Stick Burner question

[Mdsteelerfan]

Hi,
I’ve been cooking on a green egg for past 3 yrs. 2 weeks ago i ordered a stick burner. My understanding is that i need to season it for 3-6 hours before i can cook on it. My plan is to christian it with 2 SRF briskets. My question is, do you think after playing around with temp management for 3-6 hrs during seasoning i’d be proficient enuff for a long cook? I’ve watched a lot of videos & it doesn’t look all that difficult to keep temp, however i do remember my first overnight cook on my egg & i over shot my temp by 100 plus & it took forver to come back down. Any & all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Aaron

[angryelfFan]

Personally, I would not risk 2 SRF briskets on it and would start with pork butts or chicken. What smoker did you order?

[PnkPanther]

Agreed, start with butt or at least Costco brisket

[pjtexas1]

First cook... fatty... No pressure

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[Mdsteelerfan]

I decided to go with a LSG. Initially i was goin to go with a 899 cheyenne but the shipping cost to maryland ticked me off. Thanks for advice, i’ll start with a few butts & some ribs.

[angryelfFan]

I decided to go with a LSG. Initially i was goin to go with a 899 cheyenne but the shipping cost to maryland ticked me off. Thanks for advice, i’ll start with a few butts & some ribs.

Nice!! I have only heard great things about LSG. :clap2:

You may want to also toss on a Ceremonial Fatty: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140058

[Mdsteelerfan]

Thanks, unfortunately i have to 10 plus more weeks till i get to light my first fire. On positive note it gives me some time to tell gf i might have spent a few more $ than i said i was for a grill, lol.

[The Wookiee]

1st cook = fatty

[jermoQ]

My first cook on a stick burner was a lesson. It was very bitter smoke flavored. I think it was also a brisket and chicken? I would hate to see you do that to a couple of briskets. Fatty and pork steaks would be a good first-go-at-it. Figure out some of the temp control AND a clean fire and you will be on your way to brisket paradise!

[SmittyJonz]

Find a Brethren in your area - who stick burns - n invite Him over to learn ya something and do the Briskets........ :mrgreen:

[Rockinar]

A LSG will be easy, but not sure I would risk 2 SRFs on the FIRST cook. I'd do Costco brisket or chick and ribs.

[JohnH12]

I don't think it'll take 3 or more hours to start the seasoning process.
Liberally spray it down with some cooking oil and light her up empty and run it for an hour or so. That'll give you a chance to learn how she likes her wood. Just like women, every pit is a bit different.
Maybe throw on a fatty or some chicken quarters after about an hour or when you feel confident about keeping good smoke.
Save the hi-dollar meat for a later time when you've mastered your new friend.
And don't forget to christen it with the beverage of your choice so the Q-gods won't crap on you later.

[bschoen]

That'll give you a chance to learn how she likes her wood. Just like women,

Seasoned?:redface:

[Springram]

I think it help to further cure the paint if you keep the temperature below 250* for a few hours when seasoning a new pit.

I know there are some who say just let her rip...... just saying.... I would not do it.

[pjtexas1]

Do not preheat splits on your firebox until it is seasoned and the paint hardens. I can't find the thread but somebody with a LSG messed up their paint as it softened a little during seasoning. It was scratched down to the metal.

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[Olddogken]

I agree with the seasoning of the new pit as well as cooking a few easy things like chicken, turkey and sausage before the long cook of a brisket. The seasoning is important but so is learning fire management with your particular stick burner. I got a 20" Horizon Classic last September and have used it multiple times each week since and learned so much about fire management at different temps. I am still learning and experimenting but feel I have my foot on a rock going forward now that I have some basics down. And with the cost of brisket these days, even Costco or Sam' Club, you want to be in the best position to succeed. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

Ken

[fwdiii]

Oh yes....start your stick burning journey off easy with some butts and or chickens. You will need to find out the temp that your smoker likes to run at. Brisket is too expensive to learn on.
Congratulations and best of luck!!

[JohnH12]

Seasoned?:redface:

You Bet!

[Mdsteelerfan]

Thanks for all advice. Might christian with a butt & a walmart bristket. That way i will only be out $35-$40 if my cook ****s the bed. I plan kn using the warmer/oven to dry out my wood while i am cooking. Now i need to find a wood guy in maryland, lol. Not 100% i recall
reading on LSG’s site that i need to season it for 3-6 hrs so the paint can dry or seal? Hopefully i’ll get a list of instructions when my grill arrives.

[Big N Hot]

When my cooker was delivered I was out of the country for work. It sat in my 130 degree garage for 5 weeks before I fired it up. The paint around the FB/cook chamber still looks great. No signs of bubbling or splitting. Definitely run it low at first.

[pjtexas1]

Thanks for all advice. Might christian with a butt & a walmart bristket. That way i will only be out $35-$40 if my cook ****s the bed. I plan kn using the warmer/oven to dry out my wood while i am cooking. Now i need to find a wood guy in maryland, lol. Not 100% i recall
reading on LSG’s site that i need to season it for 3-6 hrs so the paint can dry or seal? Hopefully i’ll get a list of instructions when my grill arrives.

i would do whatever chris says. who should know better than him?

[sparctek]

I seasoned my LSG per the instructions Chris has on his website. I spent a day keeping the temp right at 250 wit no food in the cooker. It gave me a chance to learn how the cooker drafted, how big a fire was needed to maintain 250, and how much of the intake to keep open. One other thing I learned is that my post oak was not as seasoned as I thought it was. Some pieces burned well while others were little more wet.

All in all I am glad I spent that day just watching the fire and drinking a couple of beers while learning the cooker. It was time well spent and definitely set me up for success on the first cook after the seasoning. But the most important thing is after that day I had confidence in my skill with the cooker.

Today he pit looks good as new and I can easily control temperatures although the sweet spot seems to be right at 275.

You'll love your LSG.

[akoda]

Doesn't your first cook have to be a fatty? I thought it was mandatory ;)

[THoey1963]

This:

i would do whatever chris says. who should know better than him?

And This:

I seasoned my LSG per the instructions Chris has on his website. I spent a day keeping the temp right at 250 wit no food in the cooker. It gave me a chance to learn how the cooker drafted, how big a fire was needed to maintain 250, and how much of the intake to keep open. One other thing I learned is that my post oak was not as seasoned as I thought it was. Some pieces burned well while others were little more wet.

All in all I am glad I spent that day just watching the fire and drinking a couple of beers while learning the cooker. It was time well spent and definitely set me up for success on the first cook after the seasoning. But the most important thing is after that day I had confidence in my skill with the cooker.

Today he pit looks good as new and I can easily control temperatures although the sweet spot seems to be right at 275.

You'll love your LSG.

I went from a set it and forget it WSM to an LSG stick burner. There will be a learning curve. Maybe not as much for you as for me, but don't throw a couple hundred dollars worth of brisket on there in case things go sideways.

Season it as Chris describes, low and slow for several hours (the instructions will come with it) and then play around learning your pit. If you have any tuning plates, you are going to want to adjust those to the way you want to smoke. Some try to get even temps everywhere, others like different temp zones so they can do low and slow and Hot and Fast at the same time. I bought a bunch of cheap, canned biscuits and spread them around to look for hot spots. Play with bringing the temp up to 300* and then getting it back down to 225* without losing your fire. Better to learn that now than in the middle of a cook that got away.

This pit will last for generations if you take a little effort to take care of it. Lots of time for those SRF briskets next time.

[Mdsteelerfan]

Definitely have no intentions skipping the seasoning process. After waiting 12 weeks, 3-6 hrs spent protecting my 4,600 investment will be a breeze. Plus it gives me an excuse to literally do nothing but drink beer & play with fire.

[JohnH12]

Definitely have no intentions skipping the seasoning process. After waiting 12 weeks, 3-6 hrs spent protecting my 4,600 investment will be a breeze. Plus it gives me an excuse to literally do nothing but drink beer & play with fire.

Now you've gone and let the secret out. :tape:
The only reason we buy these pits is to "do nothing but drink beer & play with fire".:flame:
Great Q is simply a byproduct.

[TyJones]

My first cook on a stick burner was a lesson.

So was my second, and third, and probably my forth. I'm at least on cook number six so I'm a pro........ Joking aside, I seem to learn something new every cook with every cooker.

[TyJones]

Now you've gone and let the secret out. :tape:
The only reason we buy these pits is to "do nothing but drink beer & play with fire".:flame:
Great Q is simply a byproduct.

Ok Q is an OK byproduct when it comes to drinking beer and playing with fire........:thumb:

[OklaDustDevil]

I must say, I disagree with most of this advice. You definitely should season your new smoker per the manufacturer's instructions, and learn to operate it while you season it. But then IMHO it's time for you to go to town. Smoke a couple of briskets -- nothing like a good, long, overnight smoking session to learn the in's and out's of your smoker.

No need to fear it -- it's not rocket science. And in my experience almost any form of 'que, including especially briskets, can stand some huge temp swings. I'm sure you'll do just fine, and you'll learn more from a good long brisket cook than trying something cheap and quick.

Just my pov.

[bonz50]

Personally, I would not risk 2 SRF briskets on it and would start with pork butts or chicken. What smoker did you order?
so... don't risk it for the brisket? :becky: