# New to Smoking - Masterbuilt 7 in 1



## alpinejag (Dec 4, 2009)

I live in MD and wanted to pick up a small grill to use at my townhouse.  I picked up a Masterbuilt 7 in 1 because I've always wanted to try smoking as well.  I'm guessing it's probably not the most ideal smoker, but I'll give it a try.  

I tried to skim through all the threads on here about the 7 in 1.      I've been seasoning the smoker tonight using propane (for those that don't know you can use either propane or charcoal with this unit).  I threw about 5 hickory chunks in and rubbed down the inside with oil.  I'm not getting much smoke out of it, but I can smell the hickory.

I'm going to try and smoke a smallish piece of salmon tomorrow using charcoal.  I might try a brisket on Saturday.  Any tips would be greatly appreciated, especially if there are any other 7 in 1 owners out there.


----------



## ronp (Dec 4, 2009)

As long as you can smell smoke you are smoking.
Stop in at roll call and say hi.


----------



## irishteabear (Dec 4, 2009)

Welcome to SMF.  Glad you joined us.


----------



## beer-b-q (Dec 4, 2009)

Welcome, Glad to have you with us. This is the place to learn, lots of good info and helpful friendly Members.

For Those of you New to Smoking, be sure to check out Jeff's 5 Day Smoking Basics eCourse.
Click Here it's "FREE"... 5 Day eCourse

Everyone here enjoys seeing the Qview so be sure to post plenty of pics... 

Large ones that us old people with bad eyes can see.

When you uploading to Photobucket I always use the Large IMG setting, 640 x 480 it is a nice size...

How to post Qview to Forum:



For Step By Step Instructions On Posting Qview Check Out This Tutorial

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=82034


----------



## mballi3011 (Dec 4, 2009)

First off welcome Alpine to *SMF*. You'll like it here cause there are abunch of good folks here that would just love to help you out with just about anything to do with smoking. We really like to have newbies here because they can bring in a new propective to how things are done. There's nothing like a new set of eyes to give and new way to make things that little differant to make things alittle better. So I hope you know about the *Qview* here. 
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=58920
Here's a link to photobucket it's free and easy to download pictures. Then if your really new to smoking Look up the E-course. 
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...play.php?f=127
It's also free and it will give you the basics of smoking. So after all of that you just need to go grab something to smoke and if you have any question just post them here and we will answer it quickly so you don't have any mishaps with your smoke. 
Welcome To Your New Addiction


----------



## walle (Dec 4, 2009)

Welcome aboard, Alpine.
You've hit the motherload for smoking advice.
Tracey


----------



## gnubee (Dec 4, 2009)

Hi I have a 7 in 1. It is a *great little smoker* with either charcoal or propane. But I dare you to figure out what the 7 stands for though. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






The first thing you notice about it is that the firepan is almost impossible to access thru that tiny little opening between the firebox and the water pan. If you want to add some briquettes or lump or even wood chips there is not room to get anything in there. Oh sure you can take it apart and add stuff to the fire at the cost of most of your heat and a big delay in the cooking time.

I thought of many solutions before I came up with a really good mod. You take the water pan and bash a great big dent in the bottom of it. Its aluminum and with some careful bashing it bends quite easily. 

Put the dented in part right in front of the little access door and viola lots more room to maneuver now instead of a giant pain in the a$$ it is easy to add coals, lump or wood chunks. 
I know its your bright shiny new smoker and you don't want to hit it with a big ole hammer but trust me it makes everything a whole lot easier. 
*Dent as seen from the inside of the water pan.* 

*Dent from the bottom of the water pan.*

*Dent from another angle, instead of a one inch gap to add things you now have about a 3 inch gap.*
*Showing the more than doubled access to the firebox.*


On really hot days I found that I had to turn the burner so low that any breeze at all snuffed it out. Not really a safe thing. On cooler days there is more gas flowing and thus no chance of the flame blowing out on you. So I use charcoal on really hot days. Days like we are having right now the smoker works like a hot damm. ( excuse the pun )

It produces some awesome smoked meat with great looking smoke rings.

I bought a smoker blanket that is made just for the 7 in 1 from Cabelas.
In cold weather the blanket saves at least 30% on my gas consumption. it paid for itself the first winter I used it. Another big plus is that it keeps the wind at bay.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...requestid=7042

Its $40.00 and worth it, but you can probably get a welders blanket a lot cheaper but with out the cool cabelas logo on it though. Mine is styling. I had to re-locate one of the handles on the smoker because it didn't line up with the handle holes in the blanket by about 2 inches. Drilled two bolt holes and pop riveted the handle in its new location,pop riveted a rivet in the old hole so it wouldn't leak heat and smoke then Viola! everything now lines up perfectly. 

PS Have the top vent wide open while smoking , it doesn't look like there is much thin blue smoke coming from the smoker but if you open the lid during smoking ( which you really should avoid to keep the heat in) You will see lots more smoke in the smoker body than you would think from the tiny bit escaping from the vent. Like ronp says if you can smell it , its smoking. while using propane you can increase the smoke quite a bit by adding a couple briquettes into the firebox and putting the chips/chunks on top of the charcoal. Hope this helps.


----------



## treegje (Dec 4, 2009)

Welcome to the SMF MD,We are glad to have you onboard


----------



## pops6927 (Dec 4, 2009)

I've got the lesser expensive electric version and it's been a great smoker.  I don't bother with the feed door; I just lift off the body, toss in some chunks into the pan and set it back up.  The heat recovers quick enough and I'm back smoking in a minute or two.
I've had mine two years or so, I'm starting to outgrow it however - kids are clamoring for more and more smoked products!  Might have to look into a MES eventually, or thinking of building a wooden one.


----------



## ol' smokey (Dec 4, 2009)

Welcome to the SMF.


----------



## warthog (Dec 4, 2009)

Welcome to the SMF.  Enjoy your stay.


----------



## meateater (Dec 4, 2009)

Welcome to the SMF.


----------



## the dude abides (Dec 5, 2009)

hope you like it here. Lots of great folks on here full of great information


----------

