What is the Secret to Smoking Meats Well?

Smoking meats is something that a lot of people love to do. It’s a tradition in many families, and with good reason – smoked meats taste great! Smoking meats at home makes them last for longer, and adds a flavor that is hard to beat.

If you want to smoke meats and get great results, then you need to buy the highest quality meat that you can afford. If you’re buying beef, for example, look for prime or choice cuts – these are ones that have plenty of marbling. This means that the meat is quite fatty – but that fat running through the meat actually makes it taste amazing.

The meat should be as fresh as possible, but the cut doesn’t matter too much. Pick whatever your favorite is, and look for your favorite recipe. Pork ribs are a popular choice, and pork shoulders are good too. If you have to buy frozen meats, then don’t worry too much about that, just make sure that you get the highest quality that you can find.

If you have space for it, a backyard smoker made from stainless steel is the best choice, but if you have a smaller, portable smoker, don’t despair.

The most important thing, after the meat, is the wood. Use seasoned wood rather than green wood. The type of wood you use will affect the flavor. Hickory, oak, maple or cherry is a really good choice. Stay away from softwoods because not only do they tend to taste bitter, some of them can actually make you ill! Smoke with the traditional woods used by the pros.

Patience is essential. Trying to rush the smoking process won’t help you to get nice tasting meats, it will just leave you with under-flavored, poorly cooked cuts.