What Is a BBQ Smoker?

BBQ smokers have changed the way we do barbecue, and in recent years, they’ve become hugely popular with grilling enthusiasts. But what exactly are they, and how do they work?

What Is a BBQ Smoker?

A BBQ smoker is designed to slow-cook food at low temperatures with smoke in a sealed cooking chamber. This allows the smoke to infuse the food and flavours to meld and intensify fully. In turn, it gives you tender, melt-in-your-mouth dishes. BBQ smokers are indeed the epitome of slow cooking!

How Do BBQ Smokers Work?

Smokers use indirect heat cooking, with the heat source positioned off to the side. Inside the chamber, hot air and smoke slow-cook the meat, resulting in a fork-tender dish that’s hard to achieve with standard grills.

Some charcoal grills have a built-in smoker on the side, allowing for direct or indirect smoking. Take this BillyOh Full Drum Smoker Charcoal BBQ with Offset Smoker, for instance. It has an offset barrel shape with two doors—one for direct or indirect cooking and the other for grilling.

Here’s a quick overview of how a BBQ smoker works its magic and how you can make it happen:

Fire and fuel

Choose your fuel source to light up your smoker. This can be charcoal, pellets, wood chunks, or logs, depending on the BBQ type. Maple, mesquite, hickory, cherry, and cedar are other options.

But here are our recommendations: for the best results, try using oak for your brisket. For pork, go with a mix of oak and fruit or nut woods; our top picks are peach, apple, cherry, and pecan, in that order. When it comes to chicken, stick with fruit or nut woods, again favouring peach, apple, cherry, or pecan.

Enjoy experimenting with those flavours! Once it’s lit, it will begin to smoke.

Note: In some smokers, like drum BBQ or Kamado grills, the fuel burns in a firebox or charcoal chamber. In others, like vertical water smokers, it goes right in the cooking chamber.

Smoke circulation and flavour infusion

The smoke from the burning fuel flows into the cooking chamber. It then wraps around the food and infuses it with a rich, smoky flavour. This can take several hours, depending on the food type and how smoky you want it. Smoking chicken usually takes 3 to 4 hours, pork ribs take 4 to 5 hours, and brisket can take longer, up to 10 to 14 hours.

Using a BBQ smoker requires patience!

Slow cooking and tenderising

This slow cooking breaks down collagen in the meat, making it tender and juicy. The long exposure to heat helps the flavours develop, resulting in tasty dishes.

Smoke exhaust

Excess smoke and heat must be vented during cooking. Most smokers have a chimney or exhaust vent in the cooking chamber for this purpose. You can adjust these vents to control the airflow, which helps amp up the smoke and improve how your food cooks.

Round-up

BBQ smokers are all about patience and flavour, but every step adds to the cooking experience. Whether you’re smoking brisket for hours or adding fruity notes to your chicken, you’re in for tasty results. So, don’t hesitate to experiment with different flavours and enjoy the process of smoking your favourite dishes.

While you’re here, check out our range of BBQ smokers, including this BBQ pizza oven that doubles as a smoker and a grill!

Up next on your reading list: How to Use a BBQ Smoker