Smoker is ordered, now questions about preparing for my first smoke

[Sailor]

When you get your smoker there will be instructions on how to season it.

Lots of different ways to prepare the Brisket before smoking.  I have put my rub on and vac sealed it and over night in the fridge.  I have just wrapped it in plastic wrap and in the fridge overnight.  I have just rubbed it and put on the smoker.  This is what is so fun about smoking is that you get to experiment and see how you like to do things and see how they turn out.

I would recommend that you keep a log as to how you do things so when you hit on that "perfect" smoke you will remember what you did and how you did it.  ;D

[Caneyscud]

The "seasoning" is described in the instructions you'll get with the smoker.  But I think it is an hour of smoke - but don't hold me to that.  I would wash and or wipe the inside down first though, them smoke.  What you are doing is to get rid of off-tastes due to some kind of film from manufacturing, and to put a layer of smoke on all surfaces.

How long to let the rub set before putting in the Bradley.  For me about 1 minute or less - however long it takes me to sprinkle it on and get it into the smoker.  I have not seen any differences in the final product that would cause me to let it sit longer.  The only reason I can ascertain for letting it sit longer is that the taste of the rub will migrate into the meat.  For me that has not happened.  Others swear that it does.  So you're good either way. 

[crapshooter]

Because of the Thanksgiving holidays next week I probably won't have time to make a brisket my first smoke and will instead go with some ribs. Do you recommend the spare ribs or baby back? Or is there any difference in the difficulty of preparing them?

[Caneyscud]

I personally like spares better than bbribs.  However my wife likes the bbribs better than the spares - so guess what I fix more often.  Sams has had some very good bbribs the last quite a few times - really with a lot of the loing meat left on.- really meaty.  They are about the same in prep unless you want to make st louis style which involves cutting off the rib tips and the diaphragm.  No real hard thing to do.  The bbribs being more tender to start with won't take quite as long than spares.  In fact, in the distant past I have grilled them with success.  I don't particularly like "fall off the bone" ribs. 

Most people who don't know the difference between spares and bbribs are more likely to be impressed with bbribs.  You don't see much mass media advertizing for spareribs - but plenty with baby...baby back....baaaabeee back ribs.

[crapshooter]

I drove to Dallas to pick up the smoker yesterday. Looking at the ones on display in Cabelas I realized how small the racks are them. I notice people keep telling me to not let the meat touch the back or sides of the smoker. How do you fit an average size brisket in those racks without it touching? Can you put each end in the rack and let it make an arch instead of lying flat?

With the rain forecast and holidays I proably won't have chance to use it for a few days so it will sit here reminding me of what I COULD be doing.

[Caneyscud]

There are a number of ways. 

1.  Could separate the point from the flat
2.  Just cut in two
3.  Put it diagonally across the rack
4.  Hump it in the middle
5.  Turn it on its side and sorta roll it up.