Ummmm, brand new Smokette II from Cabela's and it's dirty inside?

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I think you're ok. Others have spoken of wood shavings in their unit when it arrived new. Something from the manufacturing?? Sweep it out, wipe it down if needed (mine seemed to have a bit of oil on the walls when it arrived), and fire it up. You've got 30 days on it anyway, no matter what. Get to smokin'!! The memory of wood chips in your new (expensive) toy will become distant!

Welcome to the forum.

Looking at the photos, doesn't look like any issue, just dusty. The walls are clean so it hasn't been used. My guess is wood from the box got out and bounced around during transit?

Just wipe the dust/wood out with a damp cloth (don't use chemical) and go for it.

Follow the info here (read my post at the top of this forum on where to start).

Season it first then smoke away...

OK thanks all. I'll clean it out and then season it over the weekend

Just a thought, but season it tonight or tomorrow night. 2 reasons.

1. It will be ready to SMOKE for the weekend
2. IF there is any issue with it, Customer Support is only avail on weekdays.

Plug it in, fill it with wood and let it season overnight.

You think that's dirty? Wait a month after a few smokes are behind you.

Looks like wood dust from the box of included chunks. You need to wipe the inside down anyway and season. No biggie.

My AmeriQue showed up the same way. Yours isnt used, if it was you could tell in half a second. Its ok, clean it out then season it and get to makin some great "Q"

Remember: Don't worry . . . be happy!

-Sravaka

Heeeeeeeyyy.....I didn't get a drip pan.

LOL! I like mine better anyway(drip pan). Quite a bit heavier to keep the wind in check.

Welcome and have fun with your new toy! Unit looks like a damp cloth will do the trick and then season it and it will be ready to go. Good luck.

Typically, sheet metals have a light coating of oil on it that is part of the rolling/forming process. I'd suggest using a wet cloth that has diluted dish soap on it.. such as.. dip the cloth in your sink "before" doing the dishes.. about that dilution.. clean off the oils and rinse with a clean wet cloth a couple of times. Then you are ready to go. Three or four chunks of the wood you received in that box for four to six hours NO MEAT YET) Don't be upset of you see smoke escaping around door edges.. that'll pretty much seal up after a number of smokes.. but maybe not entirely.. no big deal. After breaking in the unit you should be ready to go for your first smoke with a nice fatty piece of meat like a pork butt or two. Be sure to line the bottom of the smoker and the top of the smoke box with heavy duty aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.

Clean the racks after a meat smoke but don't try to remove the "blackening" from the sides and top.

Good luck to you.......

Sweet. Thanks all.

When I ordered the smoker, I also ordered a cover and a wood sampler straight from Cookshack. They showed up yesterday. The cover and a big ol 20lb box of mesquite. No plastic or anything. Just a box with a UPS label full of firewood. COOL!

But... whoops. A call to C/S got a new sample box on the way. Hope I like mesquite!

Be careful with that Mesquite. It can get bitter fast. Twenty #s is more than I would use in a lifetime with these smokers. Start out on the light side and bump it up a little at a time.

Congrats on your purchase & good luck!

How would I know if the mesquite is going bitter fast prior to ruining a good piece of meat?

Steve... I would go ahead and use the mesquite to season the smoker. While that is happening, goto Menards, Lowes, and buy a bag of hickory chunks. What wheelz was talking about was many folks feel its easy to oversmoke meats using mesquite. While seasoning the smoker watch the smoke as it first forms. Mesquite will burn yellowish until it gets going good. Then its white. And later on longer smokes, clear. If mesquite is all you have when you want to smoke some meat, start the smoker without the meat and wait till the yellow smoke stops. Then open and put the meat (already on the rack) in and close that door!! That should help keep it from being bitter.

Welcome to the fold.

bob

I agree about the mesquite. Remember, mesquite is used alot in Texas and Oklahoma on big open pits and stickburners that aren't so airtight. mesquite is very good if you can get a subtle smoke with it. Sometimes hard to accomplish with it in a Smokette. Try 1 chunk with a big pork butt and then if you think you need 2 next time, so be it. Definitely an excellent wood to season with.

Good luck, congrats on your wise purchase, welcome to the forum !

I don't know if you have a grill (Weber or ???) I use both my smoker and my Weber gasser and use wood chunks in a wood box in the Weber that does add some smoke flavor to the meats. That's what I'd use the Mesquite for. But, that said, I bought Mesquite as a trial when WalMart was selling chunks a couple of years ago.. used it once and there it sits in the bottom of my 008 cabinet. Anyone want it

No, I'm not poking fun here...but, I will throw some mesquite on the open fire...the big one that warms you, not necessarily the one you cook on...and it gives off a nice, earthy aroma.

"If" I use mesquite to cook on it will be after the open fire has burnt down to coals and I'll do a steak over it (ok, sometimes 'on' it) and it's great that way, but I wouldn't personally use it in a confined-box smoker. It overwhelms the meat. I admittedly have not tried Bob's suggestion of letting it smoke out a bit before putting the meat in the smoker...but similar theory to my letting it burn to coals on an open fire, so it might work.

Wood is cheap, especially in the amounts that the CS uses. Go buy 3 pound bags of everything and experiment. Don't worry about having to use up the mesquite...get what you like.

I like smoked food. That being said I use mesquite occasionally, but looking back at my notes I have never used more than 1.50 oz. of mesquite in the 008. It does give off a strong smoke flavor and I'm probably one of the first that will yell "too smokey". I go light with all my woods.and have never used more than 4.30 oz. at once of anything.

Just a nice trace of smoke works for me. Experiment, keep notes and keep your 08 smokin!

I'm new here and trying to learn as much as I can. I seem to remember being told to NOT season a new CookShack Smokette or AmeriQue with Mesquite because it was too bitter. This sounds like good advice to me . . . . am I wrong?

-Sravaka

You can do the wood-only seasoning with mesquite. There is no reason why not.

Mesquite is good Q smoke in it's place. You have to know how to use it, differently in many types of smokers. It is very good on brisket and venison, but just takes a small amount and you might need to let the smoke mellow before putting in the meat.

Man, talk about a topic gone awry !

Man, talk about a topic gone awry !

Actually, it's helping me a ton because I was going to ask all this anyway since I'm going to season it today.

quote:

Originally posted by steve0617:
Man, talk about a topic gone awry !

A

Alright! Where's the sheriff when ya need him?

Hopefully the Okie will move all these mixed in wood posts to the wood forum.

Not to worry...I just got my 009 and noticed the same thing. Mine came direct from factory. I called and asked and found out it's part of the manufacturing process.

By the way...I've since made a whole chicken (great), baby back ribs (good, but not great) and tonight butterflied leg of lamb. I'll let you know how it turns out.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Hopefully the Okie will move all these mixed in wood posts to the wood forum.

Nope, can't move them. This post will be lost as soon as I move it. I can't "prune" some of the replies out of a post (nor would I want to) already have 1,000's of posts to manage.

Just remember, next time SOMEONE starts a new subject inside another thread, start a NEW thread. People looking for wood won't look inside a "smokette II" post.

Thus ended the Moderator Sermon for the day...

My Smokette was pretty dirty too. (Inside and out).

I was a little disappointed that on a $600 item they couldn't a guy to do a 2 minute final wipe down on the unit.

However, the stuff wiped right off and I can;t really say it's a problem. More like a very minor annoyance.

Overall I am impressed with the quality. I just seasoned mine last night.

I used to work at Cabelas and sold Cookshack every chance I got. So I opened quite a few boxes. What you pictured was not unexpected. It just seemed to be a matter of how much fine material was in the box of included wood. Maybe that happens when they get to the bottom of the woodbin. Not a problem, wipes right out.

HIGHLY SUSPECT! Are you union? I'll bet that unit was built on a monday or friday! LOL.

When my 009 came I excitedly opened the box. As I opened the door I was very disappointed. I thought I had been shipped a used unit with rust spots in it. I realized that the chicken rub had come open and spilled inside. It looked as if the inside was corroded. It really was no big deal And Cabela's sent me a new container of chicken rub. I Love my 009!!!