Your backyard parties will never be the same once you learn how to use a smoker. A smoker is a grill type cooker that cooks your food over heat created by burning wood, rather than by burning coals. Once you know how to use a smoker you may never go back to your traditional BBQ because the food is terrific with unbelievable flavor.
Using a smoker is easier than lighting a barbeque. The secret to knowing how to use a smoker is all in the wood. Each type of wood used in a smoker creates a different flavor to the food. Mesquite wood gives your steak or your salmon a robust flavor, while oak or hickory adds a completely different flavor.
Location is one of the keys to successful smoking. Cooking with a smoker usually will take hours and many times the smoker will be left unattended so it should be in an area where children and pets are not likely to go. Wind conditions should also be taken into consideration so that smoke is not entering your house or interfering with other outdoor activities. Remember to be kind to your neighbors, also. Unless you invite them to the party, they don’t want to have the smoke drifting into the homes either!
Most smokers have two barrels at the bottom. Build a fire at the base of the barrels with whatever type of wood you choose to cook with. The wood needs to heat for at least an hour. Those who know how to use a smoker will tell you that the key to making the best meals is to know just how long to heat the wood, and how much wood should be added to the steamer once you start. You want the wood to burn at a nice even temperature. Practice makes perfect, so you may have to experiment a bit, but even the “mistakes” ones are pretty darn good!
The wood needs to be heated thoroughly before you add the food and you will need to watch the temperature while you are smoking the food. It takes practice to know when to adjust the dampers and the flues to keep the temperature at the right level, but trust me this is the key to succulent smoked food!
There are so many different choices when using a smoker. You can pick between lots of different types of wood to give your food flavor and also experiment on smoking lots of different types of foods. Think about it, smoked almonds are totally delish and smoked cheeses, YUMMO! Once you know how to use a smoker you can try smoking more than one kind of meat at a time.
The possibilities are endless. Use your imagination and you will be having the best backyard parties ever! Once you know how to use a smoker, friends and neighbors will be showing up at your door every weekend just to see if they get a quick taste.
For delicious recipes and tips on how to use your smoker check out Competition BBQ Secrets
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