If you plan to smoke multiple types and sizes of meat, it is recommended to invest in a pellet grill. There are different options in the smokers for beginner’s category, and they are affordable. Like other cooking techniques, you need to prep well and follow specific steps to end up with perfectly smoked chunks of meat that your guests will enjoy eating.

Here are expert tips on how to smoke different types and sizes of meat like a professional.

Start by Cleaning the Pellet Grill

Hygiene is of paramount importance when smoking meat. Start by cleaning the pellet to get rid of debris from the previous barbecue party. Make sure that the grill racks and cooking surfaces are wholly pristine and primed. Otherwise, the waste will ruin the meat’s flavor and predispose you to food poisoning.

Place the Meat in Different Platters

Chunks of chicken wings should not be put in the same platter as the trout. Purchase several platters and place the different meat in its platter. Separating them will cushion you from countless safety and food hygiene issues associated with uncooked beef, such as contaminations. On the same point, you should not share utensils. Each type of meat should be smoked using its own utensils.

Plan How you Will Place the Meats on the grill

To become a professional meat smoker, you need to plan ahead of time to add/place the grill’s different meats. Experts recommend creating a chart to guide you through the process. When creating the chart, consider the amount of time that each meat requires to get smoked evenly. Make sure that you stick to the plan to avoid charring some of the pieces.

For example, a T-bone will take longer than other tender pieces of meat. So, make sure that you start early to ensure that it gets cooked properly. Otherwise, if you rush the process, you will end up serving uncooked meat to your guests.

The Meats Shouldn’t Come in Contact

This is another hygiene step that will eliminate the risk of contamination and unnecessary mix of flavors. When placing the meats on the grill, make sure that the pieces don’t overlap. There should be a space of one or two inches between each meat type to ensure that the raw juices don’t mix. It’s also important to note that squishing the meat together limits air and smoke circulation, resulting in undercooked spots.

Utensils Should Always be Clean

The secret to smoking different types of meat properly is maintaining high hygiene standards. All the utensils you use should always be clean. The meat thermometer should be rinsed with warm water and soap after every use to prevent the transfer of the raw meat juices from one piece to another. The same case applies to all other tools used, such as the tongs and spatula.

Who wants to be served a shrimp that tastes like smoked ribs? You get the point. If you are unsure of which grill to use, here is a comprehensive and updated review of the best smokers for beginners to guide you through the shopping process.

Don’t Mix Up the Marinades

Basting meat as it cooks using marinade will add a unique flavor to it and make it more delicious. Be careful when basting to avoid ruining the whole cook. One marinade should not be used on two different types of meat. It is wise to have different marinades and always have a sanitized baster at hand throughout the process.

Monitor the Temperatures Inside the Smoker

As mentioned earlier, some types of meat, such as T-bone, take longer to cook. Therefore, the smoker’s temperature needs to be optimal to save on time, especially if you are running late. The more types of meat you grill together, the longer it will take for all of them to cook well. The cold meat saps will reduce the temperature inside the grill.

You may also notice that some parts of the grill will be hotter than others. Ensure that all sections of the grill are evenly heated by controlling the grill’s ventilation. You will also need to check the progress multiple times to ensure that the temperature inside is optimal.

Continuously Check the Internal Meat Temperature

Understand that the best barbecue is achieved by maintaining the right internal meat temperature than focusing solely on the cooking time for each type of meat. Focusing too much on the cooking time indicated in your recipe book will result in dry and overcooked or undercooked meat.

Purchase quality digital meat thermometers and use them to check the internal temperature of each chunk of meat independently. If you are smoking three types of meat, have three meat thermometers. Otherwise, you will have to clean it every time you are checking the next one.

Consider Purchasing a Two-Zone Grill

There are beginner two-zone grill varieties in the market that you can use to smoke different meats simultaneously. One of the highlights of having this kind of grill is that it will give you more control over the process. You won’t have to move the meats around the grill unnecessarily. Remember what we talked about mixing raw meat juices?

Final Thoughts

Smoking different types and sizes of meat together require special preparation and smoking skills. Rome wasn’t built in one day though, apply the above tips and practice to master this craft. Expert smokers can also guide you through the process and give you other secrets, so don’t shy away from reaching out and inviting them over.

As you progress, you can try smoking different types of meat such as pork/beef or chicken/fish to gain the required skills and expertise. More importantly, make sure that you invest in the right smoker and learn how to use all the features such as ventilation to control the circulation of oxygen in the grill.

This article is written by the pitmasters over at GrillGuru. Check their site out and don’t forget to check out the rest of what the Bradley Food Smoking Blog has to offer! Happy Smoking.

The post Grilling 101: How to Grill Multiple Types and Sizes of Meat appeared first on Bradley Smokers North America.

If you plan to smoke multiple types/sizes of meat, it is recommended to invest in a hardwood smoker. There are different options, and they are affordable. Like other cooking techniques, you need to prep well and follow specific steps to end up with perfectly smoked chunks of meat that your guests will enjoy eating.

Here are expert tips on how to smoke different types and sizes of meat like a professional:

Start by Cleaning the Smoker

Hygiene is of paramount importance when smoking meat. Start by cleaning the smoker to get rid of debris from your previous barbecue party. Make sure that the smoker racks and cooking surfaces are wholly pristine and primed. Otherwise, the waste will ruin the meat’s flavor and predispose you to food poisoning.

Place the Meat in Different Platters

Chunks of chicken wings should not be put in the same platter as trout. Purchase several platters and place the different meat in its own tray. Separating them will cushion you from countless safety and food hygiene issues associated with uncooked beef, such as contamination. On the same point, you should not share utensils. Each type of meat should be smoked using its own utensils.

Plan How you Will Place the Meats on the Smoker

To become a professional meat smoker, you need to plan when you are going to put meat into the smoker. Experts recommend creating a chart to guide you through the process. When creating the chart, consider the amount of time that each meat requires to get smoked evenly. Make sure that you stick to the plan to avoid charring some of the pieces.

For example, a T-bone will take longer than other tender pieces of meat. So, make sure that you start early to ensure that it gets cooked properly. Otherwise, if you rush the process, you will end up serving uncooked meat to your guests.

Different Meats Shouldn’t Come in Come in Contact

This is another hygiene step that will eliminate the risk of contamination and unnecessary mix of flavors. When placing the meats in the smoker, make sure that the pieces don’t overlap. There should be a space of one or two inches between each meat type to ensure that the raw juices don’t mix. It’s also important to note that squishing the meat together limits air and smoke circulation, resulting in undercooked spots.

Utensils Should Always be Clean

The secret to smoking different types of meat properly is maintaining high hygiene standards. All the utensils you use should always be clean. The meat thermometer should be rinsed with warm water and soap after every use to prevent the transfer of the raw meat juices from one piece to another. The same case applies to all other tools used, such as the tongs and spatula.

Who wants to be served a shrimp that tastes like smoked ribs? You get the point.

Don’t Mix Up the Marinades

Basting meat as it cooks using marinade will add a unique flavor to it and make it more delicious. Be careful when basting to avoid ruining the whole cook. One marinade should not be used on two different types of meat. It is wise to have different marinades and always have a sanitized baster at hand throughout the process.

Monitor the Temperatures Inside the Smoker

As mentioned earlier, some types of meat, such as T-bone, take longer to cook. Therefore, the smoker’s temperature needs to be optimal to save on time, especially if you are running late. The more types of meat you smoke together, the longer it will take for all of them to cook well. The cold meat saps will reduce the temperature inside the smoker.

You may also notice that some parts of the smoker will be hotter than others. Ensure that all sections of the smoker are evenly heated by controlling the smoker’s ventilation. You will also need to check the progress multiple times to ensure that the temperature inside is optimal.

Continuously Check the Internal Meat Temperature

Understand that the best barbecue is achieved by maintaining the right internal meat temperature than focusing solely on the cooking time for each type of meat. Focusing too much on the cooking time indicated in your recipe book will result in dry and overcooked or undercooked meat.

Purchase quality digital meat thermometers and use them to check the internal temperature of each chunk of meat independently. If you are smoking three types of meat, have three meat thermometers. Otherwise, you will have to clean it every time you are checking the next one.

Consider Which Smoker is the Best For You?

There are smokers in the market that you can use to smoke different meats simultaneously, from when you are starting to becoming a pit-master. One of the highlights to consider while choosing is having more control over the process. If you are unsure of which smoker to use, here is a review of the Bradley Smoker Line to guide you through the shopping process.

Final Thoughts

Smoking different types and sizes of meat together require special preparation and smoking skills. Rome wasn’t built in one day though, so apply the above tips and practice to master this craft. Expert smokers can also guide you through the process and give you other secrets, so don’t shy away from reaching out and inviting them over. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Bradley Food Smoking Blog for more expert food smoking tips & tricks.

As you progress, you can try smoking different types of meat such as pork/beef or chicken/fish to gain the required skills and expertise. More importantly, make sure that you invest in the right smoker and learn how to use all the features.

Article was originally written by Jane from GrillGuru

If you are unsure of which smoker to use, here is a comprehensive and updated review of the best smokers for beginners to guide you through the shopping process.

The post How to Smoke Multiple Types & Sizes of Meat appeared first on Bradley Smokers North America.

The following are 10 TOP Timeless tips that new and seasoned hunters must follow to have a successful hunting season:

1. Be slow, and lay low.

Hunting requires you to be slow and lay low, not to scare your game away. Animals have a strong sense of danger, and if you go banging, you will scare them, forcing them to run away. The sound from a snapped twig can quickly alert the prey that you are nearby. You should move slowly enough and keep a low profile. Stopping will help you to unwind from the locality of the game. You should ensure you regularly standstill for up to five minutes. After tracing your game, always follow them behind and avoid projecting ahead of them.

2. Patience pays.

Patience is a vital virtue for every hunter. While trailing a wounded game, always be patient. Sometimes the game is hurt but not lying on the ground. Out of excitement, you may give out your position, allowing the game to run away from you. Give it time even if the animal fell immediately below your feet. Games like the whitetail deer are hard to get even when injured, thus waiting for them to get weak may pay off in the end.

3. Loosen your feet and hands.

Spotting an animal to be hunted takes time, thus in most cases, you get tired. You should stay warm and loosen your hands and feet to let blood flow smoothly. You should loosen any tight boots and gloves you are wearing to relax your hands and feet; hence, stay long without getting tired. Relaxation helps you aim correctly. However, keep the body warm and avoid getting cold.

4. Avoid sweating.

Sweating is the worst enemy a hunter will ever encounter in his adventure. Games, especially the deer, can sense odor caused by sweat when you are at a distance away. The moment they feel danger, they will run away even before you take a shot. If you get sweaty, change the shirt immediately. Place the wet shirt in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Therefore, you should have a spare shirt to take care of such an eventuality.

5. Don’t give up on the expedition.

Some hunters, especially new ones, get frustrated and give up the search for the game. In some cases, you will not get the blood trail as you had anticipated; thus, you will have to use other techniques to track it. When the search gets tough, don’t give but continue searching. You may even request fellow hunters to help you trace it because, in most cases, the animal is hiding nearby.

Hunters give up the search mostly in case the animal has gone past the property line. You should knock on the door and get authorization to continue with your search. Some of the neighbors are good enough to aid you with the search on their property.

6. Get used to close shots.

The game may appear typically at a very close range at a time you less expected. Hunters expect to shoot a game some yards away, fifty, hundred, or more, but you might find it just a meter away. You should always be ready for action so that you don’t miss it. In such a case, you wouldn’t even require to use the scope of your firearm.

7. Be creative.

It would be best if you think outside the box whenever you are on your hunting expedition. Locating your prey requires you to be creative. Did you know you can identify turkeys with a crow call? Mooing like cattle also puts wild animals at ease while hunting. Some of these tricks will make your hunting expedition easy and successful.

8. Always mark the direction your game took.

The moment you take your shot, the game will run away from its spot, although injured. It would help if you immediately marked the direction it has taken, whether it has run towards you or away from you. Marking may be done by tagging a tree or bush in the direction it has taken. Keep an eye on the game for as far as you can see it. Once it’s out of your sight, follow the direction it has taken. It would be challenging to follow, but you can look for marks it has left behind. If your game is injured, then there will be traces of blood left on its path. Trail the blood, and you will have the injured animal lying down somewhere, very weak or dead.

9. Tie the front leg forward while dragging the animal.

When you don’t have an ATV with you, you are most likely to drag your catch towards your ATV. It becomes easy if you tie the front legs forward by the head while carrying it. 

10. Don’t hunt in a group.

Successful hunters walk and hunt alone to avoid creating alarming movements. It’s tough to maintain silence when you are in a group of people. It would be best if you are not walking against the wind’s direction for animals not to sense your presence.

Pro Tip: Since its best to not hunt in a group, check out Bradley tips on hunting solo!

Remember to always carry the best hunting gear with you. What you pack during your hunting trip will be determined by the number of days you will take. Only have the ideal tools and leave the rest as they will only tire you. However, as a hunter, you should always prepare for any eventuality; thus, you should not lack any tool. For instance, it might get dark while hunting, and you will need to have a night vision scope, spotting scope, compact scope in your packing gear. As you prepare, you should have a checklist, including a hunting backpack, hunting knife, flashlight, hunting gloves and boots, hunting bow, GPS tracker, rope and tactical belt, saw, mini sleeping bag, and water bottle. Don’t forget to check out the Bradley Hunting & Fishing tips & tricks straight from the outdoor lifestyle pros!

Written By Chris From Hunting Locator!

The post 10 TOP Timeless Pieces of Hunting Advice appeared first on Bradley Smokers North America.

What is the Difference between Charcoal and Wood?

Charcoal and wood are two essential elements that we can use to smoke food.  They both burn to create heat and smoke which imparts flavor and is used to smoke our meats and fish.  While the process of smoking with these two fuels can be very similar, the outcomes can be very different.  

Charcoal and wood often impart different flavors into your smoked meats.  Charcoal and wood actually both originate from trees.  It’s pretty obvious that wood comes from trees, however, charcoal is actually wood that has been already burned down to the point where it is just carbon.  

The flavor imparted by charcoal and wood comes down to the makeup of each fuel source.  When burned, both of these fuel sources release gases that mix with the air and water vapor.  This combination of gas and heat creates the unique flavor that you can get from different types of wood or charcoal.

Different Types of Charcoal

There are two different types of charcoal which are commonly used in the smoking process.  Charcoal briquettes are often found in your local supermarket or hardware store. These are manufactured for the consistent output of smoke and heat.  They are compressed wood and sawdust mixed with some chemicals to help it maintain heat and shape. Seasoned smoker pros are unlikely to use a product like this.  However, new smokers may consider briquettes, as it can make the smoking process easier.

The other main type of charcoal is lump charcoal.  Lump charcoal is a very unique smoking fuel that is considered pure and clean-burning.  This kind of charcoal is actually wood that has been burned without oxygen present, thus removing all moisture and other impurities from the wood, resulting in a heating element for your smoking.  Lump charcoal tends to burn faster so you need to watch it closely and you may need to add more while smoking.

Different Types of Wood

Smoking Bisquettes, Wood Chips, Wood Pellets, and traditional hardwoods exist in the marketplace. The options are endless and dependent on the type of smoker that you have.  For the most part, all these options will get the job done, however, it is important to keep in mind that some woods pair better with different types of meat.  

Pro tip: Definitely check out which flavors of wood pair well with which types of food for the ultimate, tasty cookouts!

Almost all types of wood used for smoking are hardwoods.  Hardwoods are from deciduous trees that produce fruit and nuts, like apple, cherry, mesquite, and oak.  Hardwoods used for smoking and cooking are almost always wood that has been air-dried to remove much of the water.

Some woods burn faster and some burn more slowly.  Some are “set it and forget it” and the job gets done.  Thankfully you can turn to Bradley Smoker for your smoking Bisquettes which burn evenly and smoothly using the CleanSmoke Technology for even smoking at the specified temperature for your recipe.

Hardwoods come in all shapes and forms, ranging from chunks of hardwood to pellets and all the way down to sawdust.  What shape of wood you are using depends on what you are cooking and how quickly you want to smoke.  The smaller the piece of wood, usually means less cooking time.  However, larger pieces of wood give off heat less evenly.  

Different flavors of of Wood

Now, of course, there are many different flavors of wood that you can use in your smoker.  Each type of wood imparts a different flavor.  Some woods pair better with certain types of meat than others. Bradley Smoker offers a great selection of these wood flavors with its wide variety of smoking bisquettes.  Below is an overview of different wood types and meat pairings to consider for your Bradley Smoker.

Cherry

Cherry Wood is a versatile wood.  It pairs nicely with almost any meat that you are smoking.  It also pairs very nicely with other woods such as oak if you want to add a little extra kick to your pork butt.

Cherry produces a light smoke that is good for long cooks to produce a nice subtle flavor.  Don’t be surprised if the cherry wood smoke turns the meat you are smoking a little pink in color.  

Pecan 

Pecan wood is ideal for smoking poultry as it imparts a nutty and sweet flavor.  It will also pair nicely with pork and game meats.  Check out some Pecan Smoking Recipes from Bradley Smoker.

Mesquite

Mesquite wood is a very popular flavor profile in Texas.  It can be a very smoky wood that burns quickly and imparts a very rich flavor into any food that you are smoking.  This smoky profile is great for dark meats, quick cooks, and steaks.

Oak

Oak is a great wood for smoking pork and beef.  Its flavor profile is not too strong however, it is also not subtle either, providing a good smoky flavor without overwhelming the meat.  

Smoking Tips For Wood

Control your temperature

One of the most important steps in the smoking process is a consistent temperature for your smoke. Depending on your smoker’s temperature, it can be easy to control.  Make sure your vents are opened or closed to the extent you want to control your smoke. Your vents control the flow of oxygen into your smoker, which can increase or decrease the smoke flow.

Also, getting a quality meat thermometer can help ensure that you do not have to disturb your smoke too much.

Water

Humidity and water can be the enemy of good smoke.  After all, if there is a fire, usually we put it out with water.  Be sure your wood is completely dried out and have very little moisture.  This will help your fuel burn at the desired and expected temperature for your smoke.  

Rubs, Spices and Quality Meat

Don’t spend too much time worrying about which type of fuel you should be using (although, bisquettes are a great option!).  Focus on having an excellent smoker that does what it is supposed to do. Buy quality meats from your local butcher, ask for guidance and directions because they will be glad to help.

Get the spices and rubs that you want to bring out the best flavor in your meats. Rubs can actually help the smoke stick to your meat and bring out the smoky flavors that you are looking for.  

Conclusion

Which method should you consider? For long quality smokes consider using bisquettes that allows for an uninterrupted, long smoking session. 

Of course, if you want ease and consistency use a Bradley Smoker with flavored wood smoking bisquettes. Don’t forget to check out the Bradley Smoker blog for tips & tricks to elevate your food smoking techniques!

Thanks to Beyond Yard for writing this article. Beyond Yard is a site all about grilling and backyard fun.

Happy Smoking!

The post The Real Difference Between Charcoal VS Wood Smoking appeared first on Bradley Smokers North America.