Good morning to all in the group. This is my first post. I am a recent
barbecue fiend, having baught a Char-Griller pro (w/o side firebox) at local
Lowes about a year ago while I was shopping for a washer and dryer. Well
since then I have read a countless of articles on dozens of websites hve
tried all types of voodoo to get decent real barbecue on my Cheapo grill
with some mixed results. I have made some bad batches, some decent, and some
pretty damn good, but I never have gotten my meat exactly the flavor and
texture that I am looking for. It didn't take long for me to come to the
conclusion that my grill was not top of the line by any means (thats what I
get for doing my homwork after I made an impulse purchase) but I was
determined to make it work for me. The results were always fun to eat, but
that perfect rib was a white whale for me. But the mission continues.
Tomorrow I'm driving to a hardaware store in Cincy to purchase a WSM (48
miles from me here in Dayton). I figure if I'm going to be using my smoker
at couple times a week all summer, I might as well purchase a decent one.
I'll still use my Char-Griller as my primary grill, its a great grill. But
I'm in pursuit of some real barbecue here, I need some real equipment. If
anyone has any experience with the WSM and has any tips, let me know.

Garrett M. Rowe wrote:
> Good morning to all in the group. This is my first post. I am a recent
> barbecue fiend, having baught a Char-Griller pro (w/o side firebox) at local
> Lowes about a year ago while I was shopping for a washer and dryer. Well
> since then I have read a countless of articles on dozens of websites hve
> tried all types of voodoo to get decent real barbecue on my Cheapo grill
> with some mixed results. I have made some bad batches, some decent, and some
> pretty damn good, but I never have gotten my meat exactly the flavor and
> texture that I am looking for. It didn't take long for me to come to the
> conclusion that my grill was not top of the line by any means (thats what I
> get for doing my homwork after I made an impulse purchase) but I was
> determined to make it work for me. The results were always fun to eat, but
> that perfect rib was a white whale for me. But the mission continues.
> Tomorrow I'm driving to a hardaware store in Cincy to purchase a WSM (48
> miles from me here in Dayton). I figure if I'm going to be using my smoker
> at couple times a week all summer, I might as well purchase a decent one.
> I'll still use my Char-Griller as my primary grill, its a great grill. But
> I'm in pursuit of some real barbecue here, I need some real equipment. If
> anyone has any experience with the WSM and has any tips, let me know.

Garrett,

Welcome to AFB. First, read the FAQ:

http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq2/toc.html

Second, you'll find a lot of WSM'ers here (myself included). However
the Virtual Weber Bullet http://www.virtualweberbullet.com is THE
definitive site for running your WSM.

My best advice, don't use Kingsford or any of those
petroleum-impregnated briquettes and go with lump charcoal.

Have fun!

--
Aloha,

Nathan Lau
San Jose, CA

#include <std.disclaimer>

All you need to do to make great BBQ is to keep your rig at 220-250° as long
as it takes. Doing that is easier or harder depending on your rig.

Great ribs - easy: remove the membrane (or not), cook at 220-250° until
they tear apart easily (usually 4 - 5 hrs for spares).
Perfect ribs - season, or marinate the way you like and cook as per great
ribs. Depending on your rig and your taste, you may need to mop/glaze at
the end.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Louis Cohen
Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"


"Garrett M. Rowe" > wrote in message
...
> Good morning to all in the group. This is my first post. I am a recent
> barbecue fiend, having baught a Char-Griller pro (w/o side firebox) at
local
> Lowes about a year ago while I was shopping for a washer and dryer. Well
> since then I have read a countless of articles on dozens of websites hve
> tried all types of voodoo to get decent real barbecue on my Cheapo grill
> with some mixed results. I have made some bad batches, some decent, and
some
> pretty damn good, but I never have gotten my meat exactly the flavor and
> texture that I am looking for. It didn't take long for me to come to the
> conclusion that my grill was not top of the line by any means (thats what
I
> get for doing my homwork after I made an impulse purchase) but I was
> determined to make it work for me. The results were always fun to eat, but
> that perfect rib was a white whale for me. But the mission continues.
> Tomorrow I'm driving to a hardaware store in Cincy to purchase a WSM (48
> miles from me here in Dayton). I figure if I'm going to be using my smoker
> at couple times a week all summer, I might as well purchase a decent one.
> I'll still use my Char-Griller as my primary grill, its a great grill. But
> I'm in pursuit of some real barbecue here, I need some real equipment. If
> anyone has any experience with the WSM and has any tips, let me know.
>
>

"Garrett M. Rowe" > wrote

If
> anyone has any experience with the WSM and has any tips, let me know.
>
>

Buy it..thats my tip to you.

--
Fosco Gamgee Whitfurrows
and his 6" boner

On Sun, 09 May 2004 12:33:57 GMT, "Garrett M. Rowe"
> wrote:

>If
>anyone has any experience with the WSM and has any tips, let me know.

Got mine last Summer from Amazon for a birthday present from SWMBO.
Has changed my life.


- -

DL

http://www.geocities.com/dicklong14_ca/fanclub.htm

>> Evidently your buddy Cedeño is a *******.
>>
>
>First of all, Cedeño is not my buddy.

::::::::::::::::

"When you make fun of someone washing his truck, that's sad."
- Jeff Kent

::::::::::::::::

Halter Sucks!

"Garrett M. Rowe" > wrote in message
...
> Good morning to all in the group. This is my first post. I am a recent
> barbecue fiend, having baught a Char-Griller pro (w/o side firebox) at
local
> Lowes about a year ago while I was shopping for a washer and dryer. Well
> since then I have read a countless of articles on dozens of websites hve
> tried all types of voodoo to get decent real barbecue on my Cheapo grill
> with some mixed results. I have made some bad batches, some decent, and
some
> pretty damn good, but I never have gotten my meat exactly the flavor and
> texture that I am looking for. It didn't take long for me to come to the
> conclusion that my grill was not top of the line by any means (thats what
I
> get for doing my homwork after I made an impulse purchase) but I was
> determined to make it work for me. The results were always fun to eat, but
> that perfect rib was a white whale for me. But the mission continues.
> Tomorrow I'm driving to a hardaware store in Cincy to purchase a WSM (48
> miles from me here in Dayton). I figure if I'm going to be using my smoker
> at couple times a week all summer, I might as well purchase a decent one.
> I'll still use my Char-Griller as my primary grill, its a great grill. But
> I'm in pursuit of some real barbecue here, I need some real equipment. If
> anyone has any experience with the WSM and has any tips, let me know.
>


You made a good choice. The WSM makes good Q, is a high-quality product,
has Weber's great customer support, and is real easy to run. You'll find a
lot of good info at the Virtual Weber Bullet website.

You'll want to add a lid thermometer, and I've wired my charcoal grate and
fire ring together to make it easier to shake the ash off and reuse coals.
You may want to look into upgrading to a Brinkmann charcoal pan in place of
the stock Weber water pan (higher water capacity), and many users (myself
included) swear that using sand in place of water in the pan is the only way
to go. I'd suggest you start out with Kingsford and master the Minion
Method before moving on to lump (if you so desire). Temp control is easier
and more repeatable with Kingsford than with lump, so it'll be easier for
you when you're on the learning curve. Some report that new WSMs run
slightly hotter the first run. I did not experience this, but I sprayed the
inside of the cooker with vegetable spray (a Brinkmann recommendation)
before my first cook.

If you want to try long, low, and slow, pick up a couple of pork shoulders
at your local warehouse store and try the "Mr. Brown" recipe in Smoke and
Spice or the mustard-slathered recipe that's currently on the Virtual Weber
site. With the Minion Method, I have done close to 18 hour cooks with
Kingsford (and lump) with very little vent adjustments. Alternatively, try
some of the rib recipes and 4-6 hour cooks. You'll also need some wood
chunks. If there are cherry, apple, or other fruit trees in your area, try
to snag some free trimmings. If not, you can buy bags of chunks at your
local BBQ store, and Home Depot carries hickory and mesquite chunks. You
don't smoke the entire cook- usually 1-3 hours depending upon what you're
cooking.

Good luck, and enjoy your cooker.

CSS wrote:
> "Garrett M. Rowe" > wrote in message
> ...
> You made a good choice. The WSM makes good Q, is a high-quality
> product, has Weber's great customer support, and is real easy to run.
> You'll find a lot of good info at the Virtual Weber Bullet website.
>
>
> Good luck, and enjoy your cooker.

Or, you could get yourself a real BBQ grill with a firebox on the side if
you ever want to feed more than 3 adults at once. Those WSM's are real
miserly with real estate.

Dale
Grinnin' ducking and running



--

On Sun, 9 May 2004 19:45:14 -0700, "Duwop" > wrote:

<snip>
>Those WSM's are real
>miserly with real estate.

Oh, I don't know about that. I can easily smoke 50+ pounds of pork
butt on one WSM. Two 15 pound briskets fit on one WSM, and if you are
willing to move them around a bit it's not all that hard to do 10-12
racks of ribs.

With two WSMs I can feed pork butt to over 100 people.

Regards

Smoking in Chicago,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:
> On Sun, 9 May 2004 19:45:14 -0700, "Duwop" > wrote:
>
> <snip>
>> Those WSM's are real
>> miserly with real estate.
>
> Oh, I don't know about that. I can easily smoke 50+ pounds of pork
> butt on one WSM. Two 15 pound briskets fit on one WSM, and if you are
> willing to move them around a bit it's not all that hard to do 10-12
> racks of ribs.
>
> With two WSMs I can feed pork butt to over 100 people.
>
> Regards
>
> Smoking in Chicago,
> Gary

Damn! That's pretty incredible, ingenious too. I'm tryin to imagine how much
you'd be able to do on something sized right.


--

Garrett M. Rowe wrote:

> Good morning to all in the group. This is my first post. I am a recent
> barbecue fiend, having baught a Char-Griller pro (w/o side firebox) at local
> Lowes about a year ago while I was shopping for a washer and dryer. Well
> since then I have read a countless of articles on dozens of websites hve
> tried all types of voodoo to get decent real barbecue on my Cheapo grill
> with some mixed results. I have made some bad batches, some decent, and some
> pretty damn good, but I never have gotten my meat exactly the flavor and
> texture that I am looking for. It didn't take long for me to come to the
> conclusion that my grill was not top of the line by any means (thats what I
> get for doing my homwork after I made an impulse purchase) but I was
> determined to make it work for me. The results were always fun to eat, but
> that perfect rib was a white whale for me. But the mission continues.
> Tomorrow I'm driving to a hardaware store in Cincy to purchase a WSM (48
> miles from me here in Dayton). I figure if I'm going to be using my smoker
> at couple times a week all summer, I might as well purchase a decent one.
> I'll still use my Char-Griller as my primary grill, its a great grill. But
> I'm in pursuit of some real barbecue here, I need some real equipment. If
> anyone has any experience with the WSM and has any tips, let me know.
>
>

First-time poster here also (long-time lurker though).

About a year ago I bought the Char-Griller Pro also and had some mixed
experiences, just like you. It is actually a pretty good *grill*.
Cast-iron grates, adjustable-height, etc.

A few months ago I bought the off-set firebox and that made a huge
difference in my Q-ing efforts. After the first couple of "experiments"
I pretty much got the hang of it and have turned out some pretty good
stuff -- pork spare ribs, salmon, sausages, a couple of pork butts.

I suggest you don't give up on the Char-Griller yet. Invest in a firebox
and learn how to use it.

C.

Caiman > wrote:
> [ . . . ]learn how to use it.
>
'nuff said!

--
Intuitive insights from Nick, Retired in the San Fernando Valley
"Giving violent criminals a government guarantee that their intended
victims are defenseless is bad public policy."
- John Ross, "Unintended Consequences"
If you can read this, thank a teacher.
If you can read it in English, THANK A VETERAN!