Choosing the Right Smoker
The first step to becoming a smoking maestro is selecting the right smoker. Each type offers unique advantages and considerations:
- Offset Smokers: Renowned for their traditional charcoal smell and flavour in low-and-slow cooking, offset smokers use wood or charcoal as fuel. They provide excellent flavour but require more attention and experience to maintain temperature control. If you love to get hands on and you're happy to hang around the Smoker while having a few beers with mates, then the Offset Smoker is for you.
- Gas Smokers: A convenient and reliable option, gas smokers offer precise temperature control and easy operation. They're ideal for beginners and those who want to minimize the fuss. You can achieve the smokey flavour buy using woodchips in them, but they can also be used as an outdoor oven for pizzas and roasts without any smoke. This makes them more versatile than other food smokers
- Pellet Smokers: A modern marvel, pellet smokers use compressed wood pellets as fuel, delivering consistent heat and smoke. They're user-friendly and perfect for those who want hands-off cooking. They are pretty much set and forget and some of them use an app to control temperature and cook time. If you can't give a fire the attention it needs then consider going down the pellet route. There are many to choose from.
Top Smoker Brands
When it comes to quality and performance, consider these top brands:
- Hark BBQ: An Australian owned company, known for their durable construction and innovative features, Hark BBQ smokers offer exceptional value and versatility. Hark makes both Offset and Gas Smokers in various size options.
- Green Mountain Grills: These American pellet smokers are renowned for their advanced technology and precise temperature control, making them a favourite among serious smokers. Many professional Pittmasters use the GMG's. An app is used to control cook time and temperature and you cannot stuff it up. They also create a real juiciness to the meat even for normally dry cuts such as chicken breast
- Bradley Smokers: These electric smokers are perfect for beginners, offering easy operation and consistent results. They use a wood pellet that is made into a puc. The smoker feeds the puc into the unit when required. The Bradley Smokers can also double up as a food dehydrator and have a cold smoke attachment as an add on. The best smoker for making jerky in our opinion.
Fueling Your Low And Slow BBQ Smoker
The type of smoker fuel you choose significantly impacts the flavour profile of your smoked meat. Here are the most common options:
- Wood Chips and Chunks: These natural wood products add smokey flavour and aroma to your meat. Different woods impart unique flavours, such as hickory for a bold, smoky taste or apple for a milder, fruity note. Wood Chunks are much better for an offset Smoker as the fire is larger and hotter than with a gas smoker. Wood Chips burn and smoulder easily in a gas smoker so are a better option for them. The wood varieties used for meat smoking are vast and each imparts it's own uniqueness to your meal. We even have Jack Daniel's barrels which have been cut up for use as Low and slow BBQ fuel
- Wood Pulp Pellets: Compressed wood pellets provide consistent heat and smoke, making them ideal for pellet smokers. They come in various varieties of wood allowing you to experiment with different taste profiles. They are economical to use and are popular Green Mountain Grill users. The Bradley wood Bisquettes come in a huge range of flavours and once again are quite economical to burn.
- Check out the range HERE
Even if your new smoker has a probe thermometer built in (GMG) or a thermometer mounted on the door (Hark, Bradley), it can be useful to have an extra meat or oven thermometer handy.
Here's a breakdown of different BBQ thermometers and their benefits:
Instant-Read Thermometers
- Benefit: Quick and easy temperature checks.
- Best for: Checking the internal temperature of meat during cooking.
- How it works: Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, wait a few seconds, and read the temperature on the digital display.
- Downside: you have to open the Smoker to check the temp therefore letting out heat. These are best for an open BBQ or a rotisserie
Remote Probe Thermometers
- Benefit: Monitor meat temperature from a distance, without having to open the smoker
- Best for: Low-and-slow smoking methods
- How it works: Insert the probe into the meat and close the smoker. The wireless receiver displays the temperature. Some models even have alarms to alert you when the desired temperature is reached.
Grill Thermometers
- Benefit: Measure the internal ambient temperature of your smoker.
- Best for: Achieving consistent cooking temperatures.
- How it works: Place the thermometer in the smoker away from the food but in a place that will give an accurate reading and monitor the temperature. This helps you adjust the heat as needed.
- Downside: You have to open the smoker to check it but it works well as a backup to your smokers own thermometer
Infrared Thermometers (Temperature Guns)
- Benefit: Non-contact temperature measurement.
- Best for: Checking the temperature of hot surfaces like grill grates or smoker boxes.
- How it works: Point the laser at the surface you want to measure and read the temperature on the display.
- Downsides: Won’t give an internal temperature of your meat.
Additional Tips:.
- Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone or fat.
- For large cuts of meat, take multiple temperature readings in different areas.
By using the right thermometer, you can ensure that your BBQ creations are cooked to perfection, every time!
Rub Your Meat!
Now for the good stuff! We've got some resources to inspire your next BBQ feast. The "Ribs and Sides" and "BBQ Like a Boss" books by Australian Pittmaster Adam Roberts are packed with delicious recipes and expert tips.
Otherwise you can go it alone and create your own receipes using our huge variety Championship BBQ Rubs and Sauces.
Here's some tips
- Ribs: Try a dry rub and slow-smoking technique with a final splashing or juicy sauce near the end for fall-off-the-bone ribs.
- Brisket: Master the art of low and slow cooking with a combination of rubs and some peach paper. One BBQ rub is never enough!
- Chicken: Infuse your chicken with flavour using marinades or Brines and a blend of BBQ spices. This ensures that your chicken doesn't dry out and stays juicy. Nobody likes a dry chook.
- Vegetables: Don't forget the veggies! Grilled seasoned vegetables add a burst of freshness and colour to your BBQ spread.
Check out our range of Rubs And Sauces HERE
Maintaining your BBQ equipment: tips for longevity
A well-maintained BBQ will last for years to come. Follow these tips to keep yours in top condition:
- Make sure you season your smoker or BBQ prior to use. They will always have instructions on how to do this best
- Regular cleaning: Remove grease and food debris after each use.
- Cover it up: Protect your BBQ from the elements with a cover. We stock covers for Hark and GMG smokers.
Bring the Atmosphere
Lighting is key for those long summer evenings. String up some fairy lights for a magical ambience, or grab a portable camping lantern for a practical touch. And remember the tunes! (we highly reccomend the Yacht Rock playlist on Spotify). A portable Bluetooth speaker will provide the perfect soundtrack to your BBQ bash.
Most important of all, surround yourself with good company. Invite your mates, fire up the barbie, and enjoy the simple pleasures of a classic Aussie BBQ or full day of smoking. It doesn't have to be fancy to be fantastic, it's all about who's enjoying it with you.
Want to boast about your BBQ BOss achievements? Join our Facebook group and show us your skills, it's not just for brewers.