Coalsmith Series Alpha Grill & Smoker

Smoking involves slow cooking food at lower temperatures over a longer period of time. The ideal smoking temperature is 125°C

Rule of thumb 1kg = 2 to 2.5 hours of smoking – Cooking times will vary based on the type and cut of meat and the type of smoker being used. 

1. Soak your woodchips in water for about half an hour before, then strain them and add on top of your coals once the coals are ready. You will know your coals are ready when they have turned grey.
2. Get your smoker to a steady temperature of 125°C. Have the chimney damper and bottom ventilation holes all the way open when starting your fire so all the bad smoke/black smoke escapes out of your smoker.
3. Under the main grid, place 2 Large Foil Trays next to each other, One empty to catch the drippings the other with water to keep the meat moist. You can add herbs and spices to the water for extra flavour – this water prevents the meat from drying out, especially when smoking for longer periods of time.
4. Add your meat to the grid, above the empty foil tray, you can use these drippings later to make a delicious sauce.
5. The temperature can be regulated using the dampers found at the top (Chimney) and bottom of the smoker (Ventilation holes) by regulating the airflow, you can adjust the temperature up and down, to increase the heat open the lower damper ventilation holes, to decrease the heat open the upper damper by the chimney. 
6. Remember keeping a consistent temperature is the key to successful smoking and each time you open the lid, heat, and smoke will escape. Check your meat every 1 to 1½ hours.
7. You can check the meat with a meat thermometer to ensure it’s cooked to the proper internal temperature. This is also a good time to check and refill the water if necessary.
8. Woodchips can also be added every hour, more ready charcoal may need to be added when cooking for more than 4 hours, start some more coals up in your fire starter to avoid dirty smoke filling your smoker, this dirty smoke will result in a chemical taste to your meat. 
9. Once your meat is ready remove and enjoy.
10. Remember that it is important to clean your smoker after every use. Clean the cooking grids with a steel brush while it’s still warm this will make it much easier to remove any leftover residue, for the rest wait for the smoker to cool down before you start your cleaning process.

• Red meats such as beef and lamb are best at 50˚C for rare and 90˚C for fall off the bone. Generally, steaks are good at 60˚C, this is the core temperature, to know when it is cooked. The smoker will run at around 110 ˚C to 115 ˚C.
• Pork should be cooked to a minimum of 75˚C. For pulled pork, take that up to 90˚C, core temperature. The smoker will run from 130 ˚C to 140 ˚C.
• Poultry needs to get up to 80˚C. Core temperature. The smoker will run from 120 ˚C to 135 ˚C.
• Fish varies, depending on the type. Generally, 60˚C is good for the core temperature. The smoker will run at around 110 ˚C to 115 ˚C.

The frequency of cleaning is determined by how often the smoker is used. Make sure the coals are completely extinguished and the smoker has cooled down before cleaning inside of the unit. Remove the ash with a dustpan and brush. Use a cloth with soapy water for the inside of the smoker, remember to wipe away any residue with a paper towel. Clean the grids with soapy warm water and pat dry.

Yes, it is very important to preseason the inside of your smoker as well as the grids and lid before your first use. This process helps to burn off any chemicals and oils leftover from the manufacturing process.

Seasoning a new smoker before the first use is very important, this process helps to burn off any chemicals and oils leftover from the manufacturing process, it also helps prepare your unit for the first use.

1. Coat the entire inside of your smoker with a high burn point cooking oil like canola or grapeseed, don’t forget to do all the grids and lids as well.
2. Light your charcoal in your offset smoker and main chamber and put your cooking grids back in.
3. While you are trying to regulate the temperature have your dampers open, you can start closing the dampers to get to a sturdy 120°C, and then you will leave the unit to burn for about 2 hours to finish the seasoning process.
4. Once that’s done, let the unit cool down, clean out the ash with a dustpan and brush and wipe down with a damp cloth, you should also wash the grids with soapy water. 
5. Lightly coat with oil again and wipe away any residue.
6. Your unit will be ready to start smoking.

NB* Through the preseason process it is important to not overheat your unit. Please do not burn an entire bag of charcoal at once you will cause damage to your unit. Stick to the recommended temperature of 120°C.

It depends on what you are smoking, wood chips are generally for shorter cooking times and wood chunks are better for longer cooking times. 

When choosing smoking wood, the rule of thumb is to use a fruited hardwood – from a tree that bears a nut, fruit, or berry. The most popular and widely available smoking woods are hickory and mesquite. Hickory imparts a milder flavour, whereas mesquite is more intense. Other common wood varieties are oak, apple, pecan, cherry, etc. Any smoking wood should be well-cured, it lights easily and maintains the cooking temperature, and it produces a great tasting smoke flavour that isn’t too strong. 

It is important to never use pine, cedar, or kiln-dried wood – Greenwood still contains all the sap and moisture needed to keep the tree alive and will impart a super strong tasting smoke that will turn your foods black. Also, when you try burning green wood, it is hard to reach a good temperature, because all the moisture inside the wood almost puts the fire out while it’s burning. 

The woodchips should smoke instead of burn - if they are burning reduce the oxygen intake. Wood smokes when it reaches temperatures between 299 and 399°C. Also remember it depends on which wood you are using. It is also important to soak your woodchips in either water, wine, juice, or tea. It will also reduce the rate at which the wood chips burn or just smoulder.