Beginner Smoker from Illinois

[josh]

Hey guys!

My name is Josh and I'm from Illinois. 2007-2011 I served in the USMC and got out with an honorable discharge. 2011-2013 got a job in an industrial hydraulic shop. 2013-present I work in a cement plant in Iowa (15 minute drive from my place in Illinois) Back when I was a marine we would get drunk and do some sloppy BBQing back behind the barracks in Okinawa and 29 Palms. Nothing to hard to conquer. Steaks, chickens, hot dogs, and hamburgers. Well time passed by and right before I got out of the marines I got married to a very awesome woman. Since then we have been married for 5 years and have 2 kids together. Now that I have become a husband and a father I figured it's really time to buckle down and do manly things. Repair stuff around the house, buy a German Shepard puppy, teach my kids how to be great swimmers and many other awesome things, and to really understand how to grill and most importantly to understand the art of smoking meat. Nobody I know smokes meat so why not give it a shot. For 2 years I've been learning a lot from my successes and as well as my failures from smoking meats. Recently I have figured out the science behind maintaining your low and slow temp which was a difficult at times but ya live and learn right???!!! As of yesterday (10-1-15) the wife told me she bought me the smokenator and now here I am. I will be posting a lot of my upcoming smokes now that I have a smokenator but more importantly I'm very excited to learn from all of you. Take care everyone

Josh

[ncsmoker]

Josh welcome to the forum and to your new SN. There is a lot to learn already on the forum in both the Techniques section and in the S-view section. The most important pages of the instruction booklet are pages 7&8 which talk about stirring the coals(about every hour) and adding new coals(about every 4 hours and sweeping the ashes at that time). Find a good source of wood chunks that will burn for an hour, I recommend Maine Hardwoods. Don't put the water pan down in the hole fill the SN with charcoal and the wood chunk and put the pan above it on the grate. The other thing you should get as soon as you can is a Maverick ET732 thermometer system. You will need to drill a hole just below the rim of the kettle to feed the probes a 1/3-1/2 way around the kettle about 1/2" in diameter or slightly less. I like 1/2 way so I can move the grill probe where I want it as well as stick the meat probe in a proper place.

The SN takes a little getting used to in regulating temps depending on which Weber you have, the one with 3 vents is more difficult or the one with the catch basket a little less. \

One last thing always keep a smoking diary. Here is one from Amazing Ribs an excellent site for info on smoking although don't take everything he says to heart as it doesn't all apply to the SN. amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/cooking_log.html

Josh right now I am in Burlington, IA in a riverside cabin built by wife's father and grandfather watching the river flow by. We also have a farm in southeast IA. Normally we live in the NC mountains. With the cool weather here you will probably have to open the vents a little more than you will in the summer.

Thank you for your service, it is a commitment few understand. I was in the Navy in the 70's.

Regards, Tom

[josh]

Wow Tom you are about 45 minutes away from here. Moline IL is where I call home. That's pretty cool that a family cabin is right on the river. I've been swimming in the river just down stream from Hampton IL since I was a little kid. The Mississippi has a bad rep for pollution but where I swim it's the cleanest it has been in ages. About 2 months ago I smoked some ribs while watching the mighty Mississippi roll on by. Speaking of the river the cement plant I work at (I'm here right now actually 1:25am) is right on the river. Thanks for the advice about the thermometer and drilling points for the probe. What a great start I will have, all thanks to your advice Tom!!! Enjoy the nice cool evening sir. Thank you for your service as well Tom!!! Take care

Josh

[alisacom]

www.aromamediterraneo.es

[4aces]

Welcome aboard!! Thank you for your service!! Here is what I just last weekend. Great Mod it will protect the thermometer wires.

smokenatorforum.proboards.com/thread/458/weber-modification-digital-thermometer-probe?page=1#scrollTo=2193