Gary,

I enjoyed the book immensely, I'm looking forward to starting the courses. While I've been using my smoker a few times, and owned other types of smokers in the past, I'm going to accept that "what I know about barbecue is wrong" and start from scratch and follow your methodology to see how it fares.


Two questions came up while reading your book.

First, even though you generally shun the use of thermometers, your book indicates that the KISS system will produce a fire in the 250-275 range. This is a tad higher than the usual temps I've seen for barbecuing....why have you decided on these temps?

Second, the lessons indicate different positions for the top vent. What is accomplished by moving the lid to change the position of the vent? (I don't mean closing the vent, I mean whether the top vent faces at 2:00, 6:00, etc.)

Thanks

quote:

This is a tad higher than the usual temps I've seen for barbecuing....why have you decided on these temps?

R,

Temperatures in the 250-275 range provide a range of textural highlights, i.e. bark, and I'm a fan of crunchy, spicy, caramelized, juicy, fatty, rich, smoky. Temps in the 210-220 range for the full cook often yield even textured somewhat neutral flavored BBQ. Point/counterpoint, yin/yang appeal to me in BBQ as well as life.

quote:

Second, the lessons indicate different positions for the top vent. What is accomplished by moving the lid to change the position of the vent? (I don't mean closing the vent, I mean whether the top vent faces at 2:00, 6:00, etc.)

The instructions in the book call for placing the lid on the cooker with the top vent at 1 ‘o clock to the access door at 6 ‘o clock. On the WSM, this set-up means that the bottom left vent will almost naturally sit at around 7 ‘o clock. This vent “placement” allows for better airflow, top-to-bottom and front-to-back throughout the cooker.

I hesitated to answer this question, as talk of lid vent placement might needlessly confuse or cause anxiety for new barbecue students. This is not a detail worth fussing over too much—as I say repeatedly in the book, don’t think too hard, just do as I say. J

Enjoy,
Gary