Getting Ready

• Use plain charcoal chunks or briquettes. Charcoal pretreated with lighter fluid will infuse the food with unsavory petroleum flavors. Assemble chunks of wood of uniform size. Select woods based on how heavy you want the smoke flavor to be. Fruit woods like cherry or apple impart light smoky flavor, and pecan and mesquite create the heaviest smoky tastes. Oak and hickory are good all-purpose smoking woods with medium smoke flavor. Avoid softwoods as well as treated or painted lumber. Position the smoker so the smoke is not sucked in by a home chimney, fireplace vent or open doors or windows, and make sure it is in a low traffic area of the yard or deck. Make sure the charcoal is red hot before adding the wood. Have heavy-duty gloves on hand to safely handle the food during cooking.
  
  

Spices and Seasonings

• Apply dry spice rubs or liquid marinades to the meat the night before and refrigerate. Prepare a simple, thin sauce, known as a mop, to moisten the meat when you turn it or add fuel to the smoker. Brush the meat with barbecue sauce during the last 30 to 45 minutes of smoking. Applying it earlier will turn the meat an unappealing black.
  
  

Cooking

• Using gloves, rotate the meat about half way through a 4-hour smoking session to promote even flavor. For longer smoking processes, keep the turns to a maximum of three. Use a thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the smoker and add more charcoal and wood to maintain it at appropriate temperatures. Open the smoker as seldom as possible to keep the heat constant and avoid extended cooking times. If using a water smoker, add hot water to the pan to keep the temperature stable.
  
  

Tips and Hints

• Adding fresh herbs to the smoking water or on top of the fuel adds another layer of flavor to the food. If smoking foods on top and bottom racks, the food on the bottom will be done first. Use chunks of wood large enough to last for a couple of hours without replenishment. For more intense smoke flavoring, soak the wood prior to adding it to the hot charcoal.