Nov
Using Your Charcoal Smoker for Meat and Fish
Charcoal smokers will give you a great range of tastes and they are a perfect change from your standard summertime charcoal or wood grilling. You can smoke nearly anything that can be grilled , and combining the many kinds of wood with various meat is an awesome challenge and makes for a compelling hobby.
Check it out: Ribs are one of the most popular kinds of meat to use in a charcoal smoker. You can’t beat a huge rack of ribs, smoked to perfection with a hickory or mesquite . Beef or pork it doesn’t matter, because either are great smoked. Water is very important , as well . Since smoking takes a long time – many hours in most cases – you need a water pan there to make sure the meat doesn’t dry out. You can have the amazing smoky taste , but it’ll all be ruined if the ribs or chops are tough and dry .
Pork chops are another popular smoking meat. One of my favorite recipes calls for smoking pork chops with maple wood, then creating a maple syrup glaze to coat the chops with during the last 30 minutes . The smoke gives them a maple taste , the water keeps it moist, and the glaze at the end seals in the juicy deliciousness. It has a sweet flavor that goes perfectly with roasted yams.
You want some lighter wood and heartier meat if you’re smoking fish. By “hardier” I mean that Haddock or any kind of light, white fish is difficult to smoke, but it can be done. So the best bet, especially if you’re just starting off, is to smoke tuna or salmon . It’s thicker, meatier, and will keep together through the smoking process.
Apple is a great lighter wood that works great with salmon, though you have to smoke much longer because the flavor is mellower. Be watchful ! You don’t want to overcook your salmon. If it’s flaky, it’s overcooked. Briny water is very important with salmon to prevent it from drying out, particularly if you need to smoke it longer. Use wet wood chips to make a more billowy smoke. If it turns out great, though, it’s worth the work. The salmon will go well with wild grain rice and Swiss chard.
Don’t be afraid to try different things with the water too. Besides just water, you can add juices or beer. For example, smoking deer in a light maple wood and a cherry-infused beer gives a great flavor! You can dress it with a cherry sauce or serve as is.
The biggest thing is to try different things . Smoking is an art, and as with any craft the skill is perfected through trial and error. Charcoal smokers come in many sizes and shapes, and have different features. Start simple – a standard vertical smoker should start you just fine – and go from there. Don’t go out and spend 100s of dollars on the huge smoker on your first time go. You won’t know how to use everything and could be overwhelmed. A cylinder, a water pan, two racks, and a thermometer is enough to get you going.
