How to Use a Smoker, a HOT Topic of Conversation!
Denise Clarke
August 09, 2008
First off, what exactly kind of food does a smoker produce and how do you spell it …. Is it barbeque, Bar-B-Q or my personal favorite, BBQ? Do they all mean the same thing or is some regional US thing. If you pass by a road sign with one of these signs and you inhale deeply, there should be no doubt in your mind that they are all delicious! The only real controversy is whether you are grilling with high heat or slow indirect low heat with a lot of smoke to get that succulent meat.
Purists on the subject will tell you that BBQ is slow smoking with indirect heat from a hardwood fire. Others will say that you can use gas or electric as long as you have the wood chips located somewhere in the cooker to produce enough smoke for that unforgettable tasty smoked flavor. Many folks claim that it is strictly the sauce that gives the meat flavor, but once again, this is a HOT topic. Dry rubs really "rub" many people the right way and they claim that their secret recipe rubs are the best and this is what imparts that lip smacking taste.
You really don´t have to be a brain surgeon to figure out how to use a smoker, but you do need a lot of patience, no, not patients! Slow smoking of food takes many hours and experience does make a big difference. Write down what you do each time so you have a good reference in case you consume too many spirits while waiting for your "cue" to reach completion. You never know when you are going to have the all time best combination of rubs, wood and marinades!
To get that moist, wood-smoked flavor, find a shallow foil pan and fill it with water, juice or beer and wood chips, whatever wood you like. There are so many types of wood to choose from. Some of course, are strictly local woods. Put your foil pan under your grill rack or on top of the charcoal. If you are using gas then put it off to the side of the gas flame … the burner that is not lit, while you are cooking. Keep the temperature between 250 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and plan on cooking most meats for at least four or five hours, maybe even longer.
How to use a smoker and BBQ cooking in general has had controversy since colonial times and we aren´t really sure where BBQ came from, but it seems to be a combination of African, Caribbean, Indian and American Cowboys influence.
It seems that there are so many different ways to of how to use a smoker that the jury is still really out on the one and only correct way to smoke your foods to perfection. It really depends on your taste buds. If your smoked ribs have your neighborhood two stepping around your cooker, then I guess you must have a winner!
Purists on the subject will tell you that BBQ is slow smoking with indirect heat from a hardwood fire. Others will say that you can use gas or electric as long as you have the wood chips located somewhere in the cooker to produce enough smoke for that unforgettable tasty smoked flavor. Many folks claim that it is strictly the sauce that gives the meat flavor, but once again, this is a HOT topic. Dry rubs really "rub" many people the right way and they claim that their secret recipe rubs are the best and this is what imparts that lip smacking taste.
You really don´t have to be a brain surgeon to figure out how to use a smoker, but you do need a lot of patience, no, not patients! Slow smoking of food takes many hours and experience does make a big difference. Write down what you do each time so you have a good reference in case you consume too many spirits while waiting for your "cue" to reach completion. You never know when you are going to have the all time best combination of rubs, wood and marinades!
To get that moist, wood-smoked flavor, find a shallow foil pan and fill it with water, juice or beer and wood chips, whatever wood you like. There are so many types of wood to choose from. Some of course, are strictly local woods. Put your foil pan under your grill rack or on top of the charcoal. If you are using gas then put it off to the side of the gas flame … the burner that is not lit, while you are cooking. Keep the temperature between 250 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and plan on cooking most meats for at least four or five hours, maybe even longer.
How to use a smoker and BBQ cooking in general has had controversy since colonial times and we aren´t really sure where BBQ came from, but it seems to be a combination of African, Caribbean, Indian and American Cowboys influence.
It seems that there are so many different ways to of how to use a smoker that the jury is still really out on the one and only correct way to smoke your foods to perfection. It really depends on your taste buds. If your smoked ribs have your neighborhood two stepping around your cooker, then I guess you must have a winner!
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