Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are 2 typical varieties of charcoal smokers for home use readily available on the marketplace:
# Vertical smoker: A vertical smoker, also known as a bullet smoker due to its shape, is one of the most popular smokers, which is not too bulky nor too expensive. It uses a water pan between the heat source and cooking grate, keeping the meat moist. The meat is cooked at a distance above the heat source.
# Offset horizontal smoker: With this type of smoker, the fire in the compartment and the meat are kept separate. There is a big cooking surface area in addition to vents, which allow you to control the heat and keep it relocating the cooking chamber.
Constructing a Barrel Smoker
If you're feeling daring, have some time on your hands and want that cowboy feeling, this could be a Do It Yourself job for you. A barrel smoker uses a drum, turned on its side and split down the middle. This is very cheap to make but on the disadvantage, it's not very steady and should not be expected to last long. You can discover how to turn a barrel into a smoker from many available 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 electric or gas smoker, you just will not get the very same impact. Some barbecue cooks might argue this point, but the majority of would choose to prepare with charcoal to boost the flavour.
Electrical and gas smokers nevertheless, enable easier control of the heat. Instead of charcoal, simply play around with the dial and voila!
Handling 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 question why not use the wood for both heat and smoke. When you try Hakka 14-Inch Multi-Function Barbecue and Charcoal Smoker Grill to kill both birds with the very same stone, or wood in this case, it typically leads to over cigarette smoking. It is simpler to smoke and to control heat using charcoal. Extreme cigarette smoking of the meat will likely result in the meat ending up being too bitter, thereby destroying your culinary masterpiece.
Considering charcoal types
Charcoal is available in two ranges, each having their own fans:
# Charcoal briquettes: This is the most frequently used kind of charcoal for barbecuing in the house. It is made of charred hardwood and coal. However, this type is shunned by hardcore barbecue cooks in most cases, due to the additives used in them to keep them burning and holding them together longer.
# Lump charcoal: This is just made from charred wood, with no of the ingredients found in the charcoal briquettes (and also does not have the smooth shape thereof). This charcoal burns quicker and hotter than the briquettes. They also cost more, and depending upon the sensitivity of the meat being prepared, the additional cost might be worth it as it also avoids undesirable flavor from being added due to the chemicals found in the briquettes.
If you still decide to use charcoal briquettes, as many great barbecue do, make certain to prevent the ones with the lighter fluid in them. The chemicals used to light the charcoal can burn off the charcoal and enter your food. This will provide it an undesirable, acidic taste. Applying lighter fluid directly from the squeeze bottle is a similarly bad idea as it will have the same result.
Using a chimney starter
Instead of using the undesirable 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 shops.
To use it, stuff newspaper into the bottom area and fill the top area with charcoal. In a safe place, light the newspaper. You coals should be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Then dispose them in the smoker.