Last WSM cook! Baby back ribs.

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blazinfire

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Ok so I have no pictures right now. I'll add the finished pictures later. But I have to get something off my chest! I don't like the WSM. I'm really iffy about eating the food coming from it.

It's been 2 1/2 hrs since lighting my charcoal (had to fill the charcoal ring and take a torch to the middle, I don't have a chimney anymore). it's been at 250-300 for 1 1/2 hrs of that time. Smoke still rolling thick, My oven thermometer has turned solid black. Cooking in my offset stick burner my oven gauges turn a thin golden brown.

I put the baby back ribs on just now, Still pretty concerned but the smoke seems to be rolling pretty thin after putting the food on.

This has sealed the deal for me. I can have my stick burner ready to cook on within 30 minutes. I hope I don't ruin the ribs, but as a person who has been outside checking the cooker and stuff, My clothes smell like crap from the charcoal/wood mix.

Seems like there is a price to pay for taking the easy route and not dealing with feeding a fire.. I'll report back with rib pictures.

Btw I might want to add I am using the cherry wood I've been cooking with in the offset. I just took a chain saw and cut chunks from the splits
 
Funny post! Many here including myself have and love WSM's and the quality of the food that comes off of them. I think in some ways better than my offset. Maybe you should ask for some help? What kind of charcoal, how are your vents set, size wsm?

I never close my top vent while cooking, adjust bottom vents to keep the fire at the correct temp.
 
While i don't have a WSM i really like when i cook on my kettle. I think the smoked food off of it is fantastic. That's using good old KBB and chunks
 
akoda said:
Funny post! Many here including myself have and love WSM's and the quality of the food that comes off of them. I think in some ways better than my offset. Maybe you should ask for some help? What kind of charcoal, how are your vents set, size wsm?

I never close my top vent while cooking, adjust bottom vents to keep the fire at the correct temp.
Click to expand...

mattmountz94 said:
While i don't have a WSM i really like when i cook on my kettle. I think the smoked food off of it is fantastic. That's using good old KBB and chunks
Click to expand...

I've never had much problems with the WSM. Not really having much problems now. But now most of my wood chunks are burned up. I threw on some extra wood chunks to be safe.

This isn't really a post about the WSM being junk. It's a fine smoker. I just don't like it. I could have my vertical offset up and running with food on long before the WSM is ready to cook on. I hate the smell charcoal makes I guess.

I've had fantastic food come from the WSM and I'm sure these ribs will be fantastic as well. But its just not for me I guess. It might be the fact I'm using KBB. But I've used KBB for a looong time without issues. Maybe since I stopped using charcoal even to preheat my offsets, it's turned me off.
 
A few thoughts for you, I have had a WSM22 for over three years and have only had 2 failures and they were both my fault. I cook brisket packers, pork butt, and ribs. Can you be more exact on how you are starting your fire? I put KBB in the ring until it is full with maybe 5 or 6 chunks of smoke wood, normally apple and mesquite or apple and cherry, depending on what I am cooking. I then put about 12 KBB lit and ashed over briqs on top of the unlit and close the smoker. The top vent is mostly open all the way and before I started using an ATC, controlled temp with the bottom 3 vents about 1/4 open and worked from there. I use water in the pan also. I then wait between 1/2 to 1 hour for temp to stabilize and for the white smoke to be gone. I then put the meat on and get ready for a great meal when all is finished. That WSM is a great smoker and once you have the process perfected you should not have any problems.

I have never used any other smoker so I can't comment on them but I know a lot of people who use the WSM and love them. I also know many who use their Weber kettles to smoke and that works just as well.

Hope you give the WSM another chance and try to perfect the process. Please post your exact process with the WSM and maybe some of use may be able to help you.

Bob Ivey
 
Bob Ivey said:
A few thoughts for you, I have had a WSM22 for over three years and have only had 2 failures and they were both my fault. I cook brisket packers, pork butt, and ribs. Can you be more exact on how you are starting your fire? I put KBB in the ring until it is full with maybe 5 or 6 chunks of smoke wood, normally apple and mesquite or apple and cherry, depending on what I am cooking. I then put about 12 KBB lit and ashed over briqs on top of the unlit and close the smoker. The top vent is mostly open all the way and before I started using an ATC, controlled temp with the bottom 3 vents about 1/4 open and worked from there. I use water in the pan also. I then wait between 1/2 to 1 hour for temp to stabilize and for the white smoke to be gone. I then put the meat on and get ready for a great meal when all is finished. That WSM is a great smoker and once you have the process perfected you should not have any problems.

I have never used any other smoker so I can't comment on them but I know a lot of people who use the WSM and love them. I also know many who use their Weber kettles to smoke and that works just as well.

Hope you give the WSM another chance and try to perfect the process. Please post your exact process with the WSM and maybe some of use may be able to help you.

Bob Ivey
Click to expand...

Hey bob.

The WSM is running fine it seems. Here's a shot of the ribs 1 hour in. I rubbed them with Yardbird.

20161017_142429_zpsvbjinnel.jpg


Maybe it took longer to get clean/thin smoke because I had to resort to filling my charcoal ring and putting a torch to the center of it for a while. I left the middle/top off the WSM to allow the center to burn to white. Then I put the WSM together. It peaked at 150 degree's. So I opened all vents let the WSM warm to 275. I shut down 1 vent and Left the other two open just a bit. 1/4 open?

Just couldn't get clean smoke for the first 1 1/2 hour of running at 275.. I started with 9-10 cherry chunks.

It's running fine now as you can see in the picture. I was just trying to get the food on, I was probably being a bit impatient with the WSM. Like I said above I'm sure these ribs will be spectacular. Just losing all interest in cooking on it. I'd rather cook on my vertical offset.

The WSM is a fantastic cooker, same goes to any other charcoal cooker. If this is the method you use for BBQ I'm not knocking it. As the picture shows it works fine!! It's just not for me. It works great for exactly what its doing right now. It's cooking great looking ribs without needing attention while I catch up on work around the house.
 
blazinfire said:
Hey bob.

The WSM is running fine it seems. Here's a shot of the ribs 1 hour in. I rubbed them with Yardbird.

20161017_142429_zpsvbjinnel.jpg


Maybe it took longer to get clean/thin smoke because I had to resort to filling my charcoal ring and putting a torch to the center of it for a while. I left the middle/top off the WSM to allow the center to burn to white. Then I put the WSM together. It peaked at 150 degree's. So I opened all vents let the WSM warm to 250. I shut down 1 vent and Left the other two open just a bit. 1/4 open?

Just couldn't get clean smoke for the first 1 1/2 hour of running at 250.. I started with 9-10 cherry chunks.

It's running fine now as you can see in the picture. I was just trying to get the food on, I was probably being a bit impatient with the WSM. Like I said above I'm sure these ribs will be spectacular. Just losing all interest in cooking on it. I'd rather cook on my vertical offset.

The WSM is a fantastic cooker, same goes to any other charcoal cooker. If this is the method you use for BBQ I'm not knocking it. As the picture shows it works fine!! It's just not for me. It works great for exactly what its doing right now. It's cooking great looking ribs without needing attention while I catch up on work around the house.
Click to expand...

That seems like a lot of wood. I use 3 or 4 chunks at most in my WSM. I would recommend leaving all the intakes open until you stabilize a temperature and adjust from there. Don't think I have had any of the dampers more than halfway closed during cooking.
 
To the OP your initial post sounded like you were complaining about the cooker.

As has been said in this thread and I agree KBB is junk, try Stubbs, less ash. I would also use less wood, I use abot 4 fist sized chunks and that's about it.
 
ChrisBarb said:
Reading this thread, I have to ask. Why are people using KBB? It's junk.
Click to expand...

All I had. I just ate my "snack". The little piece of meat above the ribs. It was a meaty flap on one of the ribs. It's great. but I'll say this. There's a different flavor profile from the cooker.. Has an off taste. Must be the KBB!. People always say KBB gives an off taste.

I never really noticed it. I've used KBB for a long time. Never had a problem with it. I know there was a debate about it a while back.. Not sure if its the charcoal, the wood, the way the WSM cooks compared to the offset. But there is a sure flavor profile difference than what I'm used to on the offset
 
ChrisBarb said:
Reading this thread, I have to ask. Why are people using KBB? It's junk.
Click to expand...

I can tell you why I use it. The manual that came with the WSM recommended briquettes rather than lump. Now that I know how to run it, I wouldn't shy away from using lump, but briquettes are more uniform and burn more predictably.
 
akoda said:
To the OP your initial post sounded like you were complaining about the cooker.

As has been said in this thread and I agree KBB is junk, try Stubbs, less ash. I would also use less wood, I use abot 4 fist sized chunks and that's about it.
Click to expand...

I think my tastes are changing. I loved the WSM for the time I cooked on it before building the vertical offset. I cooked a lot on it through the winter months last year. Just something about it was never right. I know how to use the WSM.

Now that I read my original post over, I agree might of seemed like I was complaining about the cooker. I was just being impatient. I just don't like using it. It cooks good, just personally I don't like it. I don't like using charcoal for my fuel. I've even used Royal Oak Select, and other brands of charcoal.

But like I said, I'm not trying to knock on anyone else that uses charcoal smokers. They produce great food. Just what I had in mind when I started my day, and how the process has went through the day I'm disappointed I chose to cook on the WSM!
 
Well I cooked for 2 hours unwrapped at 300 degrees. Wrapped for 30 minutes. I sauced the ribs with Sticky Fingers Carolina Sweet BBQ sauce (Pretty thin Coat). Will continue to cook for 15 more minutes.

They look Fantastic to me! Using the WSM I just gotta be patient. Something I'm not very good at obviously!
Might give this cooker to a buddy of mine that wanted to start cooking BBQ. Should be a nice intro smoker for him

20161017_155556_zpsaxsbekpn.jpg
 
ChrisBarb said:
Reading this thread, I have to ask. Why are people using KBB? It's junk.
Click to expand...
Cost is probably the first reason people gravitate towards it. I've used several types of charcoal and for the consistency and reliability that KBB provides at the cost, it's hard to beat.

Once it starts to burn clean it's fine. I admit it's off-putting as it's getting started.
 
I'm making my side dish right now. I'll cut ribs open whenever the sides are done. They look delicious.

Here is my dessert I made last night. Home made apple pie. Even made the crust myself. Easiest thing I've ever made!

20161016_223446_zps8n4n1nfh.jpg
 
blazinfire said:
Ok so I have no pictures right now. I'll add the finished pictures later. But I have to get something off my chest! I don't like the WSM. I'm really iffy about eating the food coming from it.

It's been 2 1/2 hrs since lighting my charcoal (had to fill the charcoal ring and take a torch to the middle, I don't have a chimney anymore). it's been at 250-300 for 1 1/2 hrs of that time. Smoke still rolling thick, My oven thermometer has turned solid black. Cooking in my offset stick burner my oven gauges turn a thin golden brown.

I put the baby back ribs on just now, Still pretty concerned but the smoke seems to be rolling pretty thin after putting the food on.

This has sealed the deal for me. I can have my stick burner ready to cook on within 30 minutes. I hope I don't ruin the ribs, but as a person who has been outside checking the cooker and stuff, My clothes smell like crap from the charcoal/wood mix.

Seems like there is a price to pay for taking the easy route and not dealing with feeding a fire.. I'll report back with rib pictures.

Btw I might want to add I am using the cherry wood I've been cooking with in the offset. I just took a chain saw and cut chunks from the splits
Click to expand...


1) heating time.
I agree with your estimate waiting period to come to clean smoke. I usually wait AT MINIMUM 1,5 hours before adding meat.
I use ATC and my smoking T are 225F for ribs, 275F for boston butt and brisket and 285F for beef ribs.
2) using chunks.
Imo, chunks (or splits, like I do) burnt much much better if buried in briquettes or charcoal.
If buried, at the end of the session, while Im cleaning the used briquettes and the ring the split/splits are 90% burnt.
If semi-buried or just over the briquettes they turn out 40% burnt.
 
Enrico Brandizzi said:
1) heating time.
I agree with your estimate waiting period to come to clean smoke. I usually wait AT MINIMUM 1,5 hours before adding meat.
I use ATC and my smoking T are 225F for ribs, 275F for boston butt and brisket and 285F for beef ribs.
2) using chunks.
Imo, chunks (or splits, like I do) burnt much much better if buried in briquettes or charcoal.
If buried, at the end of the session, while Im cleaning the used briquettes and the ring the split/splits are 90% burnt.
If semi-buried or just over the briquettes they turn out 40% burnt.
Click to expand...

I like to mix my charcoal and wood chunks in together. I haven't ate the ribs yet. I'm typing this and posting it first! But from the looks of it. These LOOK like the best ribs I've ever cooked! Perfectly cooked! I'll report back on flavor wise. This is the first time using this Sticky Fingers BBQ sauce with yardbird rub on the meat!
20161017_164259_zpsdg2mugnn.jpg


I guess I shouldn't be so hard on the cooker. It worked flawlessly once the meat was put on!
 
The problem is not the WSM - it's a fine well proven cooker. The problem is not Kingsford briquettes - they're a fine well proven fuel.

Harry Soo has won many national championships using his WSM and Kingsford Blue Bag.

Must be some other reason.

Using a chimney is the way to go. Weber makes a smaller model chimney which is what I use when lighting up my WSM. When using my WSM I really only need to light up a couple dozen briquettes and the smaller model chimney is easier to use in that situation. Generally, I use the "donut method" to build the fire. Rarely does it take more than 20-30 minutes from lighting the chimney (I'll use crumpled newspaper or just hit it with a torch from underneath) to putting on meat.
 
Histrix said:
The problem is not the WSM - it's a fine well proven cooker. The problem is not Kingsford briquettes - they're a fine well proven fuel.

Harry Soo has won many national championships using his WSM and Kingsford Blue Bag.

Must be some other reason.

Using a chimney is the way to go. Weber makes a smaller model chimney which is what I use when lighting up my WSM. When using my WSM I really only need to light up a couple dozen briquettes and the smaller model chimney is easier to use in that situation. Generally, I use the "donut method" to build the fire. Rarely does it take more than 20-30 minutes from lighting the chimney (I'll use crumpled newspaper or just hit it with a torch from underneath) to putting on meat.
Click to expand...

That's been my experience as well.
 
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