Cooking With Offset Smokers Basic Tips for the Beginner
Cooking with offset smokers, also called barrel smokers, can be a fun and rewarding experience. Offset smokers have a separate firebox attached to the cooking chamber which allows for direct grilling in the firebox, and direct or indirect cooking in the smoking chamber. When mastered, the indirect cooking method turns out fantastic barbecue, smoked meats, poultry, and fish. The secret of the indirect cooking method lies in the ability to maintain an even cooking temperature over a long period of time. For the novice, this can be a difficult and frustrating skill to learn. This article offers some basic tips that will help you become master of your offset smoker.
When buying an offset smoker, one of your main considerations should be the thickness of the steel. Thin gauge steel does not retain heat very well. This makes it more difficult to maintain a consistent cooking temperature. Also, the temperature near the firebox can be hotter than at the other end of the cooking chamber. The thinner the steel, the more pronounced this heat difference will be, and you may have to rotate your meat fairly often. You can still cook exceptional barbecue and smoked meats with a thin gauge steel smoker, it just takes a bit more work. My choice is the Bayou Classic offset smokers. They are built to last with heavy 10-gauge steel and 1200 degree heat resistant paint.
No matter which offset smoker you choose, the key to low and slow cooking is to maintain a consistent cooking temperature. To do that, you need to get a feel for how your particular smoker cooks. It takes practice, a little experimentation, and a lot of patience. Here are a few simple tips to help you get started.