Instructions for the Smokenator

 (Instruction Booklet PDF – 2017) 

www.smokenator.com (Phone 888.205.1931)

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LONG Cook Times – Set Up and Temperature Management A loaded Smokenator box will fuel a cook of about 6 hours. To do this, pack the Smokenator to the maximum with up to 60 charcoal briquettes and about 5-7 oz of wood. Remove about 16 briquettes and light them in a chimney starter (never use petroleum based charcoal starter fluid). When they are about 3/4 lit set them back into the Smokenator.

SHORT Cook Times –  If cooking for only a couple hours, closing off the upper and lower vents will save your unburned charcoal and wood chunks for the next time.

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Turkey

Place a medium coating of salt, dry rub, or spices on the skin of the turkey. If you use salt, lightly spray some cooking oil spray on the skin to ensure that the salt adheres to the skin. This provides the smoke a means to transfer flavor into the meat.

Place the turkey breast side down in a small roasting pan that will fit in the kettle. Raise the pan about 3 inches off the coal supporting grill. (The manufacturers suggest using two upside down bread pans wrapped in foil).

Rotate the turkey 180 degrees every hour. At the end of the second hour of smoking, turn the turkey, breast side up. Keep the temperature of the kettle  between 225 and 250 °F and be sure the water doesn’t boil away. It can take up to 6 or 8 hours to reach 165-170°F. (It can be transferred to the oven after four hours in the smoke. Wrap tightly in foil to keep moist!)

Salmon

Salt the salmon generously Spray lightly with cooking spray to help salt adhere.  Salt the exposed side well, since having a salty base on the fish brings out the smoke flavor. Place fish skin-side down on foil on cooking grid. Use a small fire in the Smokenator (15 briquettes or so). A large slab should be done in a couple of hours or less.

Keep the smoker stocked with plenty of wood chips or chunks. Add extra charcoal if the temperature drops. Keep the water pan filled.

Ribs

The manufacturers recommend removing the water for the last hour of smoking (for a “dryer finish), and maintain a low and slow temperature throughout the cooking time.

Chicken

A pair of chickens, either halved or whole, take about 4.5 hours at 230- 240 °F. Keep the pan filled with water through the entire process. Devise a support to hold chickens in a roasting pan 3” above the coal support grill. lwChicken is done when it reaches 170°F  in the middle of the thigh. If cooking split chicken halves, place on food support grill.l.

Pulled Pork

Season roast night before. Place on the food support grill. The manufacturers suggest that when the internal pork temperature measures between 165 to 170°F (about 4 to 5 hours), wrapping the roast in foil and allow heat to rise to around 350°F – until the meat thermometer registers 200°F (1 to 1.5 hours). Then they say unwrap the meat and set it back into a dry kettle environment about 30 minutes to let a crust form. The go on to say that it might be worth it instead just to cook low and slow until the meat reaches 190-200 °F. It just takes a lot longer, but they say it can be worth it, and I tend to agree.

Brisket

Brisket is a tough cut of meat that is cooked the same way as pulled pork. Get the internal temperature up to 165°F, then foil wrap, and bring up to 190 to 200°F. Cooking times are about the same as pulled pork, but a little less since a brisket is not as thick. No foil? Expect to cook to 14 hours and for meat to be a bit drier.