PROQSMOKERS.COM
5
Some More Useful Tips
Here are a few pointers and common issues experienced when starting out, if you
have any questions or queries, feel free to get in touch with your local Distributor,
or contact us directly through www.macsbbq.com.
Make sure your charcoal basket is full when starting out, a single chimney will burn
out quite quickly and you won’t reach your desired temperature. You can save and
re-use some fuel after the cook by closing all the vents to extinguish the fire.
When you start your cook, fill the waterpan with hot or warm water. This will
ensure the smoker gets up to temperature quickly, saving you on fuel.
Keep the top air vent fully open during the cook, it allows the unit to exhaust
properly and gives you a nice clean smoke flavour.
“If you’re lookin’ you ain’t cookin’” – every time you open the lid to your smoker
you add an extra 15-30 minutes to your cook, try to keep opening the smoker to a
minimum. For the best results use a wireless probe thermometer so you can see
when the food is ready.
In your first cooks go easy with the wood, adding too much will make your food
very smoky and can be bitter when over smoked. We recommend just 1-2 handfuls
of chips, or 1-2 fist sized chunks. All that you’re after is a wisp of light blue smoke
coming from the top vent.
Use good quality lumpwood or briquettes, we prefer restaurant grade lumpwood
or Cocoshell briquettes. Try to avoid briquettes with added fillers and quick start/
instant light on the bag.
Always buy good quality ingredients, this will make the biggest difference to your
results.
Experiment! Try different woods, rubs, sauces and cuts of meat until you find
something you like! We’ve put a few basic recipes in this manual, but feel free to
add your own twist or completely reinvent them.
