Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are 2 typical 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 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 separate. There is a large cooking surface as well as vents, which allow you to manage the heat and keep it moving in the cooking chamber.
Constructing a Barrel Smoker
If you're feeling daring, have a long time on your hands and want that cowboy feeling, this could be a Do It Yourself job for you. A barrel smoker utilizes a drum, turned on its side and split down the middle. This is really inexpensive to make but on the downside, it's not really constant and shouldn't 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 process, you lose out on much of the smoke taste that makes barbecue intriguing for eaters and cooks alike. While you can use wood with an electric or gas smoker, you just will not get the very same effect. Some barbecue cooks may argue this point, but many would prefer to prepare with charcoal to improve the flavour.
Electrical and gas smokers nevertheless, allow for much easier control of the heat. Instead of charcoal, simply 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 add 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 frequently leads to over smoking. It is simpler to smoke and to control heat using charcoal. Extreme cigarette smoking of the meat will likely lead to the meat becoming too bitter, therefore ruining your culinary masterpiece.
Eyeing charcoal types
Charcoal is readily available in two varieties, each having their own fans:
# Charcoal briquettes: This is the most commonly used type of charcoal for grilling at home. It is made of charred wood and coal. Nevertheless, this type is shunned by hardcore barbecue cooks in many 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 hardwood, 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 expense might deserve it as it also avoids unwanted 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, make 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. Applying lighter fluid straight from the capture bottle is an equally bad concept as Hakka 14-Inch Multi-Function Barbecue and Charcoal Smoker Grill 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 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 leading area with charcoal. In a safe place, light the newspaper. You coals must be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Then discard them in the smoker.