I feel like I am preparing for interview....

[simmygoblue]

I've read the books, I've read Jeff's Old Testament of smoking (The 5 chapters/books)....Sorry for the religious joke. I bought Jeff's book on iBooks and read that. I bought the smoker (ECB), but I haven't put the thing together. I've had 20 month old getting the flu, work, etc....just no time to get everything done except all the leg work and reading.

I've read all the mods and I be got all the parts ready to go. I've bought the iGrill. I bought a rib rack and charcoal starter. Bought the charcoal and wood chips.

It's just insane the amount of time I've spent prepping for something I've never done....yet I'm so excited.

And I know something is going to throw me a curve ball in the middle of my first try and I won't know what to do.....

Doesn't this sound like an interview? A fun interview though...

I've been reading a lot of first timer posts and I've been thinking that a "dry run" isn't a bad idea even after I cure the smoker. Or when I cure it, I let it go for 6-8 hours...am I crazy?

I could always do a chicken I guess and not worry what happens....but even then it's matter of getting it right.

 

[kathrynn]

I know how you feel! Just have fun! Relax! You will do fine! Just play. Hope the little one get better soon!

 

[s2k9k]

 I've been thinking that a "dry run" isn't a bad idea even after I cure the smoker. Or when I cure it, I let it go for 6-8 hours...am I crazy?

I don't think that's crazy at all! I think it's a very good idea and good way to get to know your smoker a little before you put food on it and then get all nervous if things aren't going just right.

But remember, being a first burn in and no meat in it it might act a little different. I've been smoking with propane for awhile now but have never used charcoal. I built a Mini WSM and when I did my burn in it was running over 300* and I couldn't get it to cool off. I got nervous but threw a pork butt on the next day anyway. I got it to run at 270* for 4 hours and then tuned it down to 240* for another 6.

I'm not saying your smoker will do that, I'm just throwing out an example of how doing a burn helped me even though it didn't go the way I had expected and that brand new empty smokers can act different then seasoned smokers with meat in them.

 

[simmygoblue]

I don't think that's crazy at all! I think it's a very good idea and good way to get to know your smoker a little before you put food on it and then get all nervous if things aren't going just right.
But remember, being a first burn in and no meat in it it might act a little different. I've been smoking with propane for awhile now but have never used charcoal. I built a Mini WSM and when I did my burn in it was running over 300* and I couldn't get it to cool off. I got nervous but threw a pork butt on the next day anyway. I got it to run at 270* for 4 hours and then tuned it down to 240* for another 6.
I'm not saying your smoker will do that, I'm just throwing out an example of how doing a burn helped me even though it didn't go the way I had expected and that brand new empty smokers can act different then seasoned smokers with meat in them.

Alright, I don't feel so bad now. I don't wanna say I'm a perfectionist, but I'm pretty serious about my cooking.

Yeah, I'm pretty certain my first burn is going to go haywire and I'll be running too hot. Weather in Ohio is going to be up to 60 degrees on Saturday, so I've cleared the schedule and going to get things started.

Also, I gotta say this is one of the most impressive communities on the InterWebs that I've eve come across. The resources, knowledge, recipes, and members are all first class. I just feel privileged to learn and get advice from everyone here.

 

[simmygoblue]

I know how you feel! Just have fun! Relax! You will do fine! Just play. Hope the little one get better soon!

Thanks! She is feeling better and doing well. I know I will have fun and its a learning experience, but the first time gitters may be getting the better of me right now.

:grilling_smilie:

 

[s2k9k]

There are usually a lot of people on here on the weekends so if you have any problems or questions someone should be around to help you. Just start a new thread in the Charcoal Smokers forum.

Yea I'm kind of a perfectionist myself, I like things right and just so.

Yep this is the best forum on the web so feel privileged you are part of it now, before you know it you will be giving advice the the newbies!

 

[linguica]

There is nothing wrong with doing your homework first. That way when something goes off track (and it will) you will be better prepared to deal with it with out stressing.

 

[altarose]

Sounds like you are hooked already :)

I did a whole chicken on my first smoke, wife wanted to invite someone for dinner, but I wouldn't for fear of a wrecked chicken, it turned out to be the best chicken we ever tasted

Good Luck

 

[simmygoblue]

Sounds like you are hooked already :)
I did a whole chicken on my first smoke, wife wanted to invite someone for dinner, but I wouldn't for fear of a wrecked chicken, it turned out to be the best chicken we ever tasted
Good Luck

Hooked is a good way to put it. When I get into a hobby, I go full board and won't stop till I master it. I love cooking food as I'm the chef in the house and this will just give something extra to my arsenal.

I've never used charcoal since I have a gas grill and I figured its Man Law to know how to use charcoal. I've inherited my grandpa's 30 year old red Weber grill that he used forever and now I have a smoker. I'm pretty well set and just itching to get started.

 

[jarjarchef]

When you do your test run. Before you put some meat on to cook. One of the things I picked up here is the biscuits. Take a package or two of biscuits. Place them in different areas on your grates. Pick a temp and let it run. After some time, about an hour, take a look and see how they look. If they are black, hot spot. If they are raw, cold spot. This will help you if figuring out the placement of your product.

Properly calibrated thermometer is the key too......

Good luck and don't stress. We are here for you.

 

[humdinger]

Simmy,

Everyone here has been in your shoes. My wife bought me my first smoker for my B-day in August a few years back. I put it together that weekend, and by November I was getting hollered at for not using it yet........lol. Now my wife will occasionally ask me to "take a break" from smoking stuff! lol

I was very intimidated to have a go at it, but my uncle brought a couple pork butts to deer camp and showed me the ropes and then I was HOOKED! As for all the studying and reading ahead of time, my father often accuses me of overthinking a task and being too much of a perfectionist because I always want to "hit a home run" on something the first time I do it. Usually there's nothing wrong with that, but when it comes to the relaxing art of BBQ where "low and slow" is the battle cry, agonizing about the details can be counter-productive to the whole point and experience, so just go for it and do th best you can. Fortunately most smoked BBQ foods are forgiving while they cook, so first timers usually have good luck and then they're addicted for life!

Good luck!

 

[simmygoblue]

Good luck and don't stress. We are here for you.

Brilliant idea and never stressing. Nervous? Yes, but its the good kind of nervous.

I'll be sure to include some pictures no matter what I do on Saturday.

 

[simmygoblue]

Simmy,
Everyone here has been in your shoes. My wife bought me my first smoker for my B-day in August a few years back. I put it together that weekend, and by November I was getting hollered at for not using it yet........lol. Now my wife will occasionally ask me to "take a break" from smoking stuff! lol

I was very intimidated to have a go at it, but my uncle brought a couple pork butts to deer camp and showed me the ropes and then I was HOOKED! As for all the studying and reading ahead of time, my father often accuses me of overthinking a task and being too much of a perfectionist because I always want to "hit a home run" on something the first time I do it. Usually there's nothing wrong with that, but when it comes to the relaxing art of BBQ where "low and slow" is the battle cry, agonizing about the details can be counter-productive to the whole point and experience, so just go for it and do th best you can. Fortunately most smoked BBQ foods are forgiving while they cook, so first timers usually have good luck and then they're addicted for life!

Good luck!

You don't even know the half. My darling wife decided she wanted an iPad Mini for Christmas. So naturally, I bought that for her. Except she found out three weeks early by checking credit card accounts....so after much dilberation in her head...."we" decided that it was going to be a house account present. This left me dead in the water with no gift for her. I ended up getting her one of those Pandora bracelets. Meanwhile, I had made it known to everyone with in earshot that I wanted a WSM.

So Christmas rolls around, my wife rakes in an iPad Mini and a Pandora bracelet. Meanwhile, I ended up with no smoker and some gift cards to Home Depot. I ended up buying the ECB to get my smoker, but I'm still seething a little about the Cristmas fiasco.

To take you back even further, the first time I met my wife she said she wanted a chocolate cake with raspberry filling and white icing. I was 27 at the time and hadn't baked a thing since Home Economics class in seventh or eighth grade. Needless to say, she got her cake in two days from the request.

By the time this is all said and done, I figure I'll end up with a Big Green Egg by the time this is all said and done.

Hence, the reason I'm not taking this lightly and I love to eat really good food that I make.

 

[humdinger]

LOL - It's good to know I'm not the only one. This year my wife wanted a jewelry armoir for Christmas, so she sends me a weblink picture for this big bastard JC Penny's has available. It's about 4ft tall, 2.5 ft wide and 2 ft deep. Abra cadabra and there it is Christmas morning.

So around new years she's loading what jewelry she has into this new huge armoir, and remarks "Wow, I'm all done and this thing is only 25% full......."

DOH! I've never actually step into a bear trap before, but at that moment I think I knew what it felt like. I guess she really thought that one through!

Oh, she got me a rubs sauces and marinades recipe book.

 

[thsmormonsmokes]

My $0.02.

Grab a couple of cheap digital thermometers and check them in boiling water first for accuracy.  Cut a small potato in half and jab the probe through the potato, flat side down.  That gives you a stable platform to put the probe on your grill to keep an eye on temps across the grates.  And depending on how long your smoke goes, it might leave you with a smoked potato when all is said and done (longer smokes will leave you with something resembling a rock).

A pork butt is a good place to start to get an idea of what your smoker will do.  They're pretty forgiving in terms of temp fluctuations.  Just know that a big drop in temps will lengthen the cook time.  And keep a watchful eye on the temperature danger zone issue.

A dry run will not give you an accurate idea of how your smoker runs.  A big piece of meat is a big thermal mass that will absorb a lot of heat and will alter how air moves through the smoker.  

A big water pan makes a big difference for temperature regulation across the grates.

Um, that's it.  Good luck.