You will most likely find out that every pit master has their own preference
when it comes to wood. Our primary suggestion is that you use a mild wood
such as oak or pecan, and experiment with other wood types to determine
which flavors suit your tastes. We recommend you check out Mesquite,
Hickory, or Apple in small amounts. Never use green wood in your pit.
Wood should be "seasoned" by time before burning it for cooking.
3. USING YOUR SMOKER:
Once you have seasoned your smoker, you are ready to cook. It is very
important that you have good air flow so your meat does not have an over-
smoked or stale flavor.
Building a Fire:
Getting a good hot bed of coals going will keep your smoker running
really well. If you have a log lighter, we recommend that you lay one log
across the back of the firebox and stack three or so logs perpendicular
to that log leaning them on the first log. The firebox door should be
open to allow air flow and get a good fire going. Once your fire is
started you should TURN THE GAS LOG LIGHTER OFF. Never
operate log lighter with firebox door closed.
Log Lighter Safety:
WARNING- WHEN USING LOG
LIGHTER FIREBOX DOOR MUST BE OPEN.
Closing the door
will use up oxygen and upon opening may cause explosion, serious
injury or death.
Smoke Stack Baffle:
This baffle should be completely open when
cooking on your smoker. Closing it will reduce air flow and result in
stale or over smoked food.
Firebox Baffle:
The firebox baffle needs to be cracked to allow
oxygen into the firebox to keep the fire going. If you notice your fire is
not staying hot, open the baffle more or even the firebox door. No air,
no fire.
Reverse Flow Plates:
These plates in the bottom of your smoke
chamber allow you to control the convection of your pit. The smoke is
forced beneath the plates and runs out the other side, which helps
prevent hot spots next to the firebox and over smoking. Pushing the
plate closest to the firebox all the way over, and leaving a 2 inch crack
between the second plate and opposite end is a good starting point. The
plates may be adjusted to make one side hotter than the other if you
are cooking various types of meat or vegetables that require different
