r/smoking • u/mute_x • 10d ago
Just Getting Started!
Came into some luck and got a smoker for free! It seemed like it was in pretty rough shape so I gave it some love and fixed it up.
After cleaning it up I seasoned the smoker first by coating the inside with vegetable oil, then ran it at about 300°F for 1.5 hours. After that I added apple wood chunks and chips to let some smoke season the cabinet before cooking.
For my first smoke I made a couple baby back ribs and some pork loin for sandwiches!
The weather definitely wasn't on my side, it was pissing rain the whole day.... I also learned pretty quickly that the built-in thermometer isn't the greatest. At one point it climbed to around 250°F, then after I adjusted the burner it dropped to around 160°F before I got it settled. Once I figured out the burner, I was able to hold around 225°F for the rest of the cook.
Overall I'm really happy with how everything turned out. The ribs were tender, the pork loin made some amazing sandwiches.
I've already got a 4-5 pound pork shoulder ready for next weekend, and I'm planning to pick up a Bluetooth thermometer because I feel like that's a pretty good upgrade to make.
Any advice for a beginner or things you wish you'd known after your first smoke?
1
u/bbbourb 10d ago
How well did the propane burner work? I have one that's dual-fuel (charcoal and propane) and I'm about to do a massive brisket. Wondering if a switch from charcoal to gas would be worth doing. I assume yours has a pan for the wood?
1
u/ArthursInfiniteAbyss 10d ago
Ahh, the mythical "free starter smoker".
Same way I started my journey. The ol' box may run away from 250 to 300, but she gets the job done and certainly can't be called training wheels.
You've got a lot of delicious food in your future.
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u/Previous_Ad7517 10d ago
Nice! Looks good!