smokers Weber Smokers

The Hot Pepper said:
 
Yes but it's the cool barrier since it's a vertical smoker so if you don't fill it you will have high temp issues and non-constant temps. Defeats the purpose of the WSM. May as well get an offset and deal with temp management. :)
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Shenanigans.  Been running my WSM dry for years and I do not deal with high temp issues and non-constant temps.  There are some cooks that I will run it wet (mostly smoking large amounts of fish or sometimes brisket) but 90% of the time I'm running er dry.  Once you learn to manage the vents only extreme wind and/or cold will cause fluctuations.  
 
Cooked 18lbs pork butt almost overnight last night.  Coals started at 1:30pm, pork on at 2:15.  She held rock steady at 240 from then till a little after 8pm when I added another chimney full of coals.  Plateau took about 1.5hrs but them butts was going all 'wabba wabba' at midnight when I finally brought em in.  I was well in the bag by that time and woke up with smokey greasy lips this morning.  Pulled pork hash baby!!
 
SmokenFire said:
 
Shenanigans.  Been running my WSM dry for years and I do not deal with high temp issues and non-constant temps.  There are some cooks that I will run it wet (mostly smoking large amounts of fish or sometimes brisket) but 90% of the time I'm running er dry.  Once you learn to manage the vents only extreme wind and/or cold will cause fluctuations.  
 
Cooked 18lbs pork butt almost overnight last night.  Coals started at 1:30pm, pork on at 2:15.  She held rock steady at 240 from then till a little after 8pm when I added another chimney full of coals.  Plateau took about 1.5hrs but them butts was going all 'wabba wabba' at midnight when I finally brought em in.  I was well in the bag by that time and woke up with smokey greasy lips this morning.  Pulled pork hash baby!!
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The idea is the water helps maintain temp.
 
You don't have to tell me, I use an offset. No water.
 
If you're saying you can run a Weber dry, no water, sand, or Piedmont type mod to the water pan, then that's good news. Then why are knuckleheads using sand??? lol
 
The Hot Pepper said:
 
You don't have to tell me, I use an offset. No water.
 
If you're saying you can run a Weber dry, no water, sand, or Piedmont type mod to the water pan, then that's good news. Then why are knuckleheads using sand??? lol
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Truthfully I don't know.  I think there's something to the idea that sand helps 'diffuse' the heat but I tried with and without and didn't really notice much aside from the fact that the WSM took longer to get to temp.  The one thing I really love about the WSM is that you can load the dagnabit thing up and it will burn even and well for a LOOOONG time - way longer than my old charbroil stick burners.  I still hold affinity in my heart for stick burners - they're how I learned back in the day - but my new lover darth vader's R2D2 from beyond is straight delicious man.  ;)
 
Sand in your grill???
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:)
 
The Hot Pepper said:
 
The idea is the water helps maintain temp.
 
You don't have to tell me, I use an offset. No water.
 
If you're saying you can run a Weber dry, no water, sand, or Piedmont type mod to the water pan, then that's good news. Then why are knuckleheads using sand??? lol
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I realize that I'm probably the most inexperienced smoker here, but running a WSM dry is right in the Weber instructions. All they do is recommend that you line the bowl with foil to make it easier to clean up.
 
Jeff H said:
 
 
I realize that I'm probably the most inexperienced smoker here, but running a WSM dry is right in the Weber instructions. All they do is recommend that you line the bowl with foil to make it easier to clean up.
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It also has running it with water, hot water in the getting started section. What I like most is they say experiment, document and do what works for you.
 
Happy smoking folks!
 
The Hot Pepper said:
I'd take a WSM over a UDS any day. UDS' look cool, but the WSM is made for smoking. The UDS is made from an oil drum and has its own issues. Go for what is proven to work out of the box without mods or tinkering. You don't see the UDS on the circuit. You see offsets, customs, and WSMs (a little).

Haven't seen many UDS' posted here lately but a few years ago everyone had them. TB gave his away, and not many people use them.


Like electric, hard to get a smoke ring if that matters to you.
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I don't completely agree with this but to each their own. I have been smoking with a UDS for years and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I do want to build an 80gal or so reverse flow next but for my go-to the UDS can't be beat. It holds more meat, will smoke untouched longer and I like using something that I made and not bought. My uncle has a WSM and he likes it but they take too much attention and babysitting. 
 
I like the look of the UDS but the last comp I went to the UDS guys enjoyed watching some WSM dude hold the trophies :) I am far from a pro hell barely an amuerature but the WSM is completely designed with smoking in mind. Damn near NASA aerodynamic hahahah
 
Any way...as someone said in one of these threads...everyone has their own way and what they like and BBQ is like religion and politics when it comes to conversation. I had a Texas co-worker tell me that because I had bark on my pork butt it was burned  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:
 
Jeff H said:
I realize that I'm probably the most inexperienced smoker here, but running a WSM dry is right in the Weber instructions. All they do is recommend that you line the bowl with foil to make it easier to clean up.
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Yup I know. I just thought the general idea was most people water smoked, and the idea was you maintained temps better. If running dry is good and the top chamber is not too hot, and you can maintain just a well, then I say great!
 
Since it's mainly designed as a water smoker, I never considered it. If y'all are getting some of these good cooks (like JHP) sans water... cool! Maybe I'll get one. :D
 
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