New smoker in Louisiana

jibbajabba said:

How's it going folks?! I'm from south Louisiana and I've done lots of cooking in my life but new to the smoking game. A few days ago, my wife bought me a MES-40 at SAMs and I guess now I'm learning to smoke meat!! I've done lots of jerky in dehydrators and I'm looking forward to trying my hand at that but I'm also excited for brisket and pork loin. Along the way, I want to learn how to make Tasso (a south Louisiana essential ingredient) and homemade smoked sausage.

Keep in mind I'm brand spanking new to this but I have a pic of my rig and any tips on how to use it properly from the veterans would be appreciated!!

A few beginner questions.
1. Vent on top. Open or closed during smoke? Always leave the top vent open when applying smoke. If your meat is in foil & no smoke then you can close it to conserve heat.
2. How often to reapply chips to the chip tray? When it stops smoking, usually every 30-45 minutes.
3. Sure fire rub for baby backs and brisket. I would order Jeff's rub and sauce recipes.
4. What kind of chips for what kind of meat? I use hickory on almost everything, except chicken, for that I use mesquite.

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