Smoking food is a great way to add flavor and change up your recipe repertoire. If you’re looking for a smoker that’s easy to use and produces great results, look no further than the Pit Boss electric smoker.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the basics of how to use Pit Boss electric smoker so that you can get started right away.
You can also check our articles on How to Make Prime Rib in Electric Smoker, How to Make Electric Smoker Pork Roast, How to Make Perfectly Smoked Burgers, How to Make Babyback Ribs in Electric Smoker, How to Make Juicy Smoked Beer Can Chicken in Electric Smoker, and Easy to Make Smoked Ham Recipe.
How to Get Started with the Pit Boss Electric Smoker?
If you are a beginner with the pit boss electric smoker, don’t worry. It’s easy to get started with this smoker. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be smoking like a pro in no time.
Read the Manual
The first thing you’ll want to do is read through your manual. This will give you a good understanding of how your smoker works and what all the different parts are for. It’s also a good idea to keep your manual handy in case you have any questions down the road.
Assemble your Smoker
Next, you’ll need to assemble your smoker. This is usually a pretty straightforward process, but it’s always a good idea to consult your manual for specific instructions. Once your smoker is assembled, it’s time to choose the perfect location for it.
Choose the Right Location
When choosing a location for your smoker, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, you’ll want to make sure that the location is level so that your smoker doesn’t tip over. Second, you’ll want to make sure that the location is well-ventilated so that smoke can escape easily.
Third, you’ll want to make sure that the location is close to an electrical outlet so that you can plug in your smoker. And fourth, you’ll want to make sure that the location is out of direct sunlight so that your food doesn’t dry out.
Season your Smoker
Once you’ve found the perfect location for your smoker, it’s time to season it. Seasoning your smoker helps to prevent food from sticking to the surface and also helps create that perfect smoky flavor that we all love.
There are a few different ways that you can season your smoker. The most popular method is to rub some cooking oil onto all of the surfaces inside of your smoker and then heat it up for about 2-3 hours. This will help create a non-stick surface and also help season the metal so that it doesn’t rust as easily.
After you season your smoker, it’s a good idea to give it a good cleaning so that any excess oil is removed.
Steps on How to Use Pit Boss Electric Smoker
Now that you’ve chosen the perfect location and seasoned your smoker, it’s time to get started smoking. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be enjoying delicious smoked food in no time.
Step One: Choose your Food
The great thing about smoking food is that almost anything can be smoked. Meats like beef, pork, lamb, and chicken are all traditionally smoked foods, but seafood and vegetables can be smoked too. Once you’ve decided what you want to smoke, it’s time to prepare it.
Step Two: Prepare your Food
The key to great-tasting smoked food is in the preparation. For meats, you’ll want to coat them in a generous layer of rub—a mixture of herbs and spices—and leave them to marinate overnight in the fridge. Seafood and vegetables can be simply coated in oil and seasonings before being placed in the smoker.
Step Three: Preheat your Smoker
Once your food is prepared, it’s time to preheat your smoker. Most electric smokers will have a built-in temperature gauge, so all you need to do is set it to the desired temperature—usually between 225 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit—and wait for the indicator light to tell you when it’s reached that temperature.
Add Wood Chips and Water to the Pan
While your smoker is preheating, you’ll want to add wood chips and water to the pan. The wood chips will provide the smoke flavor, so it’s important to choose the right type of wood for the food you’re smoking.
For meats, hickory and mesquite are popular choices, while fruit woods like apple and cherry work well with seafood and vegetables.
It is also recommended to soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before adding them to the smoker. This will help create more smoke and prevent the wood from burning too quickly.
The water pan is important because it helps to create humidity inside the smoker. This prevents the food from drying out and also helps to create that perfect smoky flavor. Just fill the pan with water and set it under the smoker’s wood chip tray. You can also add apple cider vinegar, wine, or beer instead of water for even more flavor.
Step Four: Place your Food in the Smoker
Now it’s time to place your food in the smoker. Arrange your pieces of meat or seafood on the racks inside the smoking chamber, making sure they’re not touching each other so that they cook evenly.
If you’re smoking vegetables, you can place them directly on the racks or in a foil packet; just make sure there are holes punched in the top of the packet so that smoke can reach them.
Step Five: Close the Lid and Smoke your Food
Once your food is in the smoker, close the lid and let it do its thing. Depending on what you’re smoking and how big your pieces of meat are, smoking times will vary; a good rule of thumb is 1-2 hours per pound of meat.
Check on your food every once in a while to make sure everything is going according to plan; if not, adjust the temperature as necessary.
Step Six: Remove your Food from Smoker
When your food has finished smoking, remove it from the smoker immediately—you don’t want it to overcook! You can use a thermometer to check that your meat has reached the proper internal temperature or simply use a fork to check for doneness.
For meats, you’ll want to wrap them in foil and allow them to rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting into them; this will help them retain their juices. Seafood and vegetables can be served immediately.
Step Seven: Cleaning your Smoker
Finally, once you’re done smoking (and eating!) your delicious creation, it’s time to clean your smoker so that it’s ready for next time.
First things first: unplug your smoker from its power source! Then empty out any remaining wood chips and water from the pan and rinse it clean with hot water; finally, wipe down both the inside and outside of your smoker with a damp cloth. And that’s it!
Benefits of Pit Boss Electric Smoker
Pit Boss electric smokers offer many benefits over traditional smokers; here are some of the main ones:
1. Pit Boss smokers are some of the most affordable on the market without sacrificing quality.
2. With 1,500 watts of power, these smokers can reach temperatures of up to 700°F, meaning your food will get cooked evenly and quickly every time.
3. The digital control panel makes it easy to set and monitor the temperature, so you don’t have to worry about babysitting your smoker all day long.
4. Pit Boss smokers come with a built-in meat probe thermometer, so you’ll always know when your food is cooked to perfection.
5. These smokers have a large cooking area—up to 732 square inches—so you can cook multiple items at once.
6. The racks are also adjustable, so you can customize the amount of space for each item you’re smoking.
7. The double-wall insulation keeps heat in and means that your smoker uses less energy overall.
8. The drip pan collects all the excess fat and juices from your food for easy cleanup later on.
9. The windows and door seal tightly to prevent any heat or smoke from escaping, so your food will be infused with that perfect smoky flavor.
10. And finally, perhaps the best reason of all to invest in a Pit Boss electric smoker: they’re simply fun to use! Whether you’re smoking meats, veggies, or cheeses, there’s nothing quite like experimenting with different flavor profiles and smoking times to see what results you can achieve.
Tips and Guides on Using the Electric Smoker
Here are some tips and guides on using your new Pit Boss electric smoker:
1. Season your smoker before using it for the first time by running it empty for 2-3 hours at the highest temperature. This will help to get rid of any manufacturing oils that may be present.
2. Always preheat your smoker before adding any food, whether you’re using wood chips or not. This will help to ensure that your food cooks evenly.
3. Cut meats into smaller pieces before smoking them to help them cook more evenly.
4. If you’re smoking multiple items at once, arrange them on the racks so that the ones that need to be cooked for the longest are on the bottom and the ones that need to be cooked for the shortest are on the top.
5. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavor combinations when smoking foods. Some great options include hickory and apple, mesquite and cherry, or pecan and maple.
How to Use Pit Boss Electric Smoker FAQs
Do you preheat electric smoker with wood chips?
The answer is yes! Preheating your smoker with wood chips will help to create smoke faster, which will, in turn, help to flavor your food. It’s important to note, however, that you should only use wood chips that are specifically designed for smoking—otherwise, you run the risk of them catching fire.
Conclusion
Pit Boss electric smokers are some of the most affordable, user-friendly smokers on the market today. They come with a variety of features that make them perfect for both beginners and experienced smokers alike.
We have provided the steps as well as tips on how to use Pit Boss electric smoker. With the help of this guide, we hope that you’ll be able to get the most out of your smoker and create delicious, smoked foods that your whole family will love.