Every meat lover will want to try the taste of smoked meat, and if you are one of those who like to barbecue then you should know that you can get smoked meat yourself. In this post, we will precisely talk about how to smoke meat , its phases and the necessary utensils to achieve perfect preparation.
Keep reading and find out about each of the details and steps you must follow to smoke your own meat at home. But, to know how to smoke meat, you must first understand several basic concepts. Do you know what smoking is?
Smoking is a food handling/preservation technique that consists of subjecting it to a source of smoke, generally coming from a fire made with wood with a low level of resin.
What is achieved with this is to modify the texture of the meat and give a smoky flavor to the food and, at the same time, it will serve to preserve the product for a longer time.
There is a widespread myth that all smoked meats taste the same, but this is not the case. The smoking technique enhances the unique flavor of each kind of meat. The results depend on the type of smoking that is done, read on to find out more!
What is a smoker used for?
A kamado smoker will allow you to get that necessary smoke to smoke the meat. It is a variation of the barbecue club, with a design that directs direct fire away from the meat, allowing it to soak up the smoke that remains inside.
Between the coals and the kamado grills, there is usually a container intended to contain water or other liquids, which will keep the meat continuously hydrated. Some smokers do not have this container but have plenty of room to add it. Therefore, the smoker is the key to success.
However, you can smoke successfully on any type of barbecue, be it wood, charcoal, gas, or even electric. If your barbecue does not allow the use of firewood, all you have to do is buy a barbecue smoker, as we will now explain.
Types of smokers
It is possible to get different types of professional smokers. The difference will always be in the formats and the material with which they are manufactured. Also, another differentiator will be the energy source used to produce the smoke. Let’s see what the types of smokers that are on the market:
BBQ Smokers
If you already have a barbecue, but it does not allow the direct use of firewood, the best way to smoke the meat will be to buy a smoker box and choose the smoking chips that best match the recipe you want to prepare.
You will need to soak the chips for 30 minutes before you start smoking, in the meantime, you can preheat your barbecue to a moderate temperature. The temperature will depend on the recipe you have chosen, but it is usually between 110º and 150ºC.
Once the time is up, dry the excess water from the chips and put them in the barbecue smoker. You will then need to position the smoker on top of the grill and make sure it is over one of the burners for direct heat. Finally, close the lid and wait for enough smoke to accumulate.
charcoal smokers
If you’re already learning about how to smoke meat, you’ve probably already heard about these smokers, which are available in portrait or landscape format. The horizontal ones are box-shaped, very similar to a covered grill, and in this, the charcoal is burned, which in turn generates indirect and enveloping smoke.
Vertical charcoal smokers, for their part, will integrate a cover with water to avoid direct and dry heat. To generate smoke, moistened wood is burned. Both in this and in the previous format, a thermostat is included that reveals the stability of the temperature.
Electric and gas smokers
These smokers are very comfortable and easy to use, especially when learning how to smoke meat. They have much more autonomy, so it gives the cook more freedom. They have temperature and smoking time controls.
Making them work is very simple, you just need to connect them to a power current or a gas source, as the case may be. Despite their simplicity, they are capable of generating a lot of smoke with little wood, which is fed into a side loader. Generally, they are available in vertical formats and have shelves that make it possible to smoke several dishes simultaneously.
Pellet smokers
In recent months, pellet smokers have been gaining strength in the market, and in fact, they are positioning themselves as the favorites for barbecue lovers. The reason?
Pellet smokers combine the authentic flavor of firewood with the technology of modern barbecues. They have a lot of autonomy in the use of fuel, and very efficient temperature control, which they regulate practically without human intervention.
In addition, some of them incorporate a technology that synchronizes the smoker with your mobile phone, from where you can supervise cooking and access several very practical functions.
