You splashed out and invested in an electric smoker! Awesome! You’ve invited the neighbors for a little smoker-warming and you’re in a panic. Now, you need to cook in it!
Don’t have a clue? Well, take a load off, stop eyeing out the new alien in the room with a nervous eye and let us give you the 1-2-3 on cooking with an electric smoker.
What Meat?
We will break it down according to each type of meat – short, sharp and simple.
Chicken
Wood Chips
These are the best for chicken – hickory, maple, apple, peach and cherry
Lay Me Down
A spatchcock chicken cooks better no matter the cooking style – so spread those legs!
Brine Away
Brining is a way of tenderizing the chicken and should be used with all forms of chicken. Simply soak your chicken in water that has been seasoned with salt, pepper and some bay leaves. You can add other ingredients too.
Dry Up
Pat that sucker dry before moving on
Temp it Up
The right temperature for smoking a chicken is around 165 degrees Fahrenheit
Serve It Up
So you’ve cooked it to perfection – now how to cut up that spatchcock baby? Just do the basic approach; Remove the legs and wings, and then slice the breast meat.
Condiments
Mushrooms bring out a wonderful flavor in chicken, so mix up a creamy mushroom sauce. Others that work well are pesto, barbecue and horseradish cream sauce.
Pork
A Good Cut
Choose a good but of pork – pork butt or shoulder is the best
Be Brine
As with chicken brining the pork before cooking will produce a soft, succulent meat – leave him there for at least 10 hours
Dry Up
Pat the sucker dry
Rub On
A good dry rub is vital – this brings out the flavor of the meat
Wood Chip It
These will work well with Pork – maple, oak, apple, pecan and alder
Temp it Up
190-200 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect and cook for between 10-12 hours
Pull that Pork
Pulling pork is not an art but knowing how to do this properly is helpful otherwise you will just end up with a shredded mess.
Condiments
Mustard! Oh, any mustard is perfect with pork. Another winner is apple sauce.
Lamb
Oil It
After you have patted the lamb dry, coat him with olive oil all over
Spice Up
Lamb loves rosemary and garlic
Fridge Frame
Place your lamb in the fridge for at least 3 hours
Wood Chips
Best flavor wood chips are apple, cherry, maple, mesquite and alder
Smoke On
Smoke your lamb for 20 minutes for each pound at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit
Cut It Up
A leg of lamb is a beautiful thing to behold, so try not to hack it to pieces when you need to serve – gentle and precise is key
Condiments
Plain Greek yogurt is stunning with lamb and fruit chutney gives it a sweet surprise. Oh and don’t forget the mint sauce!
