Smoker Start-Up Procedure: Fat Boy

The Night Before

  1. Clean smoker
    (remove ash, sweep, scrape, remove old foil)
    (can be done the day of)

  2. Replace foil on bark setter
    (can be done the day of)

  3. Soak wood chunks
    (can be done the day of, 3 - 4 hours in advance)

(Prep time to this point is ~45 minutes)

The Day Of

  1. Take meat out of fridge

  2. Fill smoker and chimney with charcoal

  3. Start chimney

  4. Fill water pan

  5. Open stack, vent

(Prep time to this point is ~20 minutes)

  1. Assemble rub ingredients

  2. Dump chimney into firebox
    (move down if not fully glowing)

  3. Make rub

  4. Apply rub

  5. Wait for smoker to come to operating temperature

(Time from lighting chimney to smoker at operating temperature is ~90 minutes)

  1. Cover thermometer with foil

  2. Load food
    (takes 15 minutes)

  3. Load wood chunks