Questions for a new smoker!

[nzagaria]

Hi all,

Recently picked up a 4 rack digital smoker, and i have a few questions being i'm new at this, and have little/no idea what i'm doing

1. Should i be filling the briquette stack up? (seems the briquettes don't advance unless they've got weight on them)

2. Are there any issues with smoking a chicken on it's back and not standing up? (I plan to smoke 4 chickens soon, and i don't think there's enough space to stand them up)

3. Should anything be touching the sidewalls when smoking or is that something i should make sure never happens?

[Grouperman941]

Welcome.

1 -- Weight has nothing to do with it. Put in the number of pucks you need plus 2. (Or, instead of 2 extra, get some blanks like 'bubba pucks'.)

2 -- The only issues I can think of with not standing up the chickens are possible sticking to racks and liquid (fat) accumulating in the cavity and spilling on you when you take it out. Consider cutting the birds open (spatchcocking) for more even cooking.

3 -- Meat should never touch the back wall due to risk of fat running onto the element and igniting. I avoid contact with all walls, though, because they get kinda gross.

[beefmann]

welcome aboard.

1)  use the number of  pucks desired .. no more then 12 to  smoke + 2 to get all onto the  burner,,, bubba pucks are a  good  investment (  aluminium  puck  saver )

2) I believe standing up  would be the  preferred method  using a beer can type of stand, just because of the juices that would seep into the  cavity of the  bird during the  smoke , between the  juices and  smoke create a horrible  tasting bird.

3) no food should ever  touch the walls, this will lead to  fires if the  grease gets onto the  element ot  contamination of foods from the creosote  or other issues  that are  on the  inter walls of the  smoker.

4) also  keep your  top  vent wide open at all times,,

5) enjoy