Newbie Pre-owner Amerique question

I put a rubbermaid tub over the top of mine. I have the old 009 though.

quote:

Originally posted by easy victor:
Do I need to cover this unit or protect it while its in smoke mode?

Thanks.

Yes. The control board sits on top of the smoker and is susceptible to the elements. The optional cover will protect it inbetween smokes but isn't functional while in use as there is no provision for smoke to vent through the top of the smoker with the cover on.

@Brown274

Do you secure it in any way to the unit so it doesn't blow off? Does it need to be vented?

Thanks.

Thanks. It's going to be kept inside between smokes. And it will have a cover on it inside.

quote:

Originally posted by MaxQue:

quote:

Originally posted by easy victor:
Do I need to cover this unit or protect it while its in smoke mode?

Thanks.

Yes. The control board sits on top of the smoker and is susceptible to the elements. The optional cover will protect it inbetween smokes but isn't functional while in use as there is no provision for smoke to vent through the top of the smoker with the cover on.

The newer AmeriQue SM066 have a hard plastic control module (box) with soft rubber seals at the bottom edge. this gives a pretty good seal between the module on top of the smoker and the stainless steel surface on the top of the smoker. You would need something to keep rain out of the smoke hole on top and to keep direct hard rain away from the controller. In case of a hard rain you could smoke at the front of your garage, just under the eave.

I think I am going to get a plastic container that fits over the controls, vent it, and velcro it to the stainless cover to fight and wind. And then, in anticipation of a hard rain, get one of those 90 elbows and point it away from the wind.

Buy yourself a cheapo mortar mixing tub from Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Menard’s to soak the grills in after you smoke. When it’s rainy the tub can be used as a makeshift cover to help keep things dry

For 6 bucks that will work! Any ideas on how to vent it? If I drill holes in either the top or the sides, it kind of defeats the purpose!

I'd put a small 6x6 wood block,or what ever the size you need to be level with the display, on the front top part of the smoker. Then put your tub on the display and wood block. you may need a concrete block or rock on top of the tub to keep the wind from blowing the tub off.

This should leave enough clearance for the smoke to get out.

Fact is, just a 3'x3' piece of plywood is what I use,oh well!

This sounds like a great idea! I have been struggling with tarps and sawhorses for a while now. Do you set the tub on sawhorses or do you use some kind o a leg system?

quote:

Originally posted by Chef-Boy-Arnie:
Buy yourself a cheapo mortar mixing tub from Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Menard’s to soak the grills in after you smoke. When it’s rainy the tub can be used as a makeshift cover to help keep things dry

I go for simple.

If I’m in a hurry I just set the tub on the AQ right side up with one end on the control panel and one end on the smoker top. If I’m not rushing I will set a brick or a piece of 2x4 on the AQ to hold the tub up. If it’s windy I put a brick in the tub.

Like I said the tub does double duty. After the smoke I soak the grills in the tub with a little dish soap for a couple of hours, or over night depending on my mood, before putting them in the dish washer.

Thanks for the idea, cheap, easy, and it will be a good multi-tasker.

You can now change my status from "pre-owner" to "it's ordered and coming soon I hope" owner!

Thanks to everyone who posts on this board. Made my buying experience (at least up to this point) much easier, and it's really appreciated.

Congratulations easy welcome to the family.

Now prepare to start working on your first double chin

First?

It looks like that chin will be added to earlier than I thought! I ordered the unit this morning, and just received shipping notification!

The salivation begins...

So what’s it gonna be brisket or pork butt?

Don’t forget the pictures!

Not sure but I'm thinking brisket or prime rib. Maybe chicken for my wife as she's not a big red meat person.

Or, all 3!!

It's been raining almost constantly here for weeks. I am so glad I had someone to ask about covering the electronics- that knowledge will be put to good use.

I'm smoking an all nighter and wouldn't you know it, it's raining so here is my set up. It is a gentle rain so the eve is probably enough, but you never know and I’ll be sleeping.

I couldn’t find my bricks and this small landscaping block was handy so it was pressed into service.

With a heavy rain, doesn't that bucket fill up? Is that a problem?

Water will add weight and help hold the tub down if it is windy. To fill the tub up we would need 6" of rain. I like smoking and i have smoked when it was -20, but if it's raining that hard I can hold off a bit

Could turn the tub upside down.

That works too.
I like the tub right side up because, at least for me, it is easier to get it to perch there and it doesn't get near as nasty from the smoke.
Try it both ways and see which works best for you

Just got a message from my SO (significant other aka my wife, not Smokin Okie!). My unit is in!
Can't wait to read up on it tonight-maybe even get a break in smoke going.

Told my son about it today-he had the biggest smile on his face! First thing he wanted to do was smoke bacon...!!

Edit: buying lot of alum foil on the way home.....

OH YEAH!
LET THE SMOKING BEGIN!

Decided to do a turkey breast for the first shot. Got a bit too anxious and bought a Honeysuckle White (I would have preferred a truly fresh breast from the local butcher but I couldn't wait!). Rinsed it, pulled the skin, and now marinating it in Italian Dressing.

I've been reading turkey 101 but there is just a passing reference to turkey breast. Would you think 275 would be too high for the breast? At about 5.7 lb and cheeseclothing after 2 hours, what do you think my finish time should be if targeting 155 deg?

Here's a post I did last year with 2 turkeys and a breast. Maybe it will answer a few questions. Or raise a few more

A Tale of 3 Turkeys

Well, that was interesting! 2 breasts around 5.7 lbs. Marinated overnite in Wishbone Italian. Dried off the birds and then on 1 put a store rub that I picked up that looked good. On 1/2 of the other I used Old Bay and some Paprika, and on the other half a mixture of salt, pepper, garlic, paprika.

Heated the AQ to 265, then put in the wood- 1 chunk of cherry and 1 chunk of hickory. When it got back up to 250 I put in the birds. Probe set for 155. I figured 2 hours+ and planned on cheeseclothing them at the 90 minute mark and pulling the wood box.

Well, that plan went to hell!! Both birds done at almost 90 minutes (actually about 5 minutes apart). Kind of freaked me out because I wasn't watching it carefully thinking I had lots of time.

Pulled both out- cooked perfectly in terms of tenderness and juicy-ness. The half and half bird did not taste great- didn't like either half. The store rub bird, on the other hand, was excellent! Smoke was strong but not overpowering. The rub didn't overrun the turkey taste. Everyone enjoyed this bird, including our family friends.

We ended up tossing the 1/2 and 1/2 bird- it just didnt taste good. Well, actually, my grand-dog enjoyed a bit first!

So, I am quite happy for my first smoke. Taken a bit by surprise by the speed of the smoke, so I'll have to watch it closer next time.

Here's a thought for CS- how about a remote unit that you can carry that shows the smoker temp, time, and probe temp real-time? One that you can set an alarm for certain parameters?

Just a thought- I'd buy it.

Here's Maverick's site. Check out their remote thermometers. They've got what you want.

That looks great, thanks.

Will the probe work in air ie not in a piece of meat? The meat probe is nice, but you wouldn't know if the smoker shut off until the meat temp started to decrease-which would be difficult to monitor for. If the probe worked in free air (smoke!) you could set a minimum and it would alarm if it dropped below.

edit: Ignore previous question- If I had finished reading it I would have known the answer! Sorry.

edit2: They make a dual probe unit (ET-7). I've asked them if the smoke probe from the ET-73 will work with that unit. This would be perfect if it does.

might check out this thread in the thermometer forum ET-732

You can get two probes for the meat or get a therm with two probes--one for meat, one for oven temp, as Cal has posted.

Never mind.....

That's why they call me a newbie- I didn't even know there was a thermometer section...! Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
might check out this thread in the thermometer forum ET-732

this beats that maverick i think.

Seems heavy duty and professional. Looks neat.

Does that have a remote unit?

quote:

Originally posted by JC123:
this beats that maverick i think.

quote:

Originally posted by JC123:
this beats that maverick i think.

major overkill and no remote!!

i use the thermopens (and they are great units), but this unit doesn't look weathersealed.