Thanks T-Roy for another informative video. Just ordered my 22" WSM and all the mods you demonstrated here. Will use lava lock on the lid too. I'll do my first brisket once i get it all together.
T-Roy, love your channel, particularly your cooks on the WSM. Clicked your Amazon link and ordered my WSM 22.5 today. Keep up the good work and Cheers!
Thank You Thank You Thank You for making this video and sharing your mods with us Troy!! I truly appreciate it. I'm new to smoking and Im looking at the 22" WSM, so this video was a huge help to make it a better product. I'd seen that they carry the SS door with the handle attached already so hopefully that one will work the same way. You did a great job on this video, very informative, clear, concise, to the point and you're an all round nice guy. Thanks for the links for the mods too!! I'm hoping this smoker will work well in the cool weather months up here in Chicago. Thank you again Troy!
I have my chicken on the WSM after using your Labor Day 2013 tutorial and wanted to see your mods. This was a 22 minutes well spent, especially on the River Country Thermometer and how you can synchronize it with my Maverick 733. As you said, that frees up another probe for meat. Cool backyard too! Thats all a man needs, a WSM, pool float and an adult beverage.
I've got the door. just waiting to get the drill bit from my dad to get my RC installed. Easy mods, and well worth making them too. Keep up the tips and cooking!!! Thanks!!!!
Thanks Jason, I love all the accessories that are available for all of the Weber cookers/smokers. Plus, they last forever! Thanks for watching brother!
Thanks very much Lester! The SS door actually retains heat a lot better than the aluminum door and the coal grate idea does allow you to use more of your fuel more efficiently. The thermometer has been on my WSM for over 3 years and I have never had any problems with the River Country. Send me a picture of your WSM after you have it modded up!!! Cheers brother!
Nice video Troy! I love mod's! I especially liked the waterfall for the pool. Like you and Karen, I like to seek out waterfalls on vacation too! Have a great week Troy!
Hey there Robin, so great to see you stopping by and commenting! Glad you enjoyed a small tour of my backyard. We love hanging out there and cooking. It's very peaceful and relaxing. When are you going sailing again? I miss those videos! Wishing you a blessed week Robin!!! Much love to you and the family!
Hey Mike, thanks very much!! Congrats on the new WSM!! It will be a lot easier to maintain temps and it will run cooler after you have about 6 cooks on it. Also, the food tastes better with each cook! Gotta love those WSMs!!!! Cheers brother!
Thanks Sandra, we love those wind chimes also. Since they are tuned chimes, they sound a lot better than regular chimes. Glad you got to see some of my backyard Oasis. We really do enjoy hanging out back and cooking in our yard. Good times!!! I appreciate you watching Sandra! Have a wonderful week!
Great vid! I'm new to the WSM. Bought the 18" back in May and have gotten some great smokes off of it so far. Thanks for sharing how you've modded yours.
Hey Greg, congrats on the new WSM!!! I love the flavor of the meat that comes off of the WSM. And it tastes even better with each cook! Keep that smoke rollin' bro!!! Thanks for watching!
Hello and thanks for the great videos. I did install a 3' after market temperature gage. Bought the step drill at Harbor Freight at half the price of the big orange store. Purchased the Fireblack seal at Amazon. Used Permatex Ultra Copper sealant around the top of the smoker, installed the Fireblack seal and it works great. Almost "0" smoke loss. Worked perfect around the door also. Mounted the smoker to a small stainless cart with wheels and budda bing budda boom I am set to go. Thanks again!
Thanks Brad, you are going to love that River Country thermometer. I've had mine for almost 4 years and never had any problems with it. Happy smoking brother!!!
Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed the video. We really love our backyard and I just thought I'd share a bit of it with everyone. Have a wonderful weekend John!
very informative. We do that cris cross grate pattern on our offset pit in the fire box plus a charcoal basket. Added hours to our burn time between fuel loads.
Hey Brad, maybe I should do that on my Wichita too! I know it does extend the cooking time for a load of fuel on the WSM. I appreciate you watching brother! Cheers, Troy
Great video, man! Thanks for taking the time to explain it. I don't have a wsm, but the fella's on the WKC site, love them. I really like how you tuned in that thermo to your grate level. That's a slick trick. Take care, brother!
I bought my WSM a few weeks ago, based on some of your vids..and my my mods will be totally based on this vid!! Troy, glad to know ya, and keep 'em comin'!!
Hi Tim, congratulations on the new WSM!!! I hope you're already enjoying it? These basic mods will help your fuel efficiency. The SS door actually retains heat a lot better than the original door. I appreciate you watching. Keep that smoke rollin' brother!!! Cheers, Troy
Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed the video. I thought I'd show folks a bit more of my backyard oasis. We love hanging out back there and cooking. It's very peaceful and relaxing. Happy cooking brother! Y'all keep up the great videos!!! Cheers, Troy
Hey Larry, that SS door looks really good in sunlight! You and Birdie come on down and let's have a pool party brother!!! You know I'll feed you good! Wishing you a fantastic week brother! Cheers, Troy
Just had my first smoke on my new WSM. Two slabs of baby backs and a whole bunch of party wings. Finished the wings off on the grill to crisp 'em up a little. Everyone said it was the best they'd ever had! (I'm on ohio, so not too much BBQ competition) Thanks for all the tips brother!!!
I appreciate that very much. I do enjoy teaching, but that means longer videos which usually don't do very well. I tend to sneak a few in now and then though because I know a lot of my fans love those detailed videos. So, thank you very much for the support!!! Cheers, Troy
I appreciate your patience, I've been entertaining family which put me a little behind. Glad you enjoyed the video. I sure do appreciate your support! Have a great week!
You tha Man Troy! I keep some of those long paint stirrers they give out free at the hardware store around the WSM to set the middle section and top on. Cheers Buddy
Hey Troy, thanks for reply. I also use a weber chimney starter with the weber starter blocks. I also have a Brinkman water smoker that a guy give me and have made real good food on it. Mainly I use my Traeger and weber kettle. Made a turkey the other day on kettle with rotisserie and was great. The WMS looks really good as you an control temperature. If I buy one in the future I will go to the link you put on the video. Thanks again and you have a great weekend. Bill S. Again, that was a real quality video!.
Hi Bill, I appreciate the kind words and thank you so much for watching. Glad you enjoyed the video!!!! The WSM is a great little smoker and very easy to use. Those Traegers are pretty nice too!
T-Roy, high five from California. Thank you for creating and showing us how it's done. You should be really proud, educating and inspiring thousands through the sharing of your personal experiences.
Thanks T-Roy, the Maverick seems like a decent option. After I purchased my thermapen mk4, I've been impressed by the thermoworks products. They have a gadget that does two separate readings, but it is pricey and does not have a cordless monitor. I'll probably go with the Maverick. Happy Smokin right back at you! One note on the Unibit for anyone trying the mod. Always get a bit slightly bigger than the hole you need to drill just to give you a little more room. I installed the 3.5" River Country and bought a bit that topped out at the suggested hole size I needed to drill. That hole wasn't big enough so I had to get my dremel out to grind it bigger.
Yep, the Thermoworks stuff is pricey, but well worth it. I have a nice selection of thermapens! LOL Great tip on the unibit. I appreciate you sharing your experience with using it. Thanks again Kevin!
Awesome vid Troy, hope you and Karen are doing well. Troy your looking good so I guess your now with a clean bill of health..congratulations my brother..Iam trying to get back into it..just been through a tough time...Love all my bbq people..Its whats keeps us going..
great video I can't wait till I get my new place and can start getting me some good grills and smokers. then test out your great looking recipes love the videos and keep up the great work. also great to see your health is doing better
Hey Michael, thanks very much brother! I hope you get that new place and some grills real soon!!! As always, I truly appreciate the support brother! Wishing you a wonderful week!!! Cheers, Troy
Troy, Cajun Bandit SS door - check. River Country thermometer - check (the unibit worked nicely). Extra charcoal grate - check. Due to where I keep it at the house I also installed casters so I can move it around much easier. Many thanks for the mod ideas and for all the good videos, they are much appreciated.
@@horacejones5647 , they were pretty easy. The casters come with a threaded rod on top, so I just drilled a hole in the legs for those and used nut and washer to hold it in place. Makes it a lot easier to move around for sure.
T-Roy, while I don't have a smokey mountain smoker I still really appreciate the time you take to make bbq videos. Everything is so informative and easy to understand. Thanks from California. If you ever need a little vacation to CA I'll give you a room to stay for some live bbq instruction. Thanks again!
Great tips, Troy. I especially like the idea of calibrating the therm to match the grate instead of the dome. Very smart. I love your backyard. I'm a big fan of your chimes. It always sounds very relaxing in your videos. Does the waterfall keep your pool any cooler? Our's is like a bathtub this time of year.
Thanks much, glad you enjoyed the video. Yes, the pool fountain does keep the water in the pool a lot cooler. I have it running 24hrs this time of the year. My pool temp stays around 85F in this 100 degree Texas heat. Without the pool fountain, it would get up to 90+ degrees. I appreciate you watching and am glad you enjoy seeing my backyard. I sure do enjoy chillin' out and cooking up some great food back there. Have a great week brother!
Brother, I hear you. Our pool is 92 degrees as I type this. It's better than hanging out in 102 degree weather without a pool but feels a little like going into a bowl of hot soup when you first get in. Good to know there are options. Do you have a cleaner on your pool? Any problems with the cord tangling?
Good tips on tweaks there Troy! Gotta get that Rivercontry 5" temp.. Looks sturdy.. and the probe tip was right down my alley coz i have an 18"wsm.. :-) Nice to see more of your garden.. Cheers brother!
What's happening Kjetil? I've had that RC thermometer for at least 3 yrs now and not a lick a trouble from it. It is a great thermometer! I find as I get older, I need larger numbers on my thermometers. LOL Have a wonderful week my brother!!! Cheers, Troy
Nice tips there Troy. The WSM is great out of the box, but with a few easy and in expensive add ons it gets even better. Digging that thermometer! I us the double charcoal grates on the WSM and also on my kettles, works darn good. Have you noticed a big difference with the new door? Very cool 'fountain' in the pool too.
Thanks Joe, the SS door retains heat better, so it helps the WSM run more efficiently. We love our backyard. You and Peg should come check it out sometime! I wish you had more time to do videos brother. I sure do enjoy watching you on camera! All my best to you and Peg. Cheers brother!
Hey Troy, Thanks for the tips. I recently got the 22.5 WSM and made 6 mods. I just got the SS door installed and like it along with addi char grate. Also, I am really pleased with the lid hinge. It is worth the money IMO It is my #1 mod. Casters and side handles #2 & #3. About the thermometer. The one on the unit is only about 5-7 deg off of my thermoworks probe sitting at grate level. I'm good with that, only if it continues to perform that good. I can see chg for larger numbers. lol
Hey Phil, glad you have your WSM looking really nice. And as long as you know how far off your lid thermometer is, you'll be fine. I got the 5 inch thermometer so I could read the dial while I was swimming in my pool. LOL Have fun with that WSM!!!! Cheers, Troy
Good info brother. I know you've seen the Love Shack BBQ WSM mods I did. I really like my lid hinge and my locking casters on the legs. Also I did the high temp seals on the door and lid edge. The one thing I couldn't find was the Cajun Bandit door on Amazon. Anyway, have a great day. Cheers!
I would like to get the high temp gasket material also. Yes indeed, you have some nice mods to your WSM also! I love that SS door, but had to buy it directly from CajunBandit.com. Wishing you a fabulous Summer brother!!! Cheers, Troy
Another great video! New the the WSM game this hear and I enjoy the heck out of your detailed videos. First mod I made was a lid hinge that I picked up from the fine folks at Unknown BBQ. Don't know if you have seen their hinges but if you haven't, check em out. Quality product made in the USA. Smoke on!
Thanks for the support Frankie, I enjoy making the longer detailed videos. I have heard of those hinges, but never used them. I am thinking about getting some. I appreciate you watching and hope you have a wonderful weekend! Happy smokin' brother!
Nice mods T-Roy. I know I want to do the grill mod and the thermometer mod soon. A mod I`ve done to my WSM 18.5" is to put castors on each of the 3 legs for easy portability around my concrete patio. Obviously you don't want to move the smoker while your smoking and you don't want to push it around from the highest point of the smoker because it may fall over. Just need to push it from somewhere near the middle.Keep up the great video`s brother. Love em.
Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed the video. I've seen quite a few people who've put wheels on their WSM, but that would not work for me. Happy smoking brother!!!
Some behind the scenes footage! I might, some day, try out that stainless steel door but as of now the aluminium is holding up just fine ;). You really have a phenomonal yard and a great pool as well, and a nice grill collection going on. I hope to get there some day! Cheers Troy!
Thanks Paul, we do love being out in our backyard cooking, eating, drinking, swimming, and enjoying nature. Not sure you could see it in the video, but we have a small forest behind our house with all sorts of varmits and deer.
Regarding the River Country gauge, Clockwise (right turn) on the screw lowers the temp. reading and counter Clockwise (left turn) increases the temp. reading. I tooled with it for 10 minutes to get it to match my grill thermometer. A slight turn moves it 4-5 degrees. A little goes a long way. Cheers!
I bought the RC-T4 Thermometer and put it on my wsm 18 and it is awesome and accurate. I calibrated mine using the boiling water method and as I set my Digi-q to 300 on my temp for the top grate the thermometer was just as close to 300. I may now try your method to calibrate to the top grate using my maverick next time.
Thank you very much Wayne. The SS door actually retains heat better than the original aluminum door, so it not only looks good, it is functional. We love our backyard also and spend most of the Summer months out back. Again, thanks for watching brother!!! Cheers!
T-ROY COOKS we love hanging in our back garden also, we haven't got a pool over here in the uk but I've a BBQ shack, check out a few pics on our Instagram ... Wicker2016 Love all your videos on RU-vid...👍 Regards wayne
T-ROY COOKS cheers.... Going to start doing some of my own vids on RU-vid, maybe next year, as I need to purchase a wsm first.. Oh love the wind chimes, need to get me some of those.. Wayne
Hey Mathias, you are going to love the WSM!!! Just remember that it will take 5-6 cooks to get it broke in good. After that, it's smooth sailing with fabulous tasting meat!!! Enjoy my friend!!
Hey Troy! Great informative Vid……. the kind of Vid I enjoy. I love the Cajun bandit stuff……. almost bought a WSM, just so I could Mod it out with the CB stainless gear. Stainless Rocks!!…… It gets hot and holds heat….. unlike the aluminum. Didn't You want the stainless charcoal ring?……. I thought that was a good Mod also. That was a great tip on how to calibrate the thermometer. I know You aren't concerned about the slit above the hole…… but a piece of aluminum furnace tape will take care of that. Someday I would like to see a bullet water smoker made from all Stainless! You could set it on concrete, asphalt, gravel. It won't chip……. It would outlive all of us! :-)
Dude, I hadn't thought of using aluminum furnace tape! I am sure this video will do well and you leaving a comment with all of this great info will help many people that read the comments, so thank you very much brother! I will get the other SS stuff from Cajun Bandit when my original parts wear out. LOL I really appreciate your support and wish you many years of great cooking and smoking!!! Cheers, Troy
Nice mods Troy. One more I did was a stainless tray that sets on top of water bowl. It's way easier to foil and keep clean then trying to foil the damn bowl.
Awe man, I haven't seen one of those yet? I bet that is a nice mod!!! I'll have to find me one. Thanks for the info and thanks for watching! Happy smoking!!!
+T-ROY COOKS love your yard... miss mine . I live in penthouse now ..with large terrace. but always short on space. this weekend doing BBQ got some neck pork steaks. any ideas ?? off to Spain next week watch out for the video ?? ole !!!
Spain, huh? Well, I wish you a safe and happy trip!!! I've never heard of neck pork steaks, but a steak is a steak, so I'd just grill it up! LOL Maybe make a glaze with cola, brown sugar, and pineapple juice? Yum!!!
Great videos Troy! Just a quick question regarding the thermometer mod. When you remove the stock thermometer there is still a small hole above the one which you have drilled into...Is this covered by the thermometer as I am concerned it will leak smoke? Or do you need to close it off with a separate bolt/screw/washer? Thanks
Hey T-Roy--think I may do the grate. My WSM is excellent--have done chicken, sausage, ribs, and a brisket. Lol, I overcooked the brisket--was too tender to slice, so I shredded it up for tacos (which is how most do it here in El Paso). The good news is I didn't burn down the neighborhood. Thanks again for the fantastic videos :)
My mouth is watering thinking about shredded up brisket! I bet that was good on tacos! Glad you didn't burn down the neighborhood. I bet you drive your neighbors nuts when you fire up the WSM!! LOL I just hose the WSM out with water to clean it. I do use a grill brush to clean the grates, but the inside of the WSM is just hosed out. You don't want to scrape away that carbon built up on the inside. It helps act like insulation. Happy smoking Anita!!!
Question on the chimes. How big are the ones you have. And if I go straight to Amazon is that going to mess up your affiliate link with Grace Chimes? And got here because I am watching everything I can on WSM. Five minutes into the first video I found I "liked" and subscribed. I too am in Central Texas.
Great video and everything was easily detailed. Got your app on the IPad now. Don't have a WSM YET. Got weber kettle and Traeger pellet grill for now. What method do light charcoal on the WSM?. Thanks, Bill S.
Hi Bill, thanks for downloading the app!!! Hope you enjoy it. I use a charcoal chimney and either paper or fire starter blocks to light the charcoal. And for my WSM, I usually just light half of a chimney and use the Minion method to arrange the charcoal. I appreciate you watching and thanks for the question Bill. Hope you have a great weekend!!!
Great video! Your backyard is beautiful, definitely looks like a great place to relax. Would you say the WSM is the best pit for a beginner on a budget?
TRoy- you should have dubbed this video "T-ROY MODIFIES". Thanks not only for the tips, but the time that you take to fully explain how to do it. Nice man!
Toss some bags of ice into the pool, and you should be good. Charge the neighborhood for the cool soak, provide umbrella iced drinks, and some good food. You will be a millionaire quick time!
Hey Bob, thank you very much. I tried to explain it as best I could to avoid future questions about how to do the mods. LOL Oh, I think you're talking about the Japanese Maple tree. The leaves are pushing into the chimes and I need to trim the tree back a bit. I appreciate you watching!
Hey Troy.. Love your videos man. I would love to see you make a comparison video between the WSM and The Pro Q Frontier Elite. I'm Stuck between the two and would like to see your views.
Ha ha, the deep end of you pool still scares me. That's were my drone took a dive :-( I love that thermometer mode, I need to add that to my 22.5" Weber Kettle. Great video Troy!
Yeah, I need a sign at that end of my pool that states "No Drones Allowed within 20 feet" LOL. I'm still sorry that happened Tom. Thanks for checking out the video bro. We need to get together again soon. You mentioned something at JB's that intrigued me, so let's talk!!!
Pablo Nathaniel I'm not taking a vacation. I'm helping my son move. Glad to have you on board!! I appreciate the support and I know you are going to love that WSM. Keep that smoke rolling brother!!!
Cajun Bandit has a "Lift and Turn Latch" for the stainless steel door, this latch is a must buy because it is made entirely of metal and is very strong and adjustable ( works great if you have installed the insulation tape around the door opening because you can adjust the grip of the latch) I highly recommend spending the extra money for the latch because it is built like a tank.. No more plastic! Thanks for the videos T-Roy.
Hey Kenny, I did notice that latch when I pulled up their site recently. I will be getting that in the near future. Metal is much better than plastic! Thanks for the input brother! Cheers, Troy
This video was very helpful. Thank you for all of your great videos. I am trying tp decide which cajun bandit door to order for my wsm. In your opinion is it worth getting the door with the upgraded latch or is it just as good reusing the stock handle? Thanks again for all the info you provide.
Hey Heath, the stock latch will only last a couple years. I've had to replace mine, so next time I replace it, I will go with the upgraded latch. The SS door is really heavy and it will wear out the stock latch much sooner than you'd think. So, go with the upgraded latch! Thanks for the question!
I’m trading in my Oklahoma Joes highland for one of these. The highland was a good practice smoker but it’s really too much for what I need and the WSM is the perfect size for my needs.
T-roy. Thanks for the great videos. I did exactly what you did on my river country and dialed in with my grate temp but they do not always match. Since heat rises wont it always run hotter in the dome? Yes when you dial in the temp right then they match but the grate temp wont move much but the dome will get hotter. Am I missing something?
Another great video! I've added the better door to my 18" model already, planning on upgrading my thermometer next. As I was watching I was thinking man that probe is too long for the 18, so I'm glad you covered that part. I'll look for a shorter probe. Also, do you think the 5"dial is too big for the 18" lid? I like the idea of seeing it from a distance, but maybe a 3 or 4" would look better on mine...thoughts? Thanks for the video!
Hi Matthew, when you get old like me, you appreciate having that larger thermometer dial. LOL I'm with you though, the 4 inch is probably as large as I would go on the 18.5 inch WSM. Measure out 5 inches on your dome lid and see how it looks? That'll give you an idea if it's too large or not. Thanks for watching and Happy Smokin' brother!!!
Great videos I've mentioned to you before I'm purchasing a 22.5" WSM like yours but I've seen other mods where they add gaskets to the new stainless door, the top of the body where the lid rests, and top of the bottom section where the body rests. What are your thoughts on adding gaskets like lavalock to the WSM?
Hey there, a gasket for the stainless door would be helpful, but I really don't see a need for gasket material where the sections of the WSM are joined together. I know my WSM does not leak in those areas. I do get a little leakage on the door, but not enough for me to worry about installing a gasket on mine.
