Build a small fire, using charcoal or wood, then add wood that has been soaked in water. Create all the smoke you can, keeping it going for about four to five hours. This will season the inside of your pit and “tighten” the paint. We recommend the use of dry, well seasoned wood only. Using wood that is not properly seasoned will cause a residue to build up on the inside of the grill and drip onto your food.
What kind of wood should I use?
This is strictly personal preference, as different woods offer different flavoring. Which ever wood you use, be sure it is completely dry and well seasoned.
A small amount of wood is sufficient to heat your grill. You may want to add wood as you cook, depending on the length of cooking time.
The best temperature for grilling is between 250 and 300 degrees. The best temperature for smoking is 225 to 250.
What is the hook on the bottom of the pit for?
Well, it could be used to hang a fly strip, chain your dog to guard your meat, or hang your dinner bell! But we use it to tie the pits down while being transported to keep from damaging the paint.
This is something you will have to practice with. You will need to adjust your dampers on the firebox door and the smokestack. Opening the butterfly door on the firebox more will allow air to flow through causing a hotter fire. Closing the damper on the smokestack, leaving a slight opening will hold the heat inside. Open the damper to allow heat to escape. Close off the butterfly door to snuff out fire.
What is the difference between BBQ and smoking?
Barbecuing is simply cooking foods over an open fire. However, it is a little more refined than that. When you cook directly over the coals it is commonly called charcoal grilling. When you cook using indirect heat and smoke, the process is considerably slower and results in a more tender, tasty meat. This is commonly called Barbecuing. Smoking is not a process of cooking. It is a process of curing. However, we slow this process down a little more than Barbecuing and call it smoking. Smoking is mainly used for turkey or ham. Sausage and ribs are excellent when smoked this way. Keep these principals in mind when selecting your grill and after you have it, it will help you to select the process to use to cook a particular cut of meat.
Where do I find the serial number?
The serial number is on the inside of the lid of the grill section. The serial number is written with a paint pen on the flange around the lid. Once you have seasoned your grill, this number may disappear. We suggest writing it down in the cookbook that came with your grill on the “Gaurantee” page.