Do you enjoy the juicy and delicious flavor of grilled meat? Are you wanting to take that one step further by giving it a smoky taste to it? If so, then you need to fire up that smoker grill and get to work!
However, it’s not enough to simply start the smoker grill, place the meat on the racks, and just start smoking meat. You need to have more strategy than that. You need more preparation. Success is in the details.
See below for an in-depth meat smoker guide with tips on grilling any type of meat and getting the best results possible.
1: Consider a Reverse Flow Offset Smoker
Do you often find yourself grilling for a large number of people? Is your current smoker’s size inhibiting the amount of meat you can cook for your guests?
That’s the only catch to using a smoker grill instead of a standard grill. Because the smoker grill takes hours to cook, you can’t separate your grilling into different shifts. Doing so would cause you to wait another 4 to 20 hours to complete. Not ideal.
If you’re running out of room on your current grill, then consider a reverse flow offset smoker grill.
These types of smoker grills grant you much more space for smoking larger amounts of meat at one time. They even have an extra metal plate that, as the name would imply, alters the flow (or movement) of the smoke.
In a reverse flow smoker, the smoke rises through the meat, then back down on it from the top before releasing through the grill opening. This will help it double-down on that smoky flavor that you’re after.
2: Combine Coals and Wood Chips
As you may already know, there’s a neverending debate between fanatic smoke grillers on whether to use charcoals or wood chips to achieve the max flavor.
In all honesty, the answer depends on what type of flavor you want in your meat at the end. However, what’s stopping you from using both at the same time? The charcoal can maximize the smoke’s thickness while the wood chips provide a hickory flavor.
To use a combination of both, start by setting up your charcoals on one side of the grill, leaving the other side for your drip pan. Light the charcoals and allow the grill to heat up for a few minutes.
After the coals are evenly lit, grab your wood chips and lay a healthy layer of them over the top of your charcoals. Cover the lid and let it all mix before putting your meat on.
3: Find the Right Meat
While you might roll your eyes at the grilling fanatics you know and how they shop around for their meat, they’re actually on to something. There’s a reason that their meat tastes better than yours: they purchase the right kind of meat. It makes a huge difference.
It doesn’t necessarily matter where you shop, but meat markets tend to have the best choice cuts. If you purchase from a chain grocery store, you might purchase meat that’s been out for a while. Meat markets tend to have higher standards.
Next, you’re going to want to keep a sharp eye out for meat with the proper displacement of fat. Avoid meats with a huge fat cap and reach for those with fat evenly dispersed throughout the muscle. This will trap moisture in the meat while it smokes.
Lastly, know your choices for meat. Ribs, brisket, and pork butt are some of the most traditional meats to smoke. But don’t be afraid to ask the butcher at the meat market what meats they might recommend; variety is always important!
4: Commit to the Time
The phrase “patience breeds the best results” certainly applies to the art of smoking your meat. If you try to rush it then you’ll end up with a dish of meat that’s less than desirable.
Generally speaking, you’ll keep your smoker grill at a temperature that’s too low to burn the meat. Take advantage of that!
If you know you’re hosting a big party this weekend, then make arrangements ahead of time for your smoker.
For example, if the party is at noon on Sunday, then have the grill up and running by 4 pm or so on Saturday, allowing it to cook and smoke throughout the night. Also, remember to never have the meat directly above the flame while smoking.
5: Monitor the Smoke
Unfortunately, even though it’s called a smoker grill, there is such a thing as too much smoke during cook time.
If the smoke gathers in your grill with no place to escape, it will sit stagnantly and dry out your meat. The key is to create movement with your smoke and regulate the amount at any given point.
Use the small opening in your grill to regulate your smoke. The whiter and thicker the smoke is that’s coming out your grill’s opening, the better your meat will come out. If the smoke is grey or black, it will give your meat an ashy taste.
Meat Smoker Guide: Smoking Meat Has Never Been More Fun
Now that you’ve seen an in-depth meat smoker guide, it’s time for you to use that to your advantage when you’re smoking meat.
Start the process by going to your local butcher or meat market to stock up on supplies. Be sure to ask them if there’s any meat they’d recommend for the number of guests that you’re planning to have.
Be sure to browse our website for more articles on smoking meat, as well as many other helpful topics.
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