SMOKINTEX LIL' TEX

The Lil' Tex SmokinTex Stainless Steel Electric Smoker is easy to use, just plug it in, put in the wood and food, shut the door, and set the temperature. Compact, portable, electric smoker ready for tailgating, camping, and more.

What we love about this smoker

The SmokinTex Lil' Tex Electric Smoker offers a compact design that is the most portable of our electric smokers, with the same great smoked flavor. Easily carry or wheel it from the kitchen to the patio, bring it along on your camping trip, take it out for some tailgating, or smoke some mouthwatering appetizers for your outdoor bar!

For the model Lil' Tex smoker, we also offer an optional cart accessory that features a fold-out countertop, raised working area, and extra storage shelves, making this smoker a kitchen on the go!

What's Included

Electric Smoker
Wood Chips
2 Standard Grills
Locking Wheels
Drip Pan

Not Included (Sold Separately)

Pro Seafood Grill
Cart
Cover
Cold Smoke Plate
Smokerbox Insert
Thermometer

Features

Arrives assembled and ready to use, just plug in to any outlet!
Dishwasher safe stainless steel is a breeze to clean
Works just like your favorite slow cooker: add wood, set the temperature, and come back when you’re ready to eat
Low, slow, and even temperature gently cooks food unattended
Smoke jerky, beef, pork, poultry, fish, seafood, lamb, sausage, game, even your favorite veggies
Optional cold smoke plate for smoking cheese, salmon, and more
Safe – exterior is safe to touch while cooking, uses high quality stainless steel throughout
Portable – At 50 lbs. it can be easily carried or wheeled from the kitchen to the patio
Use any dry hardwood – no pellets or special woods required
Free lifetime technical support on your smoker
**Please Note: The Turkey Tray accessory does not fit model 1100

Specifications

Item Number	1100
Fuel Type	Electric
Material	Stainless Steel
Capacity	Approx. 23 lbs. per load, 1.7 Cu. Ft., 243 Cu. In.
Wattage	350W heating element
Amps	8 Amps
Voltage	120V single-phase current
Insulation	Full-excluding bottom
No . of Shelves	2
Outside Dimensions	14.75" (W) x 18.75" (D) x 21.25" (H)
Inside Dimensions	12.5" (W) x 13.5" (D) x 17.25" (H)

Warranty

SmokinTex offers a come with a 5-year warranty, one of the longest in the industry!

Documents & Files

Frequently Asked Questions

Quickstart FAQs

🢒 What comes with my new smoker?

All smokers include:

Basic set of grill racks
Wood to break a new smoker in
Smoking and cooking instructions
Owner’s manual

For more details about what each smoker model comes with, please see our Pro Series smoker comparison chart.

🢒 Does my smoker need to be assembled?

Your new smoker will arrive fully assembled, just attach the wheels and you're ready to start smokin'!

🢒 Do I need to season my smoker before the first use?

Yes, we recommend seasoning your smoker with the included break-in wood.

Put the break-in wood into the smokebox, set the temperature to 225°F, and let it smoke for about 4 hours.

🢒 My smoker is seasoned, how do I get started smoking?

For easy cleanup, we recommend lining the inside bottom of your smoker with a piece of aluminum foil, just make sure to poke a hole for the drippings!

You can also wrap the "roof" of the smokebox in foil so the drippings are easy to clear away when you're done smoking.

🢒 How much wood do I need?

Our smoker design is very efficient at retaining the wood smoke flavor. We recommend starting with a small amount of wood until you know how much smoke you like.

If you're using wood chips, we recommend starting with a quarter cup of wood chips. A little goes a long way!

The wood included with the smoker is only to season it for the first time and should not be used to smoke food. Browse our selection of wood chips and learn what flavors you love!

🢒 Why is smoke coming out of the smoker door?

If you are seasoning a new smoker or smoking your first couple of meals, smoke escaping is normal. With use, a seal around the door will form.

Smoking and Cooking FAQs

🢒 What can I smoke in the unit?

Anything you want to add that great smoky flavor. Virtually any meat, poultry or fish can be smoked. You can also add that great smoky flavor to baked potatoes, baked beans and other vegetables. Smoked nuts and cheese are a big hit! Suggestions are added to our web site as we find them, either from our own experience or from our customers discovering new uses. Please remember to let us know by email about any new use you've discovered that is not in our recipe book or on our online site so we can add it so other users can try your ideas and recipes.

🢒 What woods go best with different meats?

Alder: The hickory of the West Coast. Alder's delicate sweet flavor enriches all fish, seafood, and meats.

Apple: Slightly sweet, fruity smoke that's mild enough for chicken or turkey. Great with all pork.

Cherry: Cherry produces a similar taste to apple - it produces a very mild and fruity flavor. Great with chicken, turkey, and fish or flavoring ham.

Hickory: In the southern barbecue belt, a lot of folks think this is the only wood to use. For everything. Most BBQ places use nothing else. The strong, hearty taste is perfect for brisket, ribs, and pork shoulder. Also great with any red meat or poultry.

Maple: Mildly smoky and sweet, maple goes well with poultry, ham, and vegetables. Try with brisket.

Mesquite: The wood of Texas, it's great for grilling but not great for smoking. It burns very hot and can make your food taste bitter. Get your smoker smoking really well, turn it off, and put in a few steaks. Smoke for 10 minutes, then finish on a hot grill. Great flavor!

Oak: It's the most versatile of the hardwoods, blending well with a wide range of foods. Gives a great flavor to brisket.

Pecan: Preferred wood by a lot of non-BBQ restaurants. Pecan burns cooler and offers a subtle richness of character. Often referred to as a mellow version of hickory.

Shop our selection of wood chips.

🢒 How long will my meat take to cook?

Ribs: 4-5 hours

Whole Chicken: 3+ hours

Brisket: 12 hours for a 11 lbs.

Pork shoulder/butt: 8-10 hours

Turkey: 50 mins per pound

These smoking/cooking times are whether you're smoking for example 1 chicken or fill the smoker up with chickens.

🢒 Where does the grease go?

There is a drain hole on the bottom of the smoker and the grease runs out there into the stainless steel drip pan for easy removal, cleaning and replacement. Be sure to poke a hole in the foil you place on the floor of your smoker.

🢒 Can you use wood chips instead of the wood chunks?

Yes, line the bottom of the wood box with foil to prevent the wood chips falling through the holes. Or purchase our Wood Chip Insert for use with wood chips. Shop our available wood chips.

🢒 How long and at what temperature do you smoke chicken legs and thighs?

Smoke at 225ºF for 2 to 3 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165º F to 170º F.

🢒 If your ribs come out dry how do you save them?

All you have to do is wrap it up in some foil and put your favorite bbq sauce or apple juice on it and put it in the oven @ 250º F degrees.

🢒 How do you get the skin of turkey or chicken crispy?

You can either put it on the grill until crispy, put it in your oven at a high temperature, or even use the broiler after smoking. Leave it in just long enough to get the skin crispy. Dusting the skin with cornstarch can also help the skin crisp.

🢒 After you smoke a brisket what is the best way to reheat it?

If you don't have a lot of fat on it wrap it up in some foil and add some water to it and put it back into the smoker @ 200º- 210º F degrees until the internal temperature reaches 150º F degrees.

🢒 Why don't you have to soak the wood before you put it into the smoker?

With other smokers you have fire to heat up your wood and then you have to add water to create more smoke.

SmokinTex uses a heating element to heat up the wood which burns it slow and creates more smoke but without the fire. We feel it's a more even application of the smoke flavor to your meat or fish.

🢒 How long would it take to smoke a ham and at what temperature?

If it is a cured ham its already cooked and all you have to do is warm it up and add smoke flavor, then you would smoke/cook for about 2 hrs at about 190°F degrees or until you get the internal temperature at 110°F degrees.

If it is a fresh ham smoke/cook for 5 hrs at 130°F degrees then 5 hrs at 200°F degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F degrees.

🢒 If your ribs keep turning out dry what is another way you can do them?

Start by smoking them for 2 hours, pull them and wrap them in foil and put some water in the bottom of the foil, put back in the smoker for 4 hours at 225º F degrees.

🢒 There was a “popping noise” and puffs of smoke coming out of the smoker door, what could have caused this?

Sometimes there is extra gas trapped in the wood itself and it gets heated up and releases causing the “popping”. This is similar to what can happen in a wood burning fireplace from time to time. It is nothing to worry about and should stop shortly.

Smoker Features FAQs

🢒 What are the main differences between your smoker and the other smokers?

First and foremost, SmokinTex gives you a full three-year warranty — one of the best and longest in the industry. The extent of the warranty is a reflection of the confidence we have in our smokers.

SmokinTex smokers are all stainless steel inside and out for easier maintenance and cleaning and, of course, durability. We are insulated so that, according to our Alaska customers our smoker will operate at 30 degrees below zero. The insulation also means that you don’t have to worry about burning yourself if you touch the smoker while it’s in operation, a great safety feature when it’s in your backyard and you have kids or pets around.

SmokinTex smokers have about 30% more capacity than the comparably priced smoker which is our nearest competitor.

Virtually all other smokers are not built to last, ours is. They have plastic parts, poorly built locking systems, little or no insulation, parts that rust, and few, if any, repair or replacement parts.

We feel our smokers are a once in a lifetime purchase and our outstanding customer service is recognized all over the industry and, most importantly, by our customers.

🢒 What is the temperature range of the smokers?

The smokers have a temp range of 100°F - 250°F degrees. We don’t have a recipe above 225°F degrees.

🢒 How is the smoke produced?

All of our smokers have an electric heating element that sits beneath the smoke box where you place your wood. The thermostat heats up the heating element, which causes the wood to smoke.

Lil' Tex (1100): One 350 watt heating element

The OG (1400): One 700 watt heating element

The Pitmaster (1460): One 700 watt heating element

The XL (1500): Two 700 watt heating element

PRO 1500-C: Two 700 watt heating element

PRO 1500-CXLD: Two 700 watt heating element

🢒 What is the capacity of your electric smokers?

Lil' Tex (1100): ~23 lbs.

The OG (1400): ~38 lbs.

The Pitmaster (1460): ~60 lbs.

The XL (1500): ~80 lbs.

PRO 1500: ~80 lbs.

PRO 1500: ~120 lbs.

See our comparison chart for more details.

🢒 How long is the power cord?

The power cord is 6 feet long.

🢒 How much variation in temperature is there?

The temperature will swing 15-20º F degrees either way from the set point. This is caused by the heat still being produced by the wood box after the thermostat turns the heating element off. This is very normal in any electric smoker. We are smoking/cooking at a low temperature and it is the average between the high and low that we look at.

Safety FAQs

🢒 Is it safe to touch the outside of the smoker while it's cooking?

Our smokers are fully insulated and made from thick, high quality, stainless steel.

During smoking, the exterior will be warm to the touch, but does not get hot enough to burn you.

🢒 Can I open the door while smoking?

We recommend leaving the door closed for at least the first hour or two to prevent the smoke from escaping.

Try to limit how frequently you open the door during smoking as it may increase the overall time needed to smoke your food. We recommend using SmokinTex probe thermometer to know when your food is cooked to the appropriate internal temperature.

Please remember the interior of the smoker will be very hot and may burn exposed skin.

🢒 Does the smoker require ventilation for indoor use?

For the first two hours the smoker is on, it will burn the wood and produce heavy smoke. During this time, you will need to have proper ventilation for the smoke.

After the smoke cycle is finished, the smoker may produce some steam from the smoke hole, but it no longer requires ventilation.

🢒 Do the wheels lock to keep it from rolling away?

Yes, all of our wheel sets have two locking wheels to keep the smoker in place during use.

🢒 Do I need a special outlet or breaker for my smoker?

All of our Residential Smokers plug into a standard 110 outlet.

Accessory FAQs

🢒 How does the deflector plate work?

The deflector plate can either increase or reduce moisture in the smoker by directing the drippings onto or away from the wood box.

Place the deflector plate in the bottom shelf, right above the smoke box.

If the deflector plate is pointed up like a roof, it will increase the moisture in the smoker by directing the drippings to fall on the smoke box and create steam.

If the deflector plate is pointing down in “v” shape, it will reduce moisture in the smoker by directing the drippings away from the smoke box, and into the drip pan.

🢒 Where do I put the cold smoke plate?

Place the plate into the smoker with the flat side down.

🢒 How do I clean the cold smoke plate?

Wipe clean with a warm, damp cloth.

Do not immerse the plate in liquid as this may damage the insulation.

Parts & Maintenance FAQs

🢒 Are the grill racks dishwasher safe?

Yes, our grill racks are high quality stainless steel and are safe to clean in the dishwasher.

🢒 Do I need to clean the inside of the smoker?

We recommend lining the bottom of the smoker and the "roof" of the wood box with foil so they can be changed with each use.

As you use your smoker, a patina will form on the interior. For best results, we recommend leaving the patina as is, but you can wipe down the interior with warm water and a non-abrasive sponge.

The grill racks can be run through the dishwasher, or washed by hand.

🢒 How can I order parts?

We have some replacement parts available for purchase on our website here.

If you aren't sure what part you need, or you don't see the part available, please contact us so we can assist.

🢒 How can I tell if the heating element or thermostat needs to be replaced?

After turning the temperature knob all the way down, unplug the smoker.

Using a Phillips-head screw driver, remove the back panel of the smoker.

Take the two wires off the thermostat and hold them together with an open paper clip.

Plug the smoker back in and turn the temperature knob to 120°F.

If the heating element begins to glow after a few minutes, it’s most likely the thermostat that needs replacing.

If the heating element does not heat up, then it’s the heating element that needs replacing.

Warranty FAQs

🢒 What is the warranty on my new smoker?

All of our smokers come with a 3 year warranty, one of the longest in the industry!

Comparison of Smokers

Features

Included

Add-Ons

Options and Accessories

	Smoker Cart Has fold downside shelf and stationary shelves for easy storage of wood and accessories. All stainless steel. 4 Wheels-two are locking.
	Cover Gray Sturdy all-weather cover. (3-Year Warranty) Protect your smoker oven from the elements. Fits only our model 1100 smokers.
	Wheel Set Replacement wheel set to fit SmokinTex smoker models 1100 and 1400. 2 wheels locking/2 wheels non-locking.
	Cold Smoke Plate Create great smoked flavor in cheeses, pasta, salads, and vegetables, with our cold smoke plate. Makes excellent smoked salsa! Perfect for when you want the smoked flavor but not the heat.
	Pro Seafood Grill The stainless steel seafood grill is great for smoking small items that could fall through larger grills.
	Pro Grill Standard Pro Series 1100 Standard Grills/Racks Stainless Steel.
	Smokebox Insert Stainless steel wood chip insert allows you to put wood chips into the wood box and not have small pieces fall through the holes. It can also be used with regular chunks to allow easy removal of the ashes after the cooking cycle is completed.

Freestanding Electric Smokers