Charcoal smokers can give you a surprising variety of tastes and is a perfect change from your standard summer cooking . You can smoke about everything you can grill, and mixing the many kinds of wood with different types of meat is a great challenge and makes for a compelling hobby.

Check it out. Ribs are one of the most popular kinds of meat to smoke in a charcoal smoker. You can’t beat a massive rack of ribs, smoked to perfection with a hickory or mesquite . Pork or beef, doesn’t matter because either are great smoked. Water is very important , too. Since smoking takes a while – several hours in most cases – you need to have a water pan there to ensure the meat  doesn’t dry out. You can get a great smoky flavor, but it will be ruined if the chops or ribs are tough and dry .

                Pork chops are another popular smoking meat. My best recipes calls for smoking chops with maple wood, then creating a maple syrup glaze to coat the chops with for the final thirty minutes . The wood gives the chops a maple taste , the water keeps it tender , and the glaze at the end seals in the juicy deliciousness . It has a sweet taste flavor that goes great with roasted yams.

You need some lighter woods and heartier meat if you’re smoking fish. Cod or any kind of light white fish is difficult to smoke, though it can be done. So your best bet if you’re just starting out is to smoke tuna or salmon . They’re meatier, thicker , and they keep together through the smoking process. Apple is a great lighter wood that works well with salmon, but you have to smoke a lot longer because the flavor is lighter . Be watchful ! You don’t want to overcook your salmon. If it’s flaky, it’s overcooked. Briny water is very important with salmon to keep it from drying out, particularly if you have to smoke it longer. Use moist wood chips to make a more billowy smoke. If it turns out great, though, it’s worth the work. It goes well with wild grain rice and Swiss chard.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with the water too. Besides just water, you can add juices or beer. For example, smoking venison using a light maple wood and a cherry-infused beer imparts a great flavor you can dress with a cherry sauce or serve as is.

The most important thing is to experiment. Smoking is a craft , and with any skill the technique is whetted through trial and error. Charcoal smokers come in many shapes and sizes , and many times have different features. Start simple – a standard vertical smoker should do you just fine – and go from there. Don’t go out and blow 100s of dollars on the huge smoker on your first time go. You won’t know what to do with everything and will be overwhelmed. A cylinder, a water pan, two racks, and a thermometer is enough to get you going .