# Coldest day of the year and I am smokin.



## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Yep, cranked up "T.O.W." (The Other Wife) the WSM at 6am.  Outside temp is 21*.  I know that some of you have had colder weather but this is the first cold day here in 2007.  

Filled the charcoal basket with Kingsford and apple chunks.  Got about 15 or so coals in the chimney and fired it up.  

Last night I slathered up two butts with the chipolte mustard and a good dose of my rub.  The other two I put "The Swine Syndicate Rub", thanks Wittdog.  

The butts went on at 06:25.  By 07:15 I cranked the bottom vents down to 50%.  The dome temp was 280* and the top grate was at 240*.


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## Finney (Jan 18, 2007)

Go Billy... Go Billy... Go Billy....


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## Captain Morgan (Jan 18, 2007)

Got a remote therm?  Certainly worth the money on days like these!


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## BigGQ (Jan 18, 2007)

Bill The Grill Guy said:
			
		

> Yep, cranked up "T.O.W." (The Other Wife) the WSM at 6am.  Outside temp is 21*.  I know that some of you have had colder weather but this is the first cold day here in 2007.
> 
> Filled the charcoal basket with Kingsford and apple chunks.  Got about 15 or so coals in the chimney and fired it up.
> 
> ...



40 degrees difference between the dome and the top grate. Something don't sound right. You sure the numbers are correct?


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## LarryWolfe (Jan 18, 2007)

Bill The Grill Guy said:
			
		

> The butts went on at 06:25.  By 07:15 I cranked the bottom vents down to 50%.  The dome temp was 280* and the top grate was at 240*.



You could calibrate your therm real fast if it wasn't screwed in!!!   

You have alot of meat in the cooker, I'd be willing to bet that temperature difference decreases once the meat warms up!


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## wittdog (Jan 18, 2007)

Go Bill Go...After a few hrs the temps will even out...


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## Finney (Jan 18, 2007)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> Got a remote therm?  Certainly worth the money on days like these!



Yeah... days like this and the really hot days, those things pay for themselves. 


Btw: DATs, it's snowing at my house in NC right now.  And I'm not in the mountains.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Wow, just ran a car accident and was gone for over an hour and the temps are holding fine.  The top dome is at 273* and the top grate is at 242*.  

Larry, I have two therm checking the dome temp.  The one that is fixed and I hung another one in the vent hole.  Both read the same.  



> Larry Wolfe Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 9:09 am    Post subject: Re: Coldest day of the year and I am smokin.
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> ...


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## LarryWolfe (Jan 18, 2007)

Bill The Grill Guy said:
			
		

> Larry, I have two therm checking the dome temp.  The one that is fixed and I hung another one in the vent hole.  Both read the same.



I was kidding, I was sure Kathy calibrated them for you to make sure they were right!!  [smilie=a_chuckle.gif]


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## Captain Morgan (Jan 18, 2007)

so what's going on here, the 2 temps will get closer as the meat
comes to temp?


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## LarryWolfe (Jan 18, 2007)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> so what's going on here, the 2 temps will get closer as the meat
> comes to temp?



Yeah.   :roll:


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## Finney (Jan 18, 2007)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> so what's going on here, the 2 temps will get closer as the meat
> comes to temp?



Are you still drinking? :roll:


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## Captain Morgan (Jan 18, 2007)

just seemed like a big gap to me.  I've never measured the grate temps
in my wsm...I just assumed it would be 15 or 20 dgrees difference.


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## Finney (Jan 18, 2007)

Sorry, I didn't really know if you were really asking.. or what you were asking.
If the probe at the grate is near all that cold meat it will pick up the colder ambient temps surrounding the meat.  As the meat heats up the grate temp will more or less even out with the dome temp.


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## LarryWolfe (Jan 18, 2007)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> just seemed like a big gap to me.  I've never measured the grate temps
> in my wsm...I just assumed it would be 15 or 20 dgrees difference.



Sorry Jim.  I thought you were kidding too.  It's due to the mass of the meat he has in the cooker.  With two butts on the top shelf, the temps wouldn't have been so far off.  

Regardless of the amount of meat I'm cooking the only temp I worry about is the dome temp, cause afterall it's the only one you can control!


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## Puff1 (Jan 18, 2007)

Good luck Bill


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Okay, after seeing the last few posts and talking to Wittdog I have cranked the bottom vents down to about 25% or less and lowering the dome temp to around 225*.  

Just a little nurvous today.  This is the first real cook on her.


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## Captain Morgan (Jan 18, 2007)

remember not to fiddle with the vents too much...a little 5 degree bump or fall doesn't necessarily mean you need to change anything.


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## wittdog (Jan 18, 2007)

Yeah but that dome was way to high in the 285* range.....


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## Captain Morgan (Jan 18, 2007)

right, when you get it set where you want it, don't sweat the small stuff.


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## wittdog (Jan 18, 2007)

Whatever you do...don't foil :P


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Whatever you do...don't foil :P



NOPE, no foil.  Trying to make L-)arry proud


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## LarryWolfe (Jan 18, 2007)

brian j said:
			
		

> fwiw pick a thermometer you're going to use and stick with it.  you will drive yourself crazy trying to drive by both the grate and dome thermometers.
> 
> more unsolicated advise...  i would cook at 250 or even 275 at the dome therm.  you can cook at 225 but it'll take a LOOOOOOONG time.   :roll:



I agree with Brian!


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## wittdog (Jan 18, 2007)

I don't like to go to much higher than 250* at leat till near the end of the cook....JMHO


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## wittdog (Jan 18, 2007)

I like to go low even with a WSM with a fully belly...give it a long time for the smokering to develop and the flavor to develop...just how I like to do it...(I'm one of those people who belives that the meat stops taking on smoke flavor once the ring stops forming or at least good smoke flavor)


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Well, the top dome temp is now settled down to 237*.  The meat is at 143*.  The smell is fantastic.  I am tempted to open her up and take a pic but I will refrain.   :roll:


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## Green Hornet (Jan 18, 2007)

Looking forward to those finished pics! :P


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Green Hornet said:
			
		

> Looking forward to those finished pics! :P







ME TOO!


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Had to do it.  Couldn't resist any longer.


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## wittdog (Jan 18, 2007)

Looking good...


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## Nick Prochilo (Jan 18, 2007)

It's coming along fine Bill! When are you going to foil?


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## wittdog (Jan 18, 2007)

:roll:


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## Finney (Jan 18, 2007)

I would just take them off now.  :roll:


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## Unity (Jan 18, 2007)

Comin' along great, Bill!  

--John  8) 
(Your new WSM already looks like a veteran!   )


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## BigGQ (Jan 18, 2007)

Looking good, Bill.  Looking real good.

Thanks for the explanation on the temp difference. I have always worked with dome temp on WSMs. Interesting the amount of difference but makes sense. 

Getting my learn on today!


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## LarryWolfe (Jan 18, 2007)

brian j said:
			
		

> [quote="Bill The Grill Guy":18vrkwco]Had to do it.  Couldn't resist any longer.


dag gummit.  put the lid back on![/quote:18vrkwco]

You can't foil with the lid on!   :damnfunny


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Larry Wolfe said:
			
		

> [quote="brian j":1nyqz9hs][quote="Bill The Grill Guy":1nyqz9hs]Had to do it.  Couldn't resist any longer.


dag gummit.  put the lid back on![/quote:1nyqz9hs]

You can't foil with the lid on!   :damnfunny[/quote:1nyqz9hs]

Bite me foil boy.


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## Puff1 (Jan 18, 2007)

Larry Wolfe said:
			
		

> [quote="brian j":2t20z6zv][quote="Bill The Grill Guy":2t20z6zv]Had to do it.  Couldn't resist any longer.


dag gummit.  put the lid back on![/quote:2t20z6zv]

You can't foil with the lid on!   :damnfunny[/quote:2t20z6zv]

Foil the lid  

Dag gummit??  WTF??


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Okay you WSM owners, splain this.  The top butts are at 170 and the bottom butts are at 156.  WUZ up wit dat?

Before anyone asks, I used sand.


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## Puff1 (Jan 18, 2007)

Are both butts the same size??


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## Nick Prochilo (Jan 18, 2007)

Bill The Grill Guy said:
			
		

> Okay you WSM owners, splain this.  The top butts are at 170 and the bottom butts are at 156.  WUZ up wit dat?
> 
> Before anyone asks, I used sand.



One has more fat than the other. Switch them around and the top ones will be 156 and the bottom ones will be 170. BTW, the top grate is hotter than the bottom grate.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Nick Prochilo said:
			
		

> [quote="Bill The Grill Guy":3g3ldf4g]Okay you WSM owners, splain this.  The top butts are at 170 and the bottom butts are at 156.  WUZ up wit dat?
> 
> Before anyone asks, I used sand.



One has more fat than the other. Switch them around and the top ones will be 156 and the bottom ones will be 170. BTW, the top grate is hotter than the bottom grate.[/quote:3g3ldf4g]

I heard that the bottom grate will be hotter.  Go figure.  I just put on some brats so when they come off, I will switch them around.  I put one small and one large butt on each grate trying to keep them the same.


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## john a (Jan 18, 2007)

You're smokin Bill, looking real good.


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## Bruce B (Jan 18, 2007)

I am not a big believer in that radiant heat theory; that the bottom grate is hotter when you use sand. I would guess that your bottom grate temp and your top grate temp are within 10º of each other. 

I have had cooks when they have actually been the same temp and then they separate and the top grate goes up a few more degrees. 

If you're within cooking range of 225-250 don't sweat it...it's all good.


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## Finney (Jan 18, 2007)

This picture explains your initial low grate temps.  That probe point is right in the middle of a big cold zone until the butts get up to temp.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Brats came off beutiful.  Here is a quick pic I snapped while it was open.


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## Puff1 (Jan 18, 2007)

Man Bill!
Everything looks great!
How are you fixin' those brats?


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## LarryWolfe (Jan 18, 2007)

Bruce B said:
			
		

> I am not a big believer in that radiant heat theory; that the bottom grate is hotter when you use sand. I would guess that your bottom grate temp and your top grate temp are within 10º of each other.
> 
> I have had cooks when they have actually been the same temp and then they separate and the top grate goes up a few more degrees.
> 
> If you're within cooking range of 225-250 don't sweat it...it's all good.



Ditto!


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## Cliff H. (Jan 18, 2007)

Looks real.....real good.  

If the dome temp is at 250 what temp is the meat really cooking at ?


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## JWJR40 (Jan 18, 2007)

Those Butts look great.   Hopefully you have a remote therm.  I wouldnt want to be running out in that kind of temp.  Are there going to be finished pics


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

Yeah, if these things ever get done.  The top butts are at 181 and the bottom ones are at 167.  I FEEL THE NEED TO FOIL.


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## cflatt (Jan 18, 2007)

Bill The Grill Guy said:
			
		

> Yeah, if these things ever get done.  The top butts are at 181 and the bottom ones are at 167.  I FEEL THE NEED TO FOIL.



sounds like the top one is only about 14 or so degrees away from fulfilling your need


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## JWJR40 (Jan 18, 2007)

Dont give into the temptation to foil---LOL


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## Finney (Jan 18, 2007)

And...................................................................

*STOP OPENING THAT LID!!!!!!!!*

This isn't your big offset.


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## Puff1 (Jan 18, 2007)

What Finney said!
Bill....step away from the lid!


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

LOL, this damn thing take for ever to get butts done.  192 and 185 on the butts..  NEED TO FOIL.


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## Bruce B (Jan 18, 2007)

Open up the bottom vents all the way and raise the temperature, they'll get done quicker.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 18, 2007)

okay, got them done.  Very impressed with the flavor of the chipolte slatherd butts.    I can taste the mustard.  If I was to chose, I would take the Swine Syndicate rub.   GOOD STUFF.   Thanks Wittdog.


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## Bruce B (Jan 18, 2007)

So you cooked 4 butts, probably close to 28-30 lbs of meat, in cold weather, in  16 1/2 hours. I don't think that's bad at all. The two I did the other day took just under 15.

Great looking butts Bill.


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## Cliff H. (Jan 19, 2007)

Man, if I hadn't had a pulled pork sandwich just a couple of hours ago I would be boiling a bag after looking at that pic.  

Where do you get this rub you speak of?


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## Finney (Jan 19, 2007)

They look great.  So, what you think about the WSM after using it on a long cook?  How do your results compare with what you usually do?  etc?


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## Nick Prochilo (Jan 19, 2007)

Bill it all looks great but man you open that lid waaaaay to much!


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## ScottyDaQ (Jan 19, 2007)

Looks good Bill!


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## john a (Jan 19, 2007)

They look great, worth the effort Bill.


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## Captain Morgan (Jan 19, 2007)

you could taste the mustard...could you taste the chipotle?


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## wittdog (Jan 19, 2007)

Nice job Bill....how was the texture of the meat compared to the foiled butts that you are used to? Glad you liked the rub.


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## Puff1 (Jan 19, 2007)

Looked real good Bill.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 19, 2007)

Okay here is the full report.

4 butts at 30+lbs for 16.5 hours.
2 with chipolte mustard:
  Good flavor.  I think it was more the chipolte than the mustard I can taste.  The bark was darker than the one with just SS rub.

2 with Swine Syndicate rub:
  Great flavor.  I was impressed the way the rub held up.  The bark was alot darker than the way I do mine (foiled).  

I think if I am cooking for family or comps then no foil is the way to go.  Catering, I will stick to foil.  Time is money there.

Thanks for all the responses to this post.  I will give you one funny and true story on myself.  Woke up at 4 this morning in a panic.  Threw on some cloths and ran outside and lifted the lid on T.O.W.  I had drempt that I fell asleep while cooking the butts and forgot them.  Came back inside and the wife was in a laughing fit.  The dog thought I was crazy and was growling at me.  Oh well, thats what I get for drinking.


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## Finney (Jan 19, 2007)

Now that was funny.


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## Unity (Jan 19, 2007)

I love the dog growling at you.   

--John  8)
(Which reminds me of the stupid video one of my wacky friends posted.  :roll: )


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## JWJR40 (Jan 19, 2007)

Good looking butts.


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## cleglue (Jan 19, 2007)

Great job there.

Compared to your offset you should have used much less charcoal for the 16.5  hour.  How much charcoal did you use?


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## Bill The Grill Guy (Jan 20, 2007)

cleglue said:
			
		

> Great job there.
> 
> Compared to your offset you should have used much less charcoal for the 16.5  hour.  How much charcoal did you use?



About 1/2 a bag.  The offset uses wood.  I start it with one chimney of charcoal then oak and hickory or apple for smoke.  I did pitch a few pieces of apple in the WSM.  

Thanks for all the comments on this thread.  Kinda felt like I had company the whole cook.


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## john a (Jan 20, 2007)

It's only polite to invite company to sit down for dinner.


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