Electric smokers are popular each day because they are easy to use and hands-free.
Regardless of the type of smoker you have, there are certain things you need to keep in mind when smoking your favorite meats to make them tasty. These tips will also help you to avoid overcooking and ruining an expensive cut of meat.
Here are some our best electric smoker tips and tricks every BBQ enthusiast should know:
Electric Smoker Tips & Tricks
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1. Use the right wood with your smoker
Don not use scrap or treated woods in your smokers. When these woods burn, they produce a toxic gas.
Instead of scrap or treated woods, use hardwoods such as mesquite and hickory. You can purchase bagged smoker hardwoods like Kona Wood Smoker on Amazon.
You will need to soak the hardwoods in water before use to prevent them from flaming up and raising the temperature in your smoker. Wet wood produces more smoke and lasts longer.
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2. Soak meats in a brine solution
Use a brine solution to soak meats, such as turkey and chicken. This will add tons of flavor to your poultry.
Take some of your favorite seasonings, mix them with salt and add water. Soak your poultry in the solution overnight. Make sure that the brine is enough to fully cover the poultry.
Put the soaked poultry in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking it in a smoker. The brine solution will help to tenderize the turkey or chicken while adding lots of flavor to it.
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3. Keep the meat marinated longer
Keep the meat marinated for hours and then seal it with aluminum foils. Doing this will keep the flavors intact.
The meat is cooked slow, which ensures that the juices soak in all the ingredients to get that lip-smacking taste. Slow cooking makes the meat incredibly juicier and tender.
You may need a few practice sessions to master the skill of adding that extra dimensional flavor.
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4. Make sure there is enough space around the smoker
Most people place their food on the smoker and go about their business. But before you do this, make sure that the smoker is set in an area with enough space.
There should be plenty of room between the unit and the walls and other objects. You do not want the electric smoker to heat up and possibly cause a fires to the walls or surrounding objects. The smoker should be in a place where the smoke can escape and not fill up your porch or patio.
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5. Monitor the temperature
Ensure that the internal grill temperature is between 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. This make the meat you are smoking cook evenly. If the unit reaches a higher temperature, the outside of your meat will be cooked before the inside is. This will lead to severe overcooking and drying of your meat.
Also, keep an eye on the water pan to ensure it does not run out of water. The water will help to keep the unit’s temperature down.
Use a cooking thermometer constantly to check your meat to ensure it does not overcook. Refer to the cooking chart that comes with the thermometer to know the temperature that your meat needs to cook properly.
As you continue using your smoker, you will develop you own recipes and techniques. However, the above electric smoker tips are a good start for your smoking experience.
Automate the process with quality electric smoker
Of course, you want the smoking session to be smooth; using traditional charcoal smoker will only increase the hassles. Well, electric smoker tips #2: get a fine electric smoker to do the best automatic smoking without you even require checking the meat and seeing whether it’s getting cooked from time to time. An electric smoker is a great way to go and get the amazing grilling done on the slow cook-top with precision. These are available in both varieties of the indoor and outdoor smokers that help prepare barbecue dishes with ease. The kids will really love to help you in the process and get the cooking done while daddy’s out, or even surprise mum with the tasty grilled turkey steaks and hot, charred vegetables.
Watch the video below for some more tips for smoking meat.
