# Question about pre-heating.



## smokeyrobinson (Jul 25, 2015)

I received my SI3 yesterday. As I was unpacking I noticed the top label and it said "DO NOT pre-heat smoker". 

Everything I have read and watch, on the web, says otherwise. Bring your smoker up to temp, get the wood smoking then add meat. 

What's the right way?

Is there something special about the SI3 that doesn't require you to pre-heat?


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## daveomak (Jul 25, 2015)

What's an S13 ???


edit....
Now I'm up to speed....    SI 3... smoking it 3...    I found the manual and saw that "warning".....   STUPID warning.....    

I preheat and post heat my MES 3o before and after every smoke....  to 275 for 2 hours or so....   post, cleans up all the light volatiles...    pre, sanitizes the inside of the smoker, racks and all before I add any food....    

So, how are you supposed to sanitize the inside of the smoker, especially since it sits outside...  ....


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## bodbob (Jul 25, 2015)

I just got my Smokin-it Model 1 yesterday and it had the same instructions, Smokey. Then it gave very specific instructions about doing a break-in smoke before using it with food, so clearly it doesn't have anything to do with damaging the unit by running it without food in it. I'm thinking it must have to do with the possibility of a flash combustion from opening the door after lighting everything off, but that's just a guess. Anyone?

BB


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## bodbob (Jul 25, 2015)

Dave,

I think it's a S  mokin-   It Model 3.

BB


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## smokeyrobinson (Jul 25, 2015)

Smokin-It 3. Sorry for the confusion.


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## atomicsmoke (Jul 25, 2015)

I don't have an SI3 but I never preheat my smoker or grill. I just heat them. I have owned 2 grills, 2 smokers and 3 ovens. None of them had a pre-heating setting.


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## agconn910 (Jul 25, 2015)

i own a 3 also   go to the forums on smokin-it    you do not preheat it


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## bodbob (Jul 25, 2015)

Please forgive my ignorance but I think Smokey and I only wanted to know why it says not to pre-heat it. When I smoke using my BGE I don't put the meat on right after I light the coals. I go through the whole process of bringing it up to temp and waiting for the TBS. I think that would be considered pre-heating, so why the instructions not to do that with an electric smoker? Anyone?

Cheers,

BB


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## dr k (Jul 25, 2015)

bodbob said:


> Please forgive my ignorance but I think Smokey and I only wanted to know why it says not to pre-heat it. When I smoke using my BGE I don't put the meat on right after I light the coals. I go through the whole process of bringing it up to temp and waiting for the TBS. I think that would be considered pre-heating, so why the instructions not to do that with an electric smoker? Anyone?
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> BB


I don't know the answer but maybe it infers that it is not necessary.  A quick call to the manufacturer in the manual maybe the wise move.  My Kamado is always my go to.  I miss the smoke ring you can't get from the electric smokers.  A few handfuls of charcoal briquettes/lump whatever and your set for 12+ hours.  My Kamado has a large removable ash pan with a wood stove seal as well as the lid.  So I just stick with standard Kingsford charcoal briquettes instead of lump, since briquettes generate more ash and the pan can accommodate more ash.  Insulated smoking with a Kamado or electric is the way to go.   

-Kurt


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## bodbob (Jul 25, 2015)

Dr. K,

I would totally agree regarding the Kamados. I have a BGE and bought the electric smoker more to serve as a chambro then a smoker. Still, I've read that for cold smoking and smoking fish the electric smoker has it's place so it seemed like a good choice for a double duty device. Good suggestion about calling Steve to get the straight scoop. I'll do that.

Regards,

BB


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## bodbob (Jul 25, 2015)

To All concerned,

I just talked to Steve, the owner of Smokin-it smokers and he basically said that the warning label about not pre-heating them was a CYA so that people wouldn't get burned by opening up the smoker after it was hot. End of story.

BB


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## atomicsmoke (Jul 25, 2015)

bodbob said:


> To All concerned,
> I just talked to Steve, the owner of Smokin-it smokers and he basically said that the warning label about not pre-heating them was a CYA so that people wouldn't get burned by opening up the smoker after it was hot. End of story.
> BB


Won't people get burned when opening the hot smoker with meat in it? Or do they also recommend waiting for the smoker to cool before removing the meat?


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## dr k (Jul 25, 2015)

bodbob said:


> Dr. K,
> 
> I would totally agree regarding the Kamados. I have a BGE and bought the electric smoker more to serve as a chambro then a smoker. Still, I've read that for cold smoking and smoking fish the electric smoker has it's place so it seemed like a good choice for a double duty device. Good suggestion about calling Steve to get the straight scoop. I'll do that.
> 
> ...


I have a replacement MES 40" Gen 1 because the first I got came damaged and the rough ride broke the light bulb.  The base of the bulb in the housing unscrewed itself and the filament prongs stuck in the socket to dead short the smoker when I turned on the light, tripping my breaker.  I told MB about dings and 20 AMPS going thought the controller so they had me cut the cord and sent me a new one.  I soldered the power cord on and shrunk tubed it several layers and it works just fine.  I have seasoned the new one without smoke and will use it as an outdoor/indoor oven till the dented one fails.  It just sits in a spare bedroom.  It'll be good for the holidays when people bring dishes that need to be kept warm.  I have never smoked fish but love Lox, rare tuna steaks, sushi etc.  Since my Kamado has a removable ash pan it hangs to let air in from the bottom to keep the AMNTS going.  I do all my cold smoking on it for CB, BB, cheese and hard boiled eggs etc.  As shown in the pics below. 













CAM00028.jpg



__ dr k
__ Jul 25, 2015


















CAM00160.jpg



__ dr k
__ Jul 25, 2015






-Kurt


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## bodbob (Jul 25, 2015)

Nice score on the free smoker, Kurt. And it's nice to hear that I'm not the only one using a smoker as a chambro. If you like fish you really should try hot smoking some salmon or  Steelhead. I like em better hot smoked than any other way.

BB


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## bodbob (Jul 25, 2015)

Atomicsmoke,

Ya, most things done for CYA don't seem to make much sense till  you factor in the vast number of law suit happy people that live in this country. I don't blame em for trying to cover their butt.

BB


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## atomicsmoke (Jul 25, 2015)

I get the CYA warning. Is just that in this case won't cover anything. He could have just slap a tag near the control panel to say "hot" like they do for coffee cups.


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## smokeyrobinson (Jul 26, 2015)

Thanks for looking into to it BB.


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## bodbob (Jul 26, 2015)

No worries,, Smokey


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## smokeyrobinson (Jul 26, 2015)

I posted the same topic on the smokin-it forums and it seems like the majority of users do not pre-heat. I'm doing my first cook on my SI-3 and i did not pre-heat. I'll let you know how they come out. Baby backs BTW and chicken legs.


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## bodbob (Jul 26, 2015)

That's pretty funny Smokey. I'm doing chicken legs in my egg with a Vortex tonight and baby backs in the SI 1 along with Gary's smoked and baked beans. I won't be pre-heating either.

Cheers,

BB


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## old sarge (Jul 26, 2015)

I own a Cookshack.  Cookshack says there is no need to pre-heat.  I never have and never will.   SmokinTex says there is no need to pre-heat their smokers either. BUT if you do, make sure the rack or racks are out so the meat will not stick.  Cold meat on cold racks. Also, wear heavy gloves when pulling the woodbox to load with wood.  Whether it is SI or CS or ST, all say not to use the smoker without the woodbox in place.  

As for cleaning, I wash my racks after use. As for the interior, after removing the foil from the box lid and the floor, I wipe the floor with paper towels to remove any dripping that got under the foil. If any of the seasoning is peeling at the ceiling, walls or door, I wipe or brush the loose stuff off. This is all done the day after.


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## daveomak (Jul 26, 2015)

I think preheating is important to kill pathogens, BEFORE you lay your food in the smoker.....


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## atomicsmoke (Jul 26, 2015)

I heat my smoker before putting food in.

But....for killing pathogens: the general assumption is meat is contaminated already with everything from salmonella to botulism spore, ecoli and listeria. How much worse can it get?


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## bodbob (Jul 27, 2015)

Hmmm, all food for thought. Thanks for all the tips Old Sarge. I appreciate it. Good point too Dave. I'm also wondering if a 10 or 15 minute preheat might help create some TBS???? I've done 3 test smokes in the SI 1 and I'm finally going to smoke some baby backs today. I've noticed that when I use the egg there is an initial period of about 15 minutes that all the smoke is heavy and white, but when I get it up to 200 or so it mellows into TBS. My SI 1 seems to just produce TWS.  Will a preheat help?

TIA,

BB


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## old sarge (Jul 27, 2015)

I hadn't thought about pathogens.  I do pre-heat my  gas grill but that is to burn off the last endeavor and I wire brush it.


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## smokeyrobinson (Jul 29, 2015)

My baby backs turned out okay. Not the fault of the smoker at all. I used the Jeff rub and sauce and it was too spicy for my kids palette. I'm gonna tone down the cayenne next time around. Also too much smoke taste. I used 5oz of apple wood. Gonna use 3oz next time.


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## bodbob (Jul 29, 2015)

Ya Smokey, it is a process...   I did my 1st smoke on the SI 1 yesterday. The ribs were ok. Gary's beans were great again. I was a little disappointed with the results on the ribs because they just didn't have the flavor that I get from my egg. I prepped them the night before just as I usually do. A compound rub of Montreal Spicy Steak seasoning, and Red Barons (a commercial bbq rub). Wrapped in stick and seal and refrigerated overnight. I used 2.4 oz. of almond and 1 smallish piece of lump in the wood tray. Put them in around 1pm and set the temp on the SI 1 at 225. Garys beans went in below them and I started watching the temp climb....for 2 hours. It finally hit 210 at 2 hours in and would go no farther so I took the beans out and put em in my oven to finish them. The temp in the SI 1 went up and down as expected then. Moving from set temp to about 15 degrees below set temp, so I reset it to around 235 and let her rock and roll for the rest of the cook. I started checking for doneness at about 4 hours. Finally pulled them at 5 hours and 30 minutes. The bend test didn't work but a toothpick went into the meat with little to no resistance. It was the 1st time I've actually cooked ribs long enough to get them to the temp required to melt down the collagens and connective tissue, and I found that I don't like em done that well. lol. Lesson learned. There wasn't any, and I repeat any red smoke ring even though I did have smoke coming out of the smoker for at least 2 hours. The taste was ok, but maybe a tiny bit bitter and the texture, as I said, overdone for my druthers. I'm going to use my AMZNPS tube for the next smoke and pull them sooner.

Cheers,

BB


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## nichiowa (Sep 9, 2015)

I have a Smokin-Tex 1400 (pretty much the same as a Smokin-It.) I have read many posts regarding this issue as I was wondering the same thing.  The warning comes from the design of the smoker.  It is very well insulated with a very small inlet for air (at the drip pan) and a little larger exhaust.  The risk is that when it is heating it is an oxygen starved environment and the wood is smoldering.  In the perfect environment for a fire it needs more oxygen which is what happens when you open the door.  The answers that I have read were that it is safe to preheat without the wood box, then once up to temp and putting the meat in you can put the box in.  This has happened to me a few times and frankly scares the ^&% out of you.  I now preheat and just use the AMZNPTS and it is truly an AMAZEN product, lol.  Just thought I would share some of the info that I have collected.


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