TIME TO SEASON

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pflegetragen

Newbie
Original poster
Feb 23, 2015
18
10
Keota, Ia
Wanted to get everyone's opinion. My smoker is being delivered today and I plan on seasoning it tonight. What wood is your preferred for seasoning? I will be using mostly hickory when I smoke but didn't know if there is a preferred for the first time.

Thanks
 
What kind of smoker do you have coming?

I ran my MES40 dry for 2 hours at 275 when it first arrived.  Then, removed all grates/racks/pans and ran for another 3 hours at 275 adding wood every 1/2 hour as needed. 

I didn't pam/spray oil either.
 
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I would follow the Mfg. recommendations. I have an RF  sprayed everything inside my cook chamber and fired it up think I used hickory or oak

gary
 
I just seasoned my new one last Friday, followed the directions that came with it which are very close to what jaeliman is telling you. Three hours at 275 adding wood chips the last 45 minutes. The next day I was doing some temperature checks with my probes to compare them to the built in probes which took a couple more hours (more seasoning time I guess). Good Luck!  
 
Pics will be coming, as long as the snow doesn't interrupt the UPS man. I am not worried about getting it seasoned. I was just wondering about the wood. I think I will just use hickory. I just didn't know if guys had a particular wood they preferred for seasoning.

Thanks
 
Well no pictures tonight. UPS just sent me a message that they sorted my package wrong and it went to the wrong facility. Maybe tomorrow.
 
 
Pics will be coming, as long as the snow doesn't interrupt the UPS man. I am not worried about getting it seasoned. I was just wondering about the wood. I think I will just use hickory. I just didn't know if guys had a particular wood they preferred for seasoning.

Thanks
Honestly I feel that seasoning a smoker really only serves to burn off any manufacturing residue that may be left. And hour or two of smoke is not going to "deposit" much on the walls of your smoker so the type of wood won't make a difference. The main thing is having it at the recommended temp long enough to burn everything off.
 
Besides the burning off of the storage oil any time spent smoking only increases your knowledge of the smoker and exactly how it works and what to expect. The more familiar with it really helps you in the future. Badmadox is certainly right about not doing much to help the true seasoning of the box only smoking meat will do that.   Jted
 
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