OK, so I got the WSM on Monday, all put together and ready to go, any tips before I start? I plan on doing a dry run on saturday just to get a feel for how it burns then do some cooking on sunday. Season, yes or no? Any thing else helpful?
OK, so I got the WSM on Monday, all put together and ready to go, any tips before I start? I plan on doing a dry run on saturday just to get a feel for how it burns then do some cooking on sunday. Season, yes or no? Any thing else helpful?
JP, are you using lump charcoal or briquettes?
Regular Kingsford briquettes lit with newspaper in a charcoal chimney. Unsoaked wood chunks.
Kingsford is consistent.
I create a ring of unlit briquettes in the smoker with the chunks burried within. As much as the coal ring can hold flush to the top, with a two fist size hole in the center. I put the 20 lit coals into the center of this "doughnut" of unlit coals. I found this to burn more consistantly that dumping the lit coals over the top of a flat bed of unlit briquettes.
On the dual thermometer, how did you attach the probe for the chamber temp?
The thermometer I use comes with a metal clip that attaches to the cooking grate and holds the probe. Works great. You can see it in the photo in post 10 of this thread.
OK, so today is training day for me to get a feel how the Weber burns. So far so good. I forget what time I actually lit the coals, but I started out with all four vents WFO, took about an hour or so to get to 200 degrees, then I shut 2 of the bottom vents completely. Been holding in the 250 range for about 3 hours now. Going to let it go for a few more hours and see what happens then shut it down and get ready for my first cook tomorrow.
It was a fail of sorts. The cook went fine, 2 racks of baby backs at 250 for 4 hours. What we screwed up on was the rub. My wife made it and put it on, but as it turned out she only made enough for 1/2 of what we were making, so it was a real thin coating, and when the ribs were done they just lacked any good flavor. They weren't bad, they were moist and pulled right off the bone, they just didn't have that good bark to them. Next time we go heavier on the rub for sure.
Next time add some Hickory or Mesquite chips and you won't lack flavor.
This thread is bad for my waistline Does anyone soak wood?