Hey all,
Thanks for the warm welcome! I appreciate all the kind words and insights. After finally getting a break from our surprisingly cold and snowy winter today, I have a brief status report for you.
Ran my shop-vac over it (there were Styrofoam "beads" everywhere - it appears to have taken a couple good knocks enroute), wiped it down with a well wrung cloth and completed what little assembly is involved. Foiled the bottom and the wood box lid and did a quick power check. I'll do the seasoning smoke tomorrow morning.
So at this point, I'll gladly accept your collective advice and get smoking! I can hardly wait! I want to smoke a flat or packer (if I can find one) right now. But since my PID is back ordered, for now, I'll stick to something a little more forgiving - pork spareribs. Man, I can almost taste 'em!
There's my status, now I have one for the forum: up to now, I've used the 3,2,1 method for my ribs and enjoyed moist, tender and tasty results. What's the consensus among Mod 3 owners? Foil or no foil? After much reading, I'm given to understand these units are highly efficient and hold moisture very well. Can I get some current feedback on this? With guidance being to avoid opening the unit once the cook cycle is underway, I'm curious to hear about your tenderness results.
Thanks again for the awesome welcome, I look forward to hearing from you!
NDKoze: Particular thanks to you for specifically mentioning your cold weather performance. This was a major factor in my purchase decision. I look forward to duplicating your results.
Dan