How to Operate a Smoker
- 1). Prepare the meat. You can tenderize or marinate the meat or use a rub to add flavor and make the meat juicier. Avoid ingredients that have a lot of salt because they will dry out the meat while it's in the smoker.
- 2). Put the smoker on a hard, flat surface. Keep it away from buildings, trees and other structures.
- 3). Place charcoal briquettes in the charcoal pans. The charcoal pans are the larger pans in the center of the smoker. The water pan is usually smaller and off to the side. Check your owners manual for a diagram of your particular unit. Stack the briquettes on top of each other in a pyramid form. Squirt lighter fluid on them until coated.
- 4). Soak some of the wood chips in water to moisten them and prevent flare-ups. Keep them in the water for about 10 minutes, until they are moist to the touch. Leave 1/2 cup of the wood chips dry. Use apple, hickory or maple chips for the best flavor. The amount you use depends on how strong you want the flavor to be. Spread the dry chips on top of the charcoal.
- 5). Pour water in the water pan. This will add the steam that the smoker needs to operate. Use a lighter to set fire to the charcoal and dry wood chips. Allow them to burn for 20 minutes, or until the flames disappear. The charcoal should become light gray in color.
- 6). Spread the moist wood chips in the smoker, wearing gloves for protection. Leave them for five to 10 minutes to heat. Do not let them burn. Put the smoker's lid in place and open the vents.
- 7). Place the meat inside the smoker. It will take longer to cook this way than on a grill or in an oven, so prepare to baste the meat occasionally to keep it moist.
- 8). Monitor the temperature. Add 15 pieces of coal every hour to keep the temperature even. Add more water to the water pan if necessary. Rotate the meat for even cooking with tongs, a spatula or a meat fork.
- 9). Insert a thermometer into the meat. The smoker itself should be at a cooking temperature between 175 and 225, while the internal temperature of the meat depends on the type of meat. Pork ribs, for example, should be 165 degrees inside, but medium beef roast should be cooked until it's 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. See Resources for a temperature listing.