Smoking can require up to 8 hours, depending on
the size of meat and the outdoor air temperature.
Use high quality charcoal to build a hot fire. Pile about 50 briquettes
in the center, and when they are covered with gray ash, carefully
push them into two piles using a utensil that won't catch fire.
Center a pan of water between the two piles.
Center the food on the grill over the water pan, close the lid,
and keep the grill vents open. Add about 10-15 briquettes every
hour to maintain the smoker temperature at 225 to 300 F. Wood chips
such as hickory or mesquite are used for additional flavor. Using
dry chips at the start creates a fast smoke. Soaking the wood chips
in water allows for sustained heat and smoking.
Use a meat thermometer to be sure the food has reached a safe internal
temperature.
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