# Smoking for the first time this weekend. Any recommendations?



## pace02rs (Sep 23, 2016)

Purchased an OK Joe Highland, i have sealed it during assembly, and seasoned her last night. With info I found on here i used copper RTV to seal the box's and Fire black for the door. I also purchased a charcoal box for the firebox to help keep it all together in there. 

Anyways, Looking for recommendations and recipe's for my first cook. What is a good beginner meat? I would love to do a brisket but from what i have read they seem to be more advanced. Maybe some ribs? Any tips are appreciated. 

Thanks in advance for the replies!


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## noboundaries (Sep 23, 2016)

Got with something foolproof and generally quick for your first smoke.  It helps you get a feel for how the smoker needs to be tended and puts a success under your belt right off the bat. 

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, dusted with your favorite rub and smoked to an IT of 165-175F will give you a quick success.  They absorb smoke nicely, don't take more than 2-3 hours depending on your chamber temp, and can be eaten sauced or unsauced. 

If you need more ideas, see below. 

1.  Easiest:  sausages, dark meat chicken, fish (like salmon or cod), boneless country pork ribs, beef you'll smoke to rare/medium rare (tri tip or cross rib roast), ABTs, pork loin or tenderloin, meatloaf. 

2.  Moderate: Spare and Baby Back ribs (easy but take longer than the above), pork butt (foolproof but can take quite a while depending on your chamber temp), whole chickens if you can maintain a 300+F chamber temp to get a nice skin.

3.  Challenging:  Brisket, chuck roast, beef ribs.  They are actually all easy but take a bit of practice and experience with your smoker. 

Have fun and take pics!


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## SmokinAl (Sep 23, 2016)

I always recommend chicken as a first smoke.

It's relatively inexpensive and easy to cook.

Either parts or the whole chicken.

Here is a bunch of recipes.

http://www.smoking-meat.com/?s=chicken

Al


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## crankybuzzard (Sep 23, 2016)

Welcome to the hobby!

My biggest recommendation, other than the great ones above, is to have patience and take some notes.   It'll take a bit to get your temp dialed i, but the chicken the others have recommended is very forgiving.   

Once you get this first one under your belt, you'll be amazed at what all you can do with heat and smoke!

Let us know how it goes.


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## pace02rs (Sep 24, 2016)

Thanks for the pointers, Grabbed a simple wing and thigh recipe from the link posted. Simple marinade with a rub. Cant wait to get home and fire up the smoker!


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## mdgirlinfl (Oct 24, 2016)

Pace02rs said:


> Thanks for the pointers, Grabbed a simple wing and thigh recipe from the link posted. Simple marinade with a rub. Cant wait to get home and fire up the smoker!


Welcome!  And looking forward to pictures of those wings and thighs.  I'm rather new myself and found this group tremendously helpful and welcoming!  Happy smoking!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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