I got a smoker..... I have never used one before....help

[KellyinAvon]

As title says, I bought a smoker a month ago and finally put it together last weekend. I don't have any charcoal yet, but got any good recipes?




I want to do some chicken and ribs on it, how much charcoal should I use, etc.

To start with you need to remove it from your living room, it will burn your house down or at the very least cause significant smoke damage. It should live outdoors.

Does it have a thermometer (one with actual numbers)?? If not, get one. Figure out how much charcoal creates how much heat.

 

[chezuki]

that's why you should get a Traeger.

Rookie.

 

[Rookie]

Haters gonna hate.

 

[cardio1]

Go to the smokering.com that contains 1200 sites with recipes, techniques, and all the supplies and toys you'd ever need.

 

[Cemetery-man]

SmokingMeatForums.com - Smoker and smoking meat forums and reviews

 

[ddavidson]

I recommend starting with bigger cuts. I think they're harder to mess up. If you get a decent rub on them, it'll be pretty good as long as you pull it at the right time. Start with a Boston or a picnic butt and apply your rub. Just buy a rub for now, then go outside and get your cooker started. Do whatever you have to do with that unit to get the temps between 230 and 240. Get the meat on and let it go. In a few hours, add a temp probe so you can monitor the temp. At 195, pull the meat, double wrap in foil, and put it in an empty cooler for at least 2 hours. After that, it'll shred.

 

[PistolBob]

We really enjoy smoked balogna. Just make sure you keep it in the fridge when it is done....but man is it good.

 

[terrehautian]

Well, starting to smoke a turkey, maybe should have started small. Got about four hours on the smoker and put it in the oven to finish.

 

[chocktaw2]

A wind brake will go a long way with something like this. Buy a large galvanized trash can, cut the bottom out, and slide over smoker. Wind is everybody's worst enemy if your smoking.

 

[terrehautian]

That was the issue, the wind. Even though the turkey spent an hour in the oven, it was good. I did decide I am going to get a better smoker. This kettle smoker is okay, but I was a good smoker. Something like this.

http://www.charbroil.com/media/cata...201560_Silver-Smoker_-BBQ_-and-Grill_main.jpg

 

[Frosty]

That was the issue, the wind. Even though the turkey spent an hour in the oven, it was good. I did decide I am going to get a better smoker. This kettle smoker is okay, but I was a good smoker. Something like this.

http://www.charbroil.com/media/cata...201560_Silver-Smoker_-BBQ_-and-Grill_main.jpg

That's what I've got, well, it doesn't have the smoker box, I usually just grill with it, but it's been a solid performer!

 

[clemracer]

I don't know if Chef JJ does other classes than for the Green Egg, but I think it is the same idea.