Smokin-It Model 2 First Thoughts

[colin-a]

My new smoker was delivered on time by FedEx a couple of weeks ago. Everything expected was included in the shipment, as were the two accessories on special offer when the smoker was ordered. Assembly was very straightforward, though I gave up on the wrench supplied for fitting the casters, opting for a couple of 10mm combination wrenches instead. Per instructions I seasoned the smoker using two of the hickory blocks supplied, with a Maverick ET-732 probe mounted in the box to monitor temperature. I noticed a little smoke escaping from around the door during this process. I am not sure if that is normal, but I wasn't expecting any leakage at all. It didn't take long for the wood to burn up, maybe half an hour or so. So I am wondering if that will be enough for smoking cuts that take a long time, without opening the door and adding more wood (which they recommend not doing). After seasoning at max temperature I set the thermostat to 175F and let the smoker run. After it reached the lower temperature it ramped back up to ~235F then oscillated between those two limits until it was switched off. Later when smoking burgers at a nominal 200F the temperature varied between 200F and 235F which by all accounts is reasonable for the analog smoker. In summary, so far so good with the Smokin-It 2. I'd not done burgers in a smoker before, and let's say the technique could use some (lots of) refinement. I am looking forward to my next smoke this coming weekend, and am interested in learning about others' experiences with this type of smoker.

 

[shrews824]

I have a Model #2 and love it. I've had it for over a year and a half. I've probably done 60-65 smokes on it. To be honest, I've never had to add extra wood. I've done some pretty long smokes (15 hrs or better with some pulled pork, etc.) and by the end I may just have ash, but it still rolls a bit of smoke. Granted, I use double filet Smokinlicious wood cuts. I have gotten a touch of smoke from around the door from time to time. I believe this is normal. As far as temperature fluctuations, like you, I've seen a range of about 30 degrees. For me that's quite alright.

Now, I've never done burgers on my smoker so I can't really comment on that. I do pretty basic stuff. Turkey, chicken, pulled pork, pork loin, sausage, salmon, ribs, etc.

I'm not looking to churn out competition style BBQ. I just want solid BBQ that I can enjoy and my family enjoy and this smoker does it for me. I understand that a lot of smokers out there may do a better job, but the Smokin-It brand more than satisfies my need and it's much better than the old smoker I had.

Good luck with everything and I hope you enjoy the new smoker.

 

[oldsmokerdude]

I still use my Smokin' It model 2 that I've had for years and years. I've added to my cooker arsenal over the years, but still roll out the Model 2 from time to time, especially for short cooks (chicken breasts, etc).

I'll usually get some leakage out of the door until the vent at the top starts drawing properly. Not enough to worry about, though.

It's easy to get too much smoke in one of these. A couple ounces is all you need for cooks up to four hours or so. When I'm cooking brisket or something long like that, I'll generally add more wood after a few hours. Not sure if this does any good or not, but it makes me feel better.

Regardless, congratulations on your new smoker. I'm sure you'll enjoy it for years to come. Looking forward to some pictures of your work.

 

[old sarge]

Colin.

Smoke leaking around the door is normal. After a while the resulting residue seals IG up. My model 3 as well as the Cookshack smoker did the same for a while. All is good. Enjoy!