Smoking Newbie looking for some first time advice

Keep it simple. To season the smoker you just need to run it for 3-4 hours. Some people like to apply oil to the inside of the cooking chamber prior to seasoning (if you have the owners manual it will tell you how to do it). As for rub and sauce, it depends on what you like. If you don't know what you like than you can just rub it with SPOG (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder).

Here are the recipes I use with Beef Chuck or Brisket...JJ

Mild Bubba Q Rub  (All Purpose)

1/2C Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado)

2T Sweet Paprika (Hungarian)

1T Kosher Salt

1T Chili Powder (contains some Cumin and Oregano) Ancho Chile is same without cumin, oregano etc.

1T Granulated Garlic

1T Granulated Onion

1tsp Black Pepper, more if you like

1/2tsp Grnd Allspice

For more heat add Cayenne or Chipotle Pwd to taste, start with 1/2tsp and go from there. Makes about 1 Cup

Apply your desired amount of Rub to the meat, wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator over night.or longer. The day of the smoke, pull the meat out, add more Rub and go into your pre-heated Smoker...

Chipot-i-le Desert Dust

1/2C Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado)

2T Sweet Paprika (Hungarian)

2T Chipotle Powder

1T Kosher Salt

1T Chili Powder (contains some Cumin and Oregano) Ancho Chile is same without cumin, oregano etc.

1T Granulated Garlic

1T Granulated Onion

1T Cocoa Powder

1tsp Black Pepper, more if you like

1tsp Thyme

1tsp Oregano

1/2tsp Grnd Allspice

Makes about 1Cup.

Run for the Border Rub

One for the Chili Heads!

2T Kosher Salt

2T Ancho Chile Powder

1T Chipotle Powder

1T Oregano, Mexican is preferred 

1T Gran Garlic

1T Gran Onion

1T Black Pepper

1T Cayenne

1-2tsp Gnd Cumin

1tsp Cocoa Powder

1/2tsp Cinnamon

Optional:

2T Turbinado Sugar (Sugar in the Raw)

Makes 3/4 to 1Cup Rub.

This stuff is HOT and full flavored with touch of Smokiness. Feel free to adjust the heat to your taste by playing with the amount of Chipotle and Cayenne Powder. All the ingredients are available at the Grocery Store. This stuff will also Kick Butt as the seasoning in a batch of Chili, leave out the Sugar...JJ

This is a popular recipe I have done with Pork, Brisket or just Hamburger. Depending on what I have on hand I will mix the meats...

Coffee Q Rub

1/2C Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado)

2T Sweet Paprika (Hungarian)

2T Fine Ground Coffee

1T Kosher Salt

1T Chili Powder (contains some Cumin and Oregano) Ancho Chile is same without cumin, oregano etc.

1T Granulated Garlic

1T Granulated Onion

1T Black Pepper, more if you like

1tsp Ground Coriander

1tsp Ground Dill Seed

1/2tsp Grnd Allspice

Cayenne or Chipotle Pwd to taste, start with 1/2tsp and go from there.

Bubba Beef Rub

Good on anything Beef. Burgers and Steaks too!

2T Turbinado Sugar

2T Kosher Salt

2T Black Peppercorns

1T Coriander Seed

1T Dill Seed

1T Dry Minced Onion

1T Dry Minced Garlic

1T Dry Lemon Peel (optional)

1tsp Allspice Berries

1tsp Dry Thyme Leaves

3 Bay Leaves, crumbled

1-2ea Dry Whole Chipotle Chiles, stems and seeds removed or 1tsp Chipotle Powder.

Add Cayenne if more heat is desired.

All Spices are Whole and are toasted in a dry pan over Medium heat until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. The Garlic and Onion do not need to be toasted.

Let the Spices cool then Grind in a cheapo Coffee Grinder until slightly less than Coarse. Mix with the Salt and Sugar. Store in an air tight container. Makes about a Half cup...JJ

Many folks enjoy dipping their Beef in Au Jus for flavor and moisture. This recipe is made in the Smoker while a Beef Roast or Brisket is being cooked.

Smokey Au Jus

1- Lg Onion,

4-5 Carrots,

3-4 Ribs Celery

3-4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic

Toss them in a pan under the Beef, and let the whole deal Smoke for one hour,

THEN add 4-6 Cups Beef Broth,

2 Tbs Tomato Paste,

1/2tsp Dry Thyme (4-5 sprigs Fresh)

1-2 ea Bayleaf

Finish the Smoking process to the IT you want. 

While the Roast is resting, dump the pan juices veggies and all into a 2-3Qt Sauce pot and add 1Cup Red Wine, something you like to drink, and bring the Jus to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain out the veggies and let the Jus rest a minute or so for the Fat to rise. Skim off the bulk of the fat then using strips of paper towel laid on top of the Jus, drag quickly across to take off the last little bit of fat.

The purpose of Smoking the Vegetable for 1 hour before adding the Broth and Herbs is...The Smoked vegetables Roast in the Dry heat concentrating their Flavors and Sweetness giving the finished Jus a Richer, Deeper, Full Flavor.

Serve the sliced Beef Au Jus or thicken the Jus to make Gravy.

NOTE: If you are using this recipe with Brisket or a long smoke, additional Water will have to be added periodically to maintain the proper volume. Do not add more Broth as repeated addition and reduction will make the Au Jus too salty..

This is my favorite BBQ Sauce, sweet and tangy...

KC Bubba Q Juice

2C Ketchup

1/2C Brown Mustard (Gulden's)

1/4C Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2C Molasses

2C Dark Brn Sugar

1T Tomato Paste

1T Your Rub

1-2tsp Liquid Smoke

1tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Combine all and warm over low heat just until it starts to bubble. Simmer about 5 minutes, stirring very frequently, to combine flavors and to thicken slightly.

Use or pour into a sterile jar and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.

Makes 3 1/2 Cups.

Congratulations on your wedding!  I have used a Chargriller with side box for several years and have slowly been doing modifications to it.  I never seasoned it before using it, at the time didn't know about that it but it wouldn't hurt.  As is the Chargriller fluctuates a lot in temperature as it leaks air a great deal.  What I've learned on this site is reducing leaks will greatly improve temperature consistency.  Also the steel is thin so adding some mass will help, either bricks, old steel, pans of water, etc.  I've also lowered the smoke stack feed to be closer to the grill, and put a pie plate between the firebox and main cooking box to keep from burning food closer to the fire.  Add a couple of better thermometers closer to the cooking grate and you'll end up with a pretty good smoker.  There are lots of youtube videos on "mods" for these side firebox smokers, watch a few and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Nice line up of recipes Chef Jimmyj :)

Daznz said:

Nice line up of recipes Chef Jimmyj :)

Click to expand...

Thanks...Anything I can help with, just ask...JJ

Welcome from SC, offbeat. To get some specifics on Seasoning, chucks, rubs, etc., use the search bar. Some say the season is not mandatory, but I think it's a good idea in that while you're seasoning, you can actually do a dry run on temp control, fuel usage and just get acquainted with your equipment. Seasoning the FB is not necessary, just the CC. As someone suggested SPOG, that's a very good start. You can't go wrong with SPOG on beef. After it's done, just use your favorite sauce for the beginning. Then you can branch out from there to suit your individual taste.

A very good general rub and sauce for pork is Jeff's as mentioned on this site. The recipes are available here as is his book on smoking meat. A very good bargain and the proceeds are used to support this site. Can't beat that.

Good luck and good smoking, Joe

Good luck Offbeat and have fun :)    Do you have any good foil juice recipe's  Chef JimmyJ?  

The seasoning will keep down a metallic taste and will help with rust. I don't know anything about your cooker, but if they are warning against heat damage I would be careful.

OffBeat said:

...
The owner's manual warns against getting the grill over 300 degrees as it could damage or rust the fire box. ....

Click to expand...

They are afraid that you will burn the paint off.