| Firing
Up Your Weber Bullet
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Originally
posted: 09/12/1999
Last updated:
03/30/2010 |
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In this topic:
There
are many ways to build a fire in the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. The
good news is that there's no wrong way to do it. If you have a method that
you like and that works well for you, that's great—keep on doing what
you're doing.
On the other hand, if you
long for an easier process for firing up the WSM, or you want to cook
overnight and get a good night's sleep without having to refuel, then this
topic is for you.
Remember...click on any
of the pictures to view a larger image.
The Owner's Manual Method
Pros
- Uses just enough
fuel to get the job done.
- The feeling of
satisfaction you'll get from knowing you've done it the
"official" Weber way.
Cons
- Must add 12-14
briquettes every 1-1/4 hours.
- Not practical for
lengthy cooking sessions.
I don't recommend the
method described in the Owner's Manual because it's subject to lots of temperature
fluctuations and can be quite frustrating. In fact, in an effort to not
confuse you, I'm not even going to discuss it here.
OK, if you insist.
The
Standard Method
Pros
- Good for cooking
sessions lasting 4-6 hours.
- Best when cooking
in the 325-350°F range.
- No need to add fuel
during the cooking process.
- Appeals to those who
prefer all briquettes to be fully lit during cooking.
Cons
- Can be difficult to
bring down the cooker temperature if it's running too hot.
Using this method, you fire-up
enough charcoal at the beginning to last the entire cooking
session. All briquettes are hot and covered with a light coat of gray ash before you
start cooking.
This is my preferred
method when I want to roast
meats like turkey or standing rib roast at 325-350°F.
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Light
A Chimney Full Of Charcoal
For most cooking
sessions, you'll need at least one chimney full of hot coals. Fill the
chimney starter to the top with charcoal briquettes and light.
You can learn more
about using chimney starters in the How To Use A
Chimney Starter article. |
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Dump
The Hot Coals
It will take 10-20 minutes for the coals to light, depending on wind conditions, how much charcoal
is in the chimney, and the type of charcoal being used.
The charcoal is ready when you see flames licking at the coals in the top of the chimney and gray ash
just starting to form (Picture 1).
If you wait longer for the
top coals to be fully ashed-over, much of the charcoal in the bottom of
the chimney will be spent, so go ahead and dump the charcoal into your
cooker when it looks like Picture 1.
Wearing
heat-resistant gloves, pick up the chimney and pour the hot coals into the
charcoal chamber. Spread the coals evenly over the grate using tongs. |
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Add
More Charcoal
It takes some
experience to learn how much charcoal to
use for the various types of barbecue you cook in your WSM. Make
sure to use a cooking log to keep track
of fuel usage from one cooking session to the next. Using
a Weber chimney starter as a charcoal measuring cup, I might use:
- 1 heaping chimney
of hot Kingsford charcoal to cook a single chicken at 325°F for 1
hour.
- 2 chimneys to cook
a 12-pound
turkey at 325°F for 3 hours.
The amount you use will depend on
several factors:
- Type/brand of
charcoal used, especially how hot and how long it
burns.
- Amount of food to
be cooked.
- Length of the
cooking session.
- Weather
conditions.
If you need more than
a single chimney of hot coals, spread the additional unlit briquettes
evenly on top of the lit ones. It will take 10-20 minutes to
get these briquettes going.
Of course, if you have two
chimney starters, you can shortcut this process by lighting all of the
charcoal at one time in the previous step.
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Assemble
The Cooker When
the coals look
like this, with a nice coating of gray ash, you're almost ready to
cook. For 225-250°
cooking:
- Assemble the cooker, add cool water to the water pan,
and put
the lid in place.
- Close all three bottom vents. Leave the top vent
fully open
for ventilation throughout the entire cooking process.
- Keep
an eye on the thermometer. The initial temperature may be 400°F or
higher depending on the type and amount of fuel you're using, but
within a short time it will begin to drop.
- If you're loading
up the cooker with a lot of meat, add the meat and smoke wood when
the temp comes down to about 350°; if cooking smaller quantities,
wait until about 300°F. The temperature will
drop quickly into the 225-250°F range once the meat goes on.
For 325-350°
cooking:
- Assemble the
cooker, put the empty water pan in place, and put the lid
in place. Line the water pan with wide aluminum foil for easy
cleanup.
- Adjust all three
bottoms vents to 50% open. Leave the top vent fully open
for ventilation throughout the entire cooking process.
- Add the meat and
smoke wood to the cooker immediately. The temperature will
drop quickly into the 325-350°F range once the meat goes on.
As the cooking
session proceeds, adjust the bottom vents to regulate the temperature.
- If the temperature begins to fall,
open the bottom vents slightly to allow more air into the cooker.
If the temp begins to rise, close the bottom vents a bit.
- Try to keep all
three bottom vents open equally to promote an even burn inside the
cooker. However, you can manage cooker temperature using only one
vent, if necessary. For example, in windy conditions, close the
two upwind vents and adjust cooker temp using the remaining
downwind vent.
- Don't worry about
small temperature fluctuations. Remember, barbecue is not an exact
science. As long as you're fairly close to your target
temperature, everything will turn out fine.
It takes the Weber Bullet a little
time to react
to changes in vent settings. The trick is to anticipate the
direction the cooker temperature is heading and adjust accordingly.
With a little practice, you'll be controlling WSM temps like a pro! |
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Avoid
Overheating The Cooker
As mentioned above,
one problem with this method is that it can be hard to bring down
the cooker temperature if it's running much hotter than you want. This happens for several reasons:
- Starting with
too much fuel for the amount of food being cooked
If you're cooking a single slab of ribs, don't fill the
charcoal chamber to the top with red-hot coals.
Solution: Close all three
bottom vents and close the top vent 50% until the temp drops. Next
time, use less fuel.
- Windy
conditions
Wind can blow through the bottom vents into the charcoal bowl and feed the fire.
Solution: Move the cooker to a different location, install a wind break, or close the
two upwind vents and manage the fire using the remaining downwind
vent. See Cooking In The Wind, Rain & Cold for
more information.
- The cooker has
a problem with air infiltration
If you've closed all three bottom vents and still can't get
the temperature to drop, air infiltration is the probable cause.
This usually occurs between the charcoal bowl and the middle cooking
section, or around the access door.
Solution: Read Parts
Troubleshooting for a fix.
- You're peeking
Every time you open the cooker to gaze upon your barbecue
masterpiece, you let in an uncontrolled volume of air that whips
the coals into a frenzy.
Solution: Stop peaking!
If all else fails,
use tongs and heat-resistant gloves to remove some fuel from the
cooker through the access door. If you're feeling lucky, lift the
middle cooking section off the charcoal bowl with the lid, meat, and
water pan intact to access the fuel. This can be dangerous and
messy, especially if you dump the contents of your cooker on the
ground or into the hot coals. Remove the cooking section at
your own risk. Weber warns that you should never move a hot
cooker and you should never operate it unless all parts are in place. Learn
more about temperature troubles by visiting the Temperature
Control Troubleshooting page. Next...the
famous "Minion Method", fire-up variations, applying
smoke wood, and more. |
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