Have you got your brand new electric smoker and are excited to enjoy its first smoky meat? If yes, then hold on because newly bought electric smokers come with grime, bacteria, and oils applied by the manufacturer to keep them safe from any rust or corrosion. If you want to learn how to season an electric smoker, then this guide is for you.
Like various types of cookers, a fresh electric smoker demands proper seasoning before you enjoy a delicious BBQ with family and friends. With seasoning, you will remove any dirt inside the electric smoker that may flavor and contaminate your smoked food. In this post, I will explain to you step by step how to cure your electric smoker so that it can last for years to come.
Why Season Your Electric Smoker?
I come with some indispensable reasons to season newly purchased electric smokers. These are:
1) To Clean The Manufacturer’s Residual
During the manufacturing process, the grime and dirt are left over in the electric smoker, no matter how clean the production line is. Apart from that, they apply grease and oils to the inside of the smoker to protect it from corrosion and rust before it reaches the new owner.
When these contaminants burn in the smoker, they will yield toxic fumes that will go into your food. To prevent it, I advise you to season the smoker to eliminate any dirt in your smoker so you enjoy the BBQ without any impurities.
2) To Increase Your Smoker’s Life
Like a car, an electric smoker is prone to rust. It costs $200, which is not as much as a car will cost you but still is a significant amount that nobody wants to lose. You can make your smoker rust-proof by seasoning it properly.
Even the manufacturer is done with oiling your electric smoker, which is insufficient and inedible. Moisture could damage the smoker if you do not season it. Coating of carbon generated from the smoke will prevent the moisture from eating the metal.
How To Season Your New Electric Smoker?
Seasoning an electric smoker is not a complicated endeavor if you know how to do it in the right way. I know the method to season the electric smoker is slightly different from manufacturer to manufacturer. To make the process easy for you, I have broken down the complete guide in the following steps:
Ensure That Your Smoker Is Fully Assembled
You have to check whether your smoker is assembled correctly or not. If you need to join some parts, then do so before you start seasoning the electric smoker. Never try to implement anything other than what is written in the user manual provided by the manufacturer.
Wash The Inside Of The Electric Smoker (Optional)
Some people suggest that washing a brand-new electric smoker is beneficial as it will remove pollutants from it. If you ask me, ‘Is it a necessary step’ my answer will be no, as nothing will be left behind after the seasoning process. But if you want to wash the interior of your smoker with soapy water, then nothing wrong with that.
Apply The Coating Of High Point Cooking Oil
It is time to coat the inside of your newly purchased smoker with a high heat point cooking oil. You may be wondering why to use high point cooking oil, right? Compared to other oil, this type of oil will not burn if you run your smoker at full temperature range.
You have the following options in this regard:
- Almond oil
- Avocado oil
- Beef tallow
- Lard
- Coconut oil
- Mustard oil
- Grapeseed oil
- And lot more
Apply any of these oils to the inner area of your smoker with the help of a clean and soft cloth. My suggestion is not to apply too much and keep the coating as light as possible.
Start The Seasoning Process
Now you have to begin the seasoning process. Start it by keeping it empty (do not put anything inside the smoker). Keep the temperature to maximum by using the temprature range adjustment knob. Ensure all the vents are open during the complete session, so all the vapors of the residual will leave the smoker.
I will say, you must keep this session going for at least 3 hours to get the maximum benefit out of it. Put the wood chips in the smoker box and place this box in the smoker when only 45 minutes are left.
How To Use An Electric Smoker For The First Time?
After your electric smoker is seasoned and you are all set to go. These are some tips for smoking your food for the first time:
- It is ideal to start with soft meat cut deeply.
- The chicken will be fine if you are a complete beginner.
- A few initial tries are going to be great learning experiences. Fortunately, electric smokers are not as cruel as other smokers on the market.
- Have you purchased an old smoking attachment? If yes, I will recommend you smoke cheese for the first time.
- Keep the temperature as low as you can, as it depends on your smoker. It can be tricky, but you will understand more about your smoker.
- Cheese is delicious, easy to smoke, and affordable, making it a preferable choice for smoking in a brand-new electric smoker.
- Keep the moisture level inside optimal to ensure the meat will not dry. You can achieve this with the water pan in the smoker.
- Always use the water pan that comes with the electric smoker. If the water pan does not come with the package, you can use a small cake tin full of water as an alternative.
Make sure everything is readily available as you start smoking meat on your brand-new electric smoker. It may include some extra purchases like a thermometer. I do not suggest you use the thermometer with your smoker, as it is unreliable. To get the accurate reading buy a separate one to avoid any mess.
How To Season A Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?
Turn your smoker on and adjust the temperature to 275-degree Fahrenheit. Let your smoker run continuously for 3 hours. During the last 45 minutes, add only half a cup of wood chips to the smoker box. And put this smoker box inside your Masterbuilt electric smoker.
Read Further FAQs about Mastebuilt
Final Words
Seasoning an electric smoker is mandatory to succeed in cooking smoked meals. I know it is not fun to season an electric smoker, but the taste of cooked food will improve after the 1st round. Nobody wants to eat food with the smell of grease applied by the manufacturer to prevent the smoker from corrosion.
Also Checkout: Electric vs Charcoal Smoker
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