By that it means it isn't set and forget and as foolproof as the
electric models, just means abit of experimenting with temps to get it
smoking and then turn it down to tick slowly over around 70-80 degs and
not opening the door every five minutes either.
That pretty well nails it
I marinate muscles over night...they go in the smoker next morning as they only take around 2 to 3 hrs...and need a turn.. open the door
While they are smoking away, the fish fillets.. are marinated for 1 1/2 to 2 hrs, then dried, and sugared up...
by this time the muscles are near ready and make room for further stuff
If I dont have enough heads/ filets etc to fill up the smoker (rare) I have a couple racks made up of chicken legs and/ or jerky .. these go in the same time as muscles as these take far longer 6 to 8 hrs....the fish .. smaller fillets replace the muscles
So u see the times gets up around 7/ 8 hrs... a top up when muscles come out, another when the fish come out.
That way the door stays shut unless absolutely necessary
And the need for the cake tin
.
Catchalot smokes at higher temps than we do... thu when it comes to jerky/ chicken, at the end we give it a 'cook' between 75 and 90 degs
Its about a little experimenting, find what works for u, your family.
Once u get to 'know' your smoker, u dont have to be there all the time...I often go out for upto 4 to 5 hrs... so yes there is a a set and forget on the gasmate/ elcheapo cabinet types... if one thinks things thru just a little.
So go back over older posts for how tos, recipes and try stuff...mine have moddified a little...one reads a snipt here and there, espec Catchalot marinates, and results usually improve the product quite a bit.. or a worst, " prefer the last lot better" but never a yuk heard.
One snippet I have adopted from recipes here is using a little olive oil in the muscle/ shellfish marinate .. basically for 30 to 40 large muscles (160/ 175mm shells) a generous tsp olive oil, mix in a good gulp of sauce (smoky bbq, or say a sweet chilli) in a sandwich bag.. throw the muscles in over night.. turn once in the smoker.. smoke in shells or small trays so smoke circulates around well.
Result a moist juicy smoked muscle, rather than a leathery/ dryish product.
We dont vaccuum pack thu.. it all gets used up well before the next trip out fishing....got to have a break from fish and smoked fish, chicken for a good steak etc
... same as we dont freeze fish... it just takes up space and eventually goes in the burly mulcher.