| Deciding on what type of smoker you purchase | | | | smoking process. Your smoking wood needs to be |
| depends on a few factors - | | | | soaked so that it produces smoke and does not |
| 1. Where do you intend to smoke, indoors or | | | | flame up. This wood is typically in chip form. You will |
| outdoors? | | | | then need to start the fire and when the burning |
| 2. Does the smoker need to be portable due to | | | | wood turns to coals, you can add the wood chips |
| space constraints? | | | | and start smoking. Again paying very watchful |
| 3. How much time do you plan to spend throughout | | | | attention to sustain the correct heat. Around 150 - |
| the smoking process? | | | | 200 degrees. |
| 4. What is your budget? | | | | Gas smokers come in two makes, propane or natural. |
| Lets firstly review the numerous types of smokers | | | | Propane smokers are portable, easy and convenient. |
| Charcoal - Vertical Water Smoker. A lot of folks say | | | | All you need is a propane tank and you are prepared |
| that the charcoal smoker adds to the flavor of the | | | | to go. With natural gas smokers, they are clearly less |
| meat you are cooking. The jury is still out on that | | | | portable as they hook up to your household gas line. |
| one but I believe that it does. After you get the | | | | The biggest advantages with gas smokers is that |
| coals going, around 20 - 30 minutes, you can start | | | | you can control the temperature very simply as they |
| cooking. Within 3 hours the coals will have a thick | | | | come with a dial to turn up or down the heat. They |
| gray ash over them. You need to remove this ash | | | | are also a lot easier to keep up and clean. The |
| and add new, already burning, coals. It is best to | | | | process is comparable with the wood chips. Soak |
| have a charcoal chimney handy so that you can start | | | | them in water, or a liquid of your choice (not alcohol) |
| some fresh coals before you need to add more to | | | | and then add them to the chip pan in the smoker. |
| the smoker. | | | | Electric Electric smokers are comparable to gas in |
| So as you can see, there is a lot more effort on a | | | | that you merely plug it up and hit the switch. Once |
| charcoal smoker but I believe that the results are | | | | it's reached the desired temperature, add the wood |
| worth this effort. | | | | chips or chunks to the element and induce smoking. |
| Wood Just as with the charcoal smoker, wood | | | | Good luck with your selection of smoker and enjoy. |
| smokers require ongoing attention throughout the | | | | |