The Materials You Need for a BBQ Smoker
A barbecue smoker uses flavored wood chips to add different flavors to foods. Smokers are found in charcoal, electric, gas and wood varieties and some are integrated within a barbecue unit. When smoking meats, practice food handling safety and follow smoker recipes and instructions precisely to prevent food-borne illnesses. Never allow a smoker to sit at temperatures below 225 degrees Fahrenheit for red meats and poultry. Does this Spark an idea?
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Wood Chips
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Wood chips are some of the most important materials required for a smoker as they determine the flavor of the foods. You can buy the several different types at grocery and home-improvement stores. For poultry, use applewood, cherry, hickory, mesquite, maple or pecan. For pork and whole hams, use maple, hickory, cherry or applewood. For seafood, use pecan, cherry or alder. Beef works well with any type of wood chip, but takes its best flavor from hickory or mesquite chips. Wood chips come in chunks, chips and flakes. Follow your smoker's instruction manual for the appropriate type of wood chips to purchase.
Thermometer
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Some electric and gas smokers come equipped with a thermometer and temperature control, but homemade or charcoal smokers do not. Purchase a thermometer from a restaurant supply store and drill a small hole in the top or side of your smoker to insert it. You can also test the internal temperature of foods by using a meat thermometer that has a wired probe. Insert the probe into the meat and leave it there while the food cooks. A digital readout attached to a wire sits on the outside of the smoker and monitors the temperature.
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Accessories
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Accessories for a barbecue smoker include a container to hold the wood chips, especially if the smoker does not come equipped with one. A small, metal container works for this purpose. You also need tongs to remove the meat and brushes to baste it.
Brines
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Fish, poultry and some beef cuts benefit from a soak in brine before smoking. This helps moisture stay inside the meat fibers and thus keeps the meat moist during the long cooking times required for a smoker. A basic brine starts with a ratio of 1 cup kosher salt to 1 gallon of water. Double or triple this ratio to make enough brine to cover the meat completely. You can add additional seasonings such as sugar, thyme, pepper and rosemary depending on the flavor desired. Foods that soak in a brine overnight in the refrigerator stay moister than those that only soak for a few hours. Large poultry items, such as turkeys or whole chickens, should soak in a brine overnight for the best results.
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