Curing the Smoker

1. Spray cooking spray on all of the interior surfaces of the smoker. This includes the grates and the inside of the barrel and lid.

2. Build a pile of charcoal briquettes in the bottom portion of the smoker. Pour lighter fluid on them and set them on fire in several different places. Let them burn until they turn from black to an ash-gray color.

   Alternatively, use a chimney starter. Crumple several sheets of newspaper and insert them into the base of the chimney starter. Fill the device with briquettes and place it in the smoker. Ignite the paper and wait for the briquettes to burn. When they begin to turn ash-gray, transfer them out of the chimney starter into the bottom portion of the smoker.

   Leave the lid off of the smoker during this process.

3. Spread out the gray coals and close the lid of the smoker. Allow them to sit for about two hours. The smoker should be at about 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Remove the lid of the smoker and spray only the grates with cooking spray again, not the entire interior. Close the lid and allow the smoker to cure for another two hours.

Using the Smoker

1. Start a fire for grilling by piling coals in the smoker. Char-Griller recommends using about 50 to 60 briquettes.

2. Saturate the coals with lighter fluid. Light them in several different places around the pile. Alternatively, you could use a chimney starter in the same manner as when you cured the smoker. Leave the lid off during this process.

3. Wait for the coals to turn at least halfway ash-gray and then add your food to the grill. Close the lid while your food cooks.

4. Spray cooking spray over the smoker's interior after use, while it is still warm.