How to Build a Fire in a Smoker

Taste the results of a properly built fire.

Meat cooked on a grill has a signature taste that just can't be matched by ovens or skillets. Smokers take outdoor grilling to the next level by marinating the meat in wood smoke of specific varieties. Smoking meat is more of an art than a science, and smoking competitions take place throughout the United States every year. One of the most important components of proper smoking is building the fire down below.

Things You'll Need

• Seasoned wood
• Ax or hatchet
• Tissue
• Matches
• Seasoned smoking logs

Instructions

1. Cook with dry, seasoned wood that is as old as possible. Stay away from coniferous wood such as pine and stick with fruit or nut trees.

2. Create several long slivers of wood the thickness of a pencil, using an ax or hatchet. Take your time and slowly peel away the slivers from a wedge of your seasoned wood.

3. Stack your slivers into a pyramid shape in the center of your smoker. Stuff some tissue in the center.

4. Light the tissue with a match. Blow gently into the center of the pyramid to make the wood slivers catch fire.

5. Add some larger pieces of wood to make a small, self-sufficient fire within the smoker. The fire should be slightly smaller than the typical campfire.

6. Add four seasoned smoking logs to the small fire. These four logs will create a bed of coals for smoking and should maintain a low temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Add another log each hour to maintain cooking temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not cook with seasoned wood that is more than 2 years old, as its aromatic qualities greatly diminish over time.

• Always exercise caution when using an ax. Wear safety glasses and always be aware of your surroundings.

• Abnormally large or small smokers require different amounts of wood to obtain the proper cooking temperature.

References

• Smoking Meat: How to Build a Fire in the Firebox

Resources

• Barbecue Smoker Recipes: Barbecue? Great Idea