Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are two common ranges of charcoal smokers for home use offered on the market:
# Vertical smoker: A vertical smoker, also referred to as a bullet smoker due to its shape, is among the most popular smokers, which is not too bulky 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.
# Offset horizontal smoker: With this type 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 moving in the cooking chamber.
Building a Barrel Smoker
If you're feeling adventurous, have some time on your hands and want that cowboy feeling, this could be a DIY project for you. A barrel smoker uses a drum, switched on its side and split down the middle. This is really low-cost to make but on the disadvantage, it's not extremely constant and should not be expected to last very long. You can find out 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 interesting for eaters and cooks alike. While you can use wood with an electrical or gas smoker, you just will not get the same result. Some barbecue cooks may argue this point, but the majority of would prefer to prepare with charcoal to improve the flavour.
Electrical and gas cigarette smokers however, permit simpler 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 add smoke and flavour. You might question why not use the wood for both heat and smoke. When you try to kill both birds with the exact same stone, or wood in this case, it often results in over smoking cigarettes. It is simpler to smoke and to manage heat using charcoal. Extreme smoking of the meat will likely result in the meat ending up being too bitter, therefore ruining your culinary masterpiece.
Eyeing charcoal types
Charcoal is offered in 2 ranges, each having their own fans:
# Charcoal briquettes: This is the most frequently used kind of charcoal for barbecuing at home. It is made from charred wood and coal. However, this type is avoided by hardcore barbecue cooks in many 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 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 cooked, the extra expense might be worth it as it also prevents unwanted taste from being included due to the chemicals found in the briquettes.
If you still decide to use charcoal briquettes, as many great barbecue do, be sure to prevent the ones with the lighter fluid in them. The chemicals used to light the charcoal can burn the charcoal and enter into your food. This will give it an unpleasant, acidic taste. Using lighter fluid straight from the squeeze bottle is a similarly bad idea as it will have the same result.
Using a chimney starter
Instead of using the unpleasant tasting chemicals found in lighter fluid, you can quickly and quickly light your charcoal with a chimney starter. They can be found easily in home-supply or hardware shops.
To use it, stuff paper into the bottom section and fill the leading section with charcoal. In a safe place, light the paper. You coals ought to be click here ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Then dump them in the smoker.