Brisket on a WSM: questions

If you like brisket on your kettle, you'll love it on your wsm

You're Good. Brisket is Hard -'it's not the WSM- Most ppl undercooked Brisket and so it's Dry but since it's Dry they think they overcooked it.

I'll give you something to think about A 22 WSM is 300 sheckles you can build a UDS for less than 1/2 and it cooks just as good (IMO better) leaving 175.00 or so for brisket, whisky, cigars, lap dances, whatever. Chew on that fer a spell.

"It's not the cooker, it's the cook" and "Brisket is a journey, you'll know when you get there" are the first two thoughts that come to mind.

Brisket on a WSM is awesome. I use my 18.5s for them and can cook a brisket without adding fuel or messing with the intakes.

Us Weber-heads are also known to say "Buy the best, only cry once."

You'll love the way a WSM cooks. I guarantee it.

I am happy with the way mine cooks although I have to admit that I get considerably better fuel mileage with my ugly drums. Cooking two butts and one brisket I normally have to add charcoal when I foil to get through the cook. I prefer my 18.5 wsm's for small cooks and believe they are a better cooker than the 22.5. However, the quality of the end product from the 22.5 is always good. If you follow through on this purchase you will not be dissapointed.

Harbormaster said:

"It's not the cooker, it's the cook" and "Brisket is a journey, you'll know when you get there" are the first two thoughts that come to mind.

Brisket on a WSM is awesome. I use my 18.5s for them and can cook a brisket without adding fuel or messing with the intakes.

Us Weber-heads are also known to say "Buy the best, only cry once."

You'll love the way a WSM cooks. I guarantee it.

Click to expand...

What size brisket packet comfortably fits on a 18.5 WSM without having to trim it down? Do you need to use a can or whatever to curl it a bit until it shrinks before laying flat? I have a 18.5" WSM I got recently is why I ask.

aks801 said:

Great words from everyone, Clark especially (who must be a Weber sales rep, judging by his stable).

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No sir. Just a junkie. But if Weber is hiring.....

bbqgeekess said:

What size brisket packet comfortably fits on a 18.5 WSM without having to trim it down? Do you need to use a can or whatever to curl it a bit until it shrinks before laying flat? I have a 18.5" WSM I got recently is why I ask.

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Regardless of size, I separate the point from the flat completely, center the point on the top grate, and drape the flat over the point. Fat side up at home, fat side down at a comp.
A can would work too.

Harbormaster said:

Regardless of size, I separate the point from the flat completely, center the point on the top grate, and drape the flat over the point. Fat side up at home, fat side down at a comp.
A can would work too.

Click to expand...

Sorry but I don't understand . Do you mean that the flat seats literally over the point on the same grate all the cook session?????

Don't mean to jack your thread but since there's people discussing brisket, I thought I'd ask.

I've cooked ribs (pork/beef), butts, and chicken but I haven't done a brisket yet. I would like to try to do one next week. From buying the right cut to the the smoke, any tips? I'm located in So Cal and want to make sure I buy the right cut, short of going to a butcher, and what is the recommended (low/slow) temp (using a UDS), what internal meat temp am I going for (130?), and what's an estimated cook time? Thanks.

Bludawg said:

I'll give you something to think about A 22 WSM is 300 sheckles you can build a UDS for less than 1/2 and it cooks just as good (IMO better) leaving 175.00 or so for brisket, whisky, cigars, lap dances, whatever. Chew on that fer a spell.

Click to expand...

yeeeeppp. Minus the lap dances.

aks801 said:

I may be purchasing the 22.5" Weber Smokey Mountain in a few weeks. By all accounts one can control the temp on them very well, and they can run a long time.

My primary meat of choice for it will be brisket. Sure, will put on sausage and the occasional ribs, but brisket is my passion.

My understanding for a while is the smoking brisket on a WSM is a great combination. But today I read numerous posts on several sites about people having a hard time with it. I know that getting brisket right can be elusive for many (though I've had great results using my kettle), but is there any reason I shouldn't go with the WSM? I'm a Weber fan, and I like the price of the WSM so it seems a natural.

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I love weber but the WSM not so much the vents have tabs in the way of the vent shutting so charcoal will keep burning unless you snip the tabs off. You should not need to do that for as much as they cost. Totally the reason I did not buy one. I went with a traeger pellet grill instead. Best choice ever! I still love my kettles but until they fix the WSM I will not own one but if they fix that I will buy one.

Rusty Kettle said:

I love weber but the WSM not so much the vents have tabs in the way of the vent shutting so charcoal will keep burning unless you snip the tabs off. You should not need to do that for as much as they cost. Totally the reason I did not buy one. I went with a traeger pellet grill instead. Best choice ever! I still love my kettles but until they fix the WSM I will not own one but if they fix that I will buy one.

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You can just bend those tabs outward--don't have to break off. But I find the charcoal stops burning when I close all the vents, even with the little tabs in there.

Rusty Kettle said:

I love weber but the WSM not so much the vents have tabs in the way of the vent shutting so charcoal will keep burning unless you snip the tabs off. You should not need to do that for as much as they cost. Totally the reason I did not buy one. I went with a traeger pellet grill instead. Best choice ever! I still love my kettles but until they fix the WSM I will not own one but if they fix that I will buy one.

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I am not going to speak for your experience, but from mine. I finished smoking chicken sometime around 3 pm one day last week. I shut down all the vents to choke out the fire. Went inside and got everything ready to serve, and then we ate and I put leftovers away and loaded the dishwasher. All total, a little over an hour went by from end of cook. By the time I went out for a smoke after that, my WSM was heated only by the radiant heat of the sun. I touched along the body from the dome to the bowl. Maybe you have experience with a defective WSM, but I think that is the rare, not the norm. I usually need one hour from vents closed till I "could" put the cover on (I usually wait longer just to make sure).

aks801 said:

I may be purchasing the 22.5" Weber Smokey Mountain in a few weeks. By all accounts one can control the temp on them very well, and they can run a long time.

My primary meat of choice for it will be brisket. Sure, will put on sausage and the occasional ribs, but brisket is my passion.

My understanding for a while is the smoking brisket on a WSM is a great combination. But today I read numerous posts on several sites about people having a hard time with it. I know that getting brisket right can be elusive for many (though I've had great results using my kettle), but is there any reason I shouldn't go with the WSM? I'm a Weber fan, and I like the price of the WSM so it seems a natural.

Click to expand...

I am a fairly new owner of a 22.5 WSM, I got mine in early February. First and foremost, I know and trust the Weber name, so that is why I went that way. Quality build and great customer service if you have an issue.

I will warn you that a WSM out of the box might not make you a perfect "anything" the first cook. It does take a handful of cooks on it to get it seasoned. The first 3 or 4 cooks I did on it, I had a hard time as the temps were way higher than I expected and hard to control. This is due to that pretty, shiny interior. Cook on it a half dozen or so times and it gets pretty, "dirty", and doesn't have this issue.

I also had issues with leaks, not big ones, but enough small ones to effect me trying to control the temps. I am a little impatient, so, instead of waiting for those to seal by getting "dirty", I ordered gaskets from BBQGaskets.com and the Stainless Steel replacement door from Cajun Bandit. Once I installed those items, I was able to control my temps better and "dirty" her up faster, thus solving both issues. Oh, since I had the heavier duty door, I also replaced the latch with a compression latch as the original seemed like a weak link.

Finally, I took the coal grate and fire ring and tied them together to create a true fire basket with handles that I could grab and shake to get ash off the saved coals. I started with two "handles" and changed to four as this allowed me to set my top cooking grate on the four handles and it allows me to "grill right above the coals for steaks, burgers, whatever.

I never put water in the water pan. I have it double wrapped in foil and I bought a large terra cotta planter base and put it in there to act as a heat sink to stabilize temps when I open the lid.

So far, I have cooked the following on my WSM:

- Brisket (16# for the Super Bowl. Grill was brand new, fought temps the whole way, but it turned out great thanks to the Brethren)
- Chicken and turkey thighs (Hint: all vents open and remove the water pan. Took me three cooks to learn this and the last set turned out great)
- Pork Butt for pulled pork
- Spare Ribs (several cooks, first time a single rack, the next 4 racks, all good)
- Salmon
- Meatloaf
- Pizza Fatty (OMG!)
- King Crab Legs
- Korean Short Ribs (Grilled, not smoked)

I am sure I am missing things that I have cooked. You can search my login and see what I have posted. Everything here was from wanting a smoker, to getting the WSM, to cooking on it. One of the best purchases I ever made.

Disclaimor: I don't work for Weber either, but, again, if they are hiring... :-D

Enrico said:

Sorry but I don't understand . Do you mean that the flat seats literally over the point on the same grate all the cook session?????

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Yep. The flat lays on top of the point for the entire cook.

kevine said:

Don't mean to jack your thread but since there's people discussing brisket, I thought I'd ask.

I'm located in So Cal and want to make sure I buy the right cut, short of going to a butcher, and what is the recommended (low/slow) temp (using a UDS), what internal meat temp am I going for (130?), and what's an estimated cook time? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Look for a Packer Cut Brisket. This cut has both the point and the flat. My WSMs like to run in the 250 - 275 range. Cook a brisket until it is "probe tender", which can be an IT of 190 - 205.

Rusty Kettle said:

I love weber but the WSM not so much the vents have tabs in the way of the vent shutting so charcoal will keep burning unless you snip the tabs off. You should not need to do that for as much as they cost. Totally the reason I did not buy one. I went with a traeger pellet grill instead. Best choice ever! I still love my kettles but until they fix the WSM I will not own one but if they fix that I will buy one.

Click to expand...

You didn't buy one, yet you know that the tabs need to be broken off for the WSM to snuff the coals?
Your assumption is wrong.
The tabs on the intake vents have absolutely no effect on the fire going out when they are closed. They are there for a reason though! You don't have to stick your finger into a hot vent hole to touch a hot bowl to tell when the vent is closed.

SmittyJonz said:

You're Good. Brisket is Hard -'it's not the WSM- Most ppl undercooked Brisket and so it's Dry but since it's Dry they think they overcooked it.

Click to expand...

This. We promise - "overlooked will most likely be TOO tender".

Harbormaster said:

You didn't buy one, yet you know that the tabs need to be broken off for the WSM to snuff the coals?
Your assumption is wrong.
The tabs on the intake vents have absolutely no effect on the fire going out when they are closed. They are there for a reason though! You don't have to stick your finger into a hot vent hole to touch a hot bowl to tell when the vent is closed.

Click to expand...

Have to agree here...while it may take slightly longer for my WSM to snuff out compared to the OTS, it's nothing that can be considered unreasonable.

Many time I've opened up the WSM, pulled out the charcoal grate carefulle (need to get a steel mesh mod I've seen people do) and still have quite a bit of usable fuel left.