vents to maintain a steady temperature.
temperatures via a smartphone app, and
those can be useful for cooks who cannot
stick around the house for the duration of
the smoking.
Smoking is a popular way to cook
foods over an open fl ame. Smoking may
involve some initial trial and error, but the
results are well worth navigating one’s way
through the learning curve.
759756-1CR
SMOKING FOOD FOR BEGINNERS
Grilling enthusiasts who want to try their hand
at smoking food can keep these tips in mind.
Livingtoday.com There’s no shortage of ways to impart
fl avor to foods when cooking at
home. Smoking food is one method
that has grown increasingly popular in recent
years.
Smoking imparts unique fl avor to a wide
variety of foods. Like other approaches
to cooking, smoking involves a learning
curve that may include some trial and error.
Grilling enthusiasts who want to try their
hand at smoking food can keep these tips
in mind.
Remember the mantra low and slow. Low
and slow is the preferred method among
cooks experienced in smoking. The method
involves cooking foods at low temperatures
for long periods of time. When smoking,
unlike with traditional grilling, cooks want
to ensure the food is not directly over a
fl ame. Smoking stones can be used to absorb
and defl ect heat, and similar products
can accomplish the same. That absorption
and defl ection allows foods to cook slowly,
which in turns helps impart the smoky fl avor
people love.
Consider adding water to create moisture.
A water pan inside the smoker can
ensure foods remain moist while smoking.
Long cooking times can dry foods out, but
the water in a water pan can make the environment
inside the grill more humid.
Add fl avor with wood. Seasoned wood
chunks and wood chips can add fl avor to
foods, and such products are readily available
at many grocery stores and home improvement
retailers. Choice of chunk or
chips depends on which type of smoker individuals
have. The grilling experts at Weber
advise using chips when light smoking
for less than an hour. If smoking for an hour
or more, Weber advises using chunks.
Consider accessorizing an existing
grill. Smokers or grills that can accommodate
smoking can be expensive,
and cooks who already have
reliable charcoal or gas grills may
not be able to justify such an investment.
In such instances, smoker boxes,
which sit right on an existing grill
grate and make it easy to transform
grills into makeshift smokers, can
do the trick. In addition, smoker attachments
that can be attached to gas and
charcoal grills can enable a less expensive
introduction to smoking foods.
Monitor temperatures. Temperature
is important when smoking foods. If
temperatures rise too quickly, foods can
quickly become dry and overcooked. If
temperatures do not rise, foods can sit on
the grill for hours on end. Each recipe is
unique and will suggest an ideal temperature
range when cooking foods slow. That
may require staying home and monitoring
the grill temperature, periodically adjusting
Many smokers now enable users to monitor
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