Here are some resources that you will find useful as a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker owner. While this is by no means a comprehensive list of resources, it includes some of the most important ones to help get you started.
Also, visit the BBQ Shopping page for my recommendations for the best grills, thermometers, books, and accessories available from Amazon.com and ThermoWorks.
Weber-Stephen Products LLC
You’ll find information about the entire Weber product line here, as well as great recipes, accessories, product usage tips, and other helpful material. Replacement parts, books, t-shirts, and other accessories can be ordered online through the website.
Customer Support
Phone: 800-446-1071
Email: support@weberstephen.com
Mailing Address: Weber-Stephen Products LLC, 1415 S. Roselle Rd, Palatine, IL 60067
Open 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM Central Time, 7 days a week, closed on Christmas Day.
- Product information
- Replacement parts & upgrades
- Assembly instructions
- Help with grill operation
- Troubleshooting
- Cooking questions
Websites & Blogs
Slap Yo’ Daddy BBQ
Harry Soo is an award-winning Grand Champion pitmaster and cooking instructor, specializing in easy, mouth-watering recipes for the home cook. Winner of Season One of TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters, he stunned the nation by defeating all the teams on the show, including three BBQ World Champions in a winner-take-all throwdown in Texas. Awarded KCBS Chicken TOY 2012; California Team of the Year 2010 & 2011; Arizona Team of the Year 2010 and 2011; 2010 Grand Champion in Canada; 2012 Hawaii State Champion; 2012 British BBQ Champion; winner of 27 Grand Championships including a history-making 1st place in all four meat categories in the 2009 Way Out West BBQ Championship…Harry Soo has proven that he knows his stuff! And he competes using the 18-inch Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker! Visit his site for recipes, blog postings, class schedules, catering, prize drawings, and more.
AmazingRibs.com
This website contains a wealth of articles, many with emphasis on the science of barbecue. It can be visually overwhelming…each page is jammed full of content and ads…but your patience will be rewarded with great information and insights into the “zen of barbecuing, grilling, and outdoor cooking”.
The BBQ Forum
Founded by Ray Basso in 1995, The BBQ Forum is the grand-daddy of all barbecue discussion forums on the Web and the inspiration behind many barbecuing websites, including TVWB. The discussion covers the broadest range imaginable, including all brands of cookers, all styles of regional barbecue cooking, backyard and competition barbecue, and all skill levels from beginner to advanced. It’s truly one of the most special places on the Web for barbecue enthusiasts.
BBQ Brethren
Another very popular forum catering to both backyard and competition barbecuers.
Hardware & Tools
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE
There is no better instant-read thermometer than the Thermapen ONE. While better “instant-read” thermometers take a few seconds to reach a full reading, the Thermapen ONE takes just 1 second or less! Popular with health inspectors and food service managers, this instrument-grade unit is waterproof to IP67 standards and has a range of -58°F to 572°F. Can be recalibrated or repaired if damaged. Highly recommended by Cook’s Illustrated magazine. It’s not cheap, but worth every penny.
Forschner Knives
Occasionally, there are times when the best product is not necessarily the most expensive one. Forschner knives are a case in point. Forschner is the high-end cutlery division of Victorinox, the same company that makes Swiss Army Knives. Forschner began making professional-style cutlery in 1881 and has a dedicated following among many chefs and barbecue experts. These knives are very sharp, very high quality, and very reasonably priced. Cook’s Illustrated consistently rates Forschner knives a “best buy” in their knife testing. You’ll find many discount retailers on the Web.
Magazines & Classes
Cook’s Illustrated Magazine
Home of the PBS series America’s Test Kitchen, Cook’s Illustrated is a bimonthly magazine that’s a great resource for anyone who is serious about cooking. Each issue includes recipes, cookware ratings, ingredient tastings, quick tips, cookbook reviews, and more. While not strictly barbecue focused, the magazine routinely includes articles of interest to barbecuers such as Brining 101, charcoal grill ratings, chicken brand taste comparisons, and knife sharpening. Cook’s accepts no advertising and is to cooking what Consumer Reports is to unbiased product reviews. Call for subscription rates.
Harry Soo BBQ School
I’ve attended Harry Soo’s six-hour Backyard Pitmaster class and it’s a great learning experience! So much information, it’s like drinking from a fire hose! Harry teaches you how to apply competition-style barbecue techniques to your backyard cooking. Topics include food safety, meat selection, trimming, injection recipes, rubs, mops, sprays, sauces, temperature control, bark formation, determining doneness, and more. You will work side-by-side with Harry to smoke, grill, and bake 15 different types of meats and sides. Sauces and rubs are all prepared from regular pantry ingredients. And class ends with the best all-you-can-eat barbecue lunch you’ve ever had—plus leftovers to take home!
Cooking Supplies
Allied Kenco
“Supplying everything but the meat”, Allied Kenco focuses on supplies for sausage making, jerky making, and outdoor cooking. This is your source for Morton Tender Quick, smoking bags for turkeys and hams, and tons of other interesting items you never knew you needed.
Penzeys Spices
One of the best online sources for spices, herbs and seasonings. Penzeys has every spice imaginable—and some you’ve never heard of. These products are much fresher than the ones you buy in the grocery store, and most are available in 4 oz., 8 oz, and 1 lb. bags. Their catalog is pretty cool, too!
Smoke Wood
The best smoke wood is free smoke wood! Check with local orchards, golf courses and tree trimming services, especially after storms. Tell them that your hobby is barbecue, you’re looking for a few split pieces of wood, and they’re likely to give you some for free.
If you have to purchase smoke wood, it’s best to buy locally whenever possible because of the high cost of shipping.
Hickory and mesquite chunks are readily available at most hardware stores and home centers. Check Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace, True Value, and other such stores. Better grocery stores will often have these products, too.
Hickory, mesquite, alder, apple, cherry, oak, and pecan can be purchased from Amazon.com and at specialty stores like Barbeques Galore and from suppliers such as Sharpe Gourmet Cooking Wood and Fruita Wood & BBQ Supply.
You can also find a number of other smoke wood suppliers using this Google search.
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