I am going to let you in on a little secret. Smoked meat is awesome. That may be the understatement of the year. Adding smoke flavor to any kind of meat you can think of makes it ten times more mouth-watering. I know from experience. But how do you get that smoke flavor into the meat? You have to get yourself a smoker. Not a grill but a smoker. What are the best smokers for beginners? What are the best smokers for the money? The Modern MetroNeck guide to the best smokers for beginners will help you figure out the answers to these questions and more.
I can only imagine that smoked meats have been around for ages. There must have been some innovative great, great grandfather who stumbled upon a process of smoking a hunk of meat, and noses and tastebuds across the land were awakened by the very act. That dude must have screwed something up royally but what he uncovered changed the course of cooking meat forever. What a Modern MetroNeck and innovator he must have been. We owe that dude a great deal of gratitude. Because smoked meat is AWESOME!
Hardwood smoked meat has a taste and aroma that can only be described as “heaven-sent”. That is the only way I think you can describe it. You can add seasonings and sauces to meat all day long, but when you inject smoke flavor into it, something magical happens. There is a chemical reaction that happens to the meat to kick the flavor meter to 1000. The very smell of smoked meat can make your mouth water with anticipation. (For real mouth-watering).
For us to harness the power of smoke we must use a smoker. There are thousands of them out there for sure. What are the best smokers on the market? What are the best smokers for ribs? What are the best smokers for brisket? These are some great questions that we can certainly answer here in The Modern Metroneck Guide to the best Smokers for beginners.
Smokers come in three different basic fuel sources. There are electric, gas, and also wood/charcoal fired smokers. These smokers are very different but all produce fantastic tasting smoked-meat. The differences are very important to how much time you will spend while smoking your meat. The temperature regulation and cleanup also come into play.
You can flavor the smoke for your meats with different kinds of wood chips or pellets. There are apple, cherry, pecan, mesquite, oak, and several other exotic types and blends of wood available. The only way to figure out which ones are your favorites is to use them all and experiment. Try different combinations with different meats. Once you find that flavor you will know what you like. (The great part is the experimentation phase is a great reward because someone has to eat all that meat).
The electric smoker relies on an electric burner element and water pan along with flavored wood chips to smoke meat. These could be the best smokers for beginners. They are usually verticle cylinders with the element at the bottom and a water pan and adjustable racks. They are very efficient and you don’t have to worry too much about regulating your heat. It is more of a set it and forget it deal. You just set your smoker temperature and cook your meat to the correct internal temperature. Low and slow wins the race when smoking good meat. You usually can load plenty of meat on the multiple racks. These are usually the least expensive smokers to buy.
Another type of electric smoker is the pellet or disc smoker. These are usually horizontal or vertical boxes or cylinders in shape and have a hopper that feeds pellets or discs of compressed wood particles into a burner. These are also easier to regulate temperature and smoke. You can throw on some meat, set the temperature, and come back later. These are becoming very popular for their ease of operation and maintenance. These smokers can be more on the expensive side depending on the bells and whistles you get. These smokers are usually great for smoking ribs, pork, and fish.
A gas or propane smoker is similar to electric but it is a little tougher to regulate the temperature. Some gas smokers have a tendency for the temperature to rise and fall. The thickness of your walls and insulation usually come into play with these. You have to pay extra attention to a gas smoker for this reason. (Some of us Modern MetroNecks have not done well cooking with gas!). You also use a water pan to make sure your meat doesn’t dry out and wood chips for the smoke. These smokers usually are more insulated with heavier gauge steel and can be more expensive. These are also better for smoking larger quantities of meats for catering or cooking for large groups. A gas tank or two will last for days with these smokers.
The last type of smoker would be the straight wood or charcoal fueled smoker. This type of smoker is the hardest to regulate temperature. These usually are of an offset design. You have a large cooking chamber and then a smaller smoker box offset to the side. This allows you to keep the fire separate from the meat. You have to pay extra attention to smoking meats on this type of smoker as not to get the fire too hot or create too much smoke. (You don’t want the meat to look like it came out of a burning house). You get the fire too hot and it could burn or too low and it won’t get done. Either way, you have to “babysit” one of these smokers to be successful. (Of course, some say this is an excuse to have some cold brews while babysitting the meat). These smokers are usually great for smoking beef brisket and poultry.
The egg-shaped cookers are another type of hybrid smoker and or grill. These types of grills have great insulation, ventilation control, and versatility to make them great smokers. You just need to adapt these to use as a smoker by adding a heat shield and water pan and BAM you have an awesome functional smoker. These eggs use chunk charcoal to which you can add wood chips and you can add some wonderful smoked flavors to your meats. They use only small amounts of charcoal and wood because of their great insulation. These work great in colder weather areas and smoking in the dead of winter. (let’s face it we want smoked meat during the whole year). This is a favorite of the Modern MetroNeck for pure versatility.
As we said before you can smoke almost any kind of meat. Turkeys, chickens, beef, pork, or fish work great in the smoker. The art of smoking meat is injecting that smoked flavor without overcooking or drying out the meat. If you use too much smoke you will get an overly intense smoked flavor. It is a balancing act to get the right smoke with the right moisture and the right seasonings and sauces. It all comes together in a perfect symphony of meat goodness. Along the way, you will pick up tips and tricks like smoking for a while and then wrapping the meat in butcher paper to seal in the moisture. This is especially true with smoking a beef brisket. The name of the game is keeping the moisture in while breaking down the meat to the desired tenderness with the right amount of smoke flavor.
I would suggest buying one of these smokers and start experimenting with your combinations. The best smokers for beginners are the ones you feel comfortable using. Get yourself a good meat thermometer or even a remote control thermometer (you have to love technology). As a Modern MetroNeck you really cannot go wrong with any of the aforementioned smokers. They all produce some fantastically flavored meats. Your friends and family will love you for it. Beware though because once you start smoking, you just can’t stop.
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