Hello from North Dakota.

[MikesSmoker]

Hi, my name is Mike and I have the digital 4 rack smoker. I have done a couple briskets, some chicken legs and thighs, and a turkey in the couple months I have had it. I hope to get some advice from the members with more experience than I have. I am from ND so I will be smoking in my shop during the cooler weather so the smoker doesn't have to work as hard to get to the temps I am looking for. Will be doing another brisket tomorrow, hope it turns out. Thanks in advance for info and hints I may receive.  Mike

[beefmann]

welcome aboard,

on the smoker, you do have a good point on lower temps... along  with that ... wind is also an enemy, meaning  it  will suck the wind right  out of the tower... also run the top vent wide open, if you are gonning to be running it in your  shop...  vent the  smoke to the outside.

some place bricks in the bottom to help with  heat  recovery,,, or a bowl of hot water... to help maintain heat... also preheat for 30 to 40 minutes prior to  using. during  preheat ... have your  meat  sitting on the counter and let it come up to  room temp before placing in  smoker,,, this helps keep temps up,,,,

a larger piece of meat,,, larger load of meat will always lower the temp inside the  box,,, just the  nature of the  smoker,,, do not  worry about this  issue. just let the  smoker do its thing,,, it is  after all a  slow cooker,,,

as for any  type of meat,,, always cook fat  side up,,, the fat will render and seep into the meat and make it juicer and not  dry  out...

if you want the brisket to be  pull apart ,, it  will be an  Internal temp of between 195 - 205 F at a box a box temp setting  of  225  to 250 F... just  let it work... estimate of  time here will be 1 hr  15 mins to an  hour and  half,,, per pound

hope this  helps and  good  luck

[manfromplaid]

per pound