BBQ Smokers - The Ultimate Backyard Barbeque!

Well first off... A barbecue smoker is not a grill! Make the mistake of calling one of these things a "grill" around the wrong people and you're bound to get some pretty nasty looks! In recent years, the smoker has become more and more accessible for the little guy to have. This, like many things, is because there are a ton of sweet deals online these days. Now, before we get into what exactly one of these items is and how it functions, it's important to discuss food for a little bit. The difference between grilled food and barbecued food is pretty straightforward. Grilling generally involves high heat and relatively short cooking times. Steaks, pork chops and fish are three pretty common foods that people "grill". Even chickens are typically grilled as opposed to barbecued.

Barbecuing, on the other hand, uses a fairly low heat (usually around 225 degrees) combined with way longer cooking times. What you end up with is an incredibly tender piece of meat. Ribs, pulled pork and beef briskets are three of the most common foods produced with a traditional smoker. When done properly, the meat on these foods literally fall off of the bones... mmm

So what's the difference between a barbecue smoker and grill then? A smoker is generally quite a bit bigger than a grill. Although they do vary in size, the smallest one is still a pretty decent size. This is because of how the food is cooked in this apparatus. It relies on indirect heat to cook meats so it needs quite a bit of space inside. When in use, the entire cavity is filled with a combination of heat and smoke which slowly cooks the food. Keep reading for an overview of these bad boys. There are different types discussed as well as some fun resources towards the bottom of the page... Enjoy!

Different Types Of Barbeque Smokers

Now much like grills, there are a few key types of smokers. Basically, all smokers fall into one of three categories based on the type of energy need to run them. The three types are Charcoal, Electric and Gas(either propane of natural).  All these smokers BBQ's come in a variety of different sizes and range from super cheap to super expensive...  As with a lot of things these days, your best bets are often found online.  Drop me a line if you need any help!

Electric grills are pretty and common these days and believe it or not, electric smokers are actually pretty popular items as well. It's understandable really... You get most of the benefits of a charcoal unit without all the hassles of having to dirty your hands with charcoal. Electric smokers have other benefits as well. It's very easy to control the temperature with these bad boys because all you have to is turn a knob down. For the "smoky" flavour, you simply add the wood chips of your choice to the bottom of the unit! If you're new to BBQ smokers, definitely consider going with of these products. They're super low maintenance and will give you valuable BBQ experience before you make the jump to a traditional charcoal beauty. One very popular unit is the Brinkmann Smoke N' Grill seen in the photo above.

Another type of smoker that's getting more and more popular in these modern times is one that runs on gas.  The type of fuel is usually propane but we're starting to see natural gas smoker available as well.  Gas smokers possess many of the same benefits as their electric counter parts.  Namely, the fact that it's easy to control the temperature and you don't need any messy charcoal.  You can run into problems if you're cooking a massive piece of meat though.  Some larger cuts can take up to nine or ten hours to cook thoroughly.  If you're planning on tackling a hunk of meat this big with a propane grill, chances are you'll need multiple tanks.  This is a bit of an inconvenience as you have to essentially keep an eye on your BBQ all day.  Propane can also get pretty expensive if you're constantly having to fill up the tanks. 

Now we've definitely saved the best type of smoker for last.  Electric and propane type smokers are great for beginners but it's more or less understood that charcoal is where it's really at when it comes to these bad boys.  They are quite a tougher to use than the beginner type BBQ's discussed above.  Temperature control is the biggest problem what amateurs face when using charcoal for the first time.  Practice makes perfect though!  Stick with it and it won't be too long before your an expert.  There are a ton of choices on the market if you want to go with a charcoal unit.  Check out this site for info about barbecuing. 

In my humble opinion, wood chips are the best part of barbecuing.  This is where the "smoke" factor really comes into play.  Regardless of what type of BBQ you have, wood chips are an absolute necessity if you want that authentic "Barbecue" flavour.  When choosing wood chips, you're best off using a product that's meant for barbecuing.  This means you should just cut up an old bookshelf or something.  Luckily you can order proper chips online...  Once you get the chips, it's time to soak 'em.  Get creative here folks!  Don't just soak them in water.  Try fruit juices, wines or beers for a variety of different tasty textures.