Question: How do I choose a smoker for my grill?

What size of smoker do I need?

If you are only going to be smoking for the family on the weekend, then a small unit will be enough. If you want to be able to smoke for a large party, then you will need a lot more space. Most smokers will tell you exactly how much food you can prepare. Generally speaking, you need one pound of raw meat per person.

What smoker is best for me?

As a general rule of thumb, I recommend a charcoal smoker to anyone who wants to learn the art of barbecue, a pellet smoker to someone who just wants great food and can spend some money, and a propane smoker for someone who doesn’t have a lot to spend but wants the set and forget convenience of a pellet smoker.

Can any grill be a smoker?

Whether it’s your gas grill, pellet smoker, regular smoker, charcoal or grill, you can now cold smoke. As long as your grill has enough space and a lid to hold in the smoke, you can turn it into a cold smoker.

Is smoked meat bad for you?

Grilling meats is an American tradition, but it’s not the healthiest thing to do. A growing body of research suggests that cooking meats over a flame is linked to cancer. Combusting wood, gas, or charcoal emits chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

How much does a good smoker cost?

Price. Smokers can be had for as little as $50 and up to $10,000 or more. If you aren’t going to use it heavily, you may want to start with a small vertical water smoker. These are the least expensive smokers you can buy.

Is it worth it to buy a smoker?

If you only have a gas grill, then you definitely need a smoker. The mechanics of gas grills do not make for a good smoker. They are designed to pump heat through the chambers, reaching high temperatures; not what you want when smoking. In addition, the air flow rate is high which makes capturing the smoke difficult.

What size smoker do I need for brisket?

We all love a good brisket. What do you do when your brisket is too big for your electric smoker? My personal preference for size would be one that is between 12-15lb when packed or 6-9lb flat. If you find yourself looking to smoke a brisket that is too large for your smoker, there are several things that you can do.

Are vertical smokers better?

Pros of using a vertical smoker:



Most vertical smokers have a dual-door design, which makes it easy to add fuel while cooking. Vertical smokers use much less fuel than offset smokers. The meat cooks faster in vertical smokers than offset smokers. Portable design and easier to travel with than offset smokers.

What kind of smoker do professionals use?

Conclusion. You’ll find most pros using an offset smoker because of the size, but also other reasons. However, the listed types of smokers are familiar for most BBQ professionals. You can also delve deeper into the models that these line-ups offer or check out our best smokers under $1000.

What are the 4 types of smokers?

Fresh and Fit: Four types of smokers

• Social smokers. Social smokers are a small subset of people (up to about 30 percent) who only smoke in specific settings (parties, meetings, etc.), under specific circumstances and typically with other people. …
• Anxious smokers. …
• Skinny smokers. …
• Addicted smokers.

Can I use my Weber grill as a smoker?

Smoking on a charcoal grill is really easy to do, especially if you are already comfortable grilling with indirect heat. Begin by filling a chimney starter about one-third full with briquettes. … Then place your food on top of the cooking grate over the water pan and cover your grill.