here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are two types of thermometers you will eventually need. The first is a wireless thermometer with at least two probes. One probe is attached to the grill and measures the cook chamber, and the other probe stays inside the meat for the entire cook and measures the internal meat temperature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
An instant-read thermometer is what you use when the meat is nearly done. A good instant-read thermometer is needed to check multiple areas of the meat. Certain roasts don\u2019t cook evenly because they have large and small areas. An instant-read can measure those areas quickly and give you an accurate reading so you know the meat is done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Meat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Once you’re setup with everything else, all you need to smoke meat is the meat itself. The most common smoking meats are brisket, pork butts, ribs, turkey, chicken and salmon. There are many more, however, these cuts are the best smoking meats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brisket<\/strong> is one of the more challenging meats to smoke, so you want to have a good understanding of the fundamentals before you dive in. The challenge with brisket, the length of time required to smoke it to perfection is anywhere from 10 to 20 hours, which is a long time to manage a smoker. When you have such a large cut of meat in the smoker that long, it can dry out easily. Brisket has a lot of connective tissue, and it requires hours to break down. But once the connective tissue has rendered, it creates the most amazing texture and flavor. <\/p>\n\n\n\nRibs<\/strong> are an extremely popular smoking meat, but probably one of the more complicated cuts to smoke. The most common method used to smoke ribs is the 3-2-1 method. This method smokes the ribs for 3 hours uncovered, then 2 hours wrapped in foil, then 1 hour unwrapped with a sauce or glaze. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPork Butt<\/strong>, or sometimes called pork shoulder is often used to make pulled pork. Pork butt is one of the most recommended meats for beginners because they are hard to mess up. As long as you keep the temperature of your smoker stable at 225\u00b0F, your pork will turn out amazing. <\/p>\n\n\n\nChuck Roast<\/strong> is a cheaper version of brisket, and works well when used for pulled beef. This tough cut of beef needs hours in the smoker at 225\u00b0F in order to become tender. <\/p>\n\n\n\nTurkey<\/strong> is popular in November, but year-round smoked turkey should be promoted more. There’s nothing like a tender, juicy smoked bird, but I would say that turkey would be the most difficult meat to smoke. There is so much that can go wrong with turkey, and it’s probably the one meal you don’t want to mess up! The challenge is preventing the meat from drying out, and getting a crispy skin. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are many more smoking meats, but my suggestion is to start small with cheap cuts of meat and then work your way up to a brisket. Whole chickens are great for beginners, because they are inexpensive. Then work your way up to the “big meats”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have a Complete Meat Guide<\/a><\/strong> that gives you step-by-step instructions on all the best smoking meats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Rubs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The rub plays an important role with nearly all smoking meats, and one component you want to get right. The rub is a combination of spices sprinkled onto the outside of the meat, and usually contains garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper cumin and other variations. The rub not only adds to the flavor of the meat, it also helps form the bark-the crispy outer layer found on smoked meat. There are dozens of rub recipes and even more pre-made rubs online or in stores. Here is a basic rub recipe that you can use on just about any meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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