Help! Using WSM as a drum for Pork Butt

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

Using my WSM as a drum for a Butt and temps are going crazy. Started out at 304* 15 min later 320ish. Now I'm an hour into the cook and its going at 400*. Pretty sure it is from the wood chunks lighting. I'm measuring temp with a wired probe at grate level. Is this good to ride with at this temp? Most people I've seen cook on drums between 300 and 325*. Thanks for the help.

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[jzadski]

The only thing I can think of is you didn't shut the bottom vents down soon enough so the temps and fire just went wild. Just might have to spend some time playing with the vents for a while to stabilize it. Good luck!

 

[Nuco59]

If it's holding solid at 400*, I might squeeze a bottom damper down some. 350* bothers me not at all with a butt.

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

It is now up to 460* and I have pulled the butt off for the moment being. Trying to bring it down. I am running the vents just like normal 1 vent with a small opening all others shut down. The wood chunks aren't the problem because they aren't ignited anymore.

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[SMOKE FREAK]

I would shut all the vents till the temp drops some and then let it have some air again.

How much unlit coals and how much lit coal did you add to it?

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

I would shut all the vents till the temp drops some and then let it have some air again.



How much unlit coals and how much lit coal did you add to it?

Trying the vent trick now. I lit like Malcom Reed lights his drum. Put two weber cubes in it instead of a lit chimney. Is this where my error was? I've seen him light his drum that way so thought it would be suffice.

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[ronbrad62]

I have lit mine like that and haven't had any major problems, but the drum is a lot more air tight than a WSM. It is clearly getting enough oxygen to spike and sustain the temps, so cutting it back as much as possible and only allowing whatever is necessary is my only advice.

 

[jzadski]

I fill the ring with unlit charcoal and wood chunks then scatter about 12 lit briqs on top and next to the wood chunks. Never had an issue that way. For 240* I start shutting the bottom vents down around 190 so it doesn't come up too fast and overshoot. Here's hoping everything comes out well in the end

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

I have lit mine like that and haven't had any major problems, but the drum is a lot more air tight than a WSM. It is clearly getting enough oxygen to spike and sustain the temps, so cutting it back as much as possible and only allowing whatever is necessary is my only advice.

Apparently the air and hiw tightly it is sealed is the problem. I shut all the intakes all the way down and it took over an hour to get to 350* and it was several hours before it ever went below 325*.

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[Happy Hapgood]

I'm late to the party but if your lookin' you ain't cookin'. Anytime you pull the dome off a WSM the temp shoots way up due to O2. Let the cooker do it's work. I do not lift the dome for the first 6 hours on a butt.


Just my .02 and Good Luck.

How did it turn out?

 

[CaptainQ]

I typically use the minion method and pour 12-15 lit coals in a hole I scoop out in the middle of all the unlit coals. Doubt it makes a difference, but I always try to get the lit coals in a tight group rather than have them scattered about. If I'm cooking at 275, I'll start shutting the vents down at 225.

I have gaskets on the lid and door as well as a welding blanket on the lid plus reflective insulation on 3 sides of my cart (I like to tinker). Once the cooker gets up to 275, I can keep it there with 2 bottom vents completely closed and the other bottom vent cracked about 1/8". It still gets away from me fairly often. Rather than shut that last vent completely down, I'll start closing the top vent down until it stabilizes. If it goes completely bonkers, like you, I'll shut the whole thing down and take the meat off until it cools down.

My wife gave me a temp control fan for Christmas. I sent it back because I like the process of adjusting the vents. I have a stick burner on order so I'm sure that will more work and a longer learning curve.

 

[HouseDoc]

Sounds like you have too much fuel lit at one time. My 18 WSM runs at 275 all day with bottom 3 vents open width of a #2 pencil and top vent open all the way. Snake method with half a chimney hot coals to start. 3 wood chunks spaced around. No water pan, meat on top grate.

 

[Nuco59]

You could have had too many lit coals plus a cooker that is on the leaky side when it comes to being air tight.

I have one of the shorty Weber chimney starters (and an older one made out of a #10 Bean can- because I'm a cheap azz). I put 15-18 briquettes in either one and just dump the ashed over coals like Brother Bludawg used to say - "put the hot on the not". I'm not real careful about placement and it seems to not matter much.