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I need help using my electric smoker....
I attended a charity dinner and casino night last Saturday and won big at both blackjack and poker. I was able to buy a bunch of chances at items that were up for raffles and I won this....

I have always wanted a smoker, and I came home with a 40 inch Masterbuilt digital electronic model. I assembled it and seasoned it yesterday. Today I want to try cooking some chicken and smoking some salmon.
How?
I get the low and slow cooking temp, but about 1/2 a cup of hickory chips fill the smoker / hopper. How much do you use, and when? Do you smoke it the whole time at the beginning or end? I can't imagine the chips lasting more than 1 hour or so.
I have to assume fish and chicken have different cooking times. I have chicken pieces to try not a whole chicken.
Any advice is appreciated!
D

I have always wanted a smoker, and I came home with a 40 inch Masterbuilt digital electronic model. I assembled it and seasoned it yesterday. Today I want to try cooking some chicken and smoking some salmon.
How?
I get the low and slow cooking temp, but about 1/2 a cup of hickory chips fill the smoker / hopper. How much do you use, and when? Do you smoke it the whole time at the beginning or end? I can't imagine the chips lasting more than 1 hour or so.
I have to assume fish and chicken have different cooking times. I have chicken pieces to try not a whole chicken.
Any advice is appreciated!
D
"A patriot is mocked, scorned and hated; yet when his cause succeeds, all men will join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
Replies
I've never smoked salmon, so I'm no help there. I think you'll need to smoke them at a fairly low temp, 175-200 maybe. Just guessing on that one, though.
Chicken is REALLY good when smoked well. Try it on a vertical "beer can" style rack. When I get home. I'll get the times and temps for doing a whole bird. For pieces- not sure. Use the remote temp probe and smoke till done. Again, only give it an hour of smoke or so, then just run heat.
Make sure to smoke some veggies as well. Smoked tomato soup is awesome, and smoke cooked garlic is outstanding as well
-Mikhail Kalashnikov
Some friends showed us a different take on the pork butt. They cut it into strips about 2"x2" and hang it on hooks.
It only takes about 45 minutes per batch and you can do several batches if you make a day of it. I think they did 150 lbs this day. Those strips go great in scrambled eggs or as an entree with rice and kimchi! :drool:
The ram skull adds a "special" flavor. :tooth:
Paul
This. I have the type with the sharpened probe to monitor internal temps on poultry and pork. No guess work.
Adam J. McCleod
I am brining my chicken pieces in salt, soy and some watered down BBQ sauce.
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
Electric smokers- - - -I have zero experience with that type of cooking!
Jerry
For briskets, forget the thermometer - if you take it off when it hits 160-180, it will still be tough. Double-wrap it in foil and bake it on low heat till it's tender, say 2-5 hours, testing it for tenderness occasionally, and then slice it across the grain, else it will still be tough.
http://forums.gunsandammo.com/showthread.php?14068-Electric-Smoker
I do the same thing with any meat with lots of connective tissue such as beef brisket, short ribs, chuck roast, pork butt, dark meat poultry (white meat will just get dry a that temp-- only cook white meat until it is JUST done), lamb, etc... You can be assured that the collagen has broken down into that luscious gelatin at that temperature-- I actually shoot for 204 degrees, but 200 has worked fine.
Anymore, I cheat and put it on a covered grill for an hour or so to smoke over hardwood coals, then transfer it to the oven at 225 degrees wrapped with foil for the rest of the time. It tastes just as good or better.
Salmon-- I brine it the night before, take it out of the brine and let it dry to form a dull sheen on the meat. After that, smoke it until it was cooked through. Mine turned out awesome! I did about 15 pounds up, vacuum sealed and froze most of it. It was still good a year later.
Two things that are awesome in a smoker-- Baked beans (stir them every 30 minutes or so, so that they will absorb more smoke) and meatloaf.
I learned more watching this guy's videos than I ever did reading the books. This guy can cook.
He covers everything.
Like Enzo stated first: It's the prep, whether it be a rub or marinade.
As for how long to smoke, "lightly smoked" will always taste better than "over smoked". I made the mistake of over smoking ribs once. The meat was fine, but you had to cut the crust off to eat it!
https://www.youtube.com/user/BBQwithFrankli
We will see how the chicken does today.
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
I'm guessing it tasted like........................................
chicken! :tooth:
― Douglas Adams
I smoked four legs and two breasts after brining them and I think I was a little heavy on the hickory and I might try less.
The remote control is awesome. I hit a button for the meat thermometer and I could see the temp rising without having to open the door or even go outside. It works up to 100 feet from the smoker.. I baked it at 200 F, and it took about 2:40 minutes for the larges piece to hit 170F. Not too dry and tasty! I added some tangy BBQ sauce and it was delicious.
D
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester: