Tips For Buying a Charcoal Smoker
There are 2 common varieties 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 one of the most popular smokers, which is not too large nor too pricy. 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 different. There is a big cooking surface in addition to vents, which allow you to manage the heat and keep it relocating 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 inexpensive 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 very same impact. Some barbecue cooks may argue this point, but a lot of would prefer to prepare with charcoal to enhance the flavour.
Electrical and gas cigarette smokers however, permit easier 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 very same stone, or wood in this case, it often leads to over smoking. It is much easier to smoke and to control heat using charcoal. Excessive smoking cigarettes of the meat will likely result in the meat ending up being too bitter, thereby ruining your culinary masterpiece.
Considering charcoal types
Charcoal is available in two 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 wood and coal. Nevertheless, 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 additives 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 extra cost may deserve 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 prevent the ones with the lighter fluid in them. The chemicals used to light the charcoal can burn the charcoal and enter your food. This will give it an unpleasant, acidic taste. Applying lighter fluid directly from the capture bottle is a similarly bad concept as it will have the same effect.
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 click here 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 discard them in the smoker.