Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are 2 common ranges of charcoal smokers for home use available on the market:
# Vertical smoker: A vertical smoker, also referred to as a bullet smoker due to its shape, is one of the most popular cigarette smokers, which is not too large nor too expensive. It utilizes a water pan in between the heat source and cooking grate, keeping the meat moist. The meat is cooked at a distance above the heat source.
# Balanced out horizontal smoker: With this type of smoker, the fire in the compartment and the meat are kept different. There is a large cooking surface area along with vents, which allow you to control the heat and keep it relocating the cooking chamber.
Developing a Barrel Smoker
If you're feeling adventurous, have some time on your hands and want that cowboy sensation, this could be a DIY project for you. A barrel smoker utilizes a drum, turned on its side and split down the middle. This is very low-cost to make but on the disadvantage, it's not extremely steady and should not be expected to last long. You can discover how to turn a barrel into a smoker from many offered resources on the internet.
Using an Electric or Gas Smoker
By removing charcoal from the procedure, you miss out on much of the smoke taste that makes barbecue fascinating for eaters and cooks alike. While you can use wood with an electrical or gas smoker, you just won't get the exact same effect. Some barbecue cooks might argue this point, but many would choose to cook with charcoal to boost the flavour.
Electrical and gas smokers nevertheless, allow for much easier control of the heat. Instead of charcoal, here just experiment with the dial and voila!
Managing Heat
Charcoal is used as the heat source in the majority of cases, while the wood is used to include smoke and flavour. You may wonder why not use the wood for both heat and smoke. When you try to eliminate both birds with the same stone, or wood in this case, it typically results in over smoking cigarettes. It is easier to smoke and to manage heat using charcoal. Extreme cigarette smoking of the meat will likely lead to the meat becoming too bitter, consequently destroying your culinary masterpiece.
Eyeing charcoal types
Charcoal is offered in 2 varieties, each having their own fans:
# Charcoal briquettes: This is the most typically used kind of charcoal for grilling in your home. It is made from charred wood and coal. However, this type is shunned by hardcore barbecue cooks in a lot of cases, due to the additives used in them to keep them burning and holding them together longer.
# Lump charcoal: This is simply made from charred wood, with no of the additives found in the charcoal briquettes (and also lacks the smooth shape thereof). This charcoal burns quicker and hotter than the briquettes. They also cost more, and depending upon the level of sensitivity of the meat being prepared, the extra cost may be worth it as it also avoids undesirable taste from being included due to the chemicals found in the briquettes.
If you still choose to use charcoal briquettes, as many great barbecue do, be sure to avoid the ones with the lighter fluid in them. The chemicals used to light the charcoal can burn off the charcoal and enter into your food. This will provide it an undesirable, acidic taste. Using lighter fluid directly from the capture bottle is an equally bad idea as it will have the same effect.
Using a chimney starter
Instead of using the unpleasant tasting chemicals found in lighter fluid, you can quickly and easily light your charcoal with a chimney starter. They can be found easily in home-supply or hardware stores.
To use it, stuff newspaper into the bottom section and fill the top section with charcoal. In a safe place, light the newspaper. You coals should be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Then dump them in the smoker.