Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5

[Smoke_at_Altitude]

Times have changed - all the way to page 2 and nobody's said "build a UDS" yet! :shocked:

LOL. I know right!

I hadn't even thought about this ....

I contemplated building a UDS a lot, my issue is time... with work and a very busy/active 12 year old time is what I lack.

 

[krex1010]

Not sure what winter weather is like in SC, but if it gets cold, go to your big box home improvement store and get a roll of Reflectix insulated material and some aluminum tape. Cut a piece that will make a ring 4 to 8 inches bigger than the WSM and use the tape to close the ring. When it gets cold, fire her up and set the ring around her. She'll be insulated enough to cook with.

Have you noticed issues cooking in the cold? I use mine year round, have many cooks in single digit temps and a couple that were below 0 and the only adjustment I've made is that I have to leave the intakes open a bit more, and I would say I use a bit more fuel on cold weather cooks...my cookers are protected from the wind though.

 

[krex1010]

I have a 22.5 WSM as my only dedicated smoker (although I occasionally cook on a cinder block pit at a friend's place). I love it and am even considering getting an 18.5 as well for extra capacity and the ability to travel easier.

I love WSM's and would recommend them to anyone.

If you're planning to do ribs for a crowd or smoke bacon, the hanging kit is worth the $$

I second the hanging racks...I can hang 6 full racks of back ribs or St. Louis cut spares with the hanging racks on my 18 wsm if I cook right over the coals.

 

[rocky2298]

Is the hanging rack you folks recommend the one made by Weber? I've been contemplating getting that but just can't imagine there is nothing else out on the market that might be a little higher quality? Not saying Weber's isn't as I've never seen or used one.. I just thought with all the add ons and gadgets out there someone would have one in production for the WSM.

I love my 18.5" for pork butts but wish i had a little more real estate for bigger briskets and full length spares laying flat or hanging.

 

[krex1010]

Is the hanging rack you folks recommend the one made by Weber? I've been contemplating getting that but just can't imagine there is nothing else out on the market that might be a little higher quality? Not saying Weber's isn't as I've never seen or used one.. I just thought with all the add ons and gadgets out there someone would have one in production for the WSM.

I love my 18.5" for pork butts but wish i had a little more real estate for bigger briskets and full length spares laying flat or hanging.

I have the one made by weber...I was a little leery at first, it seems like it won't hold up. But it locks in place nicely and I've hung 15lbs of meat without any issue...the only thing is the hooks are really designed for hanging whole fish, but if you flip it upside down and pinch the wide "V" barbs together, you can hang ribs, half chickens, pork belly etc on it and it still works for fish

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Have you noticed issues cooking in the cold? I use mine year round, have many cooks in single digit temps and a couple that were below 0 and the only adjustment I've made is that I have to leave the intakes open a bit more, and I would say I use a bit more fuel on cold weather cooks...my cookers are protected from the wind though.

I have used my 14.5" in winter and well I couldn't get it above 200 and it took forever about 20 hours to cook a 6lb piece of pork. I did fire up the 22.5" maybe a month or 2 ago and didn't have a problem. Kind of surprised but I only had charcoal for that one right then and it worked fine. The 14.5" WSM is very sensitive to outside temps and ash. You have to run lump for a good cook in it when you are doing longer cooks as lump doesn't produce a lot of ash and it burns hot so it keeps temps up easily. Even then though cold can really slow you up. Constantly feeding it fuel in winter. I stick to kamado winter cooking mostly.
I run lump in the 14.5" even in summer now as I notice I can shut the vents way down and get huge burn times and refuel maybe once for a longer cook but since there is so little ash I don't have to empty it mid cook and I can just refuel and keep going. No problems then.

 

[Carolina Don]

IT'S HERE! First cook tomorrow. Doing chicken tomorrow and a pork butt or two Thursday. Gonna be a great vacation!

 

[Bob C Cue]

IT'S HERE! First cook tomorrow. Doing chicken tomorrow and a pork butt or two Thursday. Gonna be a great vacation!

Best of luck and enjoy!

 

[thesemicullen]

You will not be disappointed. I love my 18.5 so much. As for cooking in the cold, I think the issue is less about temp and more about wind. At least in the south (I figure your winter temps are probably close to ours). If you protect it from wind, you won't have any problems.

 

[THoey1963]

Congrats! You said you are going to do some chicken today. Leave the water pan out of it, load it up with charcoal, go light on the wood as chicken is like a smoke sponge, fire her up with all vents wide open, get her burning clean over 300*, and enjoy. I don't think you can get the temp too high on the WSM for chicken.

 

[Smoke_at_Altitude]

Congrats! I think you'll love it. I'll be doing the second cook on mine this weekend. Brisket for Mother's Day! :-D

 

[Richard1233]

I have the 22.5 and I love it. I wouldnt trade it for any other $400 cooker, i believe it's the best for the price.

 

[Baby Back Maniac]

Think about buying one. Currently cooking on a Bubba Keg, but want to increase capacity. Opinions?

You'll love it. I think it's the best pure smoker for the money. If you keep your kamado, you'll have all your bases covered. You'll be amazed how good the temp control is coming from the keg. Sometimes after a few hours of locked in temps you'll be like "Man, is that thermometer stuck or something?"