Texas Backyard Smoker Use and care manual

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Texas Original Backyard Smoker
OPERATION & SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS MANUEL
Version1.0,January 2015

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Welcome to Texas Original Pits and Smokers
Thank you for purchasing a Texas Original Pit and Smoker. You are joining a family of
satisfied customers. We are very proud of our products and that they are forged
and handcrafted in South Texas. Please review the following information
carefully. It will give you great tips and information that will help you use your
Texas Original Pit and Smokers.
Please complete the form below for future reference. Additionally, complete the
online Warranty Registration (www.TexasOriginalPits.com/warranty-registration-
form) using the information that you filled out below. If you would rather mail in
your warranty information there is a form on the back of the manual that you can
fill out and send in. T.O.P.S.'s serial number is located on a metal plate on the
underneath of your smoker’s cooking chamber door.
Thank You for Choosing Texas Original Pits
Model
Serial Number
Date of Purchase
Purchased From

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Contents
Dangers, Warnings and Cautions...............................................................................................3
Available Product Add-Ons. ......................................................................................................4
Smoker Diagram...........................................................................................................................6
Smoker Assembly.........................................................................................................................7
• Smoker Arrival......................................................................................................................... 7
• Smoker Placement. ..........................................................................................................7
• Leveling the Smoker...............................................................................................................7
Operating the Smoker........................................................................................................................7
• Initial Burn Off................................................................................................................7
• Lighting Your Smoker.............................................................................................................7
• Pre-Heating......................................................................................................................... 7
• Door Position. ....................................................................................................................7
Pre-Grill Checklist/Routine Maintenance. .............................................................................8
How to Build a Fire For Your Smoker .........................................................................................10
How to Use Your Smoker for Direct Grilling..................................................................... 12
• Using the Firebox for Direct Grilling. ..................................................................... 12
• Using the Cooking Chamber for Direct Grilling. ................................................... 13
Grill Maintenance. ..................................................................................................................... 16
• Preparing the Grill For Season. .................................................................................. 16
• Painted Surfaces............................................................................................................16
• Cooking Grates. .............................................................................................................. 16
• Heat Management Plate............................................................................................... 16
• Cooking Chamber....................................................................................................................16
• Grease Management and Bucket................................................................................ 17
• Additional Maintenance............................................................................................... 17
• Storing Your Grill........................................................................................................... 17
Wood Flavor Guidelines. .......................................................................................................... 18
Wood Usage. ............................................................................................................................... 18
How Often Do I Maintain My Fire........................................................................................ 18
Meat Temperature Guide......................................................................................................... 19
Warranty Information............................................................................................................. 20

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Dangers, Warnings and Cautions
• Read this manual completely before using your T.O.P. for the first time.
• When opening the heavy lid to the firebox or cooking chamber, make sure it
is pushed all the way back so it rests against the lid support bracket. If the
lid is not resting against the bracket, it could fall back down to the closed
position and cause bodily injury
• Do not use indoors! This smoker is for outdoor use only.
• Do not leave pets, infants, or children unattended near a smoker in use.
• Keep the grill a minimum of 10 feet away from combustible surfaces.
• Do not use lighter fluid, gasoline, or any other highly flammable fluids to
ignite or re-ignite your smoker.
• Do not use or store lighter fluid, gasoline or any other highly flammable
fluids within five feet of the smoker.
• Do not transport your grill while operating or when the grill is hot. Make
sure the fire is out and the grill is cool before moving.
• Exterior surfaces on the grill will be hot when in use and during cool down.
• Should a grease fire occur, keep the door closed until the fire is out.
• Use heat resistant gloves when operating the grill.
• Do not remove any ash until the fire has completely burned out and are
fully extinguished.
• We advise a fire extinguisher be on hand at all times
• Do not wear loose clothing or allow hair to hang freely while using
smoker
• Never add charcoal lighting fluid to hot or even warm coals
• Do not exceed a temperature of 400* F in cooking chamber
• Check the T.O.P.S. website (www.TexasOriginalPits.com) occasionally for
updates and new product information for Texas Original Pits and Smokers
Failure to follow the “Dangers, Warnings and Cautions” contained
in this manual may result in serious bodily injury, death or in a fire.

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Available Product Upgrades and Add-On’s
2nd Level Slide-Out Shelf 20” and 24” dia. Pits only
Adding the second shelf increases the cooking area in your smoker.
Log Lighter
The log lighter allows you to use propane to get the fire started.
Charcoal Grate
Adding a charcoal grate to your smoker cooking chamber allows you to convert the
main cooking chamber into a direct grill.
Heat Management Plate
The heat management plate installs against the common wall of the firebox and
the cooking chamber. The design forces the heat and smoke to enter the cooking
chamber under the heat plate and is then released incrementally as it travels
across the cooking chamber. This design reduces the side to side temperature
variance that is commonly seen in offset cookers.
Counter Weight
The counter weight is welded onto the door of the main cooking chamber. The
counter weight assists in opening the door by reducing the weight that is being
lifted.
Pot Warmer
The pot warmer is a metal channel welded onto the top of the firebox door.
The heat from the firebox warms the flat-plate and you can place a pot on it
to keep it warm
Additional Temperature Gauge
Adding a additional temperature gauge allows you to understand heating
temps in additional area’s of the smoker
For many other accessories and upgrades that we make available for your
Pit or Smoker, go on- line to www.TexasOriginalPits.com you can purchase
For more information about any extra accessories, call your local T.O.P. dealer or
contact us directly at 713-369-3138 or email us at [email protected].

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Smoker Diagram
SECOND SHELF 20" and 24" Dia. Pits Only
COOKING GRATE
HEAT MANAGEMENT PLATE
(optional)
COOKING GRATE
WOOD GRATE
LOG LIGHTER
(optional)
NOTE: Loaded Smoker shown. Your smoker may vary slightly depending on model.

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Smoker Assembly
Smoker Arrival
Your Texas Original Pits and Smokers will arrive on a pallet wrapped and held on with banding. Cut
the bands and remove the plastic wrap and foam from the smoker. Remove the smoker from
the pallet. It is recommended that two people remove the T.O.P.S. from the pallet due to its
size and weight. Open the cooking chamber and remove the two cooking grates and ash rake. If
your cooker is ordered with options, you will find them packaged inside.
Smoker Placement
All T.O.P. smokers/grills should always be positioned on level-stable ground and never closer than
a minimum of 10 feet away from any combustible surface (wall, rail, fence, bushes, grass, etc.).
Leveling the Smoker
To level the smoker, stand in front of the cooking chamber door and place a level on the lower shelf to
help you level the smoker. You need to level the smoker from front to back and not side to side.
Leveling the smoker from side to side will offset the 5/8” slope that is built in to the smoker for
grease drainage and could cause the grease to run backwards towards the firebox.
Operating the Smoker
Initial Burn Off
Before cooking on your smoker for the first time, burn off the grill to rid it of any foreign matter.
This is also the time you will allow the hi-temp paint to cure properly. Light and operate the grill at 175°F
to 250°F with all options and grates in place with the door closed for two hours. This is also the time
for spraying or brushing oil inside the grill before heating and curing the smoker
Lighting Your Smoker
Always go through the Pre-Grill Checklist (Page 8).
Look at section “How to build a fire” for tips on creating a fire for your smoker.
Pre-Heating When Used As A Smoker
Pre-heating your Texas Original Pits and Smokers is important. Allow 45 minutes to get a coal bed built
and for the steel in the pit to heat up. Once the desired cooking temperature is reached, the pit will
be ready to cook on.
Door Position
Preheat and cooker with the door closed. This allows for faster heat-up and will keep the
cooking temperature even; the food will cook faster while consuming less fuel.

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Pre-Grill Checklist/Routine Maintenance
Perform the following services when the grill is cool
1. Open the cooking chamber door and remove the cooking grates.
FIG 1
2. Remove the heat management plate if applicable.
FIG 2

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3. Inspect the bottom of the cooking chamber for any grease build up and clean
as needed. See page 16 for more details.
4. Install the heat management plate. See FIG 2.
5. Install cooking grates and optional second shelf See FIG 1.
6. Clean grease bucket as needed. See FIG 3.
FIG 3

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How to Build a Fire for Your Smoker
Start with the firebox door, main damper and chimney damper in the open
position. This will increase airflow and speed the fire building process.
FIG 4
It is preferable to start with a charcoal base. Once you have a hot bed of
charcoal, close the door and place two pieces of wood onto the coal base.
FIG 5
FULLY OPEN
FULLY OPEN