How to Cook With an Electric Smoker

Purists and experts dismiss them. Novices think they're terrific. Love them or hate them, electric smokers are convenient and easier to use than traditional wood smokers, especially by folks who don't have a lot of experience smoking food.
Electric smokers are available in a wide range of prices, from a tabletop model by Rival that costs less than $60 to professional-grade smokers costing thousands of dollars.
Each smoker has different features and capacities. Before planning your first smoking project, consult the manual to find out how much food your smoker will hold, how much meat you should buy and if you'll need anything beyond the basic materials and utensils listed here.

Things You'll Need

• Wood chips
• Raw meat
• Rub
• Barbecue sauce
• Sauce brush
• Long-handled tongs
• Dual-probe thermometer or separate oven and meat thermometers
• Heavy duty pot holders, heat mitts or silicon mitts

Instructions

Preparation

1. Make the rub. Follow this basic recipe or use your favorite rub: 2 tbsp. kosher salt flakes; 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; 2 tsp. half-sharp (mildly hot) paprika; 1 tsp. cayenne pepper; 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves, finely crushed between your palms; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 1/2 tsp. ground cumin; ¼ tsp. ground turmeric; 1/8 tsp. ground ginger.
   Blend the salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, oregano, cumin, turmeric and ginger in a small bowl. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. Make the barbecue sauce. Follow this basic recipe or make a batch of your favorite sauce: ½ cup tomato ketchup; ½ cup light molasses; ½ cup apple juice; ½ cup red wine or cider vinegar; 2 tbsp. hot-sweet mustard; 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp. dried chili flakes or to taste; ½ tsp. kosher salt flakes or to taste; ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper; ½ tsp. granulated garlic.
   Blend all the ingredients in a bowl. Place in a covered container and refrigerate at least overnight or until ready to use.

3. Take the meat out of the refrigerator 12 hours before serving time. Rinse it and pat dry with paper towels.

4. Sprinkle the meat liberally with the rub. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for 6 hours to allow the rub to be absorbed by the meat.

5. While the meat is soaking up the rub, put the wood chips in a bucket of water and soak until you are ready to cook. Consult the smoker's manual to find out how much. A large smoker will require pounds of chips. A smaller model will take less.

Cooking

1. Take the seasoned meat out of the refrigerator about 5 hours before serving time to give it 15 to 30 minutes to come to room temperature.

2. Prepare the smoker according to the manufacturer's instructions while the meat is coming to room temperature. Depending on the model, this will consist of draining the water from the soaked chips and placing them in a basket near the smoker's heating unit. Your smoker might have a temperature control. If so, follow the manufacturer's instructions to decide what temperature to use.

3. Inset the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, well away from bones if possible. If you are using a dual-probe thermometer, place the meat probe and leave the oven probe free.

4. Load the meat carefully using the tongs after the smoker is hot and the chips are producing smoke. If you are using a separate oven thermometer, place it near the meat. If you are using a dual probe thermometer, arrange the second probe near the meat.

5. Consult the owner's manual to find out how long the meat should cook. Most meats should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Check the meat thermometer or the readout from the meat probe to make sure the meat is hot enough before removing it from the smoker. The smoker temperature should be between 200 and 300 degrees F.

6. Apply the barbecue sauce (if you are using it) during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

7. Remove the meat carefully from the smoker when the meat has reached 165 degrees F and has cooked long enough according to the manufacturer's instructions. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before carving and serving.

Tips & Warnings

• Use good quality cured wood for your smoker chips. Green wood will produce a bitter, acrid smoke that will give your food the same flavor. You can smoke almost anything including cheese, nuts and fish. Place your electric smoker near a grounded electrical outlet. You'll need power to operate it.

• Always use sound food-handling practices to avoid causing food-borne illness: keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Use appropriate safety gear around the hot smoker. Surfaces might get very hot, depending on the model. Read the manual and recipes that come with your smoker before using it. Your smoker might require cleaning and curing before using to take away any chemical residue left from the manufacturing process. Consult your owner's manual for details.

Resources

• Barbecue sauce recipes