Broil King

Buying Guide | Finding the Right Smoker

Finding the right smoker can seem like a more challenging task than choosing the right gas grill. For most of us, a smoker is our second grill and cost versus use becomes a crucial consideration. We want to help you value your next grill purchase.

After all, our gas grill is the seven-days-a-week workhorse for burgers, sausages, hot dogs, steak and chicken for any meal we want to grill and serve up in a hurry. To find the right smoker, you need to precisely understand what you want and how often you will use it to determine what you really need.

Assessing Your Skill Level

Try the following. Which of these slogans most applies?

  • We grill often enough, but most of it is direct grilling: lots of sausages, burgers, hot dogs and chicken breasts on our gas grill. Hot and fast is the most common use for our grill, but I’d like to dabble in smoking.
  • We grill often, but I want to get into something smoky. I love the flavour of smoke, and I’ve got the time to cook some things low and slow most weekends.
  • We grill all the time, and my weekend hobby is definitely cooking. I really want to modify some of my favourites and get that smoky flavour that comes along with low and slow. I want to make American-style BBQ!
  • We grill all the time, and I’m at the grill every chance I can get. I want to master my favourite slow recipes and get the authentic smoke flavour that comes along with the right fire and fuel. I want to go from griller to neighbourhood pitmaster.

Reading through these statements is basically a progression of passions, and at each stage, it could require a significant financial investment.

Level 1: Smoker Boxes

If you want to get your toes wet in the world of smoked flavour, start with a smoker box, it’s the most low-cost way into smoked foods. A smoker box can be used with chips and pellets and generally delivers 30 minutes to 1 hour of smoke before needing a refill (you’ll also need some heavy leather gloves). This is where I’ll state that what we love most about smoked food is that it’s slow food. A smoker cooks at a temperature that allows fats to render correctly and the internal temperature of your food to come up slowly. Smoke flavour almost exclusively sticks to the outside of the item you’re slow roasting. For more on using a smoker box, click here.

Level 2: Cabinet-Style Smokers

Cabinet-style smokers are generally next in the lineup progression. They range from a few dozen dollars to a few hundred dollars depending on the quality and bells-&-whistles. Cabinet smokers are compact but have a good amount of space inside to smoke pretty much anything. Space-wise, you need to hang racks of ribs and cut down a large brisket to get them to fit properly; otherwise, everything goes in whole. Cabinet smokers come in either gas or charcoal. Gas models are pretty handy for temperature regulation since you can set it once and let it roast. In the case of a charcoal cabinet smoker, you’ll have a pan for charcoal (if that’s your fuel type), a pan for chips and a pan for water. It’s a great way to start working on fire mastery and smoke flavour.

Level 3: Kamado Grill

If you’re looking for that sear-ious charcoal experience, check out a Broil King Keg Kamado grill. They are extra versatile; an oven, sear master, charcoal grill, roaster and smoker all in one. While building and sustaining that charcoal fire is critical with a Kamado grill, it’s easier to do than in any charcoal grill since Kamados have amazing heat retention and burn fuel slowly and gradually. While not the largest overall cooking surface, a kamado grill is a superior way to charcoal grill at home.

Level 4: Direct and Offset Charcoal Grills

If you’re looking for a bigger challenge, charcoal grills and offset smokers deliver outstanding results but require expert-level fire mastery. Get into one of these units because you love charcoal grilling, need to cook for a larger group and don’t mind tending a fire firsthand all day long. Charcoal grills aren’t exclusively for grilling, and a charcoal offset smoker can grill too. Getting to know a grill like this inside and out will help you master the unit and your craft.

Set It and Forget It: Pellet Grills

While pellet grills are a big financial investment, they’re the easiest way to smoke food. Think skill level 1 compared to a charcoal grill’s skill level 4. One of the best ways to describe a pellet grill is to say it’s a household oven that burns wood instead of gas. Like an oven, it self-regulates. Like an oven, you leave items inside to slow roast only to pay attention to the temperature of your food and the time. The results are hard to argue with; the ease of control allows you to focus on the quality of the food. The smoke flavour is incredible from a pellet grill since you’re burning natural wood. This is the “I want effortless smoke flavour” grill.

To see the full line of Broil King smokers, click here.

Buying Guide | Finding the Right Smoker

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Finding the right smoker can seem like a more challenging task than choosing the right gas grill. For most of us, a smoker is our second grill and cost versus use becomes a crucial consideration. We want to help you value your next grill purchase.

After all, our gas grill is the seven-days-a-week workhorse for burgers, sausages, hot dogs, steak and chicken for any meal we want to grill and serve up in a hurry. To find the right smoker, you need to precisely understand what you want and how often you will use it to determine what you really need.

Assessing Your Skill Level

Try the following. Which of these slogans most applies?

  • We grill often enough, but most of it is direct grilling: lots of sausages, burgers, hot dogs and chicken breasts on our gas grill. Hot and fast is the most common use for our grill, but I’d like to dabble in smoking.
  • We grill often, but I want to get into something smoky. I love the flavour of smoke, and I’ve got the time to cook some things low and slow most weekends.
  • We grill all the time, and my weekend hobby is definitely cooking. I really want to modify some of my favourites and get that smoky flavour that comes along with low and slow. I want to make American-style BBQ!
  • We grill all the time, and I’m at the grill every chance I can get. I want to master my favourite slow recipes and get the authentic smoke flavour that comes along with the right fire and fuel. I want to go from griller to neighbourhood pitmaster.

Reading through these statements is basically a progression of passions, and at each stage, it could require a significant financial investment.

Level 1: Smoker Boxes

If you want to get your toes wet in the world of smoked flavour, start with a smoker box, it’s the most low-cost way into smoked foods. A smoker box can be used with chips and pellets and generally delivers 30 minutes to 1 hour of smoke before needing a refill (you’ll also need some heavy leather gloves). This is where I’ll state that what we love most about smoked food is that it’s slow food. A smoker cooks at a temperature that allows fats to render correctly and the internal temperature of your food to come up slowly. Smoke flavour almost exclusively sticks to the outside of the item you’re slow roasting. For more on using a smoker box, click here.

Level 2: Cabinet-Style Smokers

Cabinet-style smokers are generally next in the lineup progression. They range from a few dozen dollars to a few hundred dollars depending on the quality and bells-&-whistles. Cabinet smokers are compact but have a good amount of space inside to smoke pretty much anything. Space-wise, you need to hang racks of ribs and cut down a large brisket to get them to fit properly; otherwise, everything goes in whole. Cabinet smokers come in either gas or charcoal. Gas models are pretty handy for temperature regulation since you can set it once and let it roast. In the case of a charcoal cabinet smoker, you’ll have a pan for charcoal (if that’s your fuel type), a pan for chips and a pan for water. It’s a great way to start working on fire mastery and smoke flavour.

Level 3: Kamado Grill

If you’re looking for that sear-ious charcoal experience, check out a Broil King Keg Kamado grill. They are extra versatile; an oven, sear master, charcoal grill, roaster and smoker all in one. While building and sustaining that charcoal fire is critical with a Kamado grill, it’s easier to do than in any charcoal grill since Kamados have amazing heat retention and burn fuel slowly and gradually. While not the largest overall cooking surface, a kamado grill is a superior way to charcoal grill at home.

Level 4: Direct and Offset Charcoal Grills

If you’re looking for a bigger challenge, charcoal grills and offset smokers deliver outstanding results but require expert-level fire mastery. Get into one of these units because you love charcoal grilling, need to cook for a larger group and don’t mind tending a fire firsthand all day long. Charcoal grills aren’t exclusively for grilling, and a charcoal offset smoker can grill too. Getting to know a grill like this inside and out will help you master the unit and your craft.

Set It and Forget It: Pellet Grills

While pellet grills are a big financial investment, they’re the easiest way to smoke food. Think skill level 1 compared to a charcoal grill’s skill level 4. One of the best ways to describe a pellet grill is to say it’s a household oven that burns wood instead of gas. Like an oven, it self-regulates. Like an oven, you leave items inside to slow roast only to pay attention to the temperature of your food and the time. The results are hard to argue with; the ease of control allows you to focus on the quality of the food. The smoke flavour is incredible from a pellet grill since you’re burning natural wood. This is the “I want effortless smoke flavour” grill.

To see the full line of Broil King smokers, click here.

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