Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Uhplifted made a pellet stove grenade...

 

Sorry @dan0mite but I'm putting the curse on you again. Leaning more towards the GMG now because it comes with a side shelf and also can buy a front shelf. No shelfs at all that I could find for the Rec Tec.

 

Procedure and process is huge with these i have read. Open to ideas, want to ensure I am running mine as safe as possible. This is mostly as outlined in the user manual that came with it.

I followed the initial burn directions to the T. Took several hours.

Now, I plug in, open lid, turn on to smoke (lowest temp setting) until i get visible smoke. Then i close lid and set to 450 to preheat, kill germs / whatever. then I set it to cooking temp, anywhere from 185 - 350 and let it equalize for 15 mins or so. I go get whatever I am cooking, and cook it. after I pull the meat, I run it up to 450 again. Then I set it down to 225 or so and watch temps. Once temps get below 275, I turn to shutdown mode which then takes 10 mins. Trying to make sure I do not get a back burn in the pellet feeder tube and into the hopper. so far so good. Its a process for sure, but needs to be followed. I shop vac out my burn box and grill every 2 times.

 

I would like to get a front fold down shelf for the Z grill. they dont offer one, and I have not spent the time yet to check comparability between the other brands shelves.

 

I was just looking for shelves for the Z grill as well and saw they don't offer one which is a bummer. I only had 3 smokes with my Traeger but I got the front shelf immediiately and it was amazing. Definitely want one on my next grill. The GMG comes with a side shelf already and then you can buy a front shelf too. Those 2 plus the hopper = 3 shelves! I still can't decide. I will likely go to the BBQ shop today to check out the GMG

 

I was just telling @uhplifted that you can always have one fabbed up. I was going to do it for my Traeger but ended up just ordering theirs. Price wasn't going to be a whole lot different from the local shop, at times I wish I had gone that route so I could have designed it to work exactly like I wanted.

 

10-4 to that. I have not fealt have needed one yet, I just want one. the hopper works good, and have a decent outdoor table right behind me that I use as well

 

Ya check them both out if you can, also check out the reviews on both. There is a forum out there with a lot of info.

 

Nothing wrong with that. To be honest as much as I like my front shelf and use it there are times it's a PITA and in the way. When I have a big cook I drag out the table and use that to set up on. I think the hopper cover still gets the most use.

 

I don't think they'll have a RecTec, but I know they have a GMG. I'll check out what else they got too. But I definitely want that WiFi now haha. Just need to try and find the post in here about hooking up an external antenna to the GMG to get it working

 

Normally on mine I open the lid and let it go 4-5 minutes to start up. At that point I set the temp to what I want and close the lid and let it go. Usually 10-15 mins it's up to the temp I want and ready for the meat. Shutdown I just kick it into shutdown mode and let er go. It burns off whats in the pot and cleans it out.

As for cleaning I have been cleaning out the dust every 5-6 cooks I don't end up with much extra in there since I switched to Lumberjack they seem to burn pretty complete.

 

You can google it also. Not sure does anyone know if it messes with your warranty since they didn't sell it that way? People have dumb warranty clauses.

 

Been doing that. Can't seem to find any instruction on how to do that. Just links coming up that you can buy the WiFi control panel and add it in. So clearly, there's wifi built in as others have said, just needs the antenna. My google skills are lacking apparently

 

Pretty similar to me

Turn on with lid open
set to temp (usually 225)
once smoke visible, close lid
Cook when at temp
when done, hit power which puts it in shutdown mode
leave lid open during shutdown and until cool
cover and unplug.

I've been cleaning about every 3 cooks which I've noticed is overkill but I'm paranoid...

I cover the heat deflector in foil too and change that out often

 

Yes I do the same. I change out the foil usually every couple smokes at least.

 

Now I need to go home and fire it up and cook something

Still got a few prime packers, a gold wagyu and some pork butts and bellies in the freezer

 

PBB’s sound good

 

Always a good choice.

 

I picked one up about 6 weeks ago from Amazon. Only been able to use it once for a 5lb brisket, but it did a good job until I had a grease flare up (pan wasn’t seated right and pooled in the bottom of the drum)

I still need some more time with it but so far so good

That’s the exact one I got