# How to use an electric smoker?



## JLSnooky

Hello to all:
I am a new owner of an electic smoker. I am sure there are alot of things you can do with it besides making jerky. What are some good tips and advice to using these?


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## Chile Chef

JLSnooky said:


> Hello to all:
> I am a new owner of an electic smoker. I am sure there are alot of things you can do with it besides making jerky. What are some good tips and advice to using these?


You can smoke mac & cheese, fish, turkey, Anything food group really. 

What model did you get? I got the master built 3o in smoker from Amazon.com, I can't wait the first thing I'm going to smoke is Brisket & mac & cheese & corn. Have a spring bbq.


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## JLSnooky

I got the same one you did. But how do you know to use water in the pan or not?How long do you keep certian foods in and at what temp?


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## Wyogal

Didn't you get an instruction manual? You can go to their website for recipes.


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## Clienta

My husband is a smoking king in our house!  We love smoked mahi mahi, smoked wahoo, smoked tuna, smoked chicken wings (brined & spicy, smoked & then grilled), smoked pork shoulder, smoked Italian spicy sausage, smoked whole chickens & smoked eggs. I love to make smoked fish dips, smoked egg salad, smoked wahoo/tuna salad, smoked chicken salad, chicken/pork tacos, smoked chicken white bean soup....so many yummy things to smoke!  I want to try smoked zucchini & squash.  I had some at a restaurant in Charleston, SC, it was awesome!  Have fun!


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## JohnL

JLSnooky said:


> I got the same one you did. But how do you know to use water in the pan or not?How long do you keep certian foods in and at what temp?


 
Hi JLS,
Just search the web for smoking recipes, there's a ton of them out there. The electric part of your smoker is just the heat source, so you can use any smoking recipe as long as you keep the temperatures where they need to be. Pay close attention to your temps and try not to oversmoke your food as it may taste bitter or too strong. (I learned the hard way)..... Good Luck!


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## Chile Chef

JLSnooky said:


> I got the same one you did. But how do you know to use water in the pan or not?How long do you keep certian foods in and at what temp?


Cool, I should get mine in about 2-3 day's from QVC, I can't wait to get it, I've been downloading and printing out smoked recipes from masterbuilt site that we're going to try!


I'm trying pork butt somed with hickory first w/mac & cheese, corn. 


This will be towards the spring when we smoke.


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## roadfix

In my Brinkmann I use a clay saucer instead of water as a heatsink.  Less mess to deal with.


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## Chile Chef

roadfix said:


> In my Brinkmann I use a clay saucer instead of water as a heatsink.  Less mess to deal with.


And clay saucers take the heat well.


By the way my smoker should be here in a few day's, I'll try to get some photo's of it before I put the smoker in my apartment for storage.


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## kitchenelf

Put about 3 oak chunks (chunks, not chips) around the burners of your smoker, put some applejuice in your water pan, place a pork butt on the grill that has been covered with olive oil, salt, and pepper, fat cap up or just remove the fat cap, as you'll get more "bark" that way.  Keep the smoker at around 225 - 250.  Cook until internal temperatures reaches at least 195...if it can get to 200 that's great!  The highest I have ever been able to get an internal temp was 205...it was like butter and wonderful!

Let it rest for about 30 minutes, i.e., do not cut it in anyway, shape, or form.  You want those juice that are all boiling on the outside of the meat to redistribute back into the meat.

Make a sauce out of white vinegar, a bit of brown sugar, ketchup, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.  Once cooled, shred, put shredded meat on bun, drizzle with sauce, stand at the end of the driveway...I'll be right over to pick it up!


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## roadfix

^^^ You forgot to include the 10+ hours of cooking time required...


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## Chile Chef

roadfix said:


> ^^^ You forgot to include the 10+ hours of cooking time required...


Ut oh, That's not a good thing. Anyways Guess what came from UPS?

Derek Robinson's Photos - Smoking Dee's Smoker Pics 2010 | Facebook


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## FrankZ

So what do you have ready to go into the beastie?


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## Chile Chef

FrankZ said:


> So what do you have ready to go into the beastie?


When the weather is nice, it's going to be one of 2 things. It's either going to be a nice pork butt or a full rack of baby back ribs, bourbon, hickory wood chips.


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## FrankZ

From the look of that thing it looks like you don't have to choose.. do both.


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## Chile Chef

FrankZ said:


> From the look of that thing it looks like you don't have to choose.. do both.


I could, but how would I store the meat once I cook it?

I'm not real big eater, I mainly grace all day and still keep under 3000 sodium.


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## roadfix

Chile Chef said:


> I could, but how would I store the meat once I cook it?



You don't.  You invite people to feast with you.


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## Chile Chef

roadfix said:


> You don't.  You invite people to feast with you.


Good idea, We'll do that as soon as the snow melts in a 1000 months, LOL!


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## kitchenelf

roadfix said:


> ^^^ You forgot to include the 10+ hours of cooking time required...



woopsiedaisy!


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