How to choose a smokehouse

Cooking delicious and aromatic smoked food is a great way to diversify your diet and pamper your loved ones with the most real delicacies. For a long time, smoking was possible only on the street, using an open fire, but now the situation has changed dramatically – a large number of devices suitable for use in an ordinary city apartment have appeared on sale.

Which smokehouse to choose? Top manufacturers

In order to get the most functional device that allows you to cook tasty and aromatic smoked food in the shortest possible time, preference should be given to the products of the following manufacturers:

1. Clatronic

2. Camping World

3. Doorz

4. Megagrill

5. Primo

In addition to the above brands, you can find a large number of traditional metal smokehouses on sale, made by craftsmen to order, taking into account preferences regarding geometric dimensions, shape and functional features.

What kind of smokehouse are there?

A modern smokehouse is no longer an old-fashioned barrel with a chimney for exhausting smoke. It is a portable and compact device that allows you to cook delicious food in a short time. Depending on the functional features, all smokehouses can be divided into several main types:

1. Metal mini-smokers. A well-known type of device for many, which is a stainless steel box. Chips are placed at the bottom of the box, and food is placed on a special grid. The lid closes tightly and the drawer is set on the coals. 30-40 minutes – and you're done! The advantages of such a device are compactness and low cost, and the disadvantages include the need for an open source of fire, which makes it impossible to use such a device in an urban environment;

2. Apartment type smokehouses. Devices, the functionality of which is similar to the above, however, they are intended for use in an apartment. They are made, as a rule, of cast iron and are supposed to be used on a gas stove, and a special fitting is used to remove the smoke, to which the hose is connected to the outside. The advantage of such devices is the ability to cook directly in the apartment, the disadvantages are the cumbersome structure and inconvenience of use;

3. The electric smokehouse is a new and very interesting type of device. The heating process here is carried out using special powerful heating elements, while the smoke is supplied through special smoke generators installed inside the device. The advantages of such a model are complete autonomy, compactness and ease of use, which means that you can cook almost everywhere where there is a 220V outlet. The disadvantages are the high complexity of the design, the need for regular maintenance and high cost – such models are much more expensive than the above-described apartment counterparts;

Smokehouse selection options. What to look for?

There are a lot of criteria that should be paid attention to when choosing a smokehouse:

1. Smokehouse depth. Affects the total amount of food that can be cooked in one go. The deeper the smokehouse, the more productive it will be and the more time it will take to cook the product;

2. Reliability and ability to withstand negative influences. A good smokehouse should be resistant to carbon deposits, not be afraid of exposure to an open flame, and not rust or oxidize. In most cases, smokers made of thick-walled, about 3-5 millimeters, stainless steel are considered the best. In the case of home smokehouses intended for use on gas, preference should be given to cast iron models, because stainless steel tends to burn out when exposed to an open source of fire;

3. The presence of holes for ventilation. The design of the device should be able to divert smoke generated during smoking outside;

4. The presence of a special tray for fat and juice. During the smoking process, fat and excess liquid called juice are inevitably formed. If there is no special collection tray in the design, the above-described liquids will drip to the bottom, thereby pouring chips;

5. When choosing an electric smokehouse for home use, you should give preference to models equipped with different cooking modes and having the ability to adjust the temperature of the heating elements during the cooking process. Only in this case will the smoked fish or meat be as tasty and aromatic as possible.

In the following articles, our experts will tell you how to choose the right barbecue and the secrets of choosing a barbecue.

Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.