New Smokey Joe Mod

Last year I bought a Smokey Joe for tailgating without realizing how tough it was to transport. I got a Jumbo Joe to replace it and didn't want it to go to waste, so I decided to convert it into a smoker.


I started it today to burn it in with a full bottom of unlit charcoal and a full chimney of lit. After replacing the saucer (too big to let air flow through and choked the fire) and creating a space for airflow in the center, it stayed around 275 for about 4 hours.

A few questions:
Burning it in I noticed some brown residue in the pot. Does this need cleaned off at all?
Should I season the inside?
How do other people regulate temps? Will it set around 275 regularly?

Thanks for checking this out.

Thanks for the advice. I decided to break it in today with a chuck roast. The plan was to get the smoker at 250-300 and keep it on until IT is around 160 or I like the color, whichever comes first.
It is very windy and I'm having trouble with the temp. I've given up fighting and accepted that I'm cooking around 225 and hoping to get it higher as the wind dies down.