How to Smoke Meat on a Wood Smoker
- 1). Choose walnut wood for a heavy smoke flavor. Mix with apple wood for a milder smoked taste. Pecan wood will impart a light hickory flavor. Open the vents and the smoke stack. Crumple newspaper and place it in the fire box. Add dry kindling such as twigs and light the newspaper with a match. Add larger twigs, then add three chunks of selected wood about 6 inches long and 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Close the firebox lid when the fire is burning hot.
- 2). Allow the fire to burn for 15 minutes. Check the temperature inside the chamber. Aim for 225 F or 275 to 300 F, if you like crispy skin on poultry. Close vents about one-quarter of the way if the temperature is too high. Continue to adjust until you get the proper temperature reading. Do not close the vents more than half-way, because the fire will diminish causing thick smoke and a bitter taste to the meat. Add a piece of wood if the temperature is too cool or remove a piece, if it's too hot. Add wood as needed to maintain desired temperature. Additional wood should burn on top of a small pile of wood coals.
- 3). Place prepared meat in the smoker once the temperature is reached. Put a metal pan of water near the firebox side of the smoker where it tends to be drier. Use a digital, probe meat thermometer to monitor meat temperature.Internal meat temperature should reach at least 185 F or more. Smoking will take anywhere between one-and-a-half hours on up, depending upon the type and amount of meat smoked.
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