Benefits of BBQ Smokers
Smoking is one of the best methods for cooking meat, as it combines the best of both flavor and texture. Of course, it is possible to smoke meat on most grills. However, you can usually get the best smoking experience and results with a BBQ smoker grill. In this post, we'll help you discover all the benefits of using a barbeque smoker for your next outdoor cooking activity.
BBQ Smoker Advantage
Great Flavor
The smoke provides a flavor to the meat that simple grilling cannot deliver. This smoke has caramelized sugars from the burnt hardwood in the fuel. These sugars impart specific flavors depending on your wood of choice.
Tender BBQ
Low and slow cooking makes even the hardest cuts of meat fall apart easily and with as little effort as a fork. No matter how cheap your meat is, a smoker can turn even the toughest meat into a tender, decadent feast.
Fun
BBQ smoking quickly becomes a fun hobby that can even be called an art. Although grilling gets the job done faster, smoking can be an exciting way to create delicious results that just brings people together.
Juicy BBQ
The solid ceramic construction and the unique dome shape of kamado grills creates the perfect condition for even cooking temperatures throughout the entire cooking process that keeps the meat moist and tender.
Feed The Masses
Most BBQ smokers are enormous, making them perfect for large gatherings and parties. With the average smoker, you'll easily feed everyone at the function – whether it's a work picnic or a reunion.
Diverse Flavor
Kamados are extremely versatile, giving you the capabilities to grill, bake, smoke, roast, sear, and barbecue with ease. Cook any way your heart desires on your very own bbq smoker!
Easy To Use
BBQ smokers are easy to use depending on the model you pick. No matter your experience level, BBQ smokers are made to be used by even teh newest novice and senior professional.
Quick Learning Curve
With user-friendly smokers on the market, anyone can become a BBQ master. Pellet, gas, or electric smokers remove the guesswork and the learning curve. A little training can make you the local pitmaster.
How do BBQ Smokers Work
Even though BBQ smokers come in all shapes and sizes, there are many essential elements to the average one. For example, BBQ smokers all work with the same basic principles. Understanding these rules can help you take full advantage of the BBQ smoker benefits we just covered.
All BBQ Smokers Need a Source of Heat
BBQ smoking starts from a heat source. All smokers have a chamber for fuel combustion. For some, the compartment is under the cooking chamber. For others, it is entirely separate from the food compartment. This separation helps the food avoid direct heat and creates a low-and-slow cooking process.
All BBQ Smokers Need a Source of Smoke
As their name suggests, BBQ smokers need a smoke source. Burning chunks or chips of hardwood generally create smoke. Chunks are best for longer cooking times, while chips provide quick and short bursts of smoke for a fainter flavor profile. Avoid soaking chips, as this slows rather than improves the smoking process.
All BBQ Smokers Need a Source of Humidity
With humidity, you can prevent the hot air from drying the meat and keep it tender and juicy. The humidity will come from a pan filled with water, fruit juice, liqueur, and other liquids that can double as flavor. The water clinging to the meat will also help the flavor of the smoke to seep into your food.
Benefits of Low & Slow Smoking
Low-and-slow cooking accounts for the composition of your meat by making the water content work for you. The water content acts as an excellent insulator for slow cooking in the same way it works against thick cuts for grilling. When cooking in this style, your meat will reach the right internal temperature without drying out at the surface.
Low & Slow Cooking
Some meats can't be cooked fast or hot because the muscle fibers and connective tissues make them tough. The meat will soften with lower temperatures and longer cook times. The slow burn renders the fat and tissues into decadent juices that enhance the flavor to new levels. Even if your meat isn't tough, cooking low and slow will unlock new flavors and aromas to your food and enhance your cooking experience dramatically!
Low & Slow Smoking
Most BBQ smokers make low-and-slow smoking so much more manageable. However, even with a user-friendly pellet or electric smoker, there are a few things to keep in mind that will help you master the art. Always make sure to keep the cooking chamber at the right temperature and that the internal temperature of the meat is correct. Making sure the humidity is also present will keep your food from drying out.
Easily Cook Low & Slow
Depending on your fuel type, this can be easy. For example, if you're using a pellet or electric smoker, the digital temperature controllers can help you keep track of your metrics. If you're using a gas smoker, it will be easy to hold a steady temperature. Constant temperature management will be a must if you're using a charcoal or offset smoker. However, your experience is more immersive.
Top BBQ Smoker Brands
So by now, we've got you convinced that a BBQ smoker is a way to go. So at this point, you might be asking yourself, "What kind of smoker should I buy?"
Kamado Joe
One of the most well-known brands of kamado grills, Kamado Joe is incredibly versatile and user-friendly. Not only can you smoke on them, but you can also grill and bake on the same unit. This will save you on extra costs when outfitting your kitchen. They are also ceramic and straightforward in design, using techniques dating back to 2000 years ago.
Big Green Big
Big Green Egg models are fast to heat up. The models in this brand come with attached thermometers for easier temperature control. Accessories such as the convEGGtor allow you to transform the grill into a place to bake as well. The clean-up process is easy, as closing the lid will burn off food residue allowing you to scrape the ash off the grill.
Weber Smokey Mountain
Known for their water smokers, Weber Smokey Mountain BBQ Smokers are one of the best BBQ smoker brands you can get! Their models use wood chunks or charcoal for heat, which warms the water bowl between the food and fuel compartment. Not only does the water stabilize the temperature, but it also makes it easy to monitor humidity and keeps your food and tough meat moist and tender.
Green Mountain Grills
These are pellet grills, easy to use, and have numerous benefits. One is that pellets put authentic wood flavor into your food when burning. Another is that they have many additional functions, including braising, roasting, and baking. This helps you minimize the number of your outdoor appliances. Furthermore, pellets are more environmentally friendly than charcoal and wood chunks.
What is a BBQ Smoker
A BBQ smoker is the best way to achieve BBQ that is flavorful and tender enough to fall off the bone. There is a good reason why most professional BBQ restaurants and chefs use smokers over the traditional grill. Smokers are the time-tested optimal way to do a low-and-slow barbecue.
Smokers come in different designs depending on the focus of the manufacturer. There are many sizes, technology, and fuel types. These differences influence the properties of the barbeque that you'll get. However, although there is a wide range of BBQ smoker types on the market, they all use the same methodology – cooking meat at a low temperature for a long time.
