How to season an electric smoker is the next step after purchasing the new electric smoker. As you start trying your hands with a new electric smoker, it is necessary to season the smoker because it may get many residues during the production process. So, in the guideline “how to season an electric smoker,” I will share some knowledge with you on the basis as to why is it necessary to season the electric smoker? The below guideline is also the information about how to season a master built electric smoker.
Table of Contents
What is an Electric Smoker?
Before seasoning an electric smoker, it is essential to know what is an electric smoker. An electric smoker is a unit that takes electricity as a power source. It provides efficient results of smoking meat of all kinds and veggies. Even the beginner can show the best of cooking using the electric smokers.
Moreover, the electric smoker provides a hassle-free experience of smoking food. The only thing you need to do is stuff the food inside the unit, set the temperature, and plug it. Sitting over the couch, you can have gossips with your guests and let the smoker do its job.
In other words, it provides a set and forgets the experience. So, to add comfort in life, you need to season it to get the best results after purchasing the unit.
Why to Season a New electric Smoker?
There are many few reasons behind seasoning the new electric smokers.
To Clean Whatever the Rubbish is inside
It is a common experience when we get something through shipping it reaches us as full of dust. Moreover, when you unwrap the unit, you will find mud and other unnecessary particles that stick to the unit. So, before starting the smoking session, it becomes compulsory for the user to season the unit to remove whatever the rubbish and manufacturer residue.
Danger to Health
Not to season the new smoker can become a big danger to your health. If you smoke food without seasoning, the dust and other particles containing germs can get infused in your food, causing cough and throat soaring for your health.
To Enhance the Performance
If you purchase the electric smoker for under $300, it can give you awesome results. Seasoning the unit, you will bring the unit in the run to pave the way to excellent performance.
Moreover, to add a strong smoky flavor to the food, the layer of smoke will enhance due to seasoning the unit.
Make the Unit Rust Free
Seasoning the smoker protects the inside paint and coating of the smoker. Moreover, it makes the unit rust free extending the working capacity of the unit.
Now let’s see how to season an electric smoker.
Step by Step Guide How to Season Electric Smoker?
In this guideline, I will share my own experience of seasoning electric smoker. The whole procedure is totally simple and pretty easy to follow. These guidelines apply to most electric smokers.
Besides, before seasoning the electric smoker, you need to consult the manual of the unit. You need to keep specific things in mind regarding the type of your smoker.
So, let’s move forward to check the steps that are necessary to do.
Uncover the Electric Smoker
While seasoning master built electric smoker or the brand of the smoker that you have, the first step is to uncover the unit. To unpack the electric smoker, you need to choose a place like a backyard or garden, or garage. The area must be spacious and wide were to unwrap the unit.
Assembling is Accurate
After unwrapping the unit, you must check whether the assembling of the unit is accurate. Most of the units are partially assembled, and most of the parts need to be assembled. Keenly check all the parts are there in the box, and all the nuts and screws are perfectly tight.
Wipe down your Smoker
As you unwrap the unit, you will find much mess like dirt and other unnecessary particles. To get rid of all these things, you need to wipe down your entire smoker. For this, take some light detergent and a soft cotton cloth or towel. Wet the cloth and apply detergent over it. Now gently rub all the interior of the smoker.
Moreover, wipe down the racks and water pan, and grease tray. Clean all the particles and residues thoroughly. Keep opening the unit and put it in a spacious place. Let it dry completely in the open air to get the desired results.
Apply Cooking Oil inside the Smoker
Applying cooking oil over the unit’s interior is a good idea to bring the smoker in the run. For this, take a new cotton cloth and apply a small quantity of cooking oil to it. Softly rub it with a gentle hand on the inner side of the smoker.
Keep in mind a light coating of the oil is ideal; avoid applying a thick layer of fat. Furthermore, the grease tray, water pan, and other electric components do not need the coating of the oil.
Put all the things back.
As you have applied the coating of cooking oil, you need to put all the things like grease trays and racks inside the unit.
But make sure all these are dried properly, and there are no moistures or leftover over the surface or inside the components.
Moreover, take a clean cotton cloth to ensure everything is good. Gently rub on the accessories. After satisfying yourself, put all the things back in the unit to move ahead.
How to Start Electric Smoker for The First time?
To start your best electric smoker for the first time, it is essential to follow the below guidelines.
Open All the Vents
Before plugging the unit on, you must open the air vents of the unit. Make sure that these vents are open throughout the seasoning process.
By doing this, you can let the leftover particles in the air despite sticking them there forever.
Plug the Unit
Now is the time to start up your unit. Plug the unit on, and for caution, do not use the extension lead as the lead can create a problem.
If the power source is at a distance and you need an extension lead, then be sure that the lead is heavy-duty.
Set the temperature and timing
Now your next step is to set the temperature and timing of the unit. The temperature and timing of the unit do vary from one anotherbased on brand.
For instance, the maximum temperature setting for seasoning Bradley electric smokers is 250-degree °F. For Masterbuilt electric smokers, the temperature setting for seasoning the unit is 275-degree °F for three hours. It is the ideal time and temperature setting for the units.
As soon as the temperature gets started taking power source, it may create some smell. Don’t worry because this smell is the burning of harmful substances and oil you applied for seasoning.
Furthermore, the basic purpose of preheating the unit is to get rid of the smell that can spoil your meat and veggies as you supply the power source for the first time to the unit.
Adding Fuel
While seasoning the electric smoker in the step of preheating the unit, adding wood chips is elementary. For this, different manufacturing companies suggest different things.
Rely on most of the seasoned owners; the following are the instructions.
Step 1: Before adding wood chips, you do not need to soak the chips. You can continue as it is. Especially, Master built does not recommend doing this. So, add 8-12 wood chips in the wood chips loader.
Step 2: After the pause of twenty-five minutes, add more according to the same number of wood chips. This time some ashes will be visible in the ashtray. They will produce smoke in the smoker for seasoning the unit.
Step 3: After the wait of the next 20 minutes, add the third 8-12 load of wood chips in the wood chips box.
After adding the third load of wood chips in the hopper, let the unit do its job at 275 degrees F until 3 hours to bring this unit into running position.
As soon as the timing is over, let your smoker cool down. Unplug the unit.
Save The Unit
As soon as you have done your job and the unit is cooled down. Take a soft towel or cotton cloth quickly rub the outer surface with a soft hand. Now cover the unit is you have with the unit. If you don’t have a cover, it is a nice idea to purchase one to keep the unit safe from outer elements like dirt and moisture, etc.
Arrange the place for a smoker away from the reach of moisture, water, fire, and sunlight because all these things can spoil the outer surface of the unit. The more you keep it safe, the more years of working life of the unit you can extend. So, happily select any place for your new electric smoker.
How to do at your first Smoking session
After purchasing your new electric smoker, you have seasoned your new unit. But before starting it for regular smoking meat or veggies sessions, here are few steps that you need to follow to get the maximum results.
A question comes to the mind of the users: what type of foods do we need to try during our first smoking session. So,
it is a good idea to take start with chicken or cheaper cuts of meat. Your first few smoking sessions will be based upon the fact “learning through the mistakes.” Every time you will learn something new through your practice.
If you have cold smoking components in access, you should take start with cheese smoking. As it is pretty easy to try and will present good results.
It is a good idea to understand your smoker and its components through easy recipes. By doing this, you will save yourself from the big loss.
Do not forget to add water to the water pan, which adds moisture to your meat and saves meat from getting dry. If your smoker does not have a water pan, it will load in your pocket, and you need to purchase it separately.
Important Note:
Moreover, most of the time, it does happen that many brands may not offer some accessories within the unit’s price, so it is good to check before time what is not there. In this case, you can make a separate purchase to overcome the situation.
In addition to this, it is elementary for smoking meat to attain good results that you have a meat thermometer of good quality. A good quality thermometer gives you an accurate reading of the food inside. It matters a lot in presenting good results to the food.
Editor’s Note
After getting the new electric smoker, it is a nice experience to start it. Our guideline “How to season an electric smoker” contains complete information regarding the issue and following the guideline will make you get the best outcomes..
You can get a good idea about the importance of the need of seasoning the smoker. Moreover, even the beginner can get sufficient knowledge about how to unwrap the unit and start it for fire for the first time.
I have narrated all the ups and down from opening to seasoning and about how to smoke food for the first time, based on my observation.
In the end, I hope it will be a good addition to your reliable previous information. If you have any questions and suggestions, let us know through the comments below.
