How To Use An Electric Smoker In 7 Steps (With Pictures)

We all may have been accustomed to the old forms of grilling, that is, using a charcoal or wood grill – our grandparents taught us or we learned it some other way! These are good but we can all attest to their lengthy operational approach.

For this reason, the electric smoker came into being. It is one of the fastest smokers with excellent technology for simplifying the process of grilling which is 50% better in operation than the traditional smoker.

This article, therefore, breaks down the process of how to use an electric smoker in the simplest form possible.

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1. Find an electric smoker that works for you

Consider your needs and find one that fits them perfectly. Needs could be the food size you are hoping to make, availability of electricity, good plug connection to an electrical source etc.

Now, when you have got one, ensure to position it in an area that is electrically safe. With this, you should be good to start using.

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2. Power up your baby

It is an electric smoker and like every other smoker needs the power to get it running.

Connect the smoker to an electricity source with its plug and turn the ignition on. Use the manufacturer’s guide to aid you.

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3. Flavoring and moisturizing your food

Ensure that there is an aluminum plate directly under the grill grates, which you should fill with water and choice herbs for adding flavor and moisture to the food before you start grilling.

If the smoker doesn’t come with one, you can use any aluminum tray at all for this. Just ensure that it is deep enough to hold water.

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4. Add that magical smoke flavoring

In the past, there were complaints of electric smokers not having the ability to give up smoky flavors as the charcoal grill will – this has now been modified!

Newer trends now have the feature for smoky flavors now available.

Find the wood chip loader on your smoker (use the manufacturer’s guide to aid), load wood chips into it with the flavor of your choice, close the loader and be ready to start flavoring up.

5. Benefit from the extra wood chip / residue pan

Some electric smokers will have a small unit under the grill grates for storing wood chips.

This pan also serves as a residue holder from the wood loader that helps enhance the flavoring that gets to the meat.

Hence, do not be too quick to discard the residue, let it flavor up your food some more and you will be glad you did not.

6. Time for the food

Your electric smoker should have enough grill grates to serve your numbers well. Once fueling has been put in place, place your marinated food on the grated, close the grill and secure the lock.

You will not be opening the grill until the timer is done, therefore make sure you have the food positioned in well.

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7. Start cooking

Find the temperature and timer gauge on your device.

Most temperatures range from 100 °F to 275 °F, set the temperature and timer of your choice and start grilling.

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8. Manage temperatures

Use the vents to adjust temperatures while cooking. It is not the best to alter the temperatures on the gauge, this will affect the food’s doneness.

Control airflow in the grill with the vents.

A closed vent will mean no air going through the smoker, a partially open vent will mean a fair amount of air circulating in the smoker, and a completely open vent will imply a lot of air having a free way within.

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Tips for getting the best usage of your device

Always make good use of your electric smoker and imply as many good tricks as possible to ensure the smoker is long-lasting and effective always.

Plug connections are important

If the plugs do not fit into your plug connection at home, you can have the plugs changed to suit you or use a multifunctional socket to aid with this.

Multifunctional sockets must be able to handle the smoker’s voltage before being used else you will cause a blow-up.

Don’t poison yourself

Do not use your grill indoors due to carbon monoxide poisoning. While using your smoker, you may not burn fuel very well, however, airflow outdoors creates enough ventilation to blow any form of poisoning away.

Hence, if you use your smoker indoors, we need not say further.

No looking while cooking

Just like other smokers, the same thing applies here. Opening the smoker while cooking will interrupt the temperatures which will produce badly done food. The smoker has a gauge, set it and rely on it to do a great job.

Don’t stain the world

The smoker could create greasy materials while it cooks or from frequent usage. Wear gloves when using it.

This will help you avoid staining yourself and other items around.

Clean more efficiently

Cover the grease trapping tray at the bottom of the smoker with aluminum foil. Once you are done with cooking, all you need will be to remove the foil with a few wipes afterward, and you are one big step away from a painful clean.

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