How to Use Char Broil Smoker? Good Tips and Guides in 2023
Most people nowadays love to smoke their food, and not just meat. They can buy smokers for a variety of foods such as vegetables, fruits, cheese and even fish. Smoked food has a distinctive flavor that is irresistible.
It also makes the food healthier than cooking it in other methods because it removes fat from the surface of the food and locks in its natural juices and flavors inside while at the same time infusing them with smokey goodness. And Char Broil has been producing quality grills for over 70 years now.
They are one of the most recognizable names in outdoor cooking and have a wide range including gas grills, charcoal grills, smokers, etc. We are going to cover some tips on how to How to Use Char Broil Smoker with some helpful guides! Let’s read on!
1. What is a Smoker?
First, what exactly is a smoker? A smoker can be defined as a device used to infuse foods with smoke flavors. They are typically made up of an enclosed chamber where wood chips or chunks are placed in order to produce smoke and heat emitted from the bottom which cooks your food.
Some smokers include features such as front loading water pans, internal temperature gauges and even multiple racks for cooking more than one type of meat at once. Smokers also come in different sizes depending on how much food you want to cook.
They can go up to 500 square inches all the way down to small personal sizes that only cook enough for 2 people while larger smokers can accommodate multiple racks and hold several cooking grates that allow you to cook any type of food you want.
You can use a smoker to cook almost anything like steak, pork chops, ribs and even large cuts of meat such as roasts and briskets. A smoker is also perfect for low and slow cooking which means that it cooks at lower heat over longer periods of time. This allows the fat to slowly melt away from your food and keeps your meat moist throughout the entire smoking process.
And it doesn’t over cook any type of food either because the temperature range stays between 100 degrees Fahrenheit or less up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit or more depending on how hot you set your smoker. Smoking foods has been around for centuries but it seems as if today people love smoked flavors just as much as their ancestors did back then!
2. What is Char Broil Smoker?
A smoker is typically made up of an enclosed chamber, where wood chunks or chips are placed in order to produce smoke and heat that comes from the bottom which then cooks your food. Some smokers include features such as front loading water pans, internal temperature gauges and even multiple racks for cooking more than one type of meat at once.
Smokers can also go up in size depending on how much food you want to cook. They can go anywhere from a small personal size to 500 square inches all the way up to larger sizes that can accommodate multiple racks and cooking grates that allow you to cook any type of food you want.
You can use a smoker for almost anything like steak, pork chops, ribs and even larger cuts of meat such as roasts and briskets. Smoking foods has been around for centuries but today people are loving smoked flavors just as much as their ancestors! Do you know How to Use Char Broil Smoker? Let’s see as below:
3. What are benefits of Char Broil Smoker?
There are many benefits that come with owning a smoker, the biggest being that the flavor of any type of food you cook in it is just enough to make anyone salivate for more. Even if you’re not much of a meat eater, there are other foods that benefit from smoking such as vegetables which are just enhanced by the rich flavors they produce.
Smoking makes your meat so tender and juicy that all you will need is a fork or chopsticks to cut right through it! This added flavor boosts the healthiness of smoked foods because fats are removed by cooking at low temperatures allowing an increase in vitamins and minerals while making them easier to digest.
Another reason why smoking improves your food is because it can infuse them with different flavors depending on what type of wood or chips you use to smoke them with.
Smoking foods is also cost efficient because it can save any unused meat that you have in your freezer by cooking it slowly. It doesn’t matter if the cut of meat is tough and chewy, smoking your food will make it tender and juicy enough to eat! All meats are considered lean when they are cooked properly using low heat so there isn’t much risk for added fat on your body even though you are eating healthy food.
Smoking uses less energy than other cooking methods so costs go down especially on those chilly days where you want some smoked fish or veggies on the grill! Char Broil smoker offer all these benefits and more…
As technology advances, smokers are now including more features to make the smoking process easier and more efficient. For instance, some smokers include front loading water pans, internal temperature gauges (so you know what the heat is at all times) and multiple racks for cooking more than one type of meat at once.
Now there are even greater options when it comes to finding a smoker that is perfect for beginners all the way up to professional cooks!
Smokers can also go up in size depending on how much food you want to cook and they can go anywhere from a small personal size to 500 square inches all the way up to larger sizes that can accommodate multiple racks and cooking grates. Let’s see How to Use Char Broil Smoker as below:
4. What is special about Char Broil Smoker?
Char-Broil Performance TRU Infrared Smoker is an advanced, easy to use smoker that uses infrared technology for cooking food. The gas smoker comes with stainless steel burner tubes which are placed inside the body of the unit which then heats up a ceramic material that produces heat inside the smoking chamber.
This allows your meat to cook evenly throughout without having to flip it over constantly or leave any parts uncooked. The cooking grates are coated in porcelain enamel so they are easy to clean and maintain while you can put up to two hundred pounds of food on them which gives even large parties plenty of enough space for serving different types or cuts of meat.
Another added benefit is because it uses natural wood flavored smoke, Char Broil Performance TRU Infrared Smoker can be used indoors. No longer do you need to get congested with the smoke that cooking meats on your gas grill produces, this smoker produces almost no emissions at all!
Char Broil Smoker uses infrared technology for cooking food evenly and efficiently without having any parts uncooked. The high quality of your meat will be enough for anyone to experience mouthwatering flavors even if they are not familiar with smoked meats.
The newest model of Char-Broil Performance TRU Infrared Smoker came out in 2011 so it’s definitely one of the best smokers around when it comes to price, appearance and function! With a sleek black color design there is no mistaking where the name for this product line came from since “Char-Broil” is literally spelled out with red letters in the middle of the smoker.
Char Broil Performance TRU Infrared Smoker comes with an interior light so you can see what you are cooking at all times without opening it up and letting all of the heat out! It has a wood chip box attached to the side which allows you to add smoky flavors to your meats without even opening up your smoker!
Safety features include having breakable tempered glass on its door, overflow protection for both racks (so that when one rack is full you can cook more meat or veggies on the other one) and automatic shut-off if the inside temperature goes too high. Maintenance is easy since all parts except for the burner tubes can be removed and washed in the dishwasher. Let’s see How to Use Char Broil Smoker? as below:
5. Steps by steps on How to Use Char Broil Smoker.
Most smokers come with a set of instructions on how to use them. But if you happen to buy a used smoker, then it is possible that the previous owner might not have included those instructions. This makes using the smoker completely new for even the most experienced foodies and BBQ masters. So we decided to provide some helpful guides on how to use Char Broil Smoker below!
1. Make sure that your Char-Broil smoker has been properly assembled before you start using it.
2. Check whether all parts are in good condition and they are easy to clean.
3. Your char-broil smoker comes with a water pan, so fill this with water or other liquids such as beer or juice so that your food gets that special flavor.
4. From the fuel door located on the side of your Char-Broil smoker, add in some charcoal and lighter fluid. This will be used to create heat and smoke in the smoker when you turn it on.
5. Assemble your cooking racks inside of your cooker and place anything else you might need for cooking food such as utensils or aluminum pans containing vegetables or other foods you want to smoke in with your meat.
6. Adjust the vents located on the bottom and top of your smoker so they are open all the way up but not too far where they won’t close at all or cause a fire hazard (be careful with this step).
7. Turn one of the burners on your Char-Broil smoker to low and leave the other burner off.
8. Place charcoal into the bottom half of your smoker, then place wood chunks or chips onto top of that charcoal in order to produce smoke which cooks your food. Assemble your cooking racks inside of your cooker and place anything else you might need for cooking food such as utensils or aluminum pans containing vegetables or other foods to be smoked with your meat.
9. Close lid and set vent knob to closed position (secondary venting process).
10. Wait approximately 10 minutes, this will allow the heating elements to heat up while closing all vents on lid to start forming a seal around them so smoke can begin producing within the chamber below it. This will take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.
11. Open the bottom vent slightly (leave this vent open at all times throughout the cooking process).
12. Once your smoker reaches approximately 225 degrees, you can turn on or light one of the burners to create heat and allow water pan to start heating up for humidity purposes during cooking session.
13. Place food items onto racks inside of your Char-Broil smoker like ribs, pork butt, brisket etc… You’ll want to leave enough room between each piece of food so smoke can flow freely around them and not just flow by one another with no contact which will cause low cook temperatures and uneven cook surfaces preventing foods from being completely cooked through across their entire surface areas.
14. From this point on, you’ll want to monitor your smoker throughout its entire cooking duration (one hour per pound of meat) and add additional charcoal or wood chunks if necessary to keep the fire burning properly and release smoke into unit. It is also common for water pan levels to be low during smoking sessions, so check water levels every couple hours and refill accordingly.
15. When meats are completely cooked through and tender (165 degrees Fahrenheit), remove them from smoker and serve fresh off the grill! Your food should taste amazing at this point with a nice smoky flavor on it which is why some people prefer using charcoal smokers over gas fueled models when it comes to grilling some good old BBQ ribs!
Not only does using this unit provide you with the smoky flavor that other grills can’t, it provides a way to preserve meats through the use of humidity inside of your unit which prevents meats from drying out. Even if you overcook them slightly, this will still prevent their outer surfaces from becoming tough and burnt like what happens on gas or electric models when meat is cooked for hours upon hours!
Above are Steps by steps on How to Use Char Broil Smoker. Now, let’s see some Tips and Guides How to Use Char Broil Smoker? as below:
Tips and Guides on How to Use Char Broil Smoker.
1. What we need to consider before buying Char Broil Smoker?
1.1. Functions:
The main function of a smoker is to slow cook meats over a long period of time. This can be done with an open flame, but this often leads to the meat becoming dry and tough as it cooks. A Char Broil Smoker contains vents that allow you to control the flow of combustion, allowing you to maintain low temperatures inside your unit for superior results over other cooking methods.
1.2. Fuel:
Whether you choose charcoal or wood chips for fuel will be depend on your preference. Wood chips tend to provide superior results because they burn longer than charcoal does, so if you are looking for an easy way to grill up some BBQ ribs without having to constantly monitor fire this choice may be best suited for you!
Charcoal gives off more heat than wood chips, so if you are looking for a quick and easy way to grill up some food this fuel type may be best suited for your needs.
1.3. Ease of Use:
If you have used the same cooking method before than using a smoker will be second nature to you and won’t require much effort on your part. If this is your first time grilling with charcoal, it may take some time getting used to as you need to constantly monitor temperature levels throughout cooking process and keep refilling fuel as needed.
Keep in mind that because these units burn very hot (upwards of 400 degrees Fahrenheit depending on model), even touching it lightly can cause serious burns, so always use proper safety equipment when dealing with these types of devices! You can refer Steps on How to Use Char Broil Smoker as above.
1.4. Price:
All Char Broil Smokers are priced differently, so be sure to do your research on different models before making a purchase so you don’t waste your hard-earned money over something you won’t use frequently.
1.5. Special Features:
Not all smokers come with the same features, some may include side trays for food prep while others might not. The more advanced the model gets the more bells and whistles it will have, but make sure that if you want them they are actually worth it by asking yourself whether or not you will use them regularly! This can save you time and money down the road.
2. How many type of Char Broil Smoker are there in the market now?
2.1. Vertical Charcoal Smoker:
Vertical smokers are usually the cheapest options you can find on the market. They give you a cooking window of 5 to 6 hours and provide up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature range.
Their biggest downside is that they tend to have temperatures fluctuate more often than other types, so if this is your first time grilling meats or smoking them it may be best suited for learning how to control these fluctuations rather than daily use over an extended period of time.
2.2. Offset Firebox Smoker:
Offset smoker is very similar in function as vertical models, but perhaps one of their biggest differences is that fire box (area where fuel is burned) is located away from cooking grate (where meat await its fate with flames dancing around them).
This means that when you open the door to add more fuel or check your meats, any smoke that has built up escapes and makes it hard for you to get proper smoky flavor in your meat. In this case bigger firebox isn’t always better! If you want to get a smoker with offset fire box look no further than ‘Elddis A40S’ from Costco.com, which costs less than $1000 and can be yours at a wholesale price!
2.3. Horizontal Smoker Charcoal Grill:
Horizontal smokers are great for those who plan on smoking their food daily as they offer large cooking surfaces (almost 3 times larger compared to vertical smokers) and higher temperature ranges of 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike offset fire box models, when you open the door to add more fuel or check on your meats smoke stays trapped inside smoker and penetrates your meat making it taste amazing!
The biggest downside of these units is that they cost almost double compared to vertical smokers, so make sure you plan on using if for a long time or really love smoky flavor before investing in this type of product.
2.4. Propane Gas Smoker Grill:
Propane smokers provide fast and consistent temperature ranges between 175 – 275 degrees Fahrenheit with their cooking surfaces being roughly 20% smaller compared to charcoal models. If you do not have a lot of experience grilling out but still want to get into smoking meats then propane model is perfect for you!
They are also incredibly portable units because you can use them for grilling other types of food, not just meats.
2.5. Electric Smoker Grill:
Electric smokers are probably the most convenient units because you can simply plug them in and start smoking! They provide consistent temperatures between 100 – 200 degrees Fahrenheit and come with their own thermostats so that you don’t have to monitor fluctuations in temperature throughout cooking process.
Their downsides is that they do not give you a smoky flavor and build-up very little smoke when used, but if you really love the convenience of electric devices then it might be best smoker grill for your kitchen!
3. How to Clean Char Broil Smoker?
After you knew How to Use Char Broil Smoker, you also need to know How to Clean Char Broil Smoker.
Cleaning a Char Broil smoker is not hard, but it does take some time and effort. You can choose to clean the cooking grate and inside of your unit separately or together. If you plan to clean both at once (recommended) make sure you pair up cleaning with re-fueling process by using tongs to grab hot coals from firebox and bringing them into main grilling area.
3.1. Clean Cooking Grate:
First off get yourself a bucket of warm water and mix in 1 cup of white vinegar. Place cooking grate (the one that will be above flames) into water mixture and leave it for 10 minutes making sure that all debris/gunk is softened up before moving onto next step.
This is when you take large scouring pad and scrub cooking grate until it is completely clean. If cleaning is done properly your grate should be shiny again just like the day you opened Char Broil smoker box!
3.2. Clean Firebox:
Now that you’re done with cooking grates, grab some paper towels to wipe down inside of firebox – use tongs to remove ashes from bottom. You can repeat same process as for cooking grates if ash is still present, but make sure to mix water solution before putting it back into Char Broil smoker.
Finally grab dry paper towels/newspaper and place them under cooking grate so they can soak up excess water before placing back onto your unit…and your Char Broil smoker is good as new!
3.3. Clean outside of smoker:
Your Char Broil smoker should also be cleaned on the outside. This is when you use damp cloth and brush to remove any residue that has caked onto body of your unit. You should avoid using anything but wet cloths – even if it seems like it will have more traction, just stick with water/water+ vinegar solution!
Repeat step-by-step guide for cleaning cooking grates starting from mixing up vinegar/water solution to scrubbing with large scouring pad . Make sure to dry all components of your smoker before placing them back onto Char Broil’s body.
4. How to maintain Char Broil Smoker?
Besides knowing How to Use Char Broil Smoker. It’s needed to know how to maintain Char Broi Smoker. In order to maintain Char Broil smoker you should perform necessary cleaning processes on a regular basis. This includes removing ashes from firebox and cleaning cooking grates/inside of unit with water+ vinegar solution.
Be sure that components are completely dry before you re-assemble your Char Broil smoker – if not rain or excessive humidity can damage it beyond repair! Also never leave damp towels in contact with propane fuel tank for extended period of time because they can ignite…this is a simple way how how to kill a human being by chemical reaction.
5. How Often Should I Clean Char Broil Smoker?
Once again, the answer to this question depends on how often you use your smoker grill. If you smoke meats once a week than you should clean your smoker once a month – otherwise after every use. Be sure to always read instructions that come with your Char Broil smoker and follow cleaning/maintenance guides in order to extend life of your Char Broil unit.
A lot people ask this question and the truth is that it depends on what type of grill we’re talking about, but generally you should expect 2-3 years of service from propane grills , whereas charcoal smokers can last up to 10 years or more.
Also make sure it isn’t too windy outside when you light up your grill because strong winds can spread flames onto surrounding surfaces (grass…wood…) and cause fire which will lead to irreversible damage! If using lighter fluid, make sure not to pour too much – one good spray should be enough to start up your amateur smoker.
If you take care of your Char Broil grill, it can last decades…literally! But always make sure that its components (main parts like grates, fuel box…) are well taken care of and cleaned after each use (after letting fire burn completely out!) and it will serve you long and well!
I hope this article was helpful and if you have any further questions feel free to drop me a line using contact form on top of page or comment down below so everyone can benefit from your knowledge…cheers!
6. Some tips on How to Use Char Broil Smoker?.
There are some tips on How to Use Char Broil Smoker:
When you want to use it, you should wash the cooking grates first. Then put grease tray under the grill grate and turn it on high heat to preheat for 5 minutes.
Put your meat onto the middle of the grilling surface and let sear both sides for 3 minutes or until they become brown in color before flipping them over with tongs.
Remember not to cook any vegetables because they will burn easily…especially if you’re smoking meats so they can keep their juices inside!
If you want to smoke, then remember that it is okay to mix different types of woods but never ever mix hardwood with charcoal or gas – this will result in nasty tasting smoke that may ruin your meat…use only soft woods for smoking!
Other tips on How to Use Char Broil Smoker to smoke meat:
Also remember that if you want your meats more smoky, then delay adding new chips or chunks of wood every time – just add 2-3 pieces and let them burn out completely before adding next lot onto coals.
It is also a good idea not to use lighter fluid because it imparts a chemical aftertaste into your meats which can be unpleasant to eat! Instead, soak your wood chips in water for at least half an hour before placing them on top of burning charcoal.
This way they will catch fire without any extra effort from you and the taste will be worth it! You can also use bunches of dry grass or leaves as a base for your wood chips – this option is even better because it won’t burn out for a long time and you can smoke your meats longer without having to add more wood!
Always remember to clean your grates after smoking meat because they will become sticky and unpleasant to eat from, so just soak them in water and use wire brush or even steel wool (if you don’t mind using chemicals) to scrub off all the food particles.
I know some people like using detergents but be advised that if you do this on regular basis, then it may affect flavor of your food…also never put Char Broil smoker in dishwasher because it can damage exterior finishes and also electrical parts!
7. Where do the wood chips go in a Char-Broil smoker?
You should know that wood chips go on top of charcoal and under the grates. This is just a good rule to follow for every smoker: always put the smoking elements on top so they can slowly smolder and give your meats great flavor…that’s why gas smokers are not as efficient as electric smokers because you have to constantly monitor them so food doesn’t dry out!
I hope this article was helpful and if you have any further questions feel free to drop me a line using form on top of page or comment down below so everyone can benefit from your knowledge…cheers!
8. Char Broil Charcoal Grill Assembly Instructions.
When buying a new grill, it comes with assembly instructions which generally aren’t very clear but after getting my first Char Broil charcoal grill, I quickly figured out that these are doing the job! Just read them carefully and if you need any help feel free to contact me or comment down below because everyone should be able to assemble their new grills easily.
First thing you want to do when starting assembly process is to remove all parts from their shipping carton (if they didn’t come outside) and make sure nothing is damaged before proceeding further. Also check all hardware bags for correct items (they should match numbers on instruction sheet).
And make sure there aren’t any extras…in worst case scenario, just contact customer support (usually located on bottom of unit – example here ) and they will ship replacement parts at no or just send whole new unit (if that’s the case, then return existing one since you don’t want to wait for another few weeks to get replacement).
Then take all pieces out and sort them by their numbers (1, 2, 3 etc) because it makes assembly process much easier. The whole Char Broil grill is made from steel so care must be taken when putting screws in…
I used 10 mm socket wrench with 1/4 ratchet to tighten them all up and it worked really well so if you have this type of tools I would definitely recommend using them instead of just screwdriver or even pliers – this way your hands will stay clean and look great again!
After putting all screws into place, flip unit upright and put on wheels (which come in one bag) and then place front panel (A) on top of it together with 2 lower side panels (B). Make few more screws to hold them in position tightly…another thing you can do is put some silicone sealant between these two parts so no air can get inside, but this step is not required for safe operation.
Then continue by adding upper side panel (C) by sliding it into place after inserting screw form bottom. If you want to be extra cautious about your new grill lasting longer, I recommend putting silicone at the edge of every opening where vertical pieces meet horizontal ones – that way you will prevent any unnecessary damage if water or rain somehow gets into your Char Broil smoker.
After attaching all 6 screws to hold panel (C) in it’s place, next goes the lid (D). Now this part is tricky because it has 5 pins which go into holes on top of cook chamber – it took me few tries to get them all lined up but after that, rest of assembly process became much easier.
Lid will hold itself in place so no need for screws here but I did add some silicone sealant around edge just to be extra safe with heat proofing and durability. You can do this step earlier if you want but again, not needed for safe operation!
After putting both upper panels in their places, flip your Char Broil smoker grill once again and attach front bottom panel (E) making sure to put 3 long screws from right side in holes which are located under one of flap hinges. This will help your grill last much longer if any water or debris fall down there because they won’t be able to reach main chamber after this step!
Then, put 3 short screws on the opposite side and you’re done with assembly! Just make sure you use silicone sealant on all corners where two different parts meet (preferably on bottom but it’s not required) and front panel (E) has some extra piece which protects screw heads – keep that in mind when putting things together and it should work out just fine.
Now comes the time to add heat shield (F) to back wall of Char Broil charcoal grill . I recommend using thinner sheet metal for this part because there is not much space between it and cooking chamber so thicker one might run into problems with lighting charcoal – just put it on top of back wall, then slide main section into place and secure this part using 3 screws (two at bottom and third one from side).
There are two ways to attach heat shield: a) use a drill to pre-drill holes first or b) cut off small piece of sheet metal which will fit perfectly in middle – I did the latter because I didn’t have right screw bits for my drill but either way works.
After attaching heat shield , grab some silicone sealant again and cover all openings where vertical parts meet horizontal ones as well as those where front panel meets main section, since that area is open as well.
You will have to put sealant on every opening so no air can get inside which is fine because it’s not required for safe operation (unless you want to be extra sure your Char Broil smoker grill lasts longer) but if that bothers you, just cover all openings with pieces of aluminum foil.
At this point in time I was able to power up my Char Broil charcoal smoking grill and see if everything works – when doing this, make sure lid is open (or heat shield isn’t attached) otherwise there might be problems when you try lighting up your new BBQ grill…
I did this mistake right after checking out how well venting system works and realized I need to wait 10 minutes before trying anything…lesson learned = keep lid open when checking thermometer or venting system!
(F) After waiting 10 minutes, I went ahead and attached heat shield (F) since it will prevent damage to paint if you use your Char Broil smoker to do direct grilling.
This part is very important because not only it protects top side of main section but also allows cooking chamber to breathe much better by creating more insulation between both parts!
I’m sure it will properly insulate vapors from cooking chamber which are then burned inside heat generating area due to air flow created underneath aluminum foil. This is extremely important for smoking food properly without making anything taste unpleasant .
Now that heat shield is in place, you can use your Char Broil charcoal grill to smoke some food – just fill up main chamber with lit coals and put a foil pan filled with water just below heat generating area (or even better yet, directly under heat shield so vapors from cooking chamber simply turn into steam before reaching heat generating/heat shield part). Then, cover it with lid and remember to keep vents open.
In my case, I used 16-17 briquettes with 4 oz of regular BBQ charcoal because they were all I had at the moment but will go ahead and buy an extra bag or two for future usage…after lighting them up (with chimney starter ), there was plenty of space left for cooking!
You can fit even more coals inside but I recommend starting with less and adding them if necessary (most of the time you won’t need to take out any since they will extinguish themselves once temperature drops), here’s how much space is left after putting water pan just below heat generating area:
I usually keep lid open for about 10 minutes to let metal cool down before applying BBQ sauce on top – this way, it can properly stick.
Opening vents allows gas created during cooking process to escape which will lower overall temperature significantly so unless you cook something that requires high temperatures, opening lid for around 5-10 minutes should be enough…if your food needs higher cooking temperatures than normal, lighting up another batch of charcoal might be required every now and then.
To prevent temperature from falling below ~200 degrees F, you can always place a few lit coals inside main chamber near heat shield and leave lid open to let them light up other briquettes. You can do same thing on bottom by placing a few hot cakes there…do not close lid until temperature is back at desired level since opening it will cause temperature to go down quickly!
In this case, you should know that every time you want to bring temperature back up to 250-300 degrees F – you’ll have to use your Char Broil smoker to achieve temperatures of 300-400 degrees F so flickering fire is very important when using an electric smoker .
(G) Here’s how temperature dropped after I opened lid for around 10 minutes so that sauce can stick better and BBQ grill can cool down a bit…after 10 minutes, temperature was back to 250 degrees F and looking much more stable with plenty of visible smoke coming out from vents.
This way I could add a few hot cakes in bottom chamber for extra heating/smoke effect or if needed, place a few lit coals inside main chamber near heat shield for the same purpose.
(H) Since side burner works just fine, you might choose to cook your meat directly over it instead of moving them from main chamber to side one but this is something that requires experience – you cannot simply dump charcoal into already burning fire!
In my case, not only did it extinguish flames completely but also made embers burn poorly so at first I was not able to start it up again until I used my chimney starter .
(I) It might sound strange but since my Char Broil grill didn’t come with a dedicated smoker box, I’ve simply placed aluminum foil tray with soaked kitchen wood chips directly on top of already burning coals…you can go ahead and use your dedicated smoker box if you have one.
After 5-10 minutes , smoke coming out from vents changed colors significantly which means that they’ve absorbed all available moisture – now they are ready to be used! You can see how much water is left in bottom part of aluminum foil after soaking the chips for 10 minutes – there’s barely any visible liquid left if you are using wet kitchen wood chips .
(J) After dumping new, unlit briquettes in top chamber and placing water pan on heat shield, I opened lid for few minutes to let metal cool down…after 10 minutes, temperature stabilized at 275 degrees F so I closed vents completely.
If you need higher temperatures inside smoker , simply open vents again until desired level is reached – every time you want to achieve cooking temperature of 250-300 degrees F or more – remember about flickering fire !
You can also add hot cakes in bottom chamber(s) for extra heating/smoke effect but always make sure that they are lit before closing the lid since opening it will cause temperature to drop quickly!
Doing this often might require adding extra briquettes into both top and bottom chambers throughout the cooking process – you will learn how many hot cakes are needed to keep temperature at desired level after few cooks…it’s what any master would do!
(K) Here’s how smoker looked like 20 minutes later when I added my pork ribs onto grate near heat shield. At this point, I closed lid completely and let everything cook for next 1 hour 15 minutes . Temperature was between 250-300 degrees F so dripping fat didn’t create flames but meat still got plenty of smoke even though it’s not being absorbed by wood chips inside dedicated smoker box.
If you want, you can use aluminum foil tray or dedicated smoker box during cooking process – both depends on your preference so either way is fine as long as temperature is around 250-300 degrees F…you can see how temperature dropped almost 10 degrees when I closed vents completely after adding pork ribs onto the grate.
(L) After 1 hour 15 minutes , I moved my ribs onto upper grate so that they will get direct heat from briquettes and here’s what smoker looked like 1 hour 20 minutes later – meat got plenty of smoke/rustic brown color and it’s time to add more water pan if necessary.
Temperature was between 265-290 degrees F throughout cooking process which is very close to my desired temp range for pulled pork (270-300 degrees F) and you could also use dedicated smoker box instead of aluminum tray but make sure that meat gets plenty of smoke coming out from it – just follow my instructions from pictures that you’ve seen so far and everything will be alright!
(M) At this point, my ribs were still not done so I added more water pan along with pork butt to keep it moist during cooking process…temperature was between 265-290 degrees F since I wanted to use higher heat for pulled pork.
If you prefer lower heat, leave briquettes under water pan unlit and cover up smoker lid completely or if your grill doesn’t have dedicated smoker box then fill aluminum tray with kitchen wood chips and place on top of already burning coals – do the same procedure as described in (K).
After 1 hour 10 minutes , temp gauge showed 200 degrees F which means that my pork butt was done since temperature in center of thickest part of the meat should be around 205 degrees F when you are checking for doneness. Pork butt pulled apart easily so I used it as a food slicer and made sandwiches for my family.
(N) This is final product after pulling pork – on top, there’s some kind of source that I’m using for cooking meat but if you have large enough turkey pan then put it under your ribs and pour about 1/2 gallon water inside to keep it moist during entire cooking process…moisture from meat along with added water will create steam which helps to make tasty pulled pork.
On bottom, there’s aluminum tray filled with used wood chips soaked in water – they were still hot after cooking process so make sure to use thick gloves when handling them or you can turn it into ash/litter in your fireplace but never leave ashes unattended since they are highly flammable!
9. Common Mistake When Using Char Broil Smoker.
#1 Do not place aluminum tray under meat and expect that it will create smoke since water pan is already used to produce moisture which creates steam and my article is written during winter time when humidity is very low – if you’re using smoker in warm weather then leave extra space between water pan and aluminum tray so that additional amount of wood chips can be added after few hours.
#2 Make sure to refill charcoal chamber with new briquettes every 2 hours or as soon as ash from previous batch touches bottom of cooker – I’m cooking on cold winter day so it didn’t happen at all but I’m just mentioning this for a fact.
Charcoal should be allowed to burn until they are covered with fine gray ash before placing them onto the charcoal chamber so that they will produce heat instead of using chemical starter fluid.
Remember to leave extra space between water pan and aluminum tray since meat produces muscle fats which has unhealthy effect on any type of smoke coming out from smoked meat! As always, I’m open for questions so feel free to write me through my email address or simply comment on this blog post!
FAQs about How to Use Char Broil Smoker.
1. Question: Does your smoker have dedicated smoker box?
Answer: No – it doesn’t so I’m using aluminum tray filled with wood chips to produce smoke since char-broil unit is designed for grilling meat instead of smoking. If you’re looking for smoker then go with Weber Smokey Mountain which will keep temperature between 225-275 degrees F.
Or buy used one since they are very affordable but please don’t expect that you can use $200 smoker in order to create tasty pulled pork like mine because there’s no such thing as “low and slow” when cooking pork butt (in this case, butt represents generic term for shoulder/boston butt) – to make great barbecue, proper heat is essential requirement in order to cook meat properly!
2. Question: What type of wood chips you’re using in order to produce great smoke?
Answer: You can use any kind of kitchen wood chips such as apple, cherry or peach – I’m using oak because it’s cheap and easy to find but avoid maple since it has tendency to sweeten meat instead of producing strong smoke.
3. Question: Do you have smoker temperature gauge so that you can monitor internal temperature of your pork during entire smoking process?
Answer: No – my unit is designed for grilling meat and not smoking meat since there’s no such thing as “low and slow” when cooking pork butt.
If you’re using Weber Smokey Mountain then serve yourself with all kinds of temp gauges which will help you determine if something’s going wrong but don’t expect that you can use smoker as sous vide machine – to produce great barbecue, proper heat is essential requirement in order to cook meat properly!
4. Question: Do you have any kind of digital probe which will monitor internal temperature of your pork?
Answer: No – my smoker doesn’t have built-in temp gauge and I’m not using any separate device either since there’s no need for it. Meat probes are used by people who don’t know how to determine if meat is ready using their naked eyes and simple experience from cooking process over open fire.
Internal temperature of pulled pork should be between 200 degrees F and 205 degrees F before removing from the grill. Place one end of thermometer into center of flat cut and other end of thermometer should be touching bone. It’s that simple!
5. Question: How long you’re smoking your meat?
Answer: I’m not using dedicated smoker – my char-broil unit has grill function as well as rotisserie so it’s designed for grilling meat instead of creating smoke inside the chamber. In order to create smoke, place large amount of wood chips on aluminum tray filled with water and cook until they stop producing smoke since wood chips are running out.
Don’t worry – if you keep adding more and more wood chips after hour or two then pork butt will still taste great because “low and slow” rule is only applicable to cooking steaks, burgers or other meats which have small portions but not pork butt which is extremely thick cut of meat!
6. Question: Do you use any kind of sauce during cooking process or simply apply it once finished?
Answer: My barbecue sauce has ketchup as primary ingredient but not as much as traditional recipes may include so I’m adding additional taste with fresh ground spices such as garlic, mustard, paprika and black pepper – all homemade!
Sauce that’s applied during cooking process will simply burn on top of pork butt once meat is ready so it’s not that great idea to add sauce too early unless you want to eat burned meat.
7. Question: Do you baste your pork?
Answer: No, I don’t – if you’re using Weber Smokey Mountain then applying additional baste during cooking process may improve overall taste but for this particular recipe, spoonful of barbecue sauce which was applied during smoking won’t be enough in order to create extra flavor!
It’s extremely easy to keep adding more and more ingredients into one pot without thinking about the final outcome – lots of people are doing it all the time in order to impress their guests with fancy dishes but in reality, they simply end up with mediocre dishes!
8. Question: Do you need to turn meat during smoking process in order to promote even cooking?
Answer: There’s no need to do it since pork butt is extremely thick cut of meat which will require hours and hours until it’s properly cooked. As mentioned previously, internal temperature should be between 200 degrees F and 205 degrees F before removing meat from smoker so check it with your favorite thermometer every once in a while – that way you’ll determine if something’s going wrong!
9. Question: Do I have to use wood chips at all?
Answer: Yes, whole point of building smoker is creating additional smoke for flavoring sake so without using wood chips, there won’t be any unique of barbecue within one dish.
You can also apply liquid smoke if you really don’t want to use wood chips but I’m not a big fan of it since it tastes extremely artificial and creates weird smell within one pot – perfect example is “liquid smoke” scent which is used to create flavor inside microwave oven!
10. Question: What kind of wood to use for smoking?
Answer: Every type out there has its own unique taste so be free to experiment with different types such as mesquite, hickory or oak although personally I prefer cherry or apple due to milder taste and aroma after meat is fully cooked. Wood that’s too strong will simply overpower pork butt regardless how many hours it’s been smoked so keep in mind what you’re planning on cooking.
11. Question: How to prevent meat from drying out?
Answer: Barbecue sauce will keep meat moist for few hours so if you’re going to apply sauce during smoking process, don’t worry about it! Pork butt is extremely thick cut of meat which will require hours and hours until it’s properly cooked so in terms of moisture…it’s simply not an issue!
With that being said, one hour before pork butt is fully cooked you can start basting it with barbecue sauce every half hour or so that way flavor will stick better instead of applying additional sauce during cooking time since this particular recipe already contains ketchup as primary ingredient!
Conclusion
The Char-Broil smoker is a great addition to your outdoor cooking repertoire. It’s simple and easy to use, which means it can be enjoyed by both novice and expert grillers alike! We’ve compiled some helpful tips on How to Use Char Broil Smoker so that you can get the most out of it for years to come.
With these guidelines in mind, we hope that you’ll enjoy smoking all year round with ease. Please contact us or give a comment below if you still have concern about How to Use Char Broil Smoker, we will reply as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!
