cooking temperatures. As with the wood, this is something to
experiment with and find what works best for you.
Drain Pipe:
Lowering the jack a few degrees will point the front of the
trailer downward slightly so the grease will slide towards the grease
drain located towards the front of the smoker chamber. To prevent
grease from draining onto the ground, put a 2" ball valve on the drain
pipe, or simply place a bucket underneath the drain to catch the grease.
Warming Box:
Once you have seasoned the racks in the warming
box, you are ready to use it. There is a smoke gate at the back of the box
that allows you to cook with or without smoke by opening and closing
the gate. The box uses radiant heat from the fire below to keep food
warm, smoke meat or even bake something. The temperature depends
on the fire below and will have some variance from top to bottom.
Deluxe Charcoal Grill:
The racks in the deluxe charcoal grill should
be seasoned much the same as the smoker chamber and warming box.
The DCG will work like most charcoal grills with much more cooking
surface area. With both doors open, the charcoal grated rack can be
raised or lowered to bring your heat source closer to your food. The key
is to get a good bed of coals going. It is not recommended that you put
the coals directly on the steel bottom as that may damage the structure
rapidly and is costly to replace. Keep your racks clean and lid closed to
prolong the life of your grill. Baffles can be adjusted to allow more air
into your burning coals. NEVER adjust charcoal rack once fire is lit.
4. Maintaining Your Smoker:
Think of your smoker like a cast iron skillet. If you see a spot that looks
rusty, oil it. Some like to oil the entire unit, others the firebox. Peanut oil,
which is consumable and has a high flash point, is recommended unless you
have a peanut allergy.
Normal wear and tear on your unit is not covered by East Texas Smoker
Company.
Cleaning-
After every cook, I take a long-handled pizza oven brush (available at your
local restaurant supply store) and brush off the racks. When it's time to give
the pit a good cleaning (every few months, depending on use), I power wash
out the pit. Remember that using a degreaser will remove the resin built up
in your chamber. This resin protects the inside of the cooking chamber from
