I honestly don't use that many chunks. If I use a whole 16 lb bag of Stubbs charcoal, I probably use 1 lb or less of wood-usually hickory or apple. What do you think is a good ratio of charcoal to wood?
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That ratio is about right. Have you tried looking over at virtualweberbullet.com for an answer? To me it sounds like you may not be starting the charcoal correctly or the water pan is effecting something. But I don't have a WSM, so I am not certain.
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I've been starting it the same way the past couple of times the way I always have. I've lighted the chimney and poured on top of the charcoal the same way I always have. I'm thinking the lower temps were mostly due to the charcoal not taking a good fire early on, but the 300+ temps are what really puzzled me. Generally before yesterday's smoke, I've generally never gone over 255.
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I’ve heard I should modify my smoker. Is there a down side to smoker modifications? - This is very much a buyer beware operation.
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Did you have the lid off for an extended period of time. I smoked some ribs last weekend on my 18.5" and was rock steady at 250*, but it started to shoot up after I had the lid off for 5 minutes or so. I had to shut the bottom vents to get a handle on it.
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I thinks it's good practice to shut the intake vents a good couple of minutes before removing the lid to compensate for the spike in temp.
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75% of smokers could use modifications. The rest are perfect the way they are.
I guess it depends on what you have, doesn't it, Thermal?
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What he said.

My ECB has been modded, as has my NBBD. I'll probbaly mod the vertical gas sausage smoker once I get around to using it a time or two.


The Lang works pretty good as she came, but I have thought about dropping the money on a Guru once or twice.
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Thanks bud, only mod want is the guru for my egg, but i think it would take some of the fun out of it, what do you guys think?
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Yeah, kinda does take the fun out of it. I'd like to have a Guru for my WSM, but I still enjoy controlling the temps manually. If time were an issue and I no longer enjoyed it, I'd get a controller in a heartbeat. Until then, I'll be tinkering with the vents.
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I have a Stoker for my Spicewine as it is nice at competitions. I like being able to get some sleep and not having to worry. I have the adapter for my BGE and have used it a couple of times. The BGE is so easy I don't even bother hooking it up any more.

On a more exciting subject... I am doing two briskets tonight. Well actually one packer and two halves of a flat from the last cow I killed that my butcher messed up. What I am really excited about though is a huge rack of beef ribs from that cow that I am going to put on tomorrow. They are about 12 inches wide and almost three inches thick at the thick end. I can't wait to chow on them!!!!
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No smoking for me this weekend. I'm building a UDS.
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It helps to greatly reduce or even eliminate a variable that can lead to inconsistency in the cooking process from one run to the next.

The fun, at least to me, is in consistently / repeatably creating good food, not jockeying briquettes. If the cooker can do that without a controller, that's great, but if not, then there is always that option.
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Alright folks... I am don't post many pics 'cause I am lazy and I suck at taking pics. The beef ribs I cooked today are so amazing though I had to bite the bullet and break out the camera.


These are from a cow I killed a couple of months ago. I told the butcher I wanted some meaty ribs. I think he took me at my word!!!:-)
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The Bradley Smoker lays eerily silent this weekend. Nice dino bones, B-man.
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Darn, those make me want to be the hey-I-just-happened-to-stop-by next door neighbor to you...like mine. Smoked some more bacon explosion and bacon bursts today and took them to my favorite bar to make some people very happy. Man, those things are addictive.
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A pic from Brent?!?! Looks amazing sir!
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Looks like I'm firing up 9 racks of baby backs on Tuesday. :-)
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I often wonder who EATS all that stuff.
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Nice George! Just be sure to keep the flames low so the po-po and fire department don't show up. :-)
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