# Newbie here - got an electric smoker (Cookout Supply) and need help :)



## arcook (Jan 23, 2011)

My husband bought me an electric smoker for Christmas.  Very excited to use it, but don't quite know where to begin.  The model is a Cookout Supply Co. - he got it at Academy.  It's my first and I wanted to see if I enjoy smoking as much as I do grilling.

The smoker came with little if any, instruction.  I have cured it and smoked a pork butt yesterday that turned out pretty well.  I know that it can be better.  Any suggestions on where I might find instruction on how much wood chips to use and how often to add, do I keep the vent closed or open, etc.?

Can't wait to try some of the amazing recipes that I've found on this site once I get the "basic" understanding down :).

Thanks alot!


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## les3176 (Jan 23, 2011)

Welcome to smf,i don't have your type smoker but i'm sure somone here does.there are lots of great members here that are willing to help! hang in there!!


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## so ms smoker (Jan 23, 2011)

Hi ARCook. I have the same electric smoker and love it so far. I find that the main thing is the cook temp and the finish temp. I leave the vent mostly open. You are looking for the "thin blue smoke"  (TBS)  About a handfull of dry chips every 30 minutes for the first 3 hours is all you need. As for the rest, try 'Jeff's rib rub' and any other receipes from this site that looks interesting.Please check out the 5 day smaking basic e-course. it will answer many of your questions.

   Other than that, there are great people here that will be happy to help you! I have learned SO much in the past 2 months!   Happy Smoking!


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## dale5351 (Jan 24, 2011)

I like to brine my pork.  I use a mix  with proportions of 1 gallon water, 1/2 cup salt (kosher), 1/2 cup sugar (maybe brown), 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup pickling spice (this is a mix of dry spices, e.g. cloves, allspice, peppercorns, etc. -- I get it in large jars at a food service store), and a few crushed bay leaves. 

Brine in that solution overnight, or at least for a few hours.

There are lots of brine recipes on this forum and on the web -- just find one you like and stick with it.

Some folks like to put a dry rub of spice mixtures onto their pork butts and/or ribs.  You can find recipes for that here and on the web.

Long and slow is the idea with doing pork smokes.

There is a five-day course that gives a lot of info that you'll find interesting and helpful.  Look for it in the 5 day smoking basics eCourse forum.  Or follow this link:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-basics-ecourse.html


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## fpnmf (Jan 24, 2011)

Welcome!

 Lots of great info and happy helpers here!

Look at the WIKIs and use the search tool.

 Craig


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## arcook (Jan 24, 2011)

Thank y'all!  I signed up for the e-course and will do some more searches and post some pics of the cooking results :)


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## beer-b-q (Jan 24, 2011)

Welcome to SMF, 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 eCourseE


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## mballi3011 (Jan 24, 2011)

First off welcome AR to SMF. You'll like it here cause there are alot of really good folks that would just love to help you with anything to do with smoking. Now we like having new folks here to give a new prospective on some of the ways we do things around here. Now if you are really new then I would suggest that you sign up fir the 5-day E-course it free and it will give you the basics on smoking and a few recipes too. Here's a link to it:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/list/127

then you will have a method to your newly found madness and believe me it will be a madness. Then when you start smoking things you will have to learn how to post the pictures / Qview 

here. So here's a link to a tutorial on how to post your Qview so we can see what your doing.

 http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/82034/how-to-post-qview-to-smf

Now the next thing you have to do is run out and get something to smoke. Then just smoke it and if you have any questions just post  them here and we will answer all your questions that you might have. Oh yea there's no stupid questions we were all there in the beginning and we just really like to help others enjoy the fabulous smoked foods that we do. So again

Welcome to Your New Addiction


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