| If you have thought about crossing that line and | | | | the box, over and around the meat. The rising smoke |
| taking the next step to do some real barbecue | | | | is what gives the meat the delicious flavor of real |
| cooking, you have no doubt decided that you need a | | | | smoked barbecue |
| "real" barbecue smoker cooker so that you can put | | | | Kettle style: most backyard grill masters already have |
| out some quality barbecue product. | | | | one of these. In fact, most have two. This is the grill |
| There are basically 3 styles of barbecue smokers, 4 | | | | made famous by the Weber Company. It can be set |
| if you consider using a gas grill, but we'll stick with | | | | up for real barbecue smoking by using the indirect |
| three for this article for more traditional barbecue. | | | | cooking method and adding fuel that will make wood |
| These three different styles of barbecue smokers | | | | smoke. This is done by building the charcoal fire on |
| are categorized by their design. The different styles | | | | the sides of the kettle, in two separate piles on |
| are offset, vertical and kettle type. | | | | either side of the unit. The meat is then placed on |
| Offset style: this is what most people think off when | | | | the grill, between the two charcoal fires but not |
| they visualize a barbecue smoker. Basically, this design | | | | directly over them. Water soaked wood chips are |
| has two characteristics. A firebox off too one side | | | | added to the fires to create smoke. The unit is |
| for the wood fire, and a smoking (or cooking) | | | | covered with the lid, the top and bottom vents are |
| chamber where the meat is placed on racks and | | | | opened to create airflow, and the smoke and heat |
| cooked. Usually these cookers have a chimney on | | | | flows up and around the meat, giving it that excellent |
| one end, away from the firebox, and the some is | | | | smoked barbecue flavor. |
| drawn through the cooking chamber, over the meat | | | | Whichever style is chosen by the barbecue |
| and out the chimney. That's how the meat receives | | | | pit-master, the most important tip to remember |
| that great smoky flavor. | | | | when cooking real smoked barbecue is to cook "low |
| Vertical style: these are generally a rectangular box | | | | and slow". This means at low heat for a long period |
| type contraption with a door in the front. If you | | | | of time, the temperature of the cookers should be |
| visualize a smallish refrigerator shape, that's about the | | | | maintained at around 230 to 250 degrees F. |
| right dimensions. The fire is built in the bottom of the | | | | Entry-level real barbecue cookers can be purchased |
| box, there is usually a water pan directly over the | | | | at any of the big box home improvement stores, |
| fire to keep the meat moist, over the water pan are | | | | and can even be found at Wal-Mart. There is no |
| a couple of wire racks that sit horizontally in the | | | | need to spend thousands of dollars for a cooker, as |
| smoke chamber, and the meat sits on top of those | | | | great high quality barbecue can be pulled out of a |
| racks. The smoke and heat are drawn up through | | | | $150 cooker. |