What can you do with a meat smoker? The Hearth, Patio, and Barbeque Association (HPBA) says that 75% of American homes have a smoker or a grill of some kind. The family bbq pit is a mainstay for a lot of people, but for some, the bbq smoker grills can be a new thing. If you’re new to the meat smoker, here are some things you can do with it that you might never have thought of.
What is a Smoker?
Before you think about what to do with it, it’s good to know what a meat smoker even is. It’s a way of cooking food where the food never touches the heat source directly. The reason this is so awesome is that the meat cooks more slowly,
which is great for tough cuts of beef and pork, which also tend to be the least expensive. It also means that the meat has time to absorb all the great smoke flavor.
Smoke Some Meat
Ok, yes, this one is pretty obvious. But do you know what meat you can smoke? The answer is: any kind of meat at all. That’s right. From pork sausages to turkey, chicken to beef, rabbit to venison, you can cook it all in your meat smoker. Just makes sure that when you smoke meat you apply sauce only during the final 15 minutes or so of cooking. Otherwise, it might burn. Ground beef and any pork should also be cooked until the internal temperature is 160 degrees.
Smoked Things From the Sea
Not as many people think to smoke their fish and shellfish, but they can go on a meat smoker just as easily as any meat. If you’re doing fish, try brining it for a half hour before cooking. Smoked crab, shrimp, and even lobster are also delicious and are a great way to use your BBQ pit smoker.
Try Smoking Vegetables
It’s not just for your vegetarian friends. Smoking crunchy cruciferous vegetables works great. You can smoke squash or eggplant, mushrooms, and artichokes, cauliflower and asparagus. They cook fast, so check them often.
Cheese, Glorious Cheese
Did you know that you can smoke cheese? Smoked cheese has a wonderful meaty taste. Just don’t use a processed cheese that’s made to melt, and make sure your cheese sits out for a little while and develops a tough outside before you throw it in the smoker.
Smoke Your Snacks
Those cans of smokehouse almonds are there for a reason: they taste great. You can smoke any nut, and probably should. You can also use your meat smoker to smoke eggs and even smoke your mayonnaise! Smoked butter is delicious, especially spread over a steak, and you can also smoke your salt to give it a rich flavor that will enhance anything you put it on.
Whether you’re interested in the best smoked meat or want to try something a little more adventurous, there’s a lot of great smoker recipes out there and amazing ways to use your meat smoker. If you don’t already have one, get a smoker grill, grab your favorite foods, and get smoking!