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albuq, the first time you use the smoker (at least for seasoning), the temperature will overshoot your setting. When I seasoned my SM025, I set it at 225 and the temp shot up to 265. The temp finally settled in at 225 in about 30 minutes. This is normal in an empty cookshack. It's designed to get hot fast so the wood will start smoking. Temperature overshoots don't happen with a full smoker, in my experience. So, after you season the smoker, do a pork butt and you'll see the temp will dial right in w/o an overshoot. Hope this helps.

Thanks...think I over reacted with my new toy...
the temp has stabilized as you said..on the high side.
Ive settled down as well. lol
bob

The element stays on for the first 20 minutes or so in order to get the wood started. That will cause it to overshoot in an empty smoker as RockySmoke stated.

Hey Albuq!

Welcome to the forum, as you have found out their are many of the CS family that are more than happy to help a newbie when asked.

One piece of advice for you is that by using the find button in the top left corner you can do a lot of research...such as smoking cheese...for an example.

I had my 009 for 5 years before I started using a thermometer. I would put the meat in and cook by time and then check if done, if not it went back in a little longer. I got pretty good at this and still use my time tables as a guide.

I recently started using a thermometer and of course then I was checking the temp of everything including the oven. That's when I noticed the variance in temp compared to the thermostat setting. But like Okie and may others have said, it's the average temp that matters.

Welcome to the forum.

Mac

Mac,

Thanks, just goes to prove you don't need a lot of technology to make it work. Too much information too, like knowing the temp.

I only check my smoker temp occassionally to make sure it's in the range, but never track it during every smoke.

I smoked a pork butt yesterday, and the temperature went up to 295 before it finally settled down to the 225 I set it at. My experience has been that this is normal and nothing to worry about.