As we discussed above, you can find charcoal in the form of lump and briquettes, lump being the purest form. What is the Difference Between a Smoker and a Standard Grill?

Vents still allow you to control the temperature, meaning you can use different grilling techniques. 6 Features to Consider When Buying a Charcoal SmokerThey are nice and compact, have a small footprint so can fit onto the smallest of patios, have no mechanical or electrical parts and are relatively easy-to-use. They get their name due to their bullet-like shape. One of the most prolifically owned charcoal smokers because many beginners start out with a bullet smoker, typically the Weber Smokey Mountain. Before you settle on any one type of charcoal smoker, there are five things you need to consider. They are: For the same price as a Weber Smokey Mountain, you get an extremely versatile grill, oven, and smoker combination. While it can’t match the WSM for dedicated smoking, and it won’t beat a Big Green Egg for all-around cooking, you can pay a fraction of the price still get a quality, versatile cooker.

Although there are many dozens — or more — slightly different looking charcoal smokers, there are only really five basic designs that you’ll see when shopping. They are: The smoker is capable of smoking everything from beef and vegetables to fish, which is why it is considered one of the best fish smokers. It can even be used as a steamer, poaching, or roasting pan. Electric smokers are the perfect option if you’re looking for a unit that you can set and forget. With this type of smoker, you don’t have to worry about burning wood or charcoal, refilling your propane cylinder, or dealing with a lot of clean-up after you’re done cooking. Operating an electric smoker is as easy as setting your desired temperature – oftentimes through an app on your phone with some higher-end models – setting a time, and then walking away until the smoking is done for you. You can use wood or charcoal or both for fuel. The wood needs to be somewhat moist because you want it to burn in a slow and controlled manner rather than blaze it. Plus, the faster the wood burns, the more often you have to refuel as you are cooking. It is important you get your head around the differences between these two fuel sources. When entering the world of charcoal smokers, you will more than likely be drawn into the never ending debate about the hows and whys of using lump or briquettes. Charcoal briquettes:Kamado Joe also has a full line of accessories to enable you to cook any dish, grilled, baked or smoked. At 36″ tall and 25″ wide, it fits a standard 18″ cooking grate inside for 255 square inches of cooking space…if indeed you even opt to use a grate! Not only is this smoker designed to cook for a crowd, but it is also designed to be easy to use. There is a secondary door that makes accessing the water tray and smoker box nice and easy. The water bowl and smoker box themselves are also generously sized. I feel it’s important to point out that Kamado grills come in all shapes and sizes, and that they aren’t always equal.

Bullet or water smokers like the WSM are easily the most popular type of charcoal smoker due to their small footprint and ability to hold a steady temperature for hours. When you want to smoke in your Kamado, you will load your firebox with a quality lump charcoal and wood chunks, and then use a lighter cube or electric fire starter to light your charcoal. If you like grilling as much as smoking, a combination smoker will save you from having to buy another grill. When it comes to vertical bullet smokers, the Weber Smokey Mountain bullet style cooker is probably the best known. They work in many competition cooks around the country. Before you can start worrying about managing the temp in your smoker, you need to get it set up correctly. Assuming you want to cook low and slow, the best way to set up your smoker is going to be the minion method of one of its many variations.For cold smoking lots of cheese and fish, you’re better off with an offset. Anticipating your needs will avoid having to buy multiple smokers or grills.

At 275 lbs., the Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker is a heavyweight contender. Thankfully, they put steel wheels on one end so that you can move it around. The more seams, screw holes and openings a smoker has, the more it can potentially leak, losing efficiency. Cheap offset smokers are the worse culprits here (though the more expensive models solve these issues with better engineering.) Heavier types of barbecue, such as kamados, are difficult to move from one spot to another in your own yard – let alone on a camping trip. Unlike a lot of cheap offset smokers, the Highland is available in both standard and reverse flow design. This means smoke is directed to the far side of the cooking chamber before it travels across the food and out the chimney. This type of smoker features a firebox on the side, a couple of inches below where the food is placed in the main cooking chamber. When charcoal or wood are burnt inside the firebox, smoke slowly exits the firebox and enters into the cooking chamber, fully engulfing the food, then out the chimney.

Types of Smokers

But fans of this smoker will agree that these are minor issues considering the price and performance you can expect from the Old Smokey. While that’s great, it would be wise to do some research into the different types of BBQ smokers beforehand. Novices to experts. Some less expensive models may need modifications such as upgraded thermometers, fire pans, and seals. That’s something that a beginner shouldn’t have to deal with.