!!!


c farmer said:


> Looking good, love me some csr's.
> 
> Rub recipe?


I didn't write this one down, but it's one of many variants of RBP rub that I blended for our early Thanksgiving smoked bird. That's what so nice about RBP...I can play around with it a lot and never have a flop...it's pretty forgiving, but short of tossing together some really off-the-wall ingredients, I don't think you could make a bad rub as long as you start with SPOG and RBP. The RBP is the only ingredient that most folks don't already have on hand, but I'm working on converting more and more kitchen spice cabinets every day...LOL!!!

If memory serves me, and oddly, I usually can remember my rubs now days, this one had:

1 Tbsp - 5 peppercorn, med/fine ground

2 Tbsp - red bell pepper, powdered (you can't buy this ground, that I know of...you can use much more if you like...very mild and sweet)

2 Tbsp - minced dried garlic

2 Tbsp - onion, medium/fine gorund

1.5 Tbsp - sea salt (add more or less to your preference...I chose sea salt over kosher for a bit less sodium and better flavor, IMHO)

1/4 tsp - sage

1/2 tsp - cumin

1 Tbsp - smoked paprika powder (this can be omitted if the flavor may be to strong for you, or sub with Spanish paprika)

1 Tbsp - thyme

Do not grind the salt or garlic...this gives you some larger particle size. Everything else can be ground together, especially the sage, as it's rubbed, not powdered, so it needs a good pulverizing so it disperses into the blend more evenly. Sage is strong, so always use it sparingly with BBQ rubs...cumin is another one to use lightly. Thyme is moderately strong...goes great with beef, but lends some very nice aromas and flavor on pork and poultry as well...maybe not with chili powder based rubs, but this is true of RBP.

I use the above because they are basics that we like on smoked meats...especially the RBP...once you try it, it's hard to look back.

I would have used rosemary in this rub at 3/4-1 Tbsp, but had none around...and still don't...time to do some spice shopping.

Thanks fellas!!!

Eric


----------



## xray (Dec 12, 2015)

I just read this post from start to finish this morning. I gained 5lbs just looking at all the pics. Great post!


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 12, 2015)

Xray said:


> I just read this post from start to finish this morning. I gained 5lbs just looking at all the pics. Great post!


Thank you!!! It has been a fun ride so far with the WSM 18, and I figured from the start that it would be worthy of sharing with everyone here.

I have a 9.4lb Smithfield Ham perched upon the upper grate since 10:00am, with cherry @ ~235-240*. Taters will go in shortly. Pics to follow when I get that far. The will remain ham naked...no rub, no glaze...reduced sodium and taste great just the way they, so I'm not messing with a good thing.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 12, 2015)

9.4lb HAM & TATERS

I tossed this into the WSM 18 with Embers 2/3 chimney of hot charcoal covering a good load of cold, filling the ring level to the top, and one chunk of cherry to start the smoke. I'm still running an empty SnG pan with foil-liner...seems to get a bit hotter with less fuel, and temp swings are pretty minor anyway, even with the 34* ambient temps, light snow and mild winds today. Intakes were set to 50% open, lid full open, until grate temp rose to 260*, then I backed-off intakes to about 20% and it's been running around 230-240* since.

104* I/T when I dropped the Taters on after about 3-1/4 hours...added another chunk of cherry for smoke:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






No rub or glaze, as these reduced sodium Smithfield hams are just too good to mess with...if it ain't broke...

I didn't think about anything else to toss in on bottom...plan on putting the taters there, but when I saw the extra space on top, well, why lift grates and do the shuffle when you don't have to? Still makes me want to fill the lower grate, though...hmm, time to have another peek in the pantry and freezers...
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Back with the finish ASAP!!!

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 12, 2015)

Huh...this turned into a Surf & Turf, in a roundabout kinda way.

Temps were dropping in the WSM after adding about 20 briquettes and cracking the intakes open to about 40% (dropped to 210*), so I figured ash was building up, and I do have an extra grate to hold onto the smaller coals for longer, so it made sense. Pulled the barrel and shook the grate, let the air-borne ash dissipate for a few seconds and set the barrel back on. I/T on the ham was 135* @ 5hrs into the smoke...taters are cooking along nicely and taking on some good smoke as well, judging by the color change.

I rotated the taters 180* being they're close to the edge of the grate where high chamber temps can cause uneven cooking:













4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






The next victims for today...cod...thawing in 2Tbls kosher salt and 1.5 cups of water with a warm water bath...last-minute add-on for this smoke session today. I'm moving things around frequently so temp changes move more evenly throughout:













7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






Just about ready to pat dry and dust with some rub...took about an hour to thaw these out:













8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






Cod seasoned with some rub my Wife picked up a while back...Weber N'Oleans Cajun...has some kick from red pepper...probably going to drizzle some lemon on mine when the time comes:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






OK, taters, move over, snuggle-up and get cozy:













10.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






Ham is 139* I/T...could come out any time, but if it hits 145-150* before dinner, I'm cool with that...it's still gonna be moist and delicious:













11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






6-1/4 hours into the ham smoke. With tending taters, adding cod, snapping photos, I'm slowing that ham down...it's been hanging in the 135-139* range for the past hour, so I doubt it will jump up and start a sprint any time soon.

All that and I STILL have not touched the lower grate...hmm...naw...better call it quits with the cod...who's gonna eat all of this?!?!?!?

So, the REAL finished pics are up next...when we get there...patience...

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 12, 2015)

APPETIZER, MEAT & POTATOES...EASY AND DELICIOUS

The smoked Cod was a nice way to start the meal. The rub wasn't over-powering and the lemon juice paired suprisingly well with the lightly smoked, firm but tender flesh. I want to do fish like this more often:













12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






Just off the WSM with 142-145* I/T @ the 8hr mark, per my pocket digital giving a second opinion in several areas:













13.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















15.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






There are those tell-tale wrinkles in the skin again...I'm not sure why, but I find myself tossing taters into the smoke a lot more often than I have in the past. Maybe, just maybe, they're easier on the WSM...naw, can't be...I've smoked 'em in my SV-24 and had a nice, tender potato if I wanted it. Must be because they're just so darn good that I can't help myself anymore.













16.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






Well, the house is REALLY full of smoke aromas, now...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Nothing super-special or spectacular...just a basic, simple, and delicious smoked rendition of an oven classic. The cherry smoke pushed a slightly sweeter profile through to the ham, which was a nice way to finish without added glaze or dry rub. Sure, I could have rolled with a variant of my red bell pepper rub, with extra RBP to push that sweetness, but when you can add what you're looking for with smoke, why not? the cherry smoke worked well on the fish & taters, too:













17.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















18.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015


















19.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 12, 2015






Yet another easy meal under my belt. The WSM and Embers rolled along pretty nicely today with the way I loaded and started the fire. Smoke was on track with using one medium chuck of cherry at a time. I still had some glowing smoke wood when I tossed the Cod on late in the day and it was still there when I choked it down to kill the fire, so it was coming on nice and slow, all day long.

I'm tossing the idea of a new method for no-boil mac & cheese that I want to toss out next weekend and see how it works out...that's part of Thursday's smoke...meat is yet to be determined, but possibly pork loin chops. I want something a bit bigger for some slower cooking, though, so we'll see where it takes me. Time for some freezer scavenging again for next days off work...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Thanks for peekin'!!!

Great smokes to all and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## foamheart (Dec 12, 2015)

You know without some long chemical breakdown and medical warnings, I really like a Smithfield also. Isn't it a Chinese company now? 

I gotta ask, as huge as that ham looks, is that what is called a banquet ham? I hope so, cause I have one in the freezer been in there forever its so big I have never seen a reason to thaw something that big. I could feed a whole weeding on that sucker. I am affraid as big as it is though it will be a bunch of chunks all glued together.. know what I mean?

Sweet looking ham, I have a butt in the smoker now, wish I had the patience for taters just once....LOL


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 12, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> You know without some long chemical breakdown and medical warnings, I really like a Smithfield also. Isn't it a Chinese company now?
> 
> I gotta ask, as huge as that ham looks, is that what is called a banquet ham? I hope so, cause I have one in the freezer been in there forever its so big I have never seen a reason to thaw something that big. I could feed a whole weeding on that sucker. I am affraid as big as it is though it will be a bunch of chunks all glued together.. know what I mean?
> 
> Sweet looking ham, I have a butt in the smoker now, wish I had the patience for taters just once....LOL


Yeah, there's a lot of processed meats that would scare the wiser of us if we read the labels and understood it all...myself included. These are from mass-production, so, you can expect the quality won't be like it was 30-40 years ago due to changing regulations and trying to keep up with demands, which causes changes in processing. The really good country hams that most of us can't afford on a regular basis, if ever, are not mass-produced...they're hand-made and the price will reflect the quality. Smithfield Farms was purchased by Shuanghui International Holdings. Smithfield and it's variety of sister brands (many brands of varied processed meats) have been operated by the Chinese since September, 2013. The Chinese bought Smithfield in order to better meet the rising demands for pork in China (they are the largest pork consumers, globally). The foods marketed here in the states are still grown and processed stateside, and exports from Smithfield are for Chinese consumption, unless I'm mistaken. Smithfield operates processing plants globally.

The 9.4lb ham I smoked today was a bone-in, whole muscle, butt section...not pieced together or de-boned and rolled. I laid it down with the cut side on the grate, so the size may have looked a bit deceiving, as it was quite high on the grate. I did this for more even cooking. I should have taken a couple pics before I removed it from the packaging to dry and start smoking, but it was just cryovac packed (AKA: city ham, I'm guessing...but some sources state it is dry-cured...doesn't make sense)...no netting or piece-work, though. I did smoke a whole bone-in Smithfield ham (shank and butt) a few years back that was over 19lbs...that was a monster, and yes, they can feed a small army.

If yours is a whole ham, it should be bone-in, shank and butt, intact. It should keep in the freezer @ 0* or below with reasonably steady temps for a few years without loosing too much quality. Save it for a gathering...that's what my big one came out for a few years ago...well, I may have just got the itch to smoke a big ol 'hunka pork...I slept a couple times since then...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Ah, brother, ya gotta try taters!!! They're easy...I don't do anything with them except scrub 'em off if they're really dirty, and air-dry before tossing into the smoke. If they're nice and clean, just pop into the smoke. Just be patient if you're running under 250*. These ones today took about 3-1/2 hours or so @ around 230* average, or a bit less...a couple spots weren't completely tender, but very close...just needed another 15 minutes or so. 225* with med/lg yellow, red or russet will run for 5-6 hours, while the big Idaho bakers will take 8-10hrs...the monster Idahos in the 1-1/4 to 1-1/2lb range can run ~12hrs+. Increase in temps will decrease time, of course, but if you drop much under 225* you can expect an eternity to cook potatoes...been there, done that. 250-270* works out quite well, with reasonable cooking times.

Potatoes are good straight out of the smoker, but if you age them for a day or two in the fridge (in plastic bags or containers)? OMG!!! Just like aged smoked cheese. Only with potatoes, if you don't eat the skin when they're fresh out of the smoker you can run a pretty wicked amount of smoke and it won't be a strong flavor at all, 'cuz most of it stays in the skin. The aroma is rather tantalizing, I must say. That's why aging makes a lot of difference...it will equalize into the flesh of the potato. Leftover smoked taters really are a treat because it's not just a lot of aroma with a very light smoke flavor...it gets deeper into the potato over time and mellows. Of course your fridge will wreak of smoke the whole time they're in there getting happy, 'cuz smoke goes right through plastic...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 Oh, don't age smoked potatoes in your wife's favorite tupperware...she'll string you up when she wants to store her favorite summer fruit salad and it comes out smoked a day later...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





If you want to give taters a shot in the smoke, give a shout. If you have the patience for a butt, you can handle taters...trust me. I mainly go by time and temp, now, like with everything else...then give 'em a peek for wrinkled skin...once there's wrinkles, check for internal shrinkage (not temp) with a light squeeze. When they start to collapse easily between a thumb and forefinger, you're there.

Eric


----------



## dukeburger (Dec 13, 2015)

How did I miss this one?? Beautifully done, Eric!!!


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 13, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> How did I miss this one?? Beautifully done, Eric!!!


Thanks, brother!!! This was probably the easiest smoke I've done in the WSM so far. Of course, every smoke gets easier, I guess.

I do think that starting 1/2-3/4 chimney of Embers charcoal to dump over top works better than a small fire in the center...this stuff seems to ignite and burn pretty slow, so getting a good-sized fire going from the start makes the WSM happy. And, by covering the coal-bed with hot coals on top the white coal smoke dissipates within 5-10 minutes and I never see it again after that. I get coal smoke with the smaller fires, sometimes for much longer than I'd like to see. And, when adding cold fuel, you'll get it then, too. I think for a cleaner smoke, I'll just add hot coals from now on, if I need to. I'm learning...

Eric


----------



## foamheart (Dec 13, 2015)

Mine is simply marked "Banquet Ham" I'll have to check the weight.

And good to know about the cooling intensity of the potatoes.

Thanks man.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 13, 2015)

Foamheart said:


> Mine is simply marked "Banquet Ham" I'll have to check the weight.
> 
> And good to know about the cooling intensity of the potatoes.
> 
> Thanks man.


Yeah, Foam, that definitely sounds like a whole ham...dry-cured, wet-cured...either way, it should be somewhat of a behemoth.

I had to dig to find this...the only whole ham I ever smoked, to date..this 19.4lbr was in the Smoke Vault 24, Thanksgiving 2010...BTW, that split bird is 19.4lbs as well, just to give you an idea for size comparison. Judging by the grate spacing, that ham is still nearly 7" tall, and about 15" wide on the grate, finished at higher temp. If your ham looks like this (well, minus the effects of a long day of smoking), it's whole, and it's BIG:

View media item 24522
A little better look at it:

View media item 24524
Finished, resting in a 12" x 18" aluminum baking pan:

View media item 24527
You're welcome for the tater tips...any time.

Eric


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 29, 2015)

MORE PRIME RIB ABOUNDS: BIRTHDAY AND CHRISTMAS DINNERS

Wife-person picked me up a 18lb cut/tied Rib Roast @ $7.99lb (that was the sale price), so I took off 5.2lb (2 bones from the large end) for my birthday smoke...just the right size for 7 of us...had a small gathering as most of the kids were working, so we planned for our big gathering on the 29th. I loaded up my gear and we headed to my youngest daughter's place to commence with smoking it up along with a handful of nice med-lg russet taters.

Just gettin' started...hickory and apple chunks over Embers briqs @ 240-250*, if I recall...these look way too pale:













1.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






Much better...almost ready:













2.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






Yanked it out @145* to hold for a bit in the oven 'cuz it was finished too early...had some issues with that gas range and it ended it up close to med-well...OOPS!!!:













3.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















4.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















5.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















6.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















7.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















8.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






After holding tented for 90 minutes:













9.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















19.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






Done enough to see a nice smoke ring, so yeah, it was not med-rare anymore, but still plenty of juices:













11.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















12.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















13.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















14.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






Never had med-well PR before...was OK...expected it to be a bit on the dry side in some of the leanest muscle, but it was a nice:













15.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















16.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















17.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















18.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






So, lesson learned: don't plan on holding in the "O" when it's not your own, unless you pull the roast early (like 130-135* I/T) for a med-rare finish. It still was great eating piece of beef, though. Those medium sized russets were nearly perfect after almost a 4-hr ride in the WSM running around 250-260* on the upper grate.

LATE CHRISTMAS DINNER (TODAY)

We couldn't get everyone together for Christmas due to work schedules until today. Been planning this for over a month, so there was no turning back, even with the weather, being teens and snowing...at least the wind isn't howling, though. My oldest daughter is hosting and invited some more guests so she picked up an extra 2-bone rib roast to be sure we had the beef quantity covered.

I put the smallest russets on the OTG 18 indirect with one fire on the side and the lid vent on the opposite side...1/2-size aluminum steam pan under the taters for a baffle to direct air towards the fire...seems to be working fairly well, although I have rotated the taters around on the grate a couple times. Embers for heat with mesquite, hickory and cherry, as well. Thinkin' this was about an hour in:













20.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















21.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






101* I/T in the smaller one on bottom (5.5lb) and 72* in the larger one on top (12.8lb...remainder from my birthday smoke) @ 2hrs into the smoke the Embers briqs heating a bit of mesquite, hickory and cherry @ 225*. Rub is SPOG (used sea salt), RBP and a bit of Thyme...cross-hatch scored and rubbed it into the cuts a bit...I did remove the twine on the larger one and left it off:













22.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






Yeah, this big guy isn't doing much yet...time to make some changes:













23.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






The little fella is cooking right along down there:













24.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






Meat drippings getting onto these taters is gonna be GOOD!!!:













25.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






So, the lower grate is running quite a bit hotter today without pea-gravel in the pan. I rotated the meat and taters between grates, ending up with most of the taters on the upper grate along with the 5.5lb rib.

I had 7 hrs total to get this ready for dinner tonight, so I should have time to pull it off. Taters will be done early, but I wanted to rest them so the smoke will absorb deeper into the flesh while they wait for dining. We can reheat in the "O" or nuke-box when we're ready.

Indirect grill smoked taters resting peacefully...took on a great smoke color. They finished-up nicely with rotating on the grate a couple times. Grate temps are unknown, I just went by touch on the grill lid and checked them about every ~40 minutes...possibly in the 275*+ range nearer to the fire and around 220* towards the far side, being they only took 2.5 hours:













26.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















27.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






So, the two roasts are running about 24* apart @ ~3hrs (closer to 20* @ 4hr mark)...didn't really plan it that way, but it will work to my advantage. I figure the smaller one will work for med-well for the non-rare beef eaters, while the larger one can come out around 135* for a carry-over near 140*.

I'll post up the finish ASAP...getting to the point where I need to be watching therms a little more now, and I need to check those bigger taters in the WSM, as well. Should be getting close on them...5-1/4hrs for them now. I need to get a few coals going to toss some brats and dogs on for the little ones, if they want that instead of PR...usually that's the case...but I don't mind if they at least eat something from a grill or smoker...I'll get 'em hooked on the good stuff soon enough...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Catch ya with the finish!!!!

Thanks for peekin'

Eric


----------



## dukeburger (Dec 29, 2015)

Looking great, Eric! Keep the Qview coming!


----------



## foamheart (Dec 29, 2015)

One potato, two potato, three potato, four.

Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more......


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 30, 2015)

Ha-ha!!! Thanks, guys!!! Man, I gotta say, for the simpler prep and rub than I've done in years gone by, I think this PR was pretty close to my best. The guests, and family all raved about it for hours, even after opening our gifts and while playing cards. Taters were a big hit, too, as they always are...can't go wrong with smoked taters.

Sorry for such a late post, but I owed my family their due face-time...and we had a load of QT this evening. Gotta spend that family time wisely...we're not getting any younger.

OK, time was ticking away a bit too slowly for I/Ts I was seeing in the PR, even though the small fella didn't peak out where I thought it would. I cinched the intakes back on the WSM enough to get it to hold around 195* on the lower grate according to my pit probe...I/Ts were 136* in the big boy and 141* in the smaller PR at the 5.5hr mark, and I had 90 minutes to wait until we planned for everyone to be here and settled in for dinner.

Don't ask me how it happened, 'cuz if I tried to tell you I'd be flat out making up some BS story, but these both held steady for another 1-1/4 hours, and neither one fluctuated more than 1* throughout this time. Call it luck if you want to...I will, 'cuz I would have never guessed it was possible to create a stall at precisely that moment and make it hold for over an hour until time to pull and rest for slicing. So, 136* in the 12.8lb and 141* in the 5.5lb...good to go in my book.

I pulled the bigger russets around 5.5hrs and heaped them up on the platter with the kettle smoked taters to cover with a towel:













28.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






The kettle grill smoked russets are on the left...lots darker color, probably due to higher grate temps and faster cooking...smoke-roasted, if you will. The moist/damp looking tater skins were from the lower grate in the WSM before I rotated the roasts and taters...that's the meat drippings. I could taste the difference in mine...that richer, more savory flavor from the beef fat. Oh, and yes, I would do it this way again...reminded me of whole ear corn basted in whole chicken drippings throughout the smoke. If I could get drippings onto all of them without opening the lid to baste, now that would be something, indeed:













29.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















30.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















30.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






I held onto the PR in the WSM for as long as I dared...6-3/4hrs. This is just...well, words escape me...small roast:













31.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015






Large roast:













32.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 29, 2015


















33.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015


















34.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015






I though a white board would be fitting for the moment...I gave them about a 20 minute rest...serious juices began flowing within a couple minutes of slicing:













35.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015


















36.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015


















37.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015






My trophy plate...smoked beef-fat basted Russet with butter and black pepper, Green Bean Casserole, smoked small-end rare Prime Rib drizzled with Au Jus and smeared with Horseradish Sauce:













38.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015


















39.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015


















40.JPG



__ forluvofsmoke
__ Dec 30, 2015






That was good...naw, I'm tellin' a little white lie...that was fantastic!!! Our guests have had PR before, but never like this...smoked and finished to perfection (if that's possible...of course, that depends on one's definition of perfection, now, doesn't it?). We all loved it, and the fixings and sides. We finished off the largest roast and I mentioned to my daughter that we didn't need that second smaller PR after all...then one of the guests said, hey, I'll have more if you need to justify cooking that second roast...it was more than worth it, and his saying it the way he did was good for a laugh, too!!! So, there's 4lbs of PR and 4 beef ribs in my daughter's fridge for her and hubby to munch on at will.

On a final note, I have a gift from my dear oldest daughter which will make my q-view sharing much better in the future. Her mother and her conspired on the purchase of a new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300 camera...complete with a set of 4 AA rechargeable batteries, travel quick-charger, 32GB card, USB 2.0 SD card reader, mini-flex leg tri-pod, 3-card belt pouch, camera fanny pack style carrying bag, lens cleaning cloth and solution. Not only did she put this all together for me, she packaged and wrapped it in a manner that there was no possible way I could guess what it was. The accessories were small items inside the second of a box-in-a-box-in-a-box, with the third box having some of the larger items...the camera was hidden in her closet, and she didn't go grab it until I opened everything else first. Of course, each item I found was yet one more hint of what was to come...the first accessory which had the brand Vivitar...well, now, that was a dead give-away from there on out, and the anticipation built with every piece I opened. But the little things just kept piling up as everyone started laughing with me while I tried to find the end of the rainbow...it was hilarious. Fun, for all in the end. Now, I have to read-up on this new toy...er...tool...so I can make the most of this wonderful machine that puts my 12-year old Olympus C-765 to shame. Should make candid shots of friends and family quite easy, while with my current camera, there was always a few second delay for point-and-shoot focusing. Anyway, that topped my list of gifts, but I have several new Craftsman mechanic's tool kits which will come in quite handy as well (I do my own vehicle maintenance, for the most part). My wife and kids are great, and they show their appreciation in a big way whenever they can.

Great family, great friends (even here on SMF), great food, great Christmas gathering...I would not ask for anything more, because that's all I ever really want for Christmas (I really am not a materialistic person...I do like to cook with quality gear, though). To see our kids and grand-kids all together under one roof and sharing the experience of loving and giving...that's something you can't put a price on.

WOW!!! What a Christmas this has been!!! No issues all day and everyone had a good time and enjoyed the food...yeah, this was another good Christmas gathering.

Hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did, and hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!!

Great smokes to all and to all a good night!!!

Eric


----------



## gotarace (Dec 30, 2015)

Eric ..Thanks for Sharing this thread...Every smoke looks fantastic!!! What a workout your giving that WSM. Can't wait to see what's next.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Dec 31, 2015)

Thanks, brother!!! You know, I didn't think I was ready for it just yet, and we're about to smacked upside the face with full-on winter, but I have a nice bone-in pork picnic shoulder in the freezer (my absolute favorite for PP). I may have to start a thaw on that in a few more days and see about pulling an all-nighter after work on Saturday the 9th for Sunday dinner. I mean, how hard can it be, right? I already know what I need to do to get the clean burning fire I want from my fuel, so, there's nothing to stop me except frozen meat or a lack of motivation. I'm still pondering my next days off work, but I have 3 more days to figure that out. Been so busy this past week I haven't had time to plan that far ahead, let alone think that far ahead...LOL!!!

Hmm, this would be a good time for a freezer check...yes indeed.

Eric


----------

