Hello from Fayette, MO

[Fayettejim]

I joined Amazingribs a year ago. Upon the advice of Meathead I bought a Smokenator to use with my reliable 'ol Weber Kettle. I'm a charcoal guy going back forty years. My rookie trials with the Smokenator/digital grill-meat thermometer included trouble getting up to heat and losing temp while adding coals or liquid. Then I read about the Smoke and Sear a week or so ago. I ordered one two weeks ago, again through the site. What a dream! Get a dozen coals going in a corner, load a chimney full of unlit coals across the rest, add a quart of hot water to the basin, add the wood chips, put on the grate, put the meat on the grate with thermometer, close the lid, monitor temp. That's it. I smoked chicken quarters on Tuesday. My greatest critic - my wife Terre - LOVED them. She called them beautiful. Our grandson loved the flavor. No lifting the hood, no adding coals or water. Today when I was cleaning up I noticed one-half to three quarters of the coals were still unlit. I put them back in their container. No wonder the ad says one chimney full will give you 8-8.5 hours of smoke. I'd been hesitant to try a beef brisket but no more. I can't wait.

I'm wondering if anyone out there prefers a Smokenator.

[DWCowles]

Welcome Fayettejim I painted my Smokenator red so I can see it when I used it for target practice

[fuzzydaddy]

Welcome to The Pit Fayettejim. It's good to hear that your chicken turned out so well and enjoy smoking and eating your brisket! It's great to have you here and thank you for your support.

Since this is your first post, please check out our homework assignment post for new members. It contains a few how-tos and please-dos. This will help you learn your way around so you can get the best experience from our forum.

Also, it's very important that you add the domain AmazingRibs.com to your email safe list in case you are ever drawn as our monthly Gold Medal Giveaway winner!

See you around The Pit!

[CeramicChef]

Welcome to The Pit and welcome to The Obsession!

[LA Pork Butt]

I see you joined in May of 2015. I don't know if you were welcomed then, but I wanted to say welcome to fun in the Pit! Keep posting and sharing you smoking journey.

[Fayettejim]

My only observation about my chicken smoking experience was this: in Meatheads endorsement of the SnS he advised to get the Weber up to 225-230 before putting on the chicken. The instructions that came with the SnS said to put the chicken/meat on the same time you add the unlit coals and hot water. Then just make sure the Weber doesn't get too hot. I guess the meat starts cooking as the coals heat. Makes sense.

[MBMorgan]

Welcome to the Pit, Jim!

[Danjohnston949]

Fayettejim, The more You use the S 'n S the better You will Like it! I suggest you might want to take a look a the Texhnique and Recipie Section of ABCBBQ.Com (Adrenaline BBQ Co) they have some well prepared advice on Temp Control, Lighting Inst, only Use Water for Low and Slow and, and etc.
You and I must be about the Same Vingage? A "49 Model" Here!
Eat Well and Prosper! From a Backyard Cremator in Fargo ND, Dan

[Huskee]

Welcome to The Pit Fayettejim! Glad to have you here, thanks for your support. We're glad you like the SnS too, it's a fine tool indeed. A tip- cook your chicken hotter at 325+. You will like the results better. For ABCbarbecue.com's chicken instructions, check out this link. Then, pick which chicken (pieces or whole) you're cooking, and each article will have a link to the hot & fast lighting method best suited for chicken. You're using the low & slow lighting method, which will work, but I think you'll find the hot & fast to be a better fit for chicken.

Hope to hear & see more from you!

[Huskee]

Fayettejim Great question, the quick answer is either. I think Meathead likes to poke back through the foil after wrapping. If you do that just make sure to poke from the top so you don't lose liquid once wrapped. I like to just wrap the probes where they've been the whole cook, and crimp & seal those areas well. 6 of one half dozen of the other.

[Mr. Bones]

Howdy Fayettejim , from Kansas Territory (Larryville)...
Originally from ExSpgsMo...
Glad to hear from ya'!!!

[RonB]

Welcome to The Pit Jim. I have a Smokenator that was always difficult to use. I stopped using it years ago and bought an electric smoker. But even the electric smoker has been unused since I purchased the SnS.

[LarryO47]

Welcome from the Southern tier of New York, Fayettejim .