Stoking the coals

[Alan24]

Hi everyone
I did a couple of Turkey's on my WSM Xmas day.I used Briquettes, pan dry & foiled but becase it was so cold,windy & raining (gazebo up), had to keep adding more briquettes to keep the temp up to 300f.
The fire seemed to get compressed & some of the coal hadn't caught around the outer edge.It then struck me I wasn't sure of the proper technique of stoking the coals & the best thing to use. Do you take the lot off to expose the coals & get it all going properly or try to do it through the access panel.

[crizmo]

Hi Alan,
If I have to stoke the coals then I just open the front panel and blow into there. I will also sometimes give the WSM a bit of a nudge on one of the legs to knock off any loose ash on the coals. It will go a little cold for 5 mins then come roaring back to full temp.

Cheers

Chris

[aris]

I have a steel poker - just jiggle everything around. I have considered automating something with a solenoid or something.

[crizmo]

Hi Aris,
Do you take the top 2 sections off to poke around? I have a poker but the water pan prevents me from getting to some of the coals on the opposite side of the WSM from where the hatch is.

Cheers

Chris

[aris]

I have a ProQ which I got off Toby. The bottom section with the coals and pan has enough space when you open the little door for me to stick a metal poker through and stoke the coals, and even top up with fresh coal if necessary.