Just ordered a smoker -UPDATE

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lovedr79

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Well my birthday is coming up soon. so i went ahead and bought myself an electric smoker. the same one my buddy has had for years, masterbuilt 30" electric. who has any tips or tricks or anything i should know before firing this thing up this weekend, assuming it arrives in time for me to season it. Thanks!
 

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if you bought it new, it will include an instruction book and maybe a recipe book too.

I would suggest burning the smoking material (wood chips) in the smoker for at least 6-8 hours
before you actually put food in it to smoke.
this will help season it as well as get all the manufacturing junk smell out of it.

HAPPY SMOKIN' !!!


oh - you will need TWO smokers - - - one for fish, one for meat.
(never smoke mullet in your cooker unless that is all you will ever use it for in the future).

Safety Tip: after cooking, leave the door open for a few hours to evacuate all the moisture.
this is especially important if you don't plan to use it for awhile.
Why you ask ?? if closed up tight with moisture trapped inside, you are creating an environment
for all kinds of mold and bacteria to grow which not only looks disgusting, but could
lead to health issues down the road.

and those "nay-sayers" that always say don't use wet wood chips to create your smoke.
they spoil the party for everyone !! (just pay them no mind). if wet chips are good enough
for Emeril Lagasse and Alton Brown, they are good enough for me !!
yeah yeah yeah, I know - - - "Experts suggest that you place dry chips in a foil packet
and then poke holes in it to release the smoke. This method not only prevents the chips
from catching fire, but it also improves the quality of the smoke". YOUR grill = YOUR call !!

Emeril.jpg


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Thank you! It is indeed new. I will definitely be using wet chips. I have helped my buddy smoke stuff over the years, he uses wet chips. Seems to work good. Leaving the door open is a great idea. I downloaded the manual this morning to see what the seasoning procedure is, should be simple enough. I am itching to toss a deer roast in this weekend if it gets here before Friday.
 
I have also soaked the wood chips in beer, white wine and apple juice (separately).
but, honestly, I could not tell the difference in the taste of the meat.
but - the smoke smelled AWESOME !!!

Wrap the deer roast in bacon so it won't dry out. (cheap thin sliced - hickory smoked)
(avoid that maple flavored bacon with wild game) . . . or else you will be very disappointed
at the dry crispy final product. and keep the drip pan filled with liquid: water, fruit juice, Jack Daniels, etc.
research YouTube on smoking venison.

jus my Dos Centavos

.
 
in my very personal opinion - it is not the type of fuel used - it is the skill of the chef.
proper temperature, correct fuel to heat ratio, correct air inflow and outflow.
and yes, it IS a science !!!


and: if you are a lookin - it ain't a cookin !!

(that means - keep the door closed).

Edit: forgot to mention. a good probe thermometer is essential to turning out a good product
as well as keeping everyone safe from eating undercooked meat. especially pork, chicken and wild game.
it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. just so you know the correct internal temperature for that meat.
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from what i can tell they taste the same. new meat thermometer is already on the shopping list. cant wait to start smoking. my neighbors will be jealous. LOL!
 
I like using a smoker especially for fish. Brining over night is the first step with salt and sugar. You can invent all sorts of stuff to add in the brine. It is important to let the fish rest after it comes out of brine for about an hour. Dry it off. This helps a lot. I like the Big Chief electric smoker because it is does have to be tended and stays at the right temperature (low temperature). I lot of people cook fish with smoke on a Bar BQ but that is a different process. A couple of pan fulls of wood chips works fine. You do not need smoke that whole time. For fish I really like red alder. All the fruit woods are good for nearly everything. Apple, cherry, pear, etc. I use some from out of my yard.
 
Johnny said:
in my very personal opinion - it is not the type of fuel used - it is the skill of the chef.
proper temperature, correct fuel to heat ratio, correct air inflow and outflow.
and yes, it IS a science !!!


and: if you are a lookin - it ain't a cookin !!

(that means - keep the door closed).

Edit: forgot to mention. a good probe thermometer is essential to turning out a good product
as well as keeping everyone safe from eating undercooked meat. especially pork, chicken and wild game.
it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. just so you know the correct internal temperature for that meat.

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I think I am going to have too check out an electric smoker as well. I was taught the art and science from my Grandfather who could literally take any critter and turn it into gourmet. My only fear is that electrics seem to be set the heat and wait, no tending and feeding which is an excuse to have a beer a two and staying outside away from the honeydo list.
 
FormerParatrooper said:
I think I am going to have too check out an electric smoker as well. I was taught the art and science from my Grandfather who could literally take any critter and turn it into gourmet. My only fear is that electrics seem to be set the heat and wait, no tending and feeding which is an excuse to have a beer a two and staying outside away from the honeydo list.

She who must be obeyed does not 'need to know' that you don't have to be out there tending it.
 
for you guys in the Gallery that like smoked things,
here is one of my favorites that I always have on hand.

I love hickory smoke flavored sea salt as a garnish on just about everything.
garden salad, pizza, potato salad, blackeyed peas, green beans, broiled fish, everything.
use as a garnish only - it adds zero smoke flavor to cooking as it dissipates so quickly.
first - find a suitable ornamental glass jar with an airtight lid. (the more ornate - the better).
fill it with Morton's Kosher coarse salt. get your smoker going with NO WATER in the drip pan.
it must be a totally dry smoke environment. place aluminum foil on the rack and pour the salt
onto it and spread thin. while stirring often, smoke it until the salt turns a dark leather tan color.
remove and let cool - place the salt in your pretty jar and keep it on the table for a quick garnish
of rich, crunchy, smokey goodness !!! it only takes a pinch so don't worry about your blood pressure.
I get the small 8oz glass jars at the Goodwill or Salvation Army stores for about 50 cents each and
do the Martha Stewart thing and give them as a gift to the less fortunates that don't have a smoker.
enjoy !!!





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lovedr79 said:
Well my birthday is coming up soon. so i went ahead and bought myself an electric smoker. the same one my buddy has had for years, masterbuilt 30" electric. who has any tips or tricks or anything i should know before firing this thing up this weekend, assuming it arrives in time for me to season it. Thanks!
We HAVE SMOKE. I left two chunks plain for my girlfriend. I used Rudy's rub on one chunk and Dave's rub in the other. Tastes very good.
 

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