Use an Electric Smoker
Smoking cooks meat at low temperatures for long periods of time prevents meat from spoiling, while adding flavor. If you like the taste of smoked food, you may want to try an electric smoker. Cooking with an electric smoker makes it possible for you to smoke food without having to spend a lot of time monitoring the smoker.
Steps
- Decide what type of electric smoker to use.
- Vertical water electric smokers are relatively inexpensive electric smokers that work well in warm weather, but don't maintain their core temperature in cold weather. When you prepare meat with an electric smoker, determine if you will be smoking only during the hot summer months before purchasing a vertical water smoker.
- Electric cabinet smokers are shaped like a little refrigerator. Most cabinet smokers come with a temperature gauge so you can control the core temperature. When you are cooking meat with an electric smoker, it's important to be able to control the temperature.
- Read manufacturers' instructions. There are many types of electric smokers, and each one has different operating directions. When using an electric smoker, you need to understand how your specific model functions.
- Follow the manufacturers' directions to season, or cure, a new electric smoker. This process removes odors, dust and solvents, while preparing the smoker to cook food. Before cooking with an electric smoker, you should season it.
- Coat the racks and indoor surfaces of your electric smoker with cooking oil.
- Turn the smoker on and let it run for 2 hours. Turn your electric smoker off, and open the hood to let it cool off.
- Prepare your meat.
- Season meat with a dry rub, such as sugar, salt and herbs, or soak in an acidic marinade when you cook meat with an electric smoker.
- Let the meat sit in the seasonings overnight to absorb the flavor.
- Turn your smoker on.
- Add water to your electric smoker if it has a water receptacle.
- Purchase wood chips. You can obtain wood chips at a grocery store, hardware shop or online.
- Add alder, cherry, cedar, plum, maple or hickory chips to wood chip container. You will require approximately 4 cups (946.35 ml) wood chips for every 3 to 5 hours of smoking when using an electric smoker.
- Check the temperature of your smoker. When you are cooking with an electric smoker, it is important to monitor the internal temperature. Most electric smokers come with an internal temperature gauge.
- Adjust the temperature control. Some electric smokers have a dial so you can turn the temperature up or down, while others are set at a specific high point, such as 225 degrees F (107.22 C).
- Wait for the smoker to reach the desired temperature. When you are cooking with an electric smoker, you don't want to begin smoking your meat until the correct temperature is obtained.
- Put your meat in the smoker rack when it reaches the desired temperature. Smoke the meat until it is tender. This may take 3 to 8 hours. Check if your food is done by inserting a meat thermometer into the center of the meat.
Tips
- Find smoke recipes online or in a cook book.
- If you have never used a smoker, consider purchasing an inexpensive model to gain some smoking experience before investing in a high budget electric smoker.
- When using an electric smoker, try adding apple juice, wine or beer if you have a water container, to add a sweet flavor to your smoking meat.
Warnings
- Soft wood, such as pine or fir, may ruin your smoker.
Things You'll Need
- Electric smoker
- Cooking oil
- Meat
- Dry rub or marinade
- Water
- Wood chips
- Meat thermometer
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