BBQ Smokers go back a long way.  A long time before we began preserving our food with chemicals and refrigeration, smoke was used to add life to food as it was stored – most often meat.  Today, barbecue smoking is less a necessity and more culinary art form.   If you’re really into barbecue cooked on a wood burning BBQ smoker, chances are you’re a fanatic about it – as well you should be!

Smoking your favorite cut of meat requires some type of container to hold in the smoke and of course, a source for the smoke.

Most of us think of a few basic types of barbecue smokers, but shows like Alton Brown’s Good Eats proves that a good BBQ smoker can really be anything from a hole in the ground to a $2000 smoker.

Normally, hardwoods like oak, hickory, and apple wood are used for smoking – as lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes are NEVER EVER used.

Smoking Meat with a Barbecue Smoker – The Basics

The basics of smoke are as follows. Though this isn’t an exhaustive list, it will get your going for now.

Temperature Control is Key

Temperature control while smoking meat is very important.  Be sure to maintain a heat range of between 200-220 degrees.  To make it safe for consumption, the meat you serve must have been heated to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

3" F&C BBQ Smoker Thermometer Adjustable

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Important: You’ll need two very accurate thermometers if you want to truly master barbecue smoking.

The first thermometer sits inside the smoker to help keep up its internal temperature and the second actually goes inside the meat to tell you the internal temperature of what you are smoking.  Digital probe thermometers work great as the “in the meat” type.

Low and slow. That’s the BBQ smoking mantra.

This is true for two reasons.  One, you want to allow the smoke enough time to penetrate the meat for flavor and two, the low and slow method naturally tenderizes the meat.  This is because the slow application of heat actually gives the meat fibers time to break down and become tender.

The Meat Goes In, Not On the Smoker

Smoking meat means putting the meat inside, not on top of the smoker.  This may sound obvious, but the basic concept here is to make sure that the meat is completely surrounded by smoke.

It’s important that a steady, thick level of smoke stays around the meat at all times so that you get that good and delicious smoked flavor you’re looking for.   It’s also important to keep the smoke moving around the meat at all times so that the meat doesn’t develop a bitter taste.

Finally, remember that there’s no one ultimate way to achieve smoked meat goodness.   With tons of different types of hard wood BBQ smokers and even more ways to use them, smoking meat is really less of a science than it is an art.

You may have to keep at it to perfect your BBQ smoker skills, but with time – you’ll be producing that good smoked brisket, pulled pork, and those barbecue ribs you love so much.