Everything You Need to Know About Commercial BBQ Smokers
Grilling, smoking and roasting your own food in the comfort of your backyard has got to be one of the best ways to spend your weekend. Whether you're cooking for your family or having a big BBQ party, you will need to have a suitable smoker. Your meat and veggies will be even more delicious if they have that smokey flavour. And the only way to get it is to invest in a suitable BBQ smoker. There are various types of commercial BBQ smokers, so if this is your first time buying one, here's what you need to know.
What Are BBQ Smokers?
The cooking apparatus for a barbeque that allows you to cook food at low temperatures in a controlled and smoky environment is called BBQ smokers. There are many different types on the market, that will meet your needs such as custom-made offset smokers, small ones you can even take camping or ceramic outdoors ovens. Here are some of the most popular BBQ smoker types.
Types of Smoker Grill
Electric
This one is one of the most popular choices and ideal 'fire and forget' model. You won't have to deal with charcoal, propane cylinders or cleaning the smoker after the grilling. This model of smoker only needs you to adjust the time and temperature and you are done. In fact, some models allow you to download an app where you can set everything and let the smoker do its job. This is one of the best commercial BBQ smokers that use heating elements, instead of combustible fuel. No actual combusting is involved, so the smoke comes from wood chips you will place above the heating element.
Electrical smokers are built vertically, so the heating element comes at the bottom, with wood and water pans between it and the food racks. The water pan produces water vapour that improves the smokey flavour of the food and it creates an indirect cooking environment, that protects the meat from the direct heat of the element. The temperature and the smoking time are low and slow.
Pellet
Pellet smokers are a combination of an oven and a smoker. The extra smokey flavour of the combustion combines with the best convenience of an electric smoker. You can use it as an oven, grill and smoker. Pellet smokers use compressed sawdust and look like chicken feed. The pellets go into a hopper on the side of the smoker and are fed into a firebox by the auger drill. Inside the firebox the heated metal rod makes the pellets combust, simultaneously making smoke and heat.
Charcoal
Charcoal smokers are available in different shapes and sizes and require a bit of labour and effort compared to electric or gas smokers. These smokers require cleaning, setting-up and maintenance. When the wood is superheated, the non-carbon organic compounds burn off, the 'char' left behind won't produce a lot of smoke. It will then turn into small briquettes called charcoal. The smokey flavour that makes food even more delicious happens when the charcoal has burned the chemicals (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide). The extra smoke is made with wood chips that are set above the charcoal to smoulder. The more air gets into the firebox, the hotter the charcoal will burn.
Gas
Gas smokers are ideal for those who prefer not to deal with any maintenance or cleaning. These smokers use natural gas or propane (sometimes referred to as Liquefied Petroleum Gas LPG). If you have a direct gas hookup, then great, but if not, you will have to get a refillable gas bottle (you can find it at any gas station and outdoor stores).
Most of these smokes are built cabinet-style where the burner and vents are at the bottom and the chimney and the dampers are at the top. The gas goes from the bottom through a manifold and down to the cooking section where it is torched as it flows out of the burner valves. Gas smokers don't produce smoke naturally, so you will have to add wood chips to make that smokey flavour.
What to Consider
Materials
Make sure that your smoker is made of quality welding. Also, check if there are any sharp edges or sturdy wheels and legs. Don't forget to consider the paintwork. It's best if your smoker is waterproof and rustproof. When checking it in the store, move it around to see how the moving parts are; if things seem easily breakable, then this model is not worthy of your money. You need a durable smoker.
Temperature Range
The temperature range is very important. BBQ smokers should be able to reach about 160 Celsius degrees (this is only for chicken). However, for steaks, the smokers will have to reach about 260 degrees Celsius. The temperature is essential, because if it can't reach certain degrees, then you are not getting what you paid for. You will be limited to cooking only certain foods, while others won't taste as good.
Safety
Make sure it's safe for children and pets. It's best if it has wheels that lock. Check if the electric parts are protected from the elements. The handles of the smoker must be heat-resistant. Avoid wooden handles since they won't last too long. Stainless steel is the best option.
