Rock the Charcoal Smokers

Saturday, September 24th, 2011 at 12:53 am

ï»¿ Charcoal smokers can give you a great variety of flavors and is a spot-on changeup from your regular summer grilling. You can smoke nearly everything that can be grilled , and combining the many kinds of wood with various types of meat is an awesome challenge and makes for a interesting hobby.

Check it . Ribs are one of the most popular types of meat to cook in a charcoal smoker. You can’t beat a massive rack of ribs, smoked to perfection with a mesquite or hickory. Pork or beef, doesn’t matter because either are great smoked. Water is key, too. Since smoking takes a while – many hours in most cases – you gotta have a water pan in there to make sure the meat won’t dry out. You can have that great smoky flavor, but it will be ruined if the meat is tough and dry .

Pork chops are another popular smoking meat. My best recipes calls for smoking chops with maple chips , then creating a maple syrup glaze to coat the chops with for the last 30 minutes . The smoke gives them the maple flavor, the water keeps it moist, and the glaze at the end seals in the juicy deliciousness . It has a sweetness flavor that goes perfectly with roasted yams.

You want some lighter woods and heartier meat if you’re smoking fish. Bass or any kind of light white fish is difficult to smoke, but it can be done. So your best bet if you’re just starting out is to smoke salmon or tuna. They’re meatier, thicker , and they stay together throughout the smoking process. Apple is a great lighter wood that works well with salmon, though you have to smoke much longer because the flavor is lighter . Be watchful ! You don’t want to overcook your salmon. If it’s flaky, it’s overcooked. Briny water is very important with salmon to keep it from drying out, particularly if you must smoke it longer. Use wet wood chips to make a more billowy smoke. If it turns out perfectly , though, it’s worth the work. It pairs well with wild grain rice and Swiss chard.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with the water too. Besides just water, you can addbeer or juices . For example, smoking venison with a lighter maple wood and a cherry-infused beer provides a great flavor you can dress with a cherry sauce or serve as is.

The biggest thing is to experiment. Smoking is a skill , and with any craft the skill is whetted through trial and error. Charcoal smokers come in various shapes and sizes , and many times have different features. Start simple – a standard vertical smoker should do you just fine – and go from there. Don’t run out and spend 100s of dollars on the ultimate smoker on your first time go. You won’t know how to use everything and could be overwhelmed. A cylinder, a water pan, two racks, and a thermometer is enough to get you started.

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