Just purchased the Original Smoker. Just wondering.. Anyone have any tips on getting it set up and running and anything I should be doing when I get it, to prevent any problems? (Can't you tell, i'm very pro-active!)
Thanks
welcome aboard,
when it finally arrives, unpack it out of the box, check for any major damage, wash all the trays, v tray and interior,,, you do not have to scrub it ,,, just wipe it to get off al the manufacturing oils off.
assemble the unit,, place the smoke generator onto the tower, Seat all the cables tightly ( there can be problems here... sometimes the cords do not seat properly and have to be removed and re-seated )
season the unit for 2 hours as per instructions.
at all times keep the top vent open,, wide open this will help remove any moisture that accumulates in the tower as you cook food,,, also prevents condensation in the tower that has dripped onto the food giving it a nasty taste.
after each smoke wipe down the interior of the smoker, wash all the trays and bowl.
remember this is a low and slow method of cooking ,,, think slow cooker ,, crock pot. typically the box temp is 190 f - 225 F so take your time
most people smoke with 2 to 4 hours of smoke while the actual cook may take 12 hours ( including the smoking time ) and up to 28 hours depending on the volume of meat and type of meat.
when you get ready to start smoking food ,,, ask
also check out our recipe site
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?180-Our-Time-Tested-and-Proven-Recipes
as for other items to have ,,, as accessories
high temp gloves
duel or quad probe remote thermometer
a stand, or shed for your smoker, your choice here
secondary table to place the food on when you load, unload the smoker
if possible always plug directly into a receptacle, if you cant use a heavy duty cord,,, preferred 12 gage and as short as possible...voltage drop does affect the amount of heat coming off the electric element and we need every bit of the 500 watts in the smoker.
also read this a few times,,, read word for word,,, it is a lot of information,,,
Enjoy and welcome aboard once again
Beefmann