How close is close?

congratulations! you might try typing "new owner" in the find box and be able to answer most of your questions. Make sure to read 101,s before smoking any meat.

I'd try using it first, and if it produces delicious smoked food, leave it alone. If the smoke is light and the wood doesn't char, lift the end of the element so that it just touches the wood box(lift after the element cools. I won't tell you how I know ) . I wouldn't alter the wood box.

Also, do as cal suggests. Happy smoking.

What Pags said. Let er rip & see what happens. Adjust as needed, IF needed!

I have an Amerique and my wood box slides all the way back. Make sure you put it in with the wood compartment facing you in front. I have been playing with my Amerique for almost a year now and have a couple of observations:

- Make sure your meat never touches the temperature probe mounted in the back of the smoker. I have done it twice with two racks of ribs on that shelf touching the probe and the temperature never went above 170 degrees. Also clean the probe occasionally.

- The front part of my Amerique get the most heat in the air flow. If I am cooking a big piece of meat like a prime rib I put the thickest part facing the front so it cooks evenly.

- The middle two shelves are the most consistant for heat and smoke. If you use all four shelves rotate them throughout your cook time for best results. My bottom shelf gets very hot and I rarely use it, just for full loads.

Have fun! I use mine at least once if not twice a week!

Smokin in the fort-I too just received my new Amerique this morning. My woodbox also does not slide all the way back to the rear wall. I think by design it's not supposed to. I wouldn't mess with it. So I guess unless there was a major flaw in the production process, this is how it's supposed to be.

Smoking in the fort-I just spoke to Karen at Cookshack and she stated that there is no defect in the manufacturing process and that the manual needs to be updated as the smokebox which we have is a new modification which was made. Additionally she said that the heating element should be fine and not need any adjustment although I have read posts where people have adjusted them. She also stated to put the wood towards the FRONT of the woodbox. Just a FYI, hope this helps!

Thanks for the info kcso53, I'm setting up my new AmeriQue and ran into the exact same confusion from the manual.

Same thing here with my recently purchased Amerique. It was clear that the woodbox was designed to slip on only one way, and not to go all the way to the back like the manual said, but to keep it at the front where the multiple-curved part of the heating element is. So I concluded that the manual needed an update.

Welcome to the forum Sand.

Y'all read the manual?!!

quote:

Originally posted by TheBear:
Y'all read the manual?!!

Of course. How else would I know not to touch hot surfaces or take a shower with my smoker while it's plugged in?