# Seasoning the Smoke Vault



## old poi dog (Jun 18, 2009)

After taking care of the door misalignment, and building a rolling platform for my Smoke Vault, I finally got sometime off work today and am in the process of seasoning the Smoker. I sprayed the entire insides of the smoker with Pam and fired up the burner. I set it at 275 degrees. After an hour of heating up, I put some hickory chunks on the cast iron tray. Its putting out that thin blue smoke as I write this. I'll let it smoke /season for another two hours then shut down for the evening.


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## bassman (Jun 18, 2009)

Sounds like you're getting her done up right.  Next step will be to smoke a 15 pound brisket to really get it seasoned up right!


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## flagriller (Jun 18, 2009)

Thats the way to do it!


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## reekslikesmoke (Jun 18, 2009)

Good job!!  I love my Smoke Vault!!  

Reek


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## mballi3011 (Jun 18, 2009)

Sounds like your on the right track. But I think you should start out with a couple a racks of ribs or a 15 lb brisket or maybe a couple of birds then a couple of fatties then make a couple of phone calls and have a party. How's that sound for seasoning ha.


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## old poi dog (Jun 18, 2009)

Ha..I think a couple of full length babybacks shoud do for now.  It'll be good not having to cut those racks down to fit.  I'm still thinking about doing a 12 hour smoke though.  Probably pulled pork and during daylight hours for now.


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## wmarkw (Jun 19, 2009)

Nice!  I love my smoke vault.  Puts out good bbq for sure.


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## justpassingthru (Jun 19, 2009)

Looking forward to some Qview, what ya using for smoke, anything local?

Ever think about smoking some poi, I bet that would be good.

Gene


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## old poi dog (Jun 19, 2009)

Aloha Gene,

I'm taking a page out of your book.  I'm trying to get some mango wood.  At the luaus here we have kulolo.. a taro product that is baked in the imu.  Thats the closest I can think of regarding poi being smoked.  Poi is so good by itself, and so expensive these days that  unless I knew what I was doing, I would just eat it straight up....or wait a few days for the sour bite to set in.


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## justpassingthru (Jun 19, 2009)

Iaorana,

Poi..., expensive?  Could you explain that?  Are you buying it or making it?

A few days, ha, ha, yeah right, it doesn't last until the sun goes down around here!

You'll like mango, ...they just knocked down a Mediterranean almond tree close by, tomorrow I'm gonna get a few limbs, it's a strong smoke, but it's good with beef.

Since you're trying a page out of my book I'll turn you on to another one, my wife's cousin works at the dump, I have him on the lookout for wood and I always reward him with some Q, you might try looking in the dump if they will let you or, ...hook up with a local tree trimmer.

Gene


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## old poi dog (Jun 19, 2009)

Gene,

I gotta admit...I'm forced to buy poi here. Not much people grow taro here and most that grow em supply the local poi manufacturer on the island.  

As for wood ...I'll check with the tree trimmers, though a guy I used to work with is now managing a mango orchard....heh...heh.. What meats would you recommend to smoke with mango?


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## justpassingthru (Jun 19, 2009)

OPD,

I don't think I've ever seen taro poi, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, I'll have to ask my mother-in-law.

We make mango, papaya, and banana poi, it's really quite simple, just the fruit and tapioca powder, they cook it in the oven, if your interested I'll give you the recipe.

In fact, ...this Sunday is Father's Day here, I've always wanted to do it so I think I'll try to make some in the GOSM along with the other things.

As for the mango I've smoked everything with it, chicken, beef, pork, and fish, mainly because there was a dead mango tree on the property that I cut down and it was the only thing that I had that was dry.  

If you have taro have you ever used the leaves to make fa'fa, they are like spinach and we cook it with chicken in coconut milk, ummmm good, ...that might be something else to go in the smoker this weekend.

Gene


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## old poi dog (Jun 20, 2009)

Gene,

Taro leaves with squid and coconut milk is good too.  I don't know what the Hawaiian name of the dish here, but we've always known the dish as Squid Luau.  

Hey...my wife and I would be interested in the recipe for mango, banana, and papaya poi.   In fact it may be interesting to start a thread on how you make /smoke the fruit poi...Post Pictures if you can.  

I was going to do ribs in my smoker, but wifey wants chicken.  Take Care and have a great South Pacific Father's Day!!!


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## justpassingthru (Jun 20, 2009)

That's cool, I asked my wife about taro poi and she said of course there is, show's ya how much I know.

Be glad to shoot you the recipes, later on tonight, I have to go deliver some wood, I'll explain later.

Chicken's good, everything is good on the smoker I've come to find out, yeah, ...that would be fun, we'll do poi and fa'fa, along with the leg of lamb and the veal shoulder I was planning on smoking Sunday.

Have a good smoke, you on the west side of Maui, we're on the North West side of Tahiti and the clouds are forming, gonna be a spectacular sunset tonight.

Gene


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