Smoking

I have just started using our smoker. From what I have read the variety in
equipment is significant. Follow the basic instructions that came with your
smoker. You can adapt any marinade, rub or paste recipe to be used with the
smoker. If it is a water smaoker try varying the liquid that you use in the
pan. I often put herb prunnings or the stems from the fresh herbs that I
have cooked. Dried orange or lemon peels are good too. You can also use
onion skins, celery tops, any good garbage that will add aroma to the mix. I
work at home so it is easy for me to start the fire when the kids leave for
school, they catch a 7 am bus and ususally by dinner it is ready. I use dry
rubs because I like the way they taste and it takes less fussing during the
day. I put the meat in a plastic bag with the herbs the night before so that
the flavors can penetrate. Don't know if it is better but it makes the
morning easier. As long as the fire stays going I have found I only have to
work with it every two hours or so. It is actually better if I don't fuss
too much. Once during the day I will empty the fire pan into the Weber grill
and them use tongs to put the coals back in the fire pan and add fresh coals
and wood. I like fish, beef and pork the best. Chicken seems better to me on
the regular grill. It gets crunchier. For wood we use mostly found wood. The
prunnigs for a neighbors grape vine, my mother's crabapple, an oak tree that
a neighbor cut down. Just don't use any soft wood such as pine. Experiment
and have fun.

Kathy