Smoked Meat: How to Prepare it and How to Get the Ideal Smoker
Smoked meat is arguably the most delicious food on earth, but it’s also one of the most expensive. If you want to save money while enjoying this gastronomic delight, then this post is for you! I will show you how to make smoked meats at home using an inexpensive smoker made from a wooden plank and aluminium foil. Then, I’ll give you a rundown on what you need to know if you want to look up gas smokers for sale.
How to Smoke Meat
I believe that the best way to learn something is by doing it, so let’s get right into it. Smoking meat is relatively straightforward -all you need is some wood and a little patience. The process is simple: Smoke goes in, meat comes out.
- Choose your cut of meat. Ideally, you want something with a decent amount of fat as this will ensure that your smoked meats are moist and tasty. Pork shoulders and beef briskets are great choices for home smokers as they have enough fat to keep the meat moist during smoking. If you’re a fan of hotdogs, then opt for pork casings instead. They are considerably cheaper than the plastic ones and there is no need to boil them beforehand.
- Prepare your smoker. If you’re using an electric or gas smoker, then this step isn’t relevant – you can go straight to step 3. Otherwise, if you want to smoke meat at home with wood as fuel, then all you need is a wooden plank and some aluminium foil. Place the plank on a sturdy table and place your meat on top of it.
- Add flavourings. You can add your favourite spices, but it’s important to remember that the smoke itself will give a lot of flavour to your meat. Therefore, you might want to avoid too many flavours as they might overpower the taste of your smoked meats.
- Smoke ’em up! Put some wood chips or sawdust in a bowl and pour water on top of it. The idea is to get the wood wet enough so that it produces smoke rather than burns. Place the smoking pan on top of your cooker and light the wood. The more smoke that goes into your meat, the better it will taste.
- Keep on smoking. This step is very important as it allows the meat to absorb all the flavours you’ve added. You might have to add some more wood chips or sawdust from time to time if the smoke stops coming out of the pan’s holes.
- Enjoy your smoked meats! When you’re ready to eat, remove the aluminium foil and cut the meat into thin slices. Serve with your favourite sauce and enjoy!
How to Choose the Ideal Gas Smoker
When looking at all the different gas smokers for sale, it’s important to take a few factors into consideration, such as
- Size – Generally speaking, the larger the smoker, the more expensive it is going to be. This is because of the amount of material that’s required in order to build it and also because bigger smokers usually have more features.
- Cooking Method – There are two main types of smokers: charcoal and wood-fired. Charcoal smokers tend to be cheaper than wood-fired models but they do not have as many features or cooking capacity. Wood-fired smokers can also come in electric versions and these tend to give off more smoke than their charcoal counterparts.
- Features – Most gas smokers come with a variety of different features but there are some that stand out from the crowd. These include hooks for hanging meat and adjustable shelves so you can cook different sizes of food at once.
- Durability – Meat smoking can be quite a strenuous activity, so you want a smoker that’s going to last. Stainless steel smokers are usually more durable than their aluminium counterparts as they can withstand higher temperatures without rusting or warping.
- Price – The more features and the bigger your smoker is, the more expensive it’s going to be. If you’re on a budget, then you might want to look at purchasing a smaller model with fewer frills attached.
- Cooking Capacity – This is important because you want a smoker that’s able to accommodate all the meat that you’re going to be smoking at once. If you have a large family, then it might make more sense for you to get a bigger model with multiple racks as this will allow you to cook more food at one time.
- Ease of Cleaning – Most smokers are quite easy to clean but there are some models out there that take it up a notch when it comes to cleaning. You should also look at the type of material that it’s made out of because some are easier to clean than others.
- Warranty – Warranties are always useful as they give you peace of mind when making a big purchase like this. Most smokers come with at least one year’s worth of warranty but there are some models out there that offer three or even five years’ worth of coverage.
- Customer Support – It’s important to find out what kind of customer support your prospective smoker comes with. If there’s a problem and you need to contact the manufacturer, then it’s always nice to know that they have 24/7 support available.