PRE-SEASON SMOKER
Curing your smoker will rid the unit of chemicals and oils left over by the manufacturing process allowing them to
burn off. Pre-season smoker prior to first use.
1. Using a napkin or cloth, rub a light coat of cooking oil on smoking racks and inside of access door and lid.
Make sure water bowl is in place with NO WATER.
2. Fill charcoal bowl with up to 8lbs (3.6kgs) of charcoal and light. Close access door and lid.
3. Let the smoker burn for about 30 minutes. Make sure temperature gets up to 400°F (204°C).
4. Allow unit to COOL COMPLETELY.
5. Reapply light coat of cooking oil on smoking racks and inside of access door and lid.
6. Relight smoker and burn the oil for 20 minutes.
• Cure your smoker periodically to prevent excessive rust.
CHARCOAL SMOKING
Note: Be sure to remove smoking racks and water bowl before lighting charcoal.
1. Position charcoal bowl in place.
3. Fill charcoal bowl with up to 8lbs (3.6kgs) of charcoal. Stack briquets in a pyramid.
4. Add lighter fluid following directions on fluid container. Before lighting, place lighter fluid at least 25 ft (8m)
away from unit. Do not lean into unit when lighting charcoal. Light charcoal. LEAVE LID AND ACCESS
DOOR OPEN.
5. In about 15 minutes, flames will die out and briquets will begin to ash over. Once the briquets are completely
ashed over, spread briquets in a single layer.
6. Insert water bowl. Pour 1 inch of water, juice or vinegar into water bowl. This will add flavor and moisture to
food and prevent it from drying out.
7. Insert smoking racks into smoker. Position food in center.
• Never use gasoline to light charcoal.
• Overfilling charcoal bowl can cause serious injury and damage the unit.
• Never add additional lighter fluid once charcoal has ignited.
• Hot coals should not be left unattended.
• Unit is HOT. Use protective gloves and long, sturdy cooking utensils.
USING WOOD CHIPS
Note: Wait for briquets to ash over before adding any wood chips.
1. Pre-soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.
2. With protective gloves on, open side access door and place1 cup (0.24L) of wood chips in charcoal bowl,
using access door as chute. Never use more than 1 cup (0.24L) of wood chips at a time. Never use
wood chunks.
• Wood chips must be used in order to produce smoke and create the smoke flavor.
• Food needs to be in the center of smoking racks. This allows food drippings to go into the water bowl.
• This is a smoker. There will be a lot of smoke produced when using wood chips. Smoke will escape
through seams and turn the inside of smoker black. This is normal.
• Do not open smoker lid and/or access door unless necessary. Opening smoker lid and/or access door
causes heat to escape and may cause wood to flare up. Closing the lid and/or access door will
re-stabilize the temperature and stop flare up.
• When lid and/or access door is opened, sometimes a flare up may occur. Should wood chips flare up
immediately close lid and/or access door, wait for wood chips to burn down then open lid and/or
access door again.
• Do not leave old wood or charcoal ashes in the charcoal bowl. Charcoal bowl should be cleaned out
prior to each use to prevent ash buildup.
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CHARCOAL SMOKER OPERATION