Breaking-in new smoker??

[chuck steak]

any suggestions on the best way to do this? I saw it somewhere in the forum and now can't find it (grrr)

[Tiny Tim]

Stack some pucks in the puck feeder tube, advance the first to the plate, and sit back and watch the smoke wisp out of the vent and make sure it ain't coming out between the smoke generator and cabinet.  When I did mine, I had 3 flavors of pucks, so I used a pair out of each box.

[chuck steak]

so, you're say'n have a dry run, so to speek? don't put any meat in? That makes sense. I'm a butcher so I might put a piece of pork fat in.
Thanx for tha reply ;)

[Tiny Tim]

Well, that's the way it was said in the book and what I did.  I think there's a possibility of residual oils making food taste bad the first time you apply heat/smoke.  Don't know if this would be a health risk or not, but I opted to be safer on this.

[Habanero Smoker]

Here's a link that may be helpful.

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=162

[icerat4]

Just do a dry run no food and 4-5 hours of smoke alone.Then your ready to get the food in there.Have fun keep it easy. ;D

[NePaSmoKer]

Ditto on what rat said  ;D

nepas

[Wildcat]

Resist the urge to wipe it all clean.

[iceman]

Like Rat says just run a 4 or 5 hour smoke through it and get to cooking! ;D Enjoy.

[chuck steak]

thanx to all for the advace, ;) Tracking # says it will be here on the 12th ((((( man I can't wait))))) I know pork is a wonderful meat to slow cook via smoke @ 225 deg.  However I wonder how a whole chicken will come-out at such a low temp. Will it ROAST ok??
I've done the beer cann thang and then got a "ring roaster" for the grill, this does a good bird. Question is will the smoker get the skin crunchy?
Again thanx to all my new found buddies--------I hate being the rookie here,,,,lol :D

[Habanero Smoker]

As you know, it the fat in the skin of the chicken that crisp it. This occurs when the fat get hot. The problem with smoking at low temperatures, the fat just renders out, and does not obtain a high enough temperature to crisp the skin. Placing it in an oven at high temperatures, or on a grill will improve the skin texture, but by that time most of the fat has rendered out.

[chuck steak]

As you know, it the fat in the skin of the chicken that crisp it. This occurs when the fat get hot. The problem with smoking at low temperatures, the fat just renders out, and does not obtain a high enough temperature to crisp the skin. Placing it in an oven at high temperatures, or on a grill will improve the skin texture, but by that time most of the fat has rendered out.

well shoot....can't have it all I guess :-\ maybe I'll just smoke it for a short time then slap it on the roasting ring.. Thanx Habanero