How to Use Smokers

Using a smoker is the best way to add flavor to your food. You can control the food's flavor by carefully choosing the type of wood chips that you use in your smoker. You can have apple wood flavored meats or mesquite flavored meats. Smokers are relatively easy to use and are a popular way to add flavor to a meal cooked outdoors.

Things You'll Need

• Wood chips
• Meat
• Ignitor
• Matches

Instructions

1. Choose your favorite type of wood chips. There are a variety of to choose from and each type will give the meat you are smoking a different taste. Mesquite, cherry, oak, apple wood and pine are just a few of the many choices available.

2. Place the wood chips into the firebox of the smoker. Pour some igniter (such as charcoal lighter) onto the wood chips and use a match to light the fire. Make sure that you start out moderately when you use igniter. If you use too much of it, it can saturate the wood chips and give your food a charcoal lighter taste instead of the smoked taste that it should have.

3. Get the fire going. You will want to make sure that fire that is initially started is a fairly large one so that the wood burns nice and hot. Eventually, you will want the wood to burn down and turn to coal so that you can begin the smoking process.

4. Make sure that all the air vents are wide open so that enough air can get in and stoke the fire. The process for turning chips into coals takes about half an hour and maybe less, depending on the type of wood that you are using. You will want the area in which you intend to cook to reach about 400 degrees.

5. Put your meat in the cooking area and let it smoke once the desired temperature has been reached. You will also want to close the vents almost all the way so that the meat gets smoked properly and the smoke does not escape. Do not completely close the vents, as this will most likely result in the fire being extinguished. Leave your meat in the smoker for about 45 minutes to an hour and let it smoke. You can grill it afterward.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with different types of wood until you find one that you really like. Do not use the smoker in inclement weather, as rain can get into the smoker and extinguish the fire.

• If you are sensitive to smoke, do not use a smoker. Exercise caution when using an igniter to help light the wood chips.