Good evening,
I just took delivery of my YS640 this afternoon and can't wait to start smoking some meat. This is my first pellet smoker or for that matter any smoker. I would like to know the best way to season my new smoker. I've seen in the owner manual that it suggests turning on the smoker and letting it run on 250 for 3-5 hours. I have also had people tell me to cook bacon it the grill before my first smoke, rub olive oil or spray pam inside the cooking camber. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks
The first thing you want to do, is fire the cooker up at the default 350 degrees, and let it run for at least 1 hour. This is the initial burn off the manual tells you to do.
After you go through the cool down process, and the grates are cool enough to handle, clean the grates of any remaining residue. I usually wipe them down with clean cloths until the cloths stay clean. Be careful when you do this so that you don't cut yourself. I also wipe the residue from the upper body and door of the cooker.
If you want to season the cooker (at this point you could just start cooking and let the cooker season in as you cook), the easiest way is to use a high heat oil in a spray can. PAM works, or use a spray can of canola oil, which is what I use. Do not use olive oil, its smoke point is too low and will burn. Peanut oil works as well. I personally don't like the bacon idea, as the entire grate surface isn't covered, but bacon is an awesome first cook after seasoning.
I spray the grates completely with a thick coating of cooking oil, then start the cooker, again at the default 350 degrees. Let if go for at least 1 hour again. There will be more smoke than normal, but once the oil is burned off, the smoke will clear.
Turn off the cooker and let it go through the cool down cycle again. The bottom grates will look about the same, as they are chrome plated. The upper shelf will look like it has a nice shiny coating on it.
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. If I understand you correctly the most important step is the initial 350 degree 1 hour burn and then wipe down the grates and upper body of the smoker (at that time I'm ok to start cooking). The seasoning of the grill is just a additional step that doesn't have to be completed?
Thanks again!
You are correct. The choice is yours. Personally, I always do the seasoning.
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I do just has Herb says, except I rub peanut oil on the inside with a rag rather than spray Pam. I do spray the grates with Pam after the burn off, but I like to rub the inside with peanut oil because I used to use spray Pam on the inside of cookers and it can be windy where I live. Then the Pam would end up more often where I don't want it vs. in the cooker where I do want it. So it's just a matter of preference.
Enjoy your cooker.
Ponyboy,
Congrats on the new Yoder! Enjoy it and make some ausome food!
2 - YS640 Silver Competition Carts
Thanks Saguaromike, I probably won't sleep tonight considering I'm doing my first Pork Butt and cooking overnight. But I'm sure I'll get years of enjoyment out of my investment. By the way I love the silver completion cart, good call on the color!
Congrats on the 640 also and hope the overnight butt cook went great! Wonderful thing about the YS640 and overnight cooks is that, as long as you fill the hopper before 11 to midnight (and cover it up if you have a cover, particularly in cold weather), there's not much to do except go to sleep. Can't say the same for any other cooker I've owned! 
Enjoy!
Pony,
How'd the butt turn out? Any pictures?
2 - YS640 Silver Competition Carts
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