Preparing and Using Your Longhorn Smoker
Before cooking with your Longhorn Smoker, the following steps should be closely followed to both cure the finish and
season the interior steel. Failure to properly follow these steps may damage the finish and/or impart metallic flavors
to your first foods.
1. Brush all interior surfaces including grills and grates with vegetable cooking oil.
2. Build a small fire on the fire grate, being sure not to lay coals against the walls.
3. Close lid. (Position butterfly damper and smokestack damper approximately at one quarter open.) This burn
should be sustained for at least two hours, the longer the better. Then, begin increasing temperature by opening
the butterfly damper and smokestack damper half-way and adding more charcoal. Your Longhorn Smoker is now
ready for use.
Rust can appear on the inside of your smoker. Maintaining a light coat of vegetable oil on interior surfaces will aid in
the protection of your unit. Exterior surfaces of smoker may need occasional touch up. We recommend the use of a
commercially available black high temperature spray paint. NEVER PAINT THE INTERIOR OF THE UNIT !
GRILLING
Wood is recommended, however charcoal or a combination of both may be used as the fuel source for grilling, with
the fuel source placed and ignited on the fire grate. Do not build too large of a fire. We recommend starting a fire
with no more than 4 pounds of charcoal (approximately 60 briquets) and adding more as needed during cooking.
After allowing the fire to burn down, place the cooking grills in the smoker. Failure to read and follow instructions for
lighting charcoal may result in serious personal injury and/or property damage.
GRILL MAINTENANCE
Frequency of cleanup is determined by how much your smoker is used. Make sure coals are completely
extinguished before cleaning inside of smoker. Inside surfaces may be cleaned with a strong solution of detergent
and water applied with a scrub brush. Thoroughly rinse with water and allow to air dry before using again.
SMOKING AND SLOW COOKING
If using the Longhorn Smoker as a smoker or slow cooker, remove the cooking grill from the firebox and build your
fire on top of the fire grate in the firebox. Either charcoal or wood may be used, but wood is the recommended fuel
for it’s rate of burn and the flavor it imparts to the food being cooked. Most seasoned hardwoods are good for
smoking such as hickory, mesquite, pecan, oak, and many other fruit woods. The firebox will accommodate most
split fireplace size logs (16”). Bark should be avoided or burned off first as it contains a high acid content and imparts
an acrid flavor.
After allowing the fire to burn down, close the doors and control the temperature and smoke with the dampers located
on the firebox and atop the smokestack. Smoke is contained within the chambers, which will reduce burn while
imparting more smoke flavor. Do not operate the Longhorn Smoker with temperatures exceeding 450 degrees in the
smoke chamber. Place the food in the smoke chamber and monitor the temperature. Cooking and smoking are
taking place using indirect heat. There is no need to worry about a grease fire flare-up ruining the food. Do not place
food within 6” of the opening from the firebox into the smoke chamber. A general rule of thumb for cooking is about 1
hour per pound for smoking large cuts of meat. Refer to a cook book for specific cuts of meats but refer to a good
cookbook for specific cuts of meat. Limit the number of times you open the smoke chamber door as this will allow
heat to escape and extend the cooking time.
HELPFUL HINTS
• If food seems to be getting too smoky or brown before the cooking time is finished, cover it loosely with heavy duty
aluminum foil.
• Remove the ash after each use.
• Covered side dishes can be warmed in smoke chamber.
• To prevent flare-ups, brush meat lightly with oil before grilling.
• Keep a small squirt bottle of water handy for grilling flare-ups.
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