Char Griller How To Smoke: A Beginner’s Guide

Talking about char griller and how to smoke, we cannot help but mention the unique Texas meat dish. Texas barbecue began in the 1800s and has a long, proud history. It is known for its delicious, smoky flavor and is prepared by slow cooking using mesquite wood to smoke the meat. So what makes grilled meat special besides the exclusive recipe and meat selection? The answer lies in how to prepare it. How to create a succulent piece of meat that smells of wood smoke? First, we will learn how to smoke for a char griller, an easy process that allows even beginners to realize their passion for cooking.

Char griller how to smoke with Side Fire Box

1. Light Charcoal

Fill the chimney with charcoal halfway, but do not exceed three-quarters full. This helps control the temperature and ensures the coals burn evenly. Place a kindling or newspaper under the charcoal chimney. Fire starters help charcoal catch fire more easily. Light a fire starter or newspaper to start the burning process. Let the coal burn completely. Wait until you no longer see any active flame on the coals. This ensures the charcoal is evenly burned and ready to use for smoking.

2. Fill the Side Fire Box

Place fully lit coals in the SideFirebox. Make sure the coal is completely ashed before moving. Close the Side Fire Box lid and main tank lid to maintain temperature. Open the damper on the Side Fire Box and the smokestack damper halfway. This helps regulate airflow and maintain a stable temperature for the char griller. Wait about 10 minutes after closing the lid then add wood chips or wood blocks to the Side Fire box.

Tip: Add no more than four handfuls of wood chips, three logs, or one log to the coals in the Side Fire Box to start. This helps prevent sudden temperature changes.

3. Add A Water Pan

To create a humid environment and maintain a stable temperature during the smoking process. You can also place a pan of water under the grill where you will place the meat. You can also use a loaf pan placed on the char griller near the Side Fire Box. The water in the pan will create a moist environment, helping the meat stay moist and cook evenly. The water pan also helps maintain a stable temperature in the main barrel, ensuring an efficient smoking process.

4. Check the Dampers Again

To maintain proper temperature and slow cooking when using the Side Fire Box to smoke the char griller, make sure the temperature in the large pot does not exceed 250°F (maximum 275°F). Smoker with Side Fire Box is designed for slow cooking and lasts over 6 hours. To cook something faster, use indirect heat in the main barrel of the char griller.

The damper on the Side Fire Box and the Chimney should often be checked. If the temperature in the bulk tank exceeds 275°F, close the damper so it is only one-quarter open. If the temperature has not yet reached 250°F, open both dampers to the 3/4 open position. This will help maintain the ideal temperature for the smoking process of the char griller.

5. Start Your Cook

When the main barrel hits 250°F, put the meat on the char griller. Begin the smoking process, monitoring the main vat temperature and the temperature of the meat regularly. Make sure the main tank temperature stays stable at 250°F so the meat cooks evenly and achieves the best flavor for all types of ribeye steaks

6. Adding More Coals

If the temperature in the main barrel begins to drop, prepare another half of the charcoal chimney. Wait until the coals are completely burned and ashed. Next, add new coals to the Side Fire Box. Wait five minutes, then add more wood chips or logs to keep a steady smoke and temperature.

Char griller how to smoke without Side Fire Box

If you have a barrel-style charcoal grill without a side chimney, you can still smoke using the following setup:

Use a small amount of charcoal instead of firewood to make temperature control easier. Place a Drip Pan directly underneath the meat, on one side of the grill. Drip Pan helps collect grease and keeps the temperature stable. Place the fuel (charcoal) on the opposite side of the grill, as far away from the meat as possible. This helps slow cooking and prevents the meat from burning. Use Coal Baskets to limit fuel and control burning.

The general rule

A general rule of thumb for smoking time for a char griller is one hour of cooking per pound of food or one hour of cooking per inch of meat thickness. When meat is cooked slowly at low temperatures, it becomes moist and requires less attention. If you want, you can wrap the meat in foil after a few hours to limit browning and keep it moist after a few hours. You can also taste it while you’re smoking but remember that each time you open the smoking chamber, your smoking time will increase.

If you see black smoke, your fire is dying and needs more wood or charcoal. However, you should not smoke too much, as your food may taste bitter and turn black.

In the Drip pan, you can add a mixture of water and wine, water and beer, water and apple juice, or your favorite sauce. That mixture will add flavor by evaporating onto the meat when hot. After 4 hours, check the mixture regularly or if you don’t hear the water boiling.

Before placing the meat on the char grill, we recommend marinating it overnight in the refrigerator with your favorite sauce. You should then take it out and leave it at room temperature before and after smoking. To ensure the meat is completely cooked, put a probe of your Dual-Probe Remote Thermometer into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone for 5 minutes to record. The internal temperature of the char griller should be 170°-180°F. Beef ribs vs pork ribs should be at 140°F for rare, 160°F for medium, and 170°F for well done. After smoking, you can also marinate the meat in the boiled sauce to remove bacteria and make the meat more juicy and flavorful.

How to use a char griller smoker?

Since the char grill smoker process takes more than 4 hours, you should plan if you want to host a cooking party. While the char griller is still hot, you should keep an eye on your children and pets, keeping them at a safe distance

Curing the Smoker

Step 1:

Spray cooking spray on all interior surfaces of the smoker, including the grates, barrel, and lid.

Step 2:

The briquettes will be placed in the bottom part of the smoker. Pour lighter fluid over the coals and burn them until the coals turn from black to ashy gray. Crush some newspapers and stuff them into the base of the chimney starter. Fill the device with briquettes and place it in the smoker. When the coals begin to turn an ashy gray color, move them away from the chimney starter into the bottom of the smoker.

Leave the smoking lid on during this process.

Step 3:

Next, you spread out the gray coal and close the burner lid. Leave them for about two hours. Smokers should stay around 250 degrees F.

Step 4:

The lid of the smoker needs to be opened after two hours. Continue spraying cooking spray on the grill, not the entire inside. Close the lid and let the smoker cure for another two hours.

Using the Smoker

Step 1:

You start the first step by lighting a fire on the grill by placing charcoal in the char griller. About 50 to 60 charcoal pellets are recommended for the char griller.

Step 2:

After the smoker is well prepared, it is time to open the lid to use

Step 3:

Charcoal should turn at least halfway to ashy gray before placing food on the grill. Cover the char griller when cooking food.

Step 4:

Cooking liquid should be sprayed inside the stove after use while the stove is still warm.

Tip: You should clean the cooled ash completely from the char griller after each use. This helps preserve the best flavor of your next dish

Adding smoke flavor

When using a char griller, you can use different types of wood chips to add unique flavors to your meat. Try hickory, mesquite, applewood, or cherry wood to find your favorite smoky taste.

Patience is key

Smoking meat takes time, but the results are worth it. Be patient and let the meat absorb the smoky flavor as it cooks slowly.

Conclusion

Char griller how to smoke with or without Side Fire Box is also the art the cooking. However, everyone has their formula. With practice, you will discover that you are also a grill master. Thanks to the support of the right equipment, parties with family, friends, and relatives will go more smoothly and warmly, with the presence of delicious dishes cooked by your own hands.