Temperature question

[Milehi]

If a recipe says to place meat into a smoker preheated to 200 degrees, do most of you just leave the temperature control where it is at and let the temp slowly build back up or do you raise the temp now to quickly bring it back up to the 200 degree mark.
Thanks

[aha638]

I use max power (100%) to get to temp.

Al

[Wildcat]

Before I got the PID, I would adjust the temp if the meat was not hot.  If you are doing a butt, it will not matter.

[Gizmo]

I do the same as aha, max power until the box preheats to 260 deg or so, load box, then wait until temp regains to 210 deg (or what ever the desired box temp is), then start adjusting down until the box temp and controller are level.  Usually takes a couple hours for the leveling.