little chief smoker help

[road.kill]

I was given an older model Little Chief Smoker, that had sat around for 10 years and it is brand new.

I really want to smoke up some duck jerky from this years harvest. But there is one problem, I dont really know how to go about smoking the meat.

I have a brine picked out, and know to cut my meat 1/4" thick or so

My first question is about setting up my smoker.
It is a front load Little Chief that came with 3 racks. Inside the smoker I see places for 2 racks to sit and then there is what seems to be a drip pan slot?  Does the third rack sit right on the mounts for the drip pan or does it come with an extra and I just use the two racks up above?

My next question is about putting in the wood chips. I know you dont need to put smoke in the whole time, but when putting in the chips do I fill the pan all the way up with chips? Only partial way?
Also with the chips, do I set the pan directly on top of the heating core to get it to smoke, or does it matter?

Lastly, I was wondering how you know when the meat is done? It will be jerky so do I have to go by texture, look, feel, or just assume it is done at a certain time?

Im hoping some of you can answer this, or have experience with smoking meats? Ive read some of the tips on here but in order for me to start smoking some I need to get the operations down. And i really want some jerky 

[woodywsu]

I have the same smoker. Mine has spots for 3 different racks inside. There are a couple different kinds of wood chips you can get, I would start with process with little shavings and then once you got a good base going, load up on the bigger stuff. If you have a shop to put it in, I would do so, but make sure it has plenty of circulatoin. If you do not, I place a garbage can around it and make a few holes in the top so smoke can come out. I have heard of people placing garbage bags around the outside too. This will help keep the smoker warm if it is cold outside or if you have a cold wind. I don't know how to tell if the meat is done. I usually run around 2-4 pan fulls and then test the meat. I usually tear the meat in half and visually check it before I try it. Good luck. Also, place the pan onto the heating core. I don't know if this helps, but ts what I do.

[road.kill]

Thanks that did help answer some of my questions. I like the garbage can idea and have also heard of using the box from the smoker to insulate but i think a metal garbage can with some holes in it would be less of a fire hazard.

Here is a picture of what I have mine set up as right now. Does that look okay?

I guessed as where to put that rod at the top and assumed it was if you wanted to hang something in there to smoke.

Is the bottom rack and the drip pan assembled correctly?

[gasman]

The Little chief should have 3 spots for 3 wire shelf's. The drip pan shelf is located abour 2-3 inches above the woodchip pan. Cover the drip pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up and it will last longer (they have a tendancy to rust out).

I fill the woodchip pan all the way, even with the top, and place it dirrectly on the heating element. The wood will  burn and turn to ash, but not catch on fire (atleast i have not had one catch fire YET, knock on wood..).

I cover the smoker with an old Wool blanket and maintain a constant 155 degree temp, wich is ideal for smoking.

As for telling when it's done, it depends on what you like, i like my jerkey chewy and soft so i cut it thick and check it after about 4-6 hr and 2-3 pans of wood. Some times it will take 10+ hours to to done. 8 hours is about average for me though.

[gasman]

The hanging rod on the top is a new one for me, i have not seen that before, but the way you have it will work.

[bowelkin]

If you have a "Joes" store near you go there and pick up the Luhr Jensen smoker booklet.  It is only a couple of bucks but will get you started with info on smoking several critters including brines mixtures.

[ICEMAN]

roadkill, your set up looks fine. Wanna sell it?    Nice. Mine looks like it has been thru a holocaust. 

To save a buck on chips, consider (for next season...) cutting alder, cherry  or maple limbs up into one inch slices, to place in the wood pan, then add chips around the large chunks. This will save you money.

"Doneness"... really depends on the thickness, the oilyness of your item, and you the consumer. Some like drier, some more moist...over the years I learned I like a bit more moisture left in my fish and jerky...  You will probably also find that you will learn to pull individual pieces out and leave others in the smoker to finish a bit more....

Also, look at the design....bottom shelf is closer to the heat element, but also closer to where all the drippings end up.... top shelf is high and hot... my point is, many times I am moving stuff around in there as I smoke to get a more uniform finished product....

[road.kill]

Ok guys thanks for all of the good info, sounds like im ready to start smoking. I would expect the first bunch of loads will be trial and error until I can get it right.

Another question though.   Do you guys plug in the smoker to let it "warm up" a few minutes before you put the meat in or do you put the meat in and then plug it in and let it go?

I think Im going to start getting all my ingredients together but might wait awhile to start smoking. Its still pretty cold out so I would need to insulate the smoker quite a bit i would think?

[gasman]

It really does not matter when you plug it in.
The book sayes to warm it up, i do not remember for how long. I just add my meat, wood chips and plug it in.

Every batch is trail and error. I have been changing and trying different recipes and brines for years. Thats half the fun.

[mikelonsford]

I use a big chief so it's obviously very similar.  I wrap mine in two old towels by tucking them into the handles and that is my insulator.  Only use it outside not in a shop or the garage, you'll end up with major smokeage.  Even out of our garage with the door down it permeates into the house, great smell so long as it isn't embedded into everything.  It is not to cold as I seem to do my smoking in Dec thru Feb.  I like my jerky soft and chewy and the first few batches were easy to get overdone.  Even the crisp stuff is good though.  Get the Luhr Jensen booklet like mentioned earlier, the basic brines are very good for flavor.  I tend to use two to three pans of chips and yes they are level to the pan top and you set it on the burner directly.  Seems like a pan goes in a about 1 hr to 1 1/2 hr.  Uninsulated you'll be cooking a long time, insulated not to bad.  I do end up putting my summer sausages into the oven to finish them off in not a ridiculous amount of time.  It'll all taste good even the bad batches.  Elk, venison, salmon, sturgeon, ducks or geese.  I think I'd leave the duck in longer come to think of it and let it get a little crispy.

Good Luck

Mike

[road.kill]

Thanks for all the good information, i feel atleast semi confident in how to do it now.

I realize I should insulate my smoker somehow, the old towels idea sounds good. Ive also heard you can save the box that your smoker came in and slide it over? Is this true or does it actually work? Seems like it could be a fire hazard but if old towels and a wool blanket work for insulation i dont see why the cardboard box would be any different?

[gasman]

Sportsmens Warehouse sells a insulated cover for them at a cost a of $25ea.

[road.kill]

Another question for you guys who have experience with this smoker.

Would it be safe to run it on a deck? Im just unsure of the fire hazard (or if it is no big deal) of having it set up and running on a wooden deck outside. 

[gasman]

Another question for you guys who have experience with this smoker.

Would it be safe to run it on a deck? Im just unsure of the fire hazard (or if it is no big deal) of having it set up and running on a wooden deck outside. 

I would put a piece of metalbetween the deck and the smoker or place it on some bricks.  A buddy used mine and it burnt a spot in his wood decking.
I use it on cement, so never had a problem, but he did.

[road.kill]

Well i put it up on some bricks and created a windblock for it.

I started the smoking today at 8:30am so im hoping it will be done at a reasonable hour. Just will be hard to judge since this is my first time doing it.

I can see fairly quickly that my smoker is not going to be as pretty as it once was after today