Essential Meat Smoking Tips for Beginners

With summer fast approaching, more and more people are uncovering their smokers or buying them for the first time. The world of meat smoking can be a bit intimidating from the outside looking in, so we’ve prepared a guide to explain the basics of smoking meat and how to get the most from your new appliance. If you’re brand-new to smoking—or even if you just need a refresher—read on for our essential meat smoking tips for beginners.

Preparing Your Smoker

There are several types of smokers to choose from. Wood and charcoal smokers are best for focusing on flavorful infusions in meat and other foods. On the other hand, electric and gas smokers are very efficient and convenient, making them popular choices as well. Here is how each type of smoker breaks down so that you can choose the right one for you:

• Wood smoker: This type of smoker burns wood chips to infuse your foods with the resulting smoke and flavor. It delivers the best flavor and that smokey taste lots of cooks are going for. Unfortunately, this version is not as beginner-friendly as others and requires a lot of supervision to keep it stocked with wood.
• Charcoal smoker: These smokers use a combination of charcoal and wood chips to smoke your food. Charcoal smokers are the runners-up in terms of smokey flavor. This smoker is a great choice for both beginners and experts alike because of how accessible they are. You can even turn your backyard grill into a smoker! However, this technique still requires a lot of supervision compared to gas or electric options.
• Gas smoker: This variety is one of the easiest to use. Besides making sure that you hook up enough propane to it, this model does not require nearly as much supervision as the types above. Gas smokers sacrifice some flavor for their convenience but are a great choice for beginners.
• Electric smoker: These are the most beginner-friendly of the various types of smokers. You could almost plug this smoker in and walk away until your meat is fully cooked. Like the gas smoker, it sacrifices flavor for convenience, but the convenience can outweigh this drawback.

Types of Wood

Not only are there different types of smokers, but there are also many different types of wood chips for smoking. Some of the most popular varieties include oak, hickory, applewood, mesquite, cherrywood, alderwood, and more. You’ll want to avoid using wood chip varieties with high concentrations of sap, such as pine, spruce, cedar, or cypress, which could affect the meat’s taste or even make you sick.

Choosing Which Meat to Smoke

You can smoke a wide variety of meats to discover new flavors and textures, but don’t be overwhelmed by your choices at first. We’ll start by going over which cuts of meat make for great beginner smoking projects:

• Pork butt (or pulled pork): This cut actually comes from the upper shoulder of the pig. You might assume this area may is tense and tough, but the smoking process helps loosen the meat until it practically falls off the bone. You’ll want to smoke this meat for 1–2 hours per pound, so plan ahead for this meal. If you’re looking for pork meat for sale, check out Vincent’s Meat Market for the best in online and local meat selection.
• Chicken: You can smoke all your favorite cuts of chicken, but we would recommend going with the whole bird to start. It’s a great beginner’s recipe for its affordability and ease. Smoke this poultry for about 2–3 hours, and make sure to get a meat thermometer for an internal temperature reading of at least 165 °F.
• Sausage: Did you think sausage was a grill-only option? Sausage and brats are one of the easiest meals to prepare in your smoker, and smoking these is a great way to hone your skills.

Once you’ve had some practice with these no-hassle recipes, give some ribs and brisket recipes a try. After all, they’re a staple of meat smoking!

Preparation and Smoking Process

Depending on the meat you’ve chosen, you can prepare it for smoking in different ways. Chicken and other types of poultry are best when you marinate or brine them before smoking. This process helps the meat stay juicy and flavorful instead of drying out in the smoker. On the other hand, meats like beef and pork will suffice with just a dry rub before going into the smoker. The seasoning process depends on what flavors you are going for and what recipe you are using.

Finally, all that’s left is to smoke the meat you’ve prepared. This process will also vary, depending on the cut of meat, type of smoker, and recipe. Just make sure to check on your smoker throughout, especially if you have the wood and charcoal varieties. Otherwise, you can sit back, relax, and let the smoker do the rest of the work until your food is ready.

How To Know When the Meat Is Done

The processes of smoking and grilling meat are very similar with regards to how you know when the meat is finished cooking. The best way to tell when meat is done on a smoker is by temperature. Use a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature, and compare it with your recipe or cookbook for exact temperature windows. A baseline internal temperature guide dictates at least 165 °F for poultry, 160 °F for pork and ground meats, and 145 °F for steaks and roasts. When you cut into the meat, you may notice a pink ring around the outside of the cut, just underneath the crust layer. This is a smoke ring that results from just the right smoking conditions.

Now you have everything you need to get you started with smoking meat. If you’re new to the process, we hope this list of essential meat smoking tips for beginners has helped inspire you for your first meat smoking session. Enjoy some of the best summer flavors with your new smoker and a few new recipes to go with it!