Little Chief Smokers

[Cliff]

Good morning,

I have a Little Chief smoker I bought for almost nothing at a garage sale, and I need to learn about it. Do these things actually cook food, such as salmon, trout, game birds, etc.? Or are they strictly for imparting a smoky flavor to meat, which is then cooked conventionally? For instance, I am thawing a half turkey breast from a tom I shot last spring. The breast is a little bigger than the largest chicken breast you'll find. If I smoke it for a couple of hours with wood chips, would I then need to stick it in an oven to cook conventionally? I'm primarily a bird hunter, so I would probably be smoking mostly chukar, quail and pheasant breasts, but what other things does a Little Chief do?

Thanks,
Cliff

 

[Paige]

The little chief smokers are cold smokers, and on average a batch of smoked salmon would take 8-12 hrs depending on outside conditions. A turkey would definitely need some oven time!

 

[CRO]

If the smoker you bought is used and it was used to smoke fish i wouldnt fill it with bird breasts for my first use unless you want your birds to taste like fish. I made the mistake many decades ago to try to smoke some venison in mine. Made some fine deer-salmon jerky which no one would eat.

 

[Xoxo]

We have a very old Little Chief smoker and use it to smoke salmon. Haven’t tried it for anything else but it’s great for salmon. smoked is the only way I will eat salmon.

 

[Merle]

Yes - they're great for smoking fish and small pieces of meat, but they just don't have the heat production to handle big thick stuff. I had one for many years and tried to smoke a small whole turkey once when I was young and naive (and poor). It wouldn't even come close to heating the inside of the bird up to a safe temp. So I had to pull it and roast it in the oven.

 

[Tom Butler]

I've had one forever and it's good for fish.
You can get good heat for thicker fish, or deep winter use, by cutting a pan vent and top vent in a close fitting cardboard box.
I did sausage when it was new but now the fish smell would spoil any thing else. I wouldn't do a bird.

 

[_WW_]

Those smokers usually come with some paper work, recipes, etc.
Maybe you can google it up?

 

[Xoxo]

This is our book. The smoker is really really old so I’m surprised i could easily find it.

 

[DimeBrite]

Little Chiefs are great for fish. Rotate the racks. Thick pieces below by the heating element. Use the pucks to produce smoke.

Finish the cooking post smoking in your home oven for 20 minutes at 225F.

Cool, vacuum seal and refrigerate or place into freezer.

 

[Cliff]

Guys thanks again, especially you JoJo for attaching the instructions, very helpful.

I tried the smoker yesterday for most of the afternoon, not cooking anything, but just trying to burn a pan of chips (I didn't completely fill the pan). The element got hot, but apparently not hot enough to burn chips. They're supposed to burn and create smoke, correct? The smoker itself got hot and I could feel heat, but saw no smoke. I ran it for about 4 hours. At one point I tried to dampen the chips just a little with a few droplets of water. It was a warm day and no wind. I'm using an old bag Little Chief chips & chunks fuel that came with the smoker. Maybe it's too old? Should I try brand new chips? If that doesn't work maybe buy a new element?

Thanks gain,
Cliff

 

[Draketake]

Hey Cliff,

Ive done Turkey in mine full bird and breasts. However, I start by cooking the bird in the oven. I stick it in the Little Chief to finish it off. Ive smoked them for as long as a whole day to do so.

As mentioned above, I use the box, my smoker came in, to hold more heat and smoke. I also use a lot of wood chips for smoke flavor. In between pans of chips, I would baste the turkey with maple syrup and sprinkle on Johnnys Salt.

FWIW to hang my turkey inside the Little Chief Frame, I took coat hanger wire and stuck the wire through the bird and then around the Frame. I hung the weight off the top of the frame in two or three spots.

Ive done steelhead, beef jerky, turkey, cheese, ham etc. in my smoker. Ive not had any fishy aftertaste but, like I said above, I use a lot of chips, a lot of maple syrup and a lot of Johnnys' Salt. My kids used to beg me to make " Steelhead Candy ". The Maple Syrup basting, I think, is the key.

Enjoy learning about the Smoker.

Have a good day everyone.


Bob

 

[Kado]

Guys thanks again, especially you JoJo for attaching the instructions, very helpful.

I tried the smoker yesterday for most of the afternoon, not cooking anything, but just trying to burn a pan of chips (I didn't completely fill the pan). The element got hot, but apparently not hot enough to burn chips. They're supposed to burn and create smoke, correct? The smoker itself got hot and I could feel heat, but saw no smoke. I ran it for about 4 hours. At one point I tried to dampen the chips just a little with a few droplets of water. It was a warm day and no wind. I'm using an old bag Little Chief chips & chunks fuel that came with the smoker. Maybe it's too old? Should I try brand new chips? If that doesn't work maybe buy a new element?

Thanks gain,
Cliff

I'm betting a new element. The chips should be smoking after about 20 mins. I've been using mine for 20 years. Great, simple product.

 

[Stonedfish]

We used one for years when I was younger.
Great product. Ours was the older type where you pulled the rakes out through the top. My dad welded additional rake shelves in ours to double the capacity.

This is a pretty good idea if someone is looking for a winter project or does a lot of smoking in cooler weather.
SF

Build an Insulated Box for your Little Chief Smoker | The Outdoor Line Blog

 

[Draketake]

Hey Cliff,

I think Kado is correct. I think you need a new element. I replaced one on mine. My two Little Chief Smokers are over thirty years old. I found the element at Bimart. Bimart still carries the Little Chiefs.

Be safe.

Bob

 

[Xoxo]

Guys thanks again, especially you JoJo for attaching the instructions, very helpful.

I tried the smoker yesterday for most of the afternoon, not cooking anything, but just trying to burn a pan of chips (I didn't completely fill the pan). The element got hot, but apparently not hot enough to burn chips. They're supposed to burn and create smoke, correct? The smoker itself got hot and I could feel heat, but saw no smoke. I ran it for about 4 hours. At one point I tried to dampen the chips just a little with a few droplets of water. It was a warm day and no wind. I'm using an old bag Little Chief chips & chunks fuel that came with the smoker. Maybe it's too old? Should I try brand new chips? If that doesn't work maybe buy a new element?

Thanks gain,
Cliff

If you want a specific recipe i can screenshot that too. Here is a photo of the kind of chips my husband uses when he smokes salmon. He buys new each year.

 

[Wetswinger]

Alder is a great all around wood. There is a lot of Alder dreadfall to be found on your local Puget Sound trail. Those of you who would like to actually cook and smoke without breaking the bank on some monstrosity, should check out the Old Smokey electric smoker. Simplicity personified and cheap...my thermometer reads up to 350 degrees f. so plenty enough heat for a quick Sunday dinner...

Old Smokey Electric Smoker

Description Specifications Additional Information The Old Smokey Electric Smoker has a heating element like an electric oven. On top of the heating element is a chip tray where you put wood chips for smoke flavor. The first cooking level has a drip pan(no need to add water!!) and a lower grill...

www.oldsmokey.com

 

[Paige]

We used one for years when I was younger.
Great product. Ours was the older type where you pulled the rakes out through the top. My dad welded additional rake shelves in ours to double the capacity.

This is a pretty good idea if someone is looking for a winter project or does a lot of smoking in cooler weather.
SF

Build an Insulated Box for your Little Chief Smoker | The Outdoor Line Blog

That is what my old little chief had, my dad built it over 25 yrs ago, the smoker was probably 35yrs old. It finally bit the dust and got a bigger smoker around 2010 for xmass.

 

[Cliff]

Thank you all. I'm going to have to call the company because the element I pulled from the smoker bears zero resemblance to any replacement elements I've seen on their website or on Amazon. The one I pulled has shorter "bent" rails that exit the holes in the bottom of the smoker and run back underneath the smoker to the electrical connectors. None of the replacement elements I've found do this. I did also find a replacement element but it doesn't bend back around and underneath, and it's obvious it cannot be "bent" to do so. Photos attached. The cheapest replacement elements I've found are $20 not counting tax and shipping, so it may be a better idea to just find a used smoker that works.

 

[SilverFly]

Good morning,

I have a Little Chief smoker I bought for almost nothing at a garage sale, and I need to learn about it. Do these things actually cook food, such as salmon, trout, game birds, etc.? Or are they strictly for imparting a smoky flavor to meat, which is then cooked conventionally? For instance, I am thawing a half turkey breast from a tom I shot last spring. The breast is a little bigger than the largest chicken breast you'll find. If I smoke it for a couple of hours with wood chips, would I then need to stick it in an oven to cook conventionally? I'm primarily a bird hunter, so I would probably be smoking mostly chukar, quail and pheasant breasts, but what other things does a Little Chief do?

Thanks,
Cliff

Never done any bird, but the suggestion there could be some residual fishy taste makes sense.

Little and Big Chief smokers are easy to use. The trick is getting the brine right, and making sure the meat is tacky before loading. You want a thin film to form which is called the "pellicle". Putting anything in wet doesn't end well.

Alder is my favorite but apple is very nice with tuna. Got a batch running right now.

 

[Merle]

Thank you all. I'm going to have to call the company because the element I pulled from the smoker bears zero resemblance to any replacement elements I've seen on their website or on Amazon. The one I pulled has shorter "bent" rails that exit the holes in the bottom of the smoker and run back underneath the smoker to the electrical connectors. None of the replacement elements I've found do this. I did also find a replacement element but it doesn't bend back around and underneath, and it's obvious it cannot be "bent" to do so. Photos attached. The cheapest replacement elements I've found are $20 not counting tax and shipping, so it may be a better idea to just find a used smoker that works.
View attachment 31306View attachment 31307

That element in the packaging looks like the element that was in my little chief. Just pulls out and plugs back in as I recall. That other element doesn’t look right at all. I wonder if someone tried to McGyver an element out of some other device.