Barbecue Smoker Grills; What You Need To Know
How would you like to cook succulent ribs like the type you get at your favorite rib joint? Or serve a patio full of guests a large smoked turkey? Mmmmmmmmm. Delicious food like this is possible when you get the proper cooker,not an oven, not just any old grill, but one of the many barbecue smoker grills available.
Barbecue smoker grills come in many shapes and sizes, and burn different types of fuels such as charcoal, chips, pellets, and gas. The fuel you burn will in part determine the flavor you impart to the meat, and determine what btu the smoker will burn at.
The huge difference between a ordinary patio type grill and barbecue smoker grills is the length of time you cook the meat, and the lower temperature used. Meat in a smoker is broken down by the smoke and the heat. The result is very tender meat that falls off the bone. Once you have tried this type of cooking, it is doubtful you'll ever go back to ordinary grilling.
Most professional smokers use different variety of hardwoods to give the meat different flavors. Fruit woods give meat a sweeter taste for example. Never use softwoods such as pine though. Pine will ruin the meat and make it inedible. Charcoal is used frequently too. When using charcoal, a small box containing wood chips (soaked) is placed in the fire to emit smoke. In this way, you get the wood's smoky flavor, and still have the convenience of charcoal.
As previously mentioned, barbecue smoker grills come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The smoker you choose will depend on the planned use of it. If you are just wanting to cook ribs, roasts, and chicken for your family and friends, a small patio unit should suffice. Some manufactures of note are Brinkmann, Weber, and The Big Green Egg. The last on the list is literally a big green egg-shaped ceramic smoker. The shape and composition of this smoker make it very efficient.
If however, you want to enter competitions or go into business as a traveling smoker, you'll need an offset smoker. These smokers have a firebox offset from the main cooking area, the firebox is as it's name implies, the place where the fuel is burned, and the meat is then cooked in the cooking chamber away form the direct heat. The meat still receives the benefits of the smoke, but with out burning from flames.
Whichever type of smoker you use, rest assured with a bit of practice, you will be turning out succulent ribs, chicken, roasts, and turkeys in no time!
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