Propane Smokers Buyer’s Guide
Smoked meats and veggies always taste better. The flavors you can achieve are truly unbeatable. A propane smoker allows you to smoke meats and veggies to your heart’s content but without the hassle of a charcoal smoker.
Gone are the days of trying to regulate the temperature yourself. A propane smoker operates with gas so you can set the temperature and it will stay around the same heat throughout the whole smoking process.
No need to add more charcoal or fuel. Just set the temperature, add your wood chips, add your meat of choice and you’re pretty much good to go.
There are four elements to any propane smoker which you will need to become acquainted with if you’re thinking this could be the product for you. We’ve outlined each of these below to help make things a little clearer.
Burner
This is the most important part as it is where your heat source comes from. The bottom part of the smoker is connected to the gas supply in order to heat the tank and cook your food thoroughly.
Wood Pan
This is also an extremely important part of your smoker and the wood pan is where you will add your woodchips and get those delicious, smoky flavors. Go wild, mix, and match, the possibilities are truly endless here!
One tasty recipe we’d recommend is hickory wood chips on a beef brisket. Is your mouth watering already thinking of that? We thought so!
Starting out can sometimes be overwhelming though, especially when experimenting with different flavors. So, to help you out, we’ve put together a guide of what we think are good combinations to start with.
|
Flavor Intensity |
Poultry |
Pork |
Beef |
Game |
Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mild |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Medium |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Strong |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
These are just suggestions and there are no real rules when it comes to flavors so don’t just stick to the above suggestions – even though they’re delicious! Try out some of your own flavor combinations and see what excites your taste buds. The world is your oyster!
Water Pan
You may be wondering what the use of this part of the smoker is. This pan is usually located in the center of the smoker and is not just there to regulate the heat. It is also placed there to absorb the heat and distribute it more evenly during the smoking process.
The added moisture to this process ensures that your smoked meat doesn’t end up dry and hard to chew. You will end up with tender and juicy meat which you will not believe you cooked yourself. Trust us!
Cooking Racks
The cooking racks included with a smoker can vary in size depending on which propane smoker you choose. A lot of models have hooks at the top of the smokers to hang your larger portions of meat once fully cooked.
Others may have smaller racks so depending on what you’re planning to smoke, always double-check what cooling space is available on the model and if the racks are removable.
Some models have removable racks which are ideal if you are cooking a variety of different things. For example, cooking a large portion of meat? You can remove those racks. What about a variety of meats and veggies? We recommend placing the meats closer to the burner, the bottom of the smoker, and the veggies at the top.
Take a look at how easy it will be to clean your smoker and the cooking racks as well. Smoking can be a messy business if you’re using marinades or rubs, so look for something with either chrome or porcelain-coated racks that can be simply wiped clean once you’ve finished cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you clean a propane smoker?
It is so important to keep your smoker clean. Clean racks mean that the food will not be compromised by greasy, off-flavors. Each time you go to use your smoker, lightly clean up your racks so that the food tastes just how you want it to.
If you use your smoker regularly, we recommend a thorough clean twice or three times a year. If you only use it now and then, a once a year, deep clean should be fine. Before you start scrubbing your smoker, make sure you disconnect the gas and cover/remove any electrical parts of the burner.
Your product manual will inform you on how to remove the parts if your model allows. We recommend gloves, steel wool, sponges and good old dish wash. Be careful when using any chemical cleaners as they could damage your smoker, we tend to avoid those. Plain and simple will do the job.
Will a propane smoker create a smoke ring?
As much as you may think it is not possible, think again, because it is. That famous smoke ring shows that you are a barbeque pro and it can definitely be achieved through a propane smoker.
Remember the water pan mentioned earlier, that will help the meat maintain some moisture which is important when looking to achieve a smoke ring. You can also regularly spritz your meat with water or apple juice to encourage that chemical reaction you dream of.
Another tip to achieve this would be to remove the fat from the meat. The chemicals can penetrate through fat however if not fast enough, the smoke ring will not be in sight. Trim the fat and cook at a low temperature for a longer period of time. You should have that smoke ring in the bag!