On the seasoning of a smoker

[SeaCat]

Many of you have seasoned Cast Iron Cookware, as I have done in the past. Today I picked up a Smoker. (My wife ordered it for me.) We're talking a metal box with a gas burner in the very bottom, a smoke box above that and then a Water Pan. Above the water pan are four adjustable Stainless Steel racks. The thing weighs over 100 pounds and takes up a corner of the Patio. (It's large enough that I can conceivably smoke two large Turkeys at the same time.)

I read the directions for seasoning it and tossed them over my shoulder. They called for firing it up at low temps with a smoke box filled with wood and let it go for half an hour.

I filled the water pan then fired it up at high temps for 45 minutes to cook the paint. I then let it cool then brushed the inside with a steel wire brush. I again fired it up with a full Smoke Box and low temps. I'm letting it cook this way for an hour. Tomorrow I'll cook it for another hour with the wood chips.

Any other ideas?

Cat

 

[rgraham666]

Yes.

Invite me over for dinner.

 

[lisa123414]

My smoker is not cast iron, and so required no seasoning. But everything I own that is cast iron called for a coat of vegetable oil before seasoning. Then only scour it with a brush or paper towels, dont use water.

Smoke ribs, smoke salmon, smoke lots and lots of differnt birds, enjoy!

I will be there for dinner with Rob, we will bring a bottle of wine!

 

[SeaCat]

LOLOL

For tomorrow I have a nice Beef Roast rubbed and injected with Garlic and Onion. Tomorrow I shall unwrap it and toss it in the smoker on low heat with plenty of water and smoke. (Hickory if you care to know.) I figure ater several hours it should taste just fine. (There is a learning curve on things like this.)

Cat

 

[The_Fool]

Throw a whole salmon fillet on a cedar plank in there with it.

Here is your salsa as a topping:

1 cup mangos or other fruit
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp cilantro (or more if you are like me)
2 cloves of garlic, minced (see above)
1 green onion chopped
Juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Sugar to taste if fruit isn't sweet enough

serve chilled

 

[SeaCat]

My smoker is not cast iron, and so required no seasoning. But everything I own that is cast iron called for a coat of vegetable oil before seasoning. Then only scour it with a brush or paper towels, dont use water.

Smoke ribs, smoke salmon, smoke lots and lots of differnt birds, enjoy!

I will be there for dinner with Rob, we will bring a bottle of wine!

This thing is not cast Iron, although it weighs enough to be.

It's kind of neat in that it's gas burner is a two part. One part produces a very small flame under the Smoke Box, while the other produces a larger flame. This means I can produce smoke with very little heat. (A good thing when making something like Jerky.)

I have smoked it tonight and will smoke it again tomorrow morning. That should give it a hint of the flavor it can produce. (I figure in a month or so it will be about right.)

The last couple of smokers I have made fo people took about a month of seasoning befire they were ready, then again they were actual Smokers and looked like small shacks. (A smoke oven takes a long time to season before it produces foods worthy of eating.)

My father made a smoker up in Mass. It took six months to season before it created meats worthy of the name of smoked meats. (Then again this was a larger smoker, it measured six by six by eight feet.) Now when he smokes something it is damn near orgasmic. (Have you ever tried Smoked Tuna?)

Cat

 

[marifree]

Oh, I'm there for that!

Throw a whole salmon fillet on a cedar plank in there with it.

Here is your salsa as a topping:

1 cup mangos or other fruit
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp cilantro (or more if you are like me)
2 cloves of garlic, minced (see above)
1 green onion chopped
Juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
Sugar to taste if fruit isn't sweet enough

serve chilled

 

[SeaCat]

Oh my poor poor neighbors. They have braved the rains several times to come over and see what was happening on my patio.

This afternoon I tossed the Roast in at 1630 after filling the smoke box and the water pan. It's been in there ever since. (I've refilled the smoke Box twice and I'm getting ready to refill it again.) For the first 2 hours it was at 100 degrees as it slowly smoked. Now it's at 400 degrees and cooking a bit faster.

While shopping this morning I noticed the local store has Tuna Steaks. I talked with the guy behind the counter and he tells me they are fresh, caught by a friend of his. (He is allowed to sell them through some kind of agreement with the store.) I may have to pick some up.

Cat