Weber Smokey Mtn...
 

All right boys and girls, I finally caved in a bought a WSM. Tried it out Saturday on some chicken (first step in the Low & Slow process), with excellent results! No pics yet, as it was gobbled up ASAP!
I ordered the "Low and Slow" cookbook by Gary Wivott, awaiting its arrival.
Any other WSM users on here? Share secrets, ideas, recipes?

James

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I don't own one any more, but I have had two and loved them. When I first started competing in the Florida BBQ Association that is what I used. For the price it is really hard to beat them. TWVB website is all you will ever need!!!

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com

Congrats and have fun practicing.

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I own one and did a couple of pork shoulders this weekend as detailed here, http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14915.

I have only made a couple of modifications on mine as they are ready to go out of the box.

Enjoy it!!

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With yardbirds, you don't have to go as slow and low as rib, butt, or brisket.

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I bug Brent when I need WSM help. :D

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:tpd: :tpd: :tpd:

I have had great success with the "minion method" while cooking with my WSM, look into that if you haven't yet.

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Minion works great! I use a modified Minion method to do my low and slow smoke on a 18" Weber kettle grill. Just saving up to one day get myself a WSM and start having some real fun!

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I started out on a kettle myself. You can put out some nice BBQ with it.

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Just received the book. Pretty good recipes.

Now, I want to toss the gas grill and go totally charcoal (natural lump of course!)

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I've used both lump and briquettes and have gotten similar results. I use Kingsford 90% of the time and have no complaints.

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What are you guys using for thermometers? I want to find something I can clip onto the grill or something outside, otherwise the reading station always falls on the ground, lol.

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I would suggest not using all lump for at least a while. It can make learning to control your temps much more difficult.

I would use Rancher, Stubbs, or Kingsford Competition briquets. Original Kingsford has too many additives IMO. I don't care for the smell when it is burning nor the flavor that it imparts. The other three are all natural and are basically ground lump held together with a plant starch. You will find they have MUCH less ash.

BTW... a great way to do the Minion method on a WSM is to get a small metal coffee can. Cut out the top and bottom. Put it in the center of your fire ring. Fill the ring outside of the can with briqs. Start about a half a chimney of briqs. Once they are ashed over dump them in the coffee can. Use REALLY long tongs to pull the coffee can up and out (I actually use welder's gloves).

Another thing I am an absolute believer in is running the WSM dry. I filled the water pan with egg rock (some use sand). Over that I put a clay flower pot base (from WalMart) that I covered with HD foil. You will use much less fuel this way, and while the temps are minimally more difficult to keep down, the rock does basically the same job.

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For a long time I used the NuTemp (701 I think).

You can get grommets that replace two of your bolts that hold the cooking racks. Then you can insert the temp probes through the grommets. I put the base units on one of those folding TV trays right next the to the cooker. The advantage is that you are measuring actual cooking grate temp and not dome temp.

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I've been using this Maverick wireless thermometer for the past 7-8 months, the best $40 I have spent in a long time.

http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Remot...1472506&sr=8-1

It has 2 probes, so I hang one inside the holes at the top to read the temp inside the WSM and the other goes in whatever meat I am cooking. Before I would be up every 10-15 minutes going outside checking the temperature, but now I can set a high/low temp so it will beep if the temp drops too much or goes too high. The readings are very accurate (did the ice water test) and I have had no problem at all with the wireless signal "dropping".

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The Mavericks are another very good choice. They are what my partner on my comp team has used for a long time.

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The first batch I used Stubbs. Nice. None of the nastiness associated.
I broke down and sprung for the chimney. Easiest fire I've ever made.

Any tips on seafood? Clams, oysters, shrimp, fish (besides the usual Salmon), etc?

Great tips! Keep'em coming...

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I've done hundreds of pounds of fish... mostly mullet and kingfish. You want an oily fish and a mild wood. I use apple, alder, or a little pecan.

Oysters we roast on big open pits. I have never done them on anything else. Nor have I done any other seafood.

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I used the Maverick Redi-Check. It has one probe for the meat, one for the grill. I've many reviews that were not kind, but I for one have never had a problem with it.

I started using the Kingsford Competition this weekend as Costco is carrying it now. The biggest difference I noticed was that it lights so fast compared to the regular.

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Ahhh, nothing like a little Mullet. Smoked is outta this world! :tu
I remember eating off the bones, fried to a golden perfection back in Pensacola. Also, the Mullet Toss at the Flora Bama in Orange Beach is a sight to see!

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WSM user here too best thing other than cigars I bought in a long time. I use the BBQ GURU with it makes things almost too easy. Also use the maverick remote. I like the kingsford comp seems to burn longer. Anyone know a good online source for wood?

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Thanks for the tips I'm going to try running it dry as you mentioned.

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Been using lump and wood chunks for a decade... Just tried out Kingsford Competition and it really is steady with the temperature, but does not burn as hot and has little flavor. Keeps the temperature for a good length of time too. Great for starting out keeping slow and for sure low... Really something to use with wood chunks if you want a decent amount of smoke (I am TX BBQ fan, so love that smoke).

I am also a fan of cooking dry. I don't want my BBQ steamed and makes it more of an art controlling the temperature.

FYI - I use a Char Griller Smoking Pro (barrell with side smoker)

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Not really, shipping is a killer unless you pallets. Every part of our nation has some kind of native hardwood that should be easy to find. In New England, it's Apple, Pear, Maple, and Cherry. Try orchards, but if in TX (for instance), Oak works really well. New England Oak is a bit too powerful.

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Thought I was pretty good but I'm humbled by the expertise I've seen in this thread. Would love to see some discussion about wood smoking ... chips v. chunks, soaking, techniques, etc.

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I always use dry chunks. I used soaked chips a long time ago and you get nowhere the amount of smoke you get from chunks. I've tried chips in aluminum foil, a smoker box, directly on the coals, you name it. Will never use them again.

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Wood chunks all the way for me and never soaked. I want very thin blue smoke. Almost invisible. If you soak you cannot get it.

Wood choices for me:

Pork - Cherry is my favorite. I also use hickory and oak.
Chicken - Pecan is my favorite. I also use apple and oak if I have to.
Beef - Mesquite is my favorite, but it is easy to overdo it. I also use oak.

I am lucky in that were I live I can get all the pecan, hickory, cherry (although it is wild cherry) and oak that I want. I pick up apple in NC once or twice a year. The only thing I buy is mesquite and it is easy to find.

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I use mostly applewood- split logs and thinner branches. White ash is great if you are doing pure wood cooking.

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Thanks!!!! What keeps the dry chunks from catching on fire?

I'm really enjoying this thread.

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They do catch fire and that is what you want. You want the to burn cleanly. You are limiting the oxygen though so the don't burn up quickly.

The problem with non-seasoned wood or soaked wood is that if tend to not burn cleanly which equals cresote which equals NASTY!!!

That being said... there are some guys who use green wood but at much higher temp cooks. Four time World Champion (whole hog Memphis in May) Myron Mixon uses green peach wood. I have competed against him many times and you would not believe the smoke his cookers belch when he lights them off. Once you really watch him, though, you realize he is not putting any meat on for a long time and that smoke has really cleaned up. Plus he cooks at much higher temps than most of us do.

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I like green wood if it's branches, I guess I never noticed the cresote since the branches are 1.5" thick. It's easy to go overboard with smoke. Especially with the bark which gives good flavor too.

I tend to hit it with smoke in the beginning, taper it down, then it agin towards the end.

Wood is it a premium around me. I know two competition BBQ guys that had wood cheap, but they are not around anymore. I have to put together a game plan based on how much and what kind of wood and charcoal I have around. Much of the time, I am making sacrifices to use wood wisely.

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Next time I chunk up a bunch of cherry I will let you guys know. I will do large flat rate Priority boxes for the price of the postage. If I chunk it small I can get a lot of wood in one box.

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Let me know. I'd be in for some.

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Thanks to this thread I'm now sold on the WSM. Is there any reason I shouldn't go right for the 22"?

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Look OK?

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I thought about it, but I can say that the 18.5" is a decent size for what I need.

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:dr

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Not that I can think of... unless you want to build a UDS which is the bomb!!

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I wish I had that ability!

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Brother.. trust me... I have nine thumbs. I have a word doc with a supply list and directions it you want. Just email me as I cannot attach it via PM.

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Same goes for a smoker as it does for a humidor. Always go bigger. A friend is going to try your BBQ, ask you to cook for 75-100 people, and then whatcha gonna do? :D

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It really is a great smoker.

The two things I remember having to get a little creative with were slabs of ribs and full packer briskets. The ribs you can coil into a circle shape and pin them with toothpicks. That way they will stand up. Briskets you just have to buy smaller ones and kind of scrunch them up. I actually learned a competition trick from that. You can sort of make a thin brisket much thicker when it is cooked by doing that scrunching.

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Love my smoker, I have been cooking with it for over 3 years. Never had one meal turn out bad. I smoke brisket, chicken, pork butts, turkeys, ribs, you name it.

A few recent pics......

Trimming up a few racks St. Louis style
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...g/DSC04612.jpg
Rubbed and rolled (too big to fit in the smoker until they cook down a bit)
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...g/DSC04614.jpg
In they go
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...g/DSC04617.jpg
Four hours of this, stopping to baste with apple juice and turn 180 degrees
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...g/DSC04618.jpg
Then unroll for the last 30 minutes and brush a bit of sauce....
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...g/DSC04622.jpg

Hmmmm tasty.

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A full turkey.....tasty
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...g/DSC04607.jpg

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Picked up my first WSM 6 months ago and went with the 22. So far for the amount of people I'm smoking for I could have got the 18. It's nice to know I have the extra room to smoke a larger amount if need be but It also takes more fuel/wood to run the 22 so In that respect I'm losing out. If you know you wont be smoking for more than just your family the 18 should be fine. I knew that when I went in and still got the 22 because I hate second guessing myself. Also I got mine on amazon the seem to have the best prices and free shipping .

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Turkey looks awesome! :dr How long did it take? Size?

Amazon still has a deal on 2008 models ($224), I ordered my 2009 at Lowes, free shipping to store. The difference is thermometer in top, handle on door, drip pan at bottom. The water pan is also 2 gal.

So far, I've used the water pan with good results. I will try the dry method to see the results.

Any tried and true suggestions on the 8lb pork shoulder tomorrow?

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4 ish hours. You run the smoker wide open the whole time to keep the temps up over 350 ish. I think that bird was 15-20 lbs, I forget. I have smoked more than one. I have a commercial size freezer and I stock up when the price falls through the floor after Thanksgiving. :)

Fat cap face up, a good rub, low and slow. It is really hard to mess up pork in a smoker. ;)

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For a pork butt I trim all the fat off. It gives more surface for the rub. An eight pounder I would give myself 14 hours. It shouldn't take that long but you never know. I cook 'em at 220-230. When the internal temp of the butt gets to 170 it should have broken the "stuck" period when the collagen is broken down. Then I take it off the smoker, put it on two pieces of tin foil, add some apple juice, and double wrap it. Put it back on the smoker. If I am slicing it take it to 180. If I am pulling I take it to 190. Either way you want to pull it off the smoker, put it in a small cooler, take the extra space up with an old towel, and let it rest for at least an hour. You can hold them this way for up to 4 hours with no problem.

Just don't sweat it though... it really is pretty hard to truly mess on up. I'd be glad to provide phone support if needed!!

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Now that I've had the Brinkmann electric smoker for just a month with great results I'm ready to move up to the WSM. I think I'm going for the older 18" model which is still available at a lower price than the newer "improved" 2009 18" WSMs. I don't think I need the capacity of the 22".

PDB&G will be smoking weekly...:D

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Have the Masterbilt version, made briskets earlier this month and smoked some trout. Have smoked mussels, scallops, chicken, turkey, etc. Like mesquite for brisket, hickory for everything else but the seafood, use maple or fruitwood for those.