How to Build an Electric Clay Smoker

For barbecue fans, a smoker is essential. Smokers are expensive and can be temperamental in the winter months. There is an alternative to store-bought smokers-terracotta smokers.Clay is an ancient gastronomic tool that has fallen into disuse as the modern culinary-inclined migrate to stainless steel and non-stick cooking accoutrement. But the benefits of cooking with clay remain. Clay, more commonly found in stores as terracotta pots, offers better insulation to maintain a steady temperature necessary for the low and slow barbecue approach.Below are steps from Alton Brown's "Good Eats" television show on the Food Network on how to build a clay smoker out of terracotta flower pots.The best thing about this smoker is that you can buy all the elements for significantly less than a store-bought smoker. You will receive better productivity from the clay.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Electric hot plate or controllable heating element
• Unglazed terracotta pot, about 17-inches in diameter at top
• Circular unglazed terracotta pot or bowl that fits over the larger pot
• 14-inch replacement grill grate
• Meat thermometer or replacement grill thermometer
• Heavy duty pie pan
• Wood chunks or chips
• 3 bricks or terracotta feet

Building a clay smoker

1. Stand the large terracotta pot on bricks or feet to allow air circulation. Set the hot plate inside the pot, running the power cord through the hole of the pot. The hot plate is an essential element to the smoker. While some hot plates require tweaking to maintain temperature for several hours, any hot plate should do the job.

2. Place a heavy duty pie pan on the hot plate and add wood chunks or chips. Chips tend to catch fire, so opt for chunks, especially if you are cooking for several hours. Some pie pans, especially shiny aluminum pans may reflect heat back down to the heating element. Some elements are equipped with sensors to dial down the heat if it rises too high. This may affect the temperature of the smoker. Try a dark pie pan.

3. Lay a greased grill grate in the pot. The grate should catch smoothly on the sides of the pot as the diameter diminishes. Look for a grate with handles or use strong tongs to remove the grate during the cooking process. It may be a good idea to remove the food item before pulling out the grate.

4. Turn a terracotta pot or bowl upside down over the base of the smoker. The pots don't have to line up perfectly, just as long as the smoke doesn't pour freely out of the top.

5. Set a meat thermometer or replacement grill thermometer in the hole of the top pot.

6. Insert food and use your new clay smoker just like any other smoker.

Tips & Warnings

• Since clay pots, heating elements, and pie pans will vary for each person, you will have to experiment with the clay smoker. As long as the base structure is correct, the only issues to monitor are the heating element and pie pan. Adjust accordingly for wonderfully smoky barbecue.
• Flower pots are not made to be cooked with, so make sure you buy 100% unglazed terracotta.
• The clay smoker lid will be hot. Use oven mitts when handling the smoker.
• Do not use non-stick pie plans in the smoker. The heat is higher than the flash-point of the non-stick coating, and will cause a chemical reaction that will make you sick.

Resources

• Check out the recipe that accompanied Alton Brown's Clay Smoker Episode.

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