Standard Vertical Cabinet Smoker Instructions
Standard Vertical Cabinet Smokers
USE CAUTION
1. Never put a hot cooker into an enclosed space like a garage or trailer.
2. Do Not operate the smoker other then the manufacturers recommended uses.
3. Do not run the unit in a confined area.
4. Burning of charcoal produces carbon monoxide and can cause death. Run in a well ventilated area.
5. Do not operate unattended.
6. Operate on flat surfaces.
7. Do not operate unit on or near combustible surfaces, check with local fire marshal for commercial installations. Be sure the fire is fully extinguished and hot ash is removed from smoker prior to placing it near any combustible surfaces during storage.
8. Use caution when removing the water pan.
9. Be sure that doors are closed and latch is engaged.
10. Use caution when opening the doors. The units are tightly sealed and smoke can irritate the eyes.
Before lighting the unit please ensure that the unit is at least 36” away from all flammable materials and products. Also ensure that when lighting, no hot coals can go onto a burnable surface and that the unit itself is placed on a nonflammable surface such as concrete or gravel. Do not leave the unit unattended.
Upon your initial burn, you may spray a coating of cooking spray on the interior cooking chamber and interior of the cooking chamber door. Be sure not to get oil onto the gasket. This can harden the gasket.
Care Instructions and Tips
1. To clean your units exterior you can use a mild dish detergent or a product like Simple Clean with a smooth cloth.
2. The racks are stainless steel do not use a steel grill brush on them or you will see rust spots from the brush, use either scotchbrite, a stainless scraper or brush or other nonferrous metal material.
3. Do not empty a hot water pan, it is easier to wait until it is cool and then empty.
4. Once water is cool, empty immediately. Keep excess moisture out of the smoker when not using.
5. Touch up paint is available from our website.
6. Check your gaskets at least two times a year to see if they need replacing.
7. Lubricate your bullet hinges two times a year by squirting PB Blaster or WD-40 in the seam of the hinge. Swing the door back and forth to work the lube into the hinge.
How to Light your Standard Series Smoker
Check out our series of how to videos:
How to light your Humphrey's Smoker - method 1 – Humphreys BBQ
Firing for the first time: Make sure the unit is upright and as level as possible. Fill the water pan ¾ full with hot or warm water. Leave both cooking racks inside the unit. Open the chimney cap ¾ open. Open both the top and bottom door of the unit and pull the firebox out ¾ of the depth. Fill the fire box, level with its top, with either lump or briquette charcoal. There are two methods of lighting the charcoal.
1. You can use a chimney starter and start half a chimney of hot coal. This method requires you to leave a small opening in the back of the charcoal basket to pour the hot charcoal into. Appropriate personal protective gear should be worn such as heat resistant gloves, eye protection and closed top shoes. Once the hot charcoal is poured into place immediately push the charcoal basket back into the unit and close the firebox door. Open the Ball Valve air intake to the full position and the unit will start to draft.
2. Light the charcoal basket in the back with a plumber’s torch (Propane or MAP torch).You will want to light a spot about the size of a baseball directly in front of the daisy wheel air in take. All other directions are the same as the above method stated in #1 and the same personal protective gear should be worn.
With both methods once, the temperature starts to rise slowly close the ball valve down to half way and the chimney cap to about 3/4 of an inch open.Your desired temperature for the first fire is 225-235 degrees Fahrenheit. Run the unit at 225-235 for approximately 3 hours to season. At this time if you would like to adjust the ball valve or chimney cap to see how your unit reacts it is a good time to try things. By opening the ball valve, it will increase the temperature and by closing it you can decrease the temperature. The chimney cap also allows for fine adjustments too.
How to Shut Down your Weekender Series Smoker
To shut the unit down close the chimney cap and the daisy wheel completely and allow the unit to extinguish itself and cool, this can take several hours. Do not put a hot unit away into a confined space or near flammable items. The charcoal does not need to be removed from the unit and can be used for the next cook. To do this simply add fresh charcoal to the fire basket when you want to do your next cook. The ash pan typically can be emptied every 3rd or 4th use. Ash should be cold and disposed of properly.
Once the unit is shut down and cool from the first firing we recommend making sure your doors are adjusted properly and the gasket is tight. This can be done by monitoring the previous cook and seeing if any smoke leaks from around the door edges. If it does loosen the 8MM socket head machine screw underneath the ramp portion of the door latch attached to the cooker face frame. Gently slide the ramp in one or two serrated clicks and re-tighten. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN THIS SCREW. Shut the door, if it closes you have adjusted the door correctly, if it doesn’t engage the ramp then loosen the ramp one serrated click and try again.
Upon your initial burn, you may spray coat of cooking on the interior cooking chamber and interior of the cooking chamber door. Be sure not to get oil onto the gasket. This can harden the gasket.
Our Cabinet smokers are designed to run with Charcoal with a few fist size wood chunks.
Please visit our youtube page for other maintenance and operation tips such as how to light the smoker and how to adjust your latches. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX8JSImqWb4Y74iDMCNcieA/videos?view_as=subscriber
****NOTE**** These units are very well insulated sometimes they do not react to air vent changes immediately, especially trying to cool the unit down.
****For other Tips and Tricks visit our YouTube and FaceBook Users Pages