Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are 2 typical ranges of charcoal cigarette 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 cigarette smokers, which is not too large 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.
# Balanced out 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 in addition to vents, which allow you to control the heat and keep it moving in 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, switched on its side and split down the middle. This is extremely cheap to make but on the downside, it's not really consistent and shouldn't be anticipated to last very long. You can find out how to turn a barrel into a smoker from many readily available resources on the internet.
Using an Electric or Gas Smoker
By eliminating charcoal from the process, you lose out on much of the smoke flavor that makes barbecue intriguing 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 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 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 results in over smoking. It is much easier to smoke and to manage heat using charcoal. Excessive cigarette smoking of the meat will likely lead to the meat becoming too bitter, consequently destroying your culinary masterpiece.
Considering charcoal types
Charcoal is offered in 2 ranges, each having their own fans:
# Charcoal briquettes: This is the most commonly used type of charcoal for barbecuing at home. It is made of charred hardwood and coal. However, this type is shunned 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 just made from charred hardwood, 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 cost may be worth it as it also prevents 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 certain to avoid the ones with the lighter fluid in them. The chemicals used to light the charcoal can burn off the charcoal and get into your food. This will provide it an unpleasant, acidic taste. Applying lighter fluid straight from the squeeze bottle is a similarly bad concept as it will have the very same result.
Using a chimney starter
Instead of using the unpleasant tasting chemicals found in lighter fluid, you here can rapidly and quickly light your charcoal with a chimney starter. They can be found quickly 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 should be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. Then dump them in the smoker.