The First REAL Smoke

As you start using your smoker, I would recommend starting with small loads of meat. You will need some time and experience to get to know your smoker and how to control the temperature and the amount of smoke. You don't want to end up over cooking or over smoking a whole load of goods, so start slow and work your way up.

You will notice that it doesn't take long for your smoker to lose that shiny new-ness. In fact, after my very first smoke, the interior was already streaked with smokey condensate.

After first smoke

As far as the wood chips go, make sure you give them a good long soak. I usually toss mine into water first thing in the morning. I use a cast iron pan to hold my chips but you can use whatever you want. I highly recommend putting a drip pan on your bottom rack to catch juices and fats that will render from the meat while cooking. You don't want that dripping onto your burner. Those juices and fats make GREAT gravies too!

When you are smoking, you don't want your chips to be on fire. You just want to have them at a smolder. You are aiming for embers, not a bonfire.

Interior during a smoke

Embers NOT bonfire!