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Newbies Areas and Newbie questions

M mikefMember
It might be worthwhile to have a Newbies area?

I searched on Lessons etc...

I read through alot of the forum.

to the extent that my New(refurb) AQ arrives tomorrow between noon and 4 PM Pacific Time!

I know...start the seasoning before CS support closes...probably not gonna make it...been tracking the freight shipment via Fed Ex for 2 days...now in Salt lake..I plan to season the sucker with or without support as follows:

1. Make sure plugged in!
1.5 line with foil
1.75 poke hole through foil in bottom
2. Make sure GFI didn't blow
3. Use hairdryer to remove any moisture from Control panel
4. Use Screw driver to take off screws for controler; inspect and re-wire entire panel
4.5 Presuming any of the above works be aware the controller temp can have a mind of its own during seasoning...heat fluctuations etc
5. Tearfully post pics and plea for assistance here
6. click heels three times and say there's no place like SMokin Oakies backyard?
7. SMoke butt on Luhr Jensen Big Chief(where I upgraded from..), finish on Weber Gasser and tell wife what a great job the new AQ did!

Back to Newbies Area...need a Post for TLAs(Three Letter Acronyms)

I found out what FTC is, what's a PM?

I bought 2 boneless Pork shoulders at Costco total weight 12 lbs. Thinking about cutting one in half and seasoning AQ with it? was $1.65/LB? seems a bit of a waste?

Then smoke the other? I like Pappy's rub...out here in NoCal its pretty popular they sell it at Safeway...Mansmiths also pretty good local BBQ...famous for their Tri Tip sammies...they make a nice rib rub too!

I see a lot about not using too much wood and the amounts listed in weight in Ounces? are you all weighing the wood? or is the wood from CS cut to specific weight...i bought some other wood from BBQs Galore...Apple, Cheery, Pecan, Maple...

Also read the posts on Santa Maria trip Tip...pretty good info there..noted that its smoked on Oak...but know that specifically Santa Maria, CA is famous for BBQ on RED oak...slightly differnt flavor, and really good...but i ramble...

When seasoning do you put all the shelvies in or only 1? I'm lazy and don't want to clean them all? I plan on putting some of the shoulder in during the seasoning?

Lastly(for now) I enjoyed some of the knife discussions in the archives re: the scimitar from Forchsner...I have mostly Henckels knives, but while trolling at local restaurant supply store today I saw some Forchsner knives..holy crap they are as much as the Henckels...then saw a knife(slicer) I thought I recognized...went home grilled a quick flank steak on the gasser and looked in my knife drawer, and lo and behold a forchsner slicer...outta the way in my drawer neglected...was an heirloom from my father...I musta sharpened it at some point in the past because it made short work of the flank....

anyway, i look forward to contributing some here...is there a post on how to contribute? specifically uploading either Pics or videos? I'm ahead of my self...I may only be posting failures...but there may be one or 2 other things I can contribute to pay back for all of the great info here...

Mike
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FM Former Member
I think you point out the exact reason not to add one, if we already have something geared specifically for all users

We do have one spot for you to check out:

Lessons for new users

As it states, it's intended to do just what you asked, and it's at the top of the Open Forum.

If ANYONE sees a tip that's not listed, they can then just add it.

The problem with a "newbie" forum is most of the newbie questions are 1) about the smoker or 2) about a specific item both of which we have.

The BEST suggestion for newbies is to

1) Ask questions and you get an exact answer

2) Learn to use the search. There is almost 10 years of experience already here and no WAY would I be able to move it to a newbie forum.

We've talked this year about being a little more specific in our help, so the 1 on 1 reply will get you an answer.

Now to answer your questions....
FM Former Member
Take a deep breath....

...breath in...

...breath out...

Now, Rule #1. BBQ is fun, so do NOT overthink it. You will ONLY get there with practice, but you've done exactly the right thing, read first.

Too MANY new owners never stop by until something goes wrong.

Now, on to the answers...

quote:
Originally posted by MikeF:
2. Make sure GFI didn't blow
3. Use hairdryer to remove any moisture from Control panel
4. Use Screw driver to take off screws for controler; inspect and re-wire entire panel
4.5 Presuming any of the above works be aware the controller temp can have a mind of its own during seasoning...heat fluctuations etc
5. Tearfully post pics and plea for assistance here


I'd focus on everything going right, not everything going wrong. As typically happens new owners will post issues, but they don't stop by often enough to post that they didn't have ANY. You do not need to do all those things first.

And yes, I understand you're just planning

...breath in....

...breath out...

Big Grin


quote:
6. click heels three times and say there's no place like SMokin Oakies backyard?


Next best thing, I'm here in the forum. Oh, and Okie has no A in it, I failed one course, one in my life... Literature

quote:
7. SMoke butt on Luhr Jensen Big Chief(where I upgraded from..), finish on Weber Gasser and tell wife what a great job the new AQ did!


Not funny Frowner

quote:
Back to Newbies Area...need a Post for TLAs(Three Letter Acronyms)


I found out what FTC is, what's a PM?

We do have one (your later post found it, but here it is:

Glossary

quote:
Thinking about cutting one in half and seasoning AQ with it? was $1.65/LB? seems a bit of a waste?


Why, just because it's seasoning, doesn't mean it won't be edible. I'd just rub a full PB however you want and smoke away. Do NOT use too much wood if there is food in the smoker. You could use more wood if just seasoning.

quote:
are you all weighing the wood? or is the wood from CS cut to specific weight...


No, it's not cut to weight, no one does when they sell it.

One suggestion. Get a good scale and weigh everything. Rib racks especially, wood most definitely. You'll improve a lot if you keep good notes and know the weight of the food, the temp you cooked at and the amount of wood

quote:
When seasoning do you put all the shelvies in or only 1? I'm lazy and don't want to clean them all?


You need to season all the shelves. No, you don't HAVE to clean the racks every time. In the BBQ world, a lot of food gets cooked on smokers that are never cleaned.

Just clean as needed (see Lessons learned)
quote:
specifically uploading either Pics or videos? I'm ahead of my self...I may only be posting failures...
Mike


In all your searching you missed three threads that you should start with.

At the top of any forum, look at the first few threads.

Those in BOLD RED are "featured" that means they are always at the top.

MANY, MANY, MANY people (did I say MANY) forget to look and post on them but I've featured that so you can always find them.

The Featured thread vary by the forum you in.

Enough info... now get cooking.

...breath in....

...breath out...

...dig in...
M mikefMember
Alright guys...

First: Thanks for the answers!

Second: being new here I shoulda eased into it a little more...I have a dry and sarcastic sense of humor...most of my prep list is in jest from reading trials and tribulations here...

well maybe not in jest on the heels clicking part? Sorry for the mis-spell Okie!

Sorry I missed some of the good info on the site.

...and no one directed me to the Type-A BBQer forum?

I have been accused of gripping my golf clubs too tightly....

I know all will be well with the AQ! Fed Ex shows its at the local delivery point here in San Jose!

It's Christmas in August!

Mike
cal 2cal 2Member
Heck you're gonna fit in good around here. We love a sense of humor and enthusiasm even if it is about a darn old PB. I guess that was what all that was about?

Anyway just wanted to say HEY and hope that AmerQ hurries up and gets delivered. Ya might get a head start on the reading for Newbies, it will only help. When all else fails remember KISS and everything will work out FINE.
M mikefMember
Thanks Cal.

I went back around to see how I missed the good info pinned to the Top of the open Forum.

I started with the CookShack Owners->New Owner topic and then followed the embedded link to Lessons for New Owners.

A suggestion would be to add a blurb(maybe 3.5) to the New Owner topic to direct us to the top of the Open Forum and therefore see all of the Pinned topics?

Mike

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