# Weber Smokey Mountain at low temp



## holmesville83 (Jul 14, 2016)

Hello, I'm from North Eastern Ohio & love firing up the WSM as often as I can.

I want smoke salmon candy this weekend but the temp needs to be 120-160. Does anyone have experience in how much charcoal to start off with when cooking at this temp & how to maintain it?

Thanks

Marcus


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## smokinadam (Jul 15, 2016)

Wow I would say light maybe 5 briquettes and do a minion method with it and only have it 2 briquettes high. Probably need most of the vents completely shut also.


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## jasper7 (Jul 15, 2016)

I have a napoleon 20" similar to the WSM, and I have briquette ash in the water pan, which is like using washed sand.  When I do mine I use 12 briquettes to reach 100* in the cooking chamber.  So I'm thinking you'll need around 14-16 to get to your 120* starting temp.  I start them in a charcoal chimney, and dump them in the charcoal basket when they are mostly white on the outside.  I should add that I always use kingsford blue bag (KBB); when I tried royal oak briquette, I had to use more than 12 to start.  The air temp will also impact the amount of briquettes you need.  With your heat wave you might not need as many.

Then to bump the temp up I start 6-8 more in the chimney, and add when lit.  This takes practice, patience and a lot of baby sitting, especially the first few smokes; to get the feel of how much charcoal to start and when to add more.  _If you have any follow up questions post them, and I or someone else will try to answer them as well.  Good luck and good smokin'._


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## dward51 (Jul 16, 2016)

You might also try using an old tin can as a fire ring.  Just make sure to put holes around the bottom edge, fill it with some lit charcoal and put it in the WSM's fire ring.  Small fire might be the trick.

Or you could make an e-WSM mod and add a PID controller.  It will hold 120* all day long (and higher of course).

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/183999/the-e-wsm-mod-a-convertable-electric-charcoal-wsm-smoker

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233628/e-wsm-gets-an-upgrade-to-digital


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