Of all the hobbies people spend their time doing, few are as complex as cooking outdoors.
Grilling is the traditional way that many of us in Northeast Ohio learned growing up. I have memories of my grandfather standing around his trusty charcoal grill, carefully monitoring the assortment of succulent meats.
In my family, he started early to prepare the ribs for dinner. After the ribs came hot dogs and hamburgers to enjoy at lunch with beer, chips and the melodic tones of Earth, Wind & Fire, the Commodores and Isley Brothers through various line dances.
But all things evolve, and barbecuing in my family has been no different. I still use some of my grandfather’s old tricks when speed is a priority, but I’m mostly a low and slow guy now, which means I smoke.
There is nothing better than enjoying meat. But choosing the means of production is just as important as the process, and that, like many things in life, comes down to preferences.
Are you an easy-going Sunday morning person who doesn’t mind sitting down with a few libations of your choice and tends to keep the heat going, or are you more the set-it-and-forget-it type?
Personally, I’ve leaned on the former since I went the smoking route in 2014. Before that, it was the grill for me (personal record: grilling 15 racks of ribs for my oldest son’s high school graduation party in 2013).
The next year, much to my family’s delight, I was completely into smoking, starting with an inexpensive ($79) vertical smoker that I used to learn how to cook and experiment to find my style.
So, what is the best smoker to start with?
There are several main categories, each with a subset of styles determined by the quality of the smoker’s physique, including the materials used. Here are a few options.
Offset smoker
This smoker looks like it has two chambers for cooking – one large and one small – and can be used that way, but that smaller chamber is usually used as a firebox, a place to generate heat with charcoal or wood. (Offsets are sometimes called stick burners.) That energy is drawn into the larger room to heat it, and a chimney draws smoke into the room, creating the essence of the wood used for flavor.
Pros: Provides a reason to sit down, turn on some music, hang out and enjoy your favorite drink.
Cons: Constant monitoring of the temperature is essential. However, when you let the temps set up, this method usually produces the best food.
Pellet smoker/grill
You know those people who hung around Costco way back when they were trying to drum up interest in their grill/smoker? Chances are they were at Traeger, and they are one of the founders of pellet smoking and grilling, a device that can be an outdoor kitchen wonder that allows you to grill, smoke or bake. Hardwood pellets are used, which allows flavors to be infused.
Pros: It’s set it and forget it, with the temperature being easier to control.
Cons: It’s set and forgotten with a lot of nuances and more room for error.
Electric and gas smokers
This is exactly what they sound like: they are smokers who use electricity or gas to cook food low and slow. The electricity or gas (propane) is used to heat wood chips, creating a smoky environment in which the food can be cooked.
Pros: Another sets it and forgets it, a method that effectively controls the temperature.
Cons: There are parts that can actually wear out or go bad.
Choosing a smoker
There are a large number of styles within these categories. If you’re looking for a definitive method or smoker, I’d follow a simple mantra: “You too.”
Personally, I have several. For making briskets, poultry and the like, I have a Dyna Glo widebody vertical smoker. It might be my favorite of the three in my backyard.
I also own the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn offset which I use when I’m making more than five ribs at a time – yes, some of us weirdos cook that kind of volume.
Finally, my most recent purchase, the Oklahoma Joe Marshal doubles as a smoker and grill. Bought last year in the middle of summer, I still manage it. However, I did manage to whip up some wonderfully delicious smoked rib roasts at Christmas. It will become more of a workout as the summer cooking season gets underway.
This article originally appeared in Akron Beacon Journal: What are the best ways to smoke meat? Here’s what you need to know
