How to Convert a Charcoal Smoker to Electric
Transforming vertical charcoal, or bullet-style, smokers to electric provides a more even, consistent heating source, requiring less care and cleanup than charcoal smoking. Both charcoal and electric smokers rely on the same principles of slow cooking over low heat with the infusion of hardwood smoke for flavor. Converting charcoal smokers to electric is as simple as obtaining the conversion kit from the smoker manufacturer or placing an electric heating element or hot plate in the lowest area of the smoker with an opening in the bottom through which power cords can pass. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Vertical bullet-style charcoal smoker
- Manufacturer's electric heating element conversion kit
- OR
- Hot plate and small cast iron skillet
Instructions
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1
Remove the smoker lid and set it aside.
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2
Remove all cooking grates, water and charcoal pans from the smoking chamber, setting them aside.
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3
Use a stiff wire grill brush to scrub away remaining food debris, char and excess grease from the cooking grate leftover from charcoal smoking. This makes the grates ready for electric smoking following the conversion.
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4
Place the manufacturer-designed electric heating kit into the smoker with the heating element facing up and the power cord passing through the opening in the bottom of the smoker. If conversion kits aren't available, use a metal-grade saw or drill to create a hole in the bottom of the charcoal pan large enough to allow a heat plate cord to pass through but small enough to support the heat plate without it falling through.
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5
Place all grates and water pans back into the smoker. If using a manufacturer's heat element conversion kit, store the charcoal pan elsewhere as it will not be needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Ensure all parts of the power cord for either heat element conversion kits or heat plates sit outside of the smoking chamber to avoid cords melting during the cooking process.
Use provided wood chip pans for the conversion kit method or small iron skillets for the heat plate method to hold smoking hardwood chips. The pans or skillets should rest directly atop the heat source during smoking.
Soak wood chips for at least an hour prior to smoking as wet wood creates more smoke, imparting better smokey flavor in food.
Always wear heat-resistant mitts or gloves when handling hot smoker lids, cooking grates or heating elements to avoid burns.
