Smoking Food

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 smoker 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 prunings 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