You now proudly own a Weber Smokey Mountain grill. Nothing remains to be unpacked. Maybe not however.
Meats like rib, butt, and brisket may be produced with ease with little experience.
We’ve compiled 8 suggestions from professional smokers to assist you get started with your new smoker as quickly as possible and get the best results possible.
We cover everything you need to know about the Weber Smokey Mountain, from what to do before you start cooking to how to fire it for the first time to some expert tips on how to cope with the grill’s oddities.
1. Conduct a dry run with your new smoker.
It won’t take long to uncover internet publications that say you shouldn’t bother with dry runs. But there are a few reasons why we believe this is a solid plan, so let’s examine them.
There are a few advantages to seasoning your smoker:
This makes it much simpler to maintain a constant temperature in the grill since it creates a tighter seal around the lid.
The fact that it solves a widespread issue faced by novice smokers is icing on the cake. Shiny new units may appear great at first glance, but in actuality, they generate excessive heat inside owing to the sun’s rays being reflected off of their smooth surfaces.
The lack of reflectivity is due to a coating of grease and soot. Cleaning the unit’s inside of its factory sheen will make maintaining stable temps much simpler.
2. What should you smoke the very first time you fire up your Weber Smokey Mountain grill?
You’ve finally mastered your brand-new smoker after spending some time seasoning it and learning how to regulate the heat. To the kitchen!
However, it does not answer the question.
Chicken is an effective choice if you need quick results. In less than two hours, you’ll be able to enjoy the results of your efforts.
Learn how to produce crispy barbecue chicken skin with our Smoked Spatchcock Chicken recipe, which calls for high heat and a short cooking time.
I use this method to smoke a lot of birds and rely on my Smoke thermometer every time.
You should try your hand at cooking hog butt if you have a lot of patience and are sure you can manage the high heat of your new cooker.
Assuming you have 8-12 hours to spare, this is a great way to get into the slow and low lifestyle.
Fattier than brisket or ribs, it’s also more forgiving of temperature swings when cooking.
3. Prepare everything you need to smoke before turning on your smoker.
To ensure a successful first cook with your smoker, there is some additional work to be done before lighting it up.
The cleanliness of your unit is priority number one. This isn’t a problem unless it’s your first time cooking after a long seasoning break. This is your responsibility if you have acquired a used grill.
Keeping your home clean doesn’t have to be a chore:
- Dump the ashes outside
- Clean out the water dispenser
- Remove any dust or debris from the top and cooking surface using a brush.
- Scrub the stove top grate. The majority of the time, all that is required is a grill brush to remove the debris. It’s possible that a good soak in some warm soapy water is in order if they’re very grimy.
You need to have your meat ready before you even think about starting up the grill. If this is your first time using the appliance, you will likely spend a lot of time fiddling with the controls as you learn what settings work best for your dish.
The rub may be applied just before firing up the grill, or, if you’re very prepared, the night before.
Making sure you have everything you need for the cook is the last step before you light the fire. At the very least, you’ll need some meat, a rub (if you haven’t already made one), some smoking wood, and some charcoal.
As an added precaution, double-check that you have your chimney, starter, and desired thermometers on hand.
Make sure a fire extinguisher is close by as well. The unexpected happening during your first cooking experience isn’t something you’d expect, but weirder things have occurred.
4. The Minion Method for Lighting a Weber Smokey Mountain Grill
The conventional way of lighting the Smokey Mountain is not optimal for slow cooking (four hours or more).
According to Weber’s directions, charcoal should be replenished every four hours.
While there are several techniques for lighting a grill, the Minion method is a tried-and-true means of preparing a charcoal smoker for a slow, low cook.
You won’t have to add fuel midway through the cooking process, and the oven won’t become as hot as you may otherwise have to. Considering this, the Minion approach is a solid choice for novices.
5. Use aluminum foil to line the water pan for easier cleanup.
It’s a good idea to use aluminum foil to line your water pan for added convenience. Because of this, cleaning up after a cook will be less of a hassle, even if the water pan was not full.
It’s as simple as wrapping your pan and smoking it like you normally would. When you’re done cooking and everything has cooled down, you can just crumple it up and toss it in the garbage.
Moisture will be trapped between the foil and the pan if you want to line it with foil. The water tray will get stained as a result of this, and it will be impossible to remove the stain.
Though it’s not exactly pretty, this isn’t anything that has to be cleaned up. Because of this, you’ll have to consider how much the discoloration in your water pan concerns you.
6. Adjusting to climate change
Even though the Weber Smokey Mountain has a reputation for being a sturdy and dependable grill, there are a few peculiarities to be aware of while setting the temperature. The good news is that they are surmountable.
Weber Smokey Mountain has a door that doesn’t close very securely and seems a little flimsy.
In this case, there aren’t many options for fixing the problem.
- If the drafty door is making it difficult to regulate the temperature, you may try fiddling with the upper vent as well.
- Use gaskets of the highest quality and food-safe adhesives to ensure that the door is completely sealed. Check to verify that your materials won’t melt at high temperatures.
- Substitute a new, stronger door that fits properly.
As oil and carbon build up and seal your cooker, the temperature inside will remain more stable over time.
On a hot day, your stovetop will naturally run hotter. On the other hand, when temperatures are lower, it will operate at a lower temperature.
The following steps may help if you are still having trouble maintaining stable temperatures:
- Verify that air is not being blocked from entering the vents by nearby objects. As a result of the more oxygen, the fire will burn with greater intensity.
- Don’t imagine that when the lid is off the cooker the temperature will decrease. Adding fuel to the fire in this way will only cause it to burn hotter and quicker.
- As a last bit of advise, don’t panic when the temperature suddenly rises. This is something that will develop as the cooking progresses gradually.
7. Cook to temperature, not time.
For reference purposes only, charts like this one may be helpful, but they should not be used exclusively.
Spending the money on a high-quality thermometer will allow you to accurately gauge the oven’s temperature as well as the internal temperature of the meat.
The Weber Smokey Mountain’s built-in thermometer, as we’ve already established, reads the temperature in the dome rather than at the cooking grate.
The amount by which the dome’s temperature differs from that of the cooking grate may be affected by things like the weather and whether or not your Weber Smokey Mountain is placed in direct sunlight.
The probe of a thermometer should be approximately an inch from the meat and should not contact the grate to provide an accurate reading. Know that the meat on the bottom grate will be a few degrees colder than the meat on the top grate.
Keep the meat temperature probe away from the bone while taking its temperature. You may run wires and cables through the opening at the top.
8. Don’t go wood crazy
A few words of advice from Meathead Goldwyn:
There’s always a chance of oversmoking, so stop adding wood until you learn how your machine works.
Don’t succumb to the “more is more” approach; using too much wood can produce an unpleasant, too smoky flavor. A reasonable quantity of wood for a whole cookout is around two to six fist-sized bits.
In conclusion
Now that you know all there is to know about using your Weber Smokey Mountain grill, go out and give it a try! You should be able to apply these suggestions to have a successful first attempt at cooking.
The Weber Smokey Mountain is a favorite among pitmasters. To make even your first few attempts at cooking a success, it helps to know a few insider methods from the pros.
