WSM minion method - lowering the temperature

[plumbline]

Howdy - When I'm smoking on my WSM and I need to do something to the meat (e.g. wrap it, spritz it, check it, etc.), despite minimizing the amount of time the lid is off, there are times when the temperature spikes 50+ degrees. I then have to play with the vents for a while and watch the temperature come down very slowly--and I find that for the rest of the cook it's hard to get a consistent temperature. It's as if too many coals have lit and they're either super hot or completely off. 

I was curious if other people encounter this situation and have advice for lowering & controlling the temp. 

 

[robin h]

I also have this issue. I have only done a few cooks on my WSM. But I think because the lower vents are choked off and when the lid is opened the fire takes a big gulp of air. Which lets the fire heat up. Then to lower the temp you have to burn up all the oxygen before you can regain control of the fire temperatures. The one thing I have been doing is just leave the WSM alone.  Thats the way I look at it. Maybe someone with more experience might have a better solution to the problem. 

I also had the issue where I started out with to many coals lit. So I have lowered the number of coals I am lighting.

Smoke on

 

[exromenyer]

Howdy - When I'm smoking on my WSM and I need to do something to the meat (e.g. wrap it, spritz it, check it, etc.), despite minimizing the amount of time the lid is off, there are times when the temperature spikes 50+ degrees. I then have to play with the vents for a while and watch the temperature come down very slowly--and I find that for the rest of the cook it's hard to get a consistent temperature. It's as if too many coals have lit and they're either super hot or completely off.

I was curious if other people encounter this situation and have advice for lowering & controlling the temp.

You need to try the Minion Method. I've been using it for years. There are different ways of doing it. I do it the way here - http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html ....... I take and old can (20 oz can) cut both ends out and remove label. Place in the middle of the charcoal grate. Place some charcoal around it so it stays put, then add some chunks of wood towards the can in a triangular pattern, then bury it with more charcoal. When ready to smoke light some charcoals in your chimney get them cherry red and pour them in the can and then take a pair of pliers and pull the can out slowly. It will now burn from the inside out. Give it about an hour to dial your temps in. Your upper lid vent should stay WIDE OPEN and NEVER close it, EVER. Only dial in the 3 vents on the bottom. I typically have 2 shut and one cracked a 1/4 inch and I can keep a 220-250 temp ALL NIGHT long with this method.

Hope this helps,
Tony

 

[danbono]

You need to try the Minion Method. I've been using it for years. There are different ways of doing it. I do it the way here - http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html ....... I take and old can (20 oz can) cut both ends out and remove label. Place in the middle of the charcoal grate. Place some charcoal around it so it stays put, then add some chunks of wood towards the can in a triangular pattern, then bury it with more charcoal. When ready to smoke light some charcoals in your chimney get them cherry red and pour them in the can and then take a pair of pliers and pull the can out slowly. It will now burn from the inside out. Give it about an hour to dial your temps in. Your upper lid vent should stay WIDE OPEN and NEVER close it, EVER. Only dial in the 3 vents on the bottom. I typically have 2 shut and one cracked a 1/4 inch and I can keep a 220-250 temp ALL NIGHT long with this method.

Hope this helps,
Tony

Hi All I have the same problem regarding temps in my new WSM 22. Yesterday I did use the minion method and still had a problem with temps..After the cook was finished I closed ALL the vents, and the temps climbed higher? I didn't see where ANY air leaks could have entered the smoker. I had the door taped up on all sides and top, all vents closed and still high temps?NO water in the pan I use lava rocks.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I use the side light method to light my WSM's. Never have an issue controlling temps.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/in...hod-for-charcoal-smokers.257071/#post_1677800

 

[brentos260]

I agree with all the above. In addition, what kind of charcoal are you burning? Fluctations can happen more frequently with lump than briquettes. In addition if you're grates are full from edge to edge juices from your meat can sometimes flame up on the coals as they can drip between the water pan and wall of the WSM. Also note how much lit charcoal you start with and keep a log of the amount of charcoal vs. temp range it can obtain. I have an 18.5 WSM and use the Minion Method and never start with more than 16 lit briquettes, and that amount is only if I'm smoking poultry in the 300-325 degree range.

The most important thing (and the hardest for me who has zero patience) I learned was to 1. be patient & 2. aim to smoke food in a temp ranges vs. at an exact temperature. When I first bought my WSM I always had a set temp I wanted to attain and I would run out and mess with the vents for every 5 degree temperature swing - it was maddening. Instead of aiming for 225, I would aim for the 225-250 range. That way if the temp would go up to 240 for a couple of minutes I would just ignore it. Patience comes in when dealing with those 50 degree temp spikes you mentioned. They seem like trouble but if the pit temp spikes 50 degrees for 15-20 minutes during a 12 hour pork butt smoke there's no negative effect on the finished product, IMHO.

 

[noboundaries]

I've been using the following method for years to control steady chamber temps from 165F to 350F. Method? If the bottom vents can't put you exactly where you need to be on your chamber temp, adjust the top vent too. The absolute warning you cannot ignore is that the smoke has to be thin blue to invisible. If there are any hints of white or grey, you'll regret it. With thin blue or invisible smoke, you won't get stale smoke on your meat. If your meat is wrapped, it actually doesn't matter since you are just trying to control temps.

I started using my top vent as an additional adjustment with my Kettle when I first got into smoking, and found it works just as nicely with the WSM. You can start by closing the top vent down by half. The temps start dropping within 5-10 minutes. When you are within 5-10 degrees of your target, open it back up. If it starts to shoot higher again, close it back down.

On some of my low temp jerky smokes, 165F, the top vent will stay partially closed for the whole smoke after TBS is achieved.