I oiled down the inside metal, tuning plates and grates and seasoned it overnight. It sure took a while to get up to 350 with all that metal in there (and the night temperatures were down to about 55 ). It overshot and I found it @ 405 just after midnight. Closed down the ball valve to about where 350 should have been (based on my other Stump's Smokers) and went back to bed.
When I got up abour O-Dark:30, it was sitting right @ 355. Made some bacon wrapped Sweet-Tator-Tots and put them in the smoker. Later, after the Tots were almost done, I lowered the temp to 250ish and put in a couple of marinated turkey wings for dinner.
It went 24 hours, temps up to 405 and then down to 350ish, then down to 250 on 20 pounds of charcoal and a couple of pounds of hickory chunks.
I let the fire burn out, there were a couple of largeish embers on the fire grate @ 10:30 last night when I checked right before I turned in. This morning @ 7:30, it was still about 190 inside the pit. The insulation and those heavy tuning plates sure hold the heat.
I'm thinking...Later today or perhaps tomorrow, I might sear a couple of steaks directly on the tuning plate next to the fire box right before I put a couple of pork butts in there...
I think I could learn to love this MONSTER. It was well worth the wait.
Thanks Thad and Stump at Stump's Smokers for such a fine smoker.
Yeah, I know...PICTURES TO COME.
BOB