New Smoker

[b tip 06]

Let me start by saying I'm new at this game, but am very interested in learning.[8D]A couple years ago I received a Luhr Jehnsen "Little Cheif" front load smoker as a Christmas gift. Not top of the line, but like I said it was a gift. I've used iton several occasions with mediocre results. It has a pan for chips that sets directly on a burner. My ? is..... Do you put water in the pan with the chips or perhaps soak the chips before putting them on the burner? I see some of you guys talking about adding water for moisture, but my directions say nothing about adding water anywhere, anytime. In fact, they state that low, dry heat is needed for smokin'. Any info would be greatly appreciated.


P.S. On account of following directions I've never soaked or added water.

[Chuck7]

By the sound of your post this is an electric smoker..

I have no expereince with those..I use the charcoal smoker..I soak my chips all night in water..to keep them from burning up so fast and to make them smoke better..

I saw an electric smoker at Sams last week ..It had a water pan as well..The water pan appears to be used to keep the meat moist.

It also had a trap door to dump chips on the burner..I'd think the chips should have been soaked in water to last longer and smoke more..

I've had a hard time getting my smoker hot enough to cook..I like it at 225 ..so I cut my own chips..bigger chunks..Fact last week was so hot I had to partially close off the vents..to keep the temp down.[8D]The water will need refilled about every 1 and 1/2 hours

[Big Guy01]

Your Little or big chief smoker is a bottom of the line model. It doesnt have a water bowl. Bigger smokers have a heat source, electric,wood/charcoal or propane. then comes a smoke box in which you place your wood chips to make smoke. next is a water pan used to create steam which keeps things moist in the smoker, next are the meat racks. There should also be vents at the bottom and top . You regulate the smoker temps by increasing or decreasing the size of fire and manipulating the vents. The trouble with your smoker is control and no water bowl. its just OK for quick smoking but very difficult to do a long low and slow smoke. Get a good dual probe thermometer so you can see the smoker temp and the meat temp.

[jerseyhunter]

I would suggest you forget the chips and use sawdust. It comes in different varieties, I use hickory. You want the sawdust to be on the boarder between wet and dry, damp or moist would br more like it. You can get it from the sausagemaker.

http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.as...p;btnSearch=GO