New to BBQ and keen to get Smokin!

[Smokin SA]

I have a newly built custom off set smoker & would love some insight as to how best to treat and season it before cooking.
The main chamber is an old boiler.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated bbq masters?

 

[bluewhisper]

Welcome to the board! That is a very nice looking rig. What is the intended purpose, competition or catering?

Try using the Search here, search term "builds"

 

[oldsmokerdude]

If you're new to Que and smoking, you certainly jump in with both feet!! Nice looking smoker.
Seasoning: Lang has a great page on seasoning and caring for your new smoker.

Oh, and welcome to the forum. Lots of great information and folks here to help you with your new hobby. Looking forward to some pictures of you first cook.

 

[Smokin SA]

Thanks a mil for the response and will certainly check it out! We cook a lot on open fires here in SA so the prospect of getting stuck in to some authentic Que is really exciting and certainly unique in my neck of the woods. Looking forward to becoming apart of the SMF community!

 

[Smokin SA]

Welcome to the board! That is a very nice looking rig. What is the intended purpose, competition or catering?

Try using the Search here, search term "builds"

Welcome to the board! That is a very nice looking rig. What is the intended purpose, competition or catering?

Try using the Search here, search term "builds"

Welcome to the board! That is a very nice looking rig. What is the intended purpose, competition or catering?

Try using the Search here, search term "builds"

Thanks for the warm welcome! I am looking at doing events and more of the catering side of things. I am so close to the coast however that within 3 days of having the smoker at home it has started with some mild rust, and there was a delay in getting the cover made, so just really want to look after this beautiful machine as best I can.
Being able to get some solid advice from members of the SMF community is going to really assist me with my new Smokin journey.

 

[dcecil]

Not sure if you have done this yet or not but get that thing coating in some cooking spray. I would use a light scrub pad and get the rust off and coat the entire pit with a coating. Get a good fire going in the firebox and while the fire is heating up coat your cooker inside the cooking chamber and all over the outside. I use canola cooking spray. Until you can get your cover made I would wrap it with a painters blanket (canvas) and then wrap that with a plastic tarp to keep the water off the canvas. Old SMoker dude is correct about going on the lang website and look up the how to season your cooker.

 

[Smokin SA]

Not sure if you have done this yet or not but get that thing coating in some cooking spray. I would use a light scrub pad and get the rust off and coat the entire pit with a coating. Get a good fire going in the firebox and while the fire is heating up coat your cooker inside the cooking chamber and all over the outside. I use canola cooking spray. Until you can get your cover made I would wrap it with a painters blanket (canvas) and then wrap that with a plastic tarp to keep the water off the canvas. Old SMoker dude is correct about going on the lang website and look up the how to season your cooker.

Thanks for the response! I modified a waterproof car cover with a canvas sleeve for the chimney which seems to be working well, so the unit is protected from the elements.
The first day i got it i lit a fire in the box to give it a burn to get rid of toxins, etc... as we painted it inside and out with a fire resistant paint. I didnt however season the inside with oil for that first burn and after hearing the feedback I had better get on to doing that asap! I have seen somewhere that people suggest to light a big fire in the actual chamber but I have been wary to do this... will the heat from the firebox be sufficient to get rid of any paint toxins, etc...?

 

[SmokinAl]

Not sure if you have done this yet or not but get that thing coating in some cooking spray. I would use a light scrub pad and get the rust off and coat the entire pit with a coating. Get a good fire going in the firebox and while the fire is heating up coat your cooker inside the cooking chamber and all over the outside. I use canola cooking spray. Until you can get your cover made I would wrap it with a painters blanket (canvas) and then wrap that with a plastic tarp to keep the water off the canvas. Old SMoker dude is correct about going on the lang website and look up the how to season your cooker.

Yep what he said. I have a Lang & keep it outside. I still spray the outside & inside with Pam before I use it each time. No rust anywhere. I would not build a fire in the cook chamber, a good fire in the firebox with heavy smoke will coat the CC with a nice layer of smoke & that will protect the metal. You only have to do that one time, then you want a clean burning fire for cooking.
Al

 

[shinny]

Welcome from Maryland

 

[bluewhisper]

My offset has superficial rust but I don't care much about that. It isn't presenting any structural problems.

But I can certainly understand wanting to have a good-looking rig, especially if you're cooking for others. Since so many people haven't seen a smoker in operation before, it makes a much better impression if the smoker doesn't look like you found it in a junkyard.

 

[gmc2003]

Wow that's a heck of a first smoker, and welcome to the group.

Chris

 

[Smokin SA]

Yep what he said. I have a Lang & keep it outside. I still spray the outside & inside with Pam before I use it each time. No rust anywhere. I would not build a fire in the cook chamber, a good fire in the firebox with heavy smoke will coat the CC with a nice layer of smoke & that will protect the metal. You only have to do that one time, then you want a clean burning fire for cooking.
Al

Thanks for the info Al!

 

[Smokin SA]

Welcome from Maryland

Appreciated Shinny!

 

[Smokin SA]

My offset has superficial rust but I don't care much about that. It isn't presenting any structural problems.

But I can certainly understand wanting to have a good-looking rig, especially if you're cooking for others. Since so many people haven't seen a smoker in operation before, it makes a much better impression if the smoker doesn't look like you found it in a junkyard.

Yeah for sure Bluewhisper!
I dont mind if it looks a bit worn as that will only add character but I just want to make sure im looking after it as best i can to get a good solid lifespan out of it.

 

[Smokin SA]

Thanks Chris! Excited to be apart of the forum and for my new journey in to the art of smoking!

Wow that's a heck of a first smoker, and welcome to the group.

Chris

bk

 

[bluewhisper]

Since you mentioned open-fire cooking, post some pictures!

My father would talk about his days on scouting expeditions when they would cook potatoes directly in the coals. No foil, just straight in the embers. The crunch of ash on the skin was part of the appeal.