just seasoned my new smokette last nite

Welcome,tjr.....You might go over to the open forum and scroll down to the thread on prime rib II around mid July....It will give you lots of ideas and then you can decide what internal temperature to go for to achieve the level of doneness desired....Keep in mind that it will rise another 5 � after you take it out of the heat....Enjoy.

There are lots of ideas around this forum, just how to find them in the 1000's of posts?

Steak cuts (sirloin, etc) are my first choice for the smoker, but they'll come out fine, try like Tom suggested.

You probably haven't heard us say before, but be careful about those times in the CS cookbook, I've heard many comment that most of the times are a little low.

Rule #1.

"it's done, when it's done"

(it's just hard for newbies to know when that is...) we'll try to help. For newbies, go for the internal temp as your target.

when you say "steak cuts", do you mean ones cut across the grain, or do you mean ones tender enough to broil?

as to knowing when it's done, that's easy - you can tell it's done by the doneness. Usually about an hour or two after you've become ravenous. Seriously, though, it does seem like the cookbook's a bit optimistic. Then again, nothing takes longer than rotiserieing chicken over a low fire: Up to 6-8 hours for a little 4# bird.

Well, actually you cut brisket across the grain.

Yup, by steak cuts I mean those like Filets & New York etc that are better seared than smoked (but a lot of people smoke them).

6 to 8 for chicken? Smoking will be a lot faster, I can do a batch of chicken breasts and sometimes they're done in under an hour.

Wait until you do a large Pork butt, say 10 lb'er and it takes 18 hours and you swear it's still not done.

"....it's done by the doneness..." LOL, I like that

My recommendation as a new user, is to pick a particular item (brisket, butt, ribs, whatever) and try to get to were you can cook it reasonably the way you like to. Then move onto the next subject. There are so many questions for each of these. And we can discuss any of the CS recipes and any adjustments to time.

Hope you checked out my guide page (at the very top of this page, there is a link to it) make sure you check out the 101 series.

There's lots of info info, the challenge for you (and it's a fun one) is where to start.

well, not a lot faster...I did a brined 5# roaster, put in at refrig temp, roasted to 177F in about 8 hrs. Good thing I put it in early. May have set Smokette too low at 200F, will try 225F next time. Used 1oz hickory. Was very delicious and tender - much more tender than I expected for lower than 180F+ temperature.

Smokette is very economical on wood! Used to use like something like 10-15 cubic inches wood for that size bird on water smoker, used about 1 oz yesterday. At that rate the box that came with will smoke 500#!! And the 2' diameter maple tree I'm cutting down this fall: A whole herd and a flock besides!

Howdy and congrats,tjr.....The CS cures lots of problems....Try your yard bird at 240� and still watch your internal.....See if that doesn't help.