Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are two typical ranges of charcoal smokers for home use offered on the market:
# Vertical smoker: A vertical smoker, also called a bullet smoker due to its shape, is one of the most popular smokers, which is not too large nor too expensive. It utilizes a water pan between the heat source and cooking grate, keeping the meat moist. The meat is prepared at a distance above the heat source.
# Offset horizontal smoker: With this kind of smoker, the fire in the compartment and the meat are kept separate. There is a large cooking surface area along with vents, which allow you to control the heat and keep it relocating the cooking chamber.
Building a Barrel Smoker
If you're feeling adventurous, have some time on your hands and want that cowboy sensation, this could be a Do It Yourself project for you. A barrel smoker uses a drum, switched on its side and split down the middle. This is extremely cheap to make but on the disadvantage, it's not extremely stable and should not be expected to last very long. You can learn 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 process, you lose out on much of the smoke taste that makes barbecue interesting for eaters and cooks alike. While you can use wood with an electric or gas smoker, you simply won't get the same impact. Some barbecue cooks may argue this point, but many would choose to prepare with charcoal to enhance the flavour.
Electrical and gas smokers however, allow for simpler control of the heat. Instead of charcoal, simply get more info experiment 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 might 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 frequently leads to over smoking. It is simpler to smoke and to manage heat using charcoal. Excessive smoking cigarettes of the meat will likely result in the meat ending up being too bitter, thus destroying your culinary masterpiece.
Considering charcoal types
Charcoal is readily available in two varieties, each having their own fans:
# Charcoal briquettes: This is the most commonly used kind of charcoal for barbecuing at home. It is made of charred wood and coal. However, this type is shunned by hardcore barbecue cooks in most cases, due to the ingredients 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 lacks the smooth shape thereof). This charcoal burns quicker and hotter than the briquettes. They also cost more, and depending on the level of sensitivity of the meat being prepared, the additional cost may 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 sure to avoid the ones with the lighter fluid in them. The chemicals used to light the charcoal can burn the charcoal and get into your food. This will offer it an unpleasant, acidic taste. Using lighter fluid directly from the capture 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 rapidly 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 need to be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Then dispose them in the smoker.