The best portable smokers for camping and tailgating put to the test (2023)

FAQs

What is the best smoker America's Test Kitchen? ›

Our favorite smoker overall is the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 22".

Electric smokers are not as versatile as gas owing to the lower temperature range they operate within (a feature that makes them excellent for cold smoking). Gas smokers can reach higher temperatures and are far more portable – which makes them a versatile option.

Charcoal Smokers

Charcoal tends to tie with wood pellets in terms of the fuel that adds the most to the flavor. The tradeoff for this extra flavor is that charcoal smokers tend to be a little more labor-intensive than electric or gas ones, requiring more set-up, babysitting, and cleaning.

As for his smoking weapon of choice? Fieri swears by the Ole Hickory Grill (which costs between $3,000 and $4,500), but for beginners he recommends a pellet smoker. Pellet grills — cylindrical-shaped smokers that combine elements of charcoal smokers, gas grills, and kitchen ovens — are sold online for under $1,000.

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX 24 Pellet Grill | MeatEater.

Chicken wings are one of the easiest meats to smoke for beginners as it is also the quickest to prepare and cook. Smoked wings have all the flavor of other meats like ribs or pork butt except in a smaller package. Smoking chicken wings can add a whole new dimension to the flavor and aromas of this classic finger food.

Pick the Meat Smoker That Fits you Best

If you're after convenience above all else, go with an electric smoker. If you want the best smoky flavor at all costs, then you'll want a charcoal meat smoker. If you mainly want convenience, but you'd like better flavor than the electric offers, get a propane smoker.

Chuck roasts, shoulder roasts, and cross ribs have high-fat content that is perfect for slow cooking inside an electric smoker and you can expect a juicy and moist piece of meat after it's done.

Is a pellet or wood chip smoker better? ›

In almost all smoking scenarios, wood pellets are superior to wood chips because they burn drier and slower, which means better temperature control and greater efficiency. They also produce enhanced flavor.

What is the hardest meat to smoke? Brisket is the holy grail of smoking. Everyone from competitive cooks to dedicated pit masters and barbecue enthusiasts agree that beef brisket is the hardest meat to get right.

There are three main types of smoker grill options: gas, electric and charcoal. This guide will help you identify the best smokers for bbq according to your unique needs. Tip: Pellet smokers are a hybrid of gas and electric varieties, offering the best of both worlds.

Propane smokers can be brought up to heat quickly, and it is easier to control the temperature with gas than it is with organic combustibles, like wood, pellets, or charcoal. One of the best things about a propane smoker is that they are reasonably compact, lightweight, and don't need a socket around to work.

The Char-Broil Deluxe won Best Overall in our Electric Smoker Roundup for its consistency and ease of use. Combining the convenience of smoking with wood chips and the precision of digital controls, the Deluxe is versatile and easy to operate.

There are six fuel types that are used in commercial smoking: wood, charcoal, wood pellets, electricity, natural gas, and propane. Wood and charcoal are the most popular and traditional fuel types used for smoking meats.

The steel offset smoker is ubiquitous in Texas barbecue. Its torpedolike cooking chamber, with a tall smokestack on one end and a low-riding firebox on the other, is the symbol of Texas-style barbecue in and outside the state.

WHAT IS SUPER SMOKE? Traeger's Super Smoke mode lets you blast your food with 100% hardwood smoke. This breakthrough in grilling technology revolves around precision fan control, enabling your Traeger grill to get the maximum delivery of smoke at temperatures from 165°F up to 225°F degrees.

What brand smoker does Aaron Franklin use? ›

Aaron Franklin, master barbecue pitmaster and owner of Franklin Barbecue, has designed and released his own smoker. The pit is an offset smoker (the firebox, where the fuel burns, is attached to the hip of the grill) made of 600-plus pounds of steel.

Go Low and Slow

The best way to smoke is slowly using a low, indirect with the addition of wood smoke. If you're using a charcoal grill, build your fire on one side of the grill, and place your meat on the opposite side. The meat should never be directly above a flame when smoking.

The best meats to smoke are fatty cuts like beef brisket, pork shoulder and ribs. Although the smoking process can dry out some types of meat, the high fat content of brisket and pork shoulder help keep them moist, tender and delicious. Get more tips for smoking below!

Most meat geeks agree that a smoker is a better option than a grill for cooking most types of meat. The large "smoke ring" when you get the meat apart indicates the intense flavor of the meat.

For juicy and delicious smoked meat, you should use brine. Even if you soak it for one or two hours, that's still more than enough time for your meat to absorb the saltwater. You can then add your meat to your smoker and allow it to smoke as normal.

It can be even more challenging now that we've discouraged flipping the meat while smoking. But don't worry too much about this, as it is an easy task to accomplish. The best way to know if your meat is ready is by using a cooking thermometer to monitor the internal temperature.

Instead of over 10 hours of cooking time, a good chuck roast can be smoked in just 5 - 6 hours. This is another cut where you want to make sure you get a good quality beef grade and look for marbling throughout.

'Currently smoking' refers to someone who has smoked more than 100 cigarettes (including hand rolled cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos etc) in their lifetime and has smoked in the last 28 days.

Amount smoked: The average number of cigarettes smoked per day, on days when cigarettes were smoked. Current smoker: An adult who has smoked 100 cigarettes in his or her lifetime and who currently smokes cigarettes.

What can you use instead of a smoker? ›

While there is still a nice smokey taste that comes from the wood pellets, when it comes to taste, most people still prefer charcoal over pellets. The rich smoke-infused flavor no matter what you're cooking with charcoal is hard to beat.

When it comes to the flavor of a gas vs charcoal grill, it is solely a matter of preference. Some people prefer the smoky taste from charcoal grills since they add a little something extra to your food. For many, the flavor profile of grilled food is all about the kind of charcoal used.

For the best-smoked steaks, choose cuts on the thicker end (around 1.5 inches). At a typical butcher counter, these options include ribeye, tenderloin, or New York strip steaks. If the steak is too thin, such as skirt steak, it'll reach doneness without retaining the flavor of the smoke.

Water Pan – Use a water pan in your smoker to maintain a humid environment so the meat doesn't cook with hot, dry air. Water works well, but you can also fill the water pan with beer, apple juice and cider vinegar for flavorful twists.

Do I need to soak wood pellets? No. Wood pellets do NOT need moisture. Soaking them in water or any other liquid causes them to disintegrate because wood pellets are made from compressed sawdust.

Propane is also relatively inexpensive, but more expensive than BBQ pellets.

Wood pellets also burn more efficiently than a wood chunk left on top of some charcoal, which means they produce less smoke while burning. This also produces a more subtle smoke flavor. Since the grill is not constantly on, it cannot produce as much smoke as wood-fired or traditional charcoal grills.

Electric smokers rarely produce enough of the necessary gasses to create the smoke ring without a lot of help. Pellet grills consistently produce the gasses due to burning wood as both the heat source and the flavor source. Winner – Pellet Grills.

Is a wood or pellet smoker better? ›

A wood-fired smoker offers more versatility and control over your finished product than a pellet-fired one does. However, this does not mean that a pellet smoker is incapable of producing high-quality meat—it just means that it's less likely to do so consistently than a wood smoker.

An electric smoker will give you a better result if you are new to smoking. It can hold the temperature, which is crucial when it comes down to smoking. If you are familiar with temperature control, a charcoal smoker will give you the same consistency.

The best meats to smoke are meats with a high amount of collagen and fats such as pork shoulder, beef briskets, beef cheeks and rib. The connective tissues and fats breakdown during the cooking process which will keep the meat moist and tender.

While there is still a nice smokey taste that comes from the wood pellets, when it comes to taste, most people still prefer charcoal over pellets. The rich smoke-infused flavor no matter what you're cooking with charcoal is hard to beat.

Pick the Meat Smoker That Fits you Best

If you're after convenience above all else, go with an electric smoker. If you want the best smoky flavor at all costs, then you'll want a charcoal meat smoker. If you mainly want convenience, but you'd like better flavor than the electric offers, get a propane smoker.

The easiest and most economical meat to smoke in your electric smoker is the Boston Butt (Pulled Pork), because it is well-marbled compared to other types of meat.

While electric smokers don't generally need wood chips, many are designed to accommodate them. Wood chips aren't just a fuel source, but they can also help enhance the aromas of the smoke, which in turn can improve the flavors of your meat.

Con: You can't use them everywhere.

Pellet grills, on the other hand, generally need an outlet to function, so they're not portable. Moving them a lot may cause damage to electrical parts, and they tend to be heavy. It's also worth noting that, because they use electricity, they're not meant for wet-weather use.

How long do wood pellets burn for? Most pellet grills will burn between one to three pounds of pellets per hour, depending on the set temperature and the grill's make and model. That means a 20-pound bag of pellets should last you anywhere from six to 20-hours, give or take.

Do I need to flip my meat when smoking on the grill? NO! Sorry for being so brash, but this is a common mistake that many novice smokers will make. When smoking, you don't have to worry about one side getting hotter than the other, because the meat cooks indirectly.

Do electric smokers cook meat? ›

The element is made up of one or more electric heating rods. Once you turn on the smoker, the rods heat up the space and ignite the Bisquettes. The Bisquettes then produce the smoke that will cook your meat.

Wood chips are best used for electric smokers or to impart quick smoke on your charcoal grill or smoker. Easily found online or in retail stores. 2. Wood Chunks – The most commonly used type of smoking wood for low & slow cooking.