How to Choose a Quality Barbecue Smoker
The question is asked often when deciding between all the different BBQ Smokers available, and the answer is often “It depends”. No one can agree on what is the best BBQ Smoker to buy. Some will say a digital smoker is best while others may cite the Charcoal Grill as their favorite. Others say Grills are better in certain seasons of the year and the BBQ Smoker is best when it comes to fall and winter time, yet there are those who love the big old coal grill. In fact I have never met anyone who said BBQ Smoker was not their favorite way of preparation of their favorite barbeque cut.
This leads one to an obvious conclusion, which is BBQ Smokers are a matter of opinion. This being the case, then it is important to know what you are looking for when shopping for the best bbq smoker to buy. There are many brands available in the market today ranging from simple charcoal wood fire smokers to more advanced electric, gas and hi-tech mechanical BBQ Smokers. And there are a number of different features available on the BBQ Smoker such as temperature control, fan, coals, condiment storage, mesh basket and more. This article attempts to compile some of the basic information that can help one make an informed decision when selecting the BBQ Smoker to suit their specific needs.
The first thing one has to determine is what the needs are. If someone is just planning on cooking small cuts of meat here and there then a simple wood fired one will be sufficient. However if there are people who plan on slow smoking their meat over a period of time, then it would be best to opt for a more advanced BBQ Smoker. Another factor that should be taken into consideration is the time frame. If one plans on making BBQ ribs every weekend, then they will obviously want to get a BBQ Smoker that is capable of sustaining that kind of use for the longest possible time.
There are many companies that produce excellent BBQ Smokers. Each one of them has some unique features to offer that may appeal to a particular taste or another. It is therefore necessary to try a few of the various models before deciding on the best one to purchase. Some of the best brands in this section are Weber, Lang, Stoneware and Cuisinart.
The most important specification to consider is the BTU of the smoker. It is calculated in BTUs and this number is directly related to the heating capacity of the product. Therefore, the higher the BTU rating, the hotter the item can be used. This means that if one requires a high temperature to achieve a BBQ Smoker, then it would be better to purchase one with a higher BTU rating.
It is also important to consider how the products are cleaned. While some require nothing more than just being wiped down with a damp cloth after use, others need to be completely cleaned and washed after each use. However, there is some BBQ Smokers that can be placed in the dishwasher. This is the only way to ensure that the BBQ Smoker does not retain a lot of cleaning agent over time. If anything else is done to them, they might become very unpleasant to the taste and aroma.