Smokenator Charcoal Smoker Kit Instruction Manual ~Patent No.: US 7,832,330 B1~ www.smokenator.
Important Safety Warning: As with all grilling accessories, there can be some risks involved and we want you to stay safe while using our product. Please read the following instructions and safety warnings completely before use. Save this booklet for future reference and feel free to contact us with any questions at 888-205-1931. You should always exercise reasonable care when using your Smokenator.
Congratulations on your purchase of the Smokenator! Smokenator is the first product of its kind to efficiently convert a kettle barbecue into a smoker, giving you a versatile product that exceeds the traditional vertical water smoker in both performance and cost. With the Smokenator’s thoughtful design, even a 25 pound turkey can be smoked. Using the Smokenator you will be able to control temperature and moisture to achieve a final product that is very well smoked, yet moist.
Installing the Smokenator® Start with a clean kettle grill and lid, make sure the interior of the kettle top is brushed clean of accumulated smoke flakes. Keep the lower part of the kettle free of accumulated smoke residue, ash, and soot. Arrange the coal support grill (the lower grill grate) so that the base of the baffle fits in between the main rods of the coal support grill.
Setting Up the Weber Vents to Cook “Low and Slow” The approach to smoking “low and slow” requires setting the vents on the Weber kettle correctly. Individual weather and climate conditions will vary your results with the Smokenator. Always do a test run with your setup to understand how your smoker will work before cooking with food. As you know, the Weber kettle has two controllable vents – a lower and an upper vent. The upper vent is used to vary the temperature of the grill.
If during a cook the temperature drops, open the upper vent about 1/16” to 1/8” more. If there is no response in 10 minutes, stir the coals and check the condition of the unburned charcoal. If cavity is low on coals (after about 5 hours) replenish, figuring 8-10 briquettes are burned in an hour. When adding unlit coals, you can see the dome temperature drop as the water evaporates and the more volatile components of charcoal ignite.
chimney starter (never use petroleum based charcoal starter fluid). When they are about 3/4 lit set them back into the Smokenator. Use the included skewer to arrange coals. Set the water pan in place and fill with water. Set grill grate in place unless you are cooking a turkey. Put kettle lid in place and set the upper vent to 5/16”. Let the kettle come up to temperature. Place the food on the grill once dome temperature is up to 220-230°F. Food support temperature is about 210°F.
evaporates, quickly check the water level every 30 minutes. This is entirely precautionary; at the 5/16” setting, water will last about 70 to 90 minutes. Opening the upper vent will increase heat production and will lead to faster water evaporation. Usually after about 1.5 to 2 hours, smoke production will decrease. Stirring the coals will usually help increase smoke production. If this doesn’t work, add more wood to keep a light blue smoke venting from the dome.
cooking, the results in the Smokenator, when followed at 230°F dome temperature, will be very moist and tender. It is possible to control the degree of juiciness. By removing water in the last hour, you can achieve a dryer finish on the outside of the meat, keeping a juicy interior. If you want deep interior dryness, then keep water in the pan for 1⁄4 of the cooking time to enhance smoke flavor.
the kettle is normally between 225 and 250 °F when smoking and using water to keep moisture levels up. A turkey can take upwards of 6 to 8 hours to smoke. After 4 hours, the turkey is well smoked, and it can be moved to an oven to complete cooking, if you desire. If you do this, wrap your smoked bird tightly in foil so it doesn’t dry out! Salmon Salmon is a wonderful fish that smokes well. Lay two sheets of foil on the counter and set the fillet’s skin surface down on the foil.
that the water pan is never empty. We don’t overload the kettle with a huge number of coals. Try 15 briquettes or so, and add extra when you see the temperature dropping. We also keep the Weber heavily stocked with wood chunks to make sure smoke is always present. The result is a pronounced slightly salty smoky salmon. This is not a cold smoke process, which takes a lot longer and is done at much lower temperatures.
In this example, ribs need to be rotated about midway through the typical 4 hour cook from the Hovergrill to the food support grill. Customers have reported using two rib rack smoking 8 racks of spare ribs, 4 on lower, 4 on upper grill. The high humidity output keeps ribs moist. An hour before the ribs are done, we recommend that you remove the water and operate in dry mode low and slow. This will put a dryer finish on the ribs.
There are many spice mixtures you can try with chicken. Our favorite is always slipped under the skin of the chicken. The spice soaks into the meat along with the smoky flavor. Brining is not needed for chicken or turkeys if water is kept in the pan. Pulled Pork Follow your preparation method and add your rub to the meat the night before. Set the Weber to sustain 230-240°F dome temperature.
into a dry kettle environment about 30 minutes to let a crust form. You can also just smoke low and slow till the meat reaches 190-200 °F. It just takes a lot longer, but it can be worth it. 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.
Recipes Be sure to visit the Smokenator Owners Group page on Facebook to speak with other Smokenator owners. It is a great place to ask questions and show off your creations! Andy’s Special Meat Rub 1⁄2 cup seasoned salt15 3 tablespoons celery salt 1/3 cup paprika 1 tablespoon lemon pepper Mitch’s Fantastic Barbecue Rub We like this rub since it has sweet, salt, and some complex spices.
1755 Osgood Street North Andover, MA 01845 888-205-1931 info@smokenator.
