Choosing the proper equipment can make the difference in smoking meats

Of all the hobbies people choose to spend their time on, few are more convoluted than outdoor cooking.

Grilling is the traditional manner that many of us in Northeast Ohio learned of growing up. I have memories of my grandpa standing around his trusty charcoal grill carefully minding the assorted succulent meats.

In my family, he started early to get the ribs done for dinner later. After the ribs came hot dogs and burgers to enjoy for lunch with beers, chips and the melodious tones of Earth, Wind & Fire, the Commodores and Isley Brothers through assorted line dances.

But all things evolve, and barbecuing in my family has been no different. I still use some of my grandfather’s old tricks when speed is a priority, but I am mostly a low and slow guy now, meaning smoking.

There is nothing quite like enjoying meat. But choosing the means of production is as important as the process, and that, like many things in life, comes down to preferences.

Are you an easy-like-Sunday-morning person who doesn’t mind sitting down with a few libations of choice and tending to heat maintenance, or are you more the type who wants to set it and forget it?

Personally, I’ve leaned into the former since going the smoking route in 2014. Prior to that, it was the grill for me (personal record: grilling 15 racks of spareribs for my older son’s high school graduation party in 2013).

The following year, to the delight of my family, I was all in on smoking, starting with a cheap ($79) vertical smoker that I learned to cook and experiment with to find my style.

So, what is the best smoker to start with?

There are several main categories, each with a subset of styles dictated by the quality of the smoker’s build, including materials used. Here are a few options.

Offset smoker

This smoker looks as if it has two chambers for cooking – one big and one small – and it can be used that way, but that smaller chamber is generally used as a firebox, a place to generate heat with either charcoal or wood. (Offsets are sometimes called stick burners.) That energy is drawn into the larger chamber to heat it, and a smokestack draws smoke into the chamber, providing the essence of whichever wood is used for flavor.

Pros: Provides a reason to sit down, turn on some music, lounge about and sip on your favorite beverage.

Cons: Constant monitoring of temperatures is essential. When you get temps dialed in, however, this method tends to produce the best food.

Pellet smoker/grill

You know those folks who were hangin’ out in Costco way back when trying to drum up interest in their grill/smoker? Chances are they were with Traeger, and they are one of the originators of pellet smoking and grilling, a device that can be an outdoor kitchen miracle allowing you to grill, smoke or bake. It uses hardwood pellets, which allow flavors to be infused.

Pros: It’s set it and forget it, with temperatures being more easily controlled.

Cons: It’s set it and forget it with a lot of nuances and more room for error.

Electric and gas smokers

These are exactly what they sound like: They’re smokers that use electricity or gas to cook food low and slow. The electricity or gas (propane) is used to heat wood chips to create a smoky environment to cook the food.

Pros: Another set it and forget it method that controls temperature effectively.

Cons: There are parts that can actually wear out or go bad.

Choosing a smoker

Within these categories exist a host of styles. If you’re looking for a definitive method or smoker, I’d follow a simple mantra: “You do you.”

Personally, I own several. For doing briskets, poultry and the like, I own a Dyna Glo widebody vertical smoker. It just might be my favorite of the three in my backyard.

I also own the Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn offset that I use when I am doing more than five racks of ribs at a time – yes, some of us weirdos cook that type of volume.

Lastly, my most recent purchase, the Oklahoma Joe Marshal doubles as a smoker and a grill. Purchased last year in the middle of the summer, I am still mastering it. I did, however, manage to put out a couple of wonderfully delicious smoked rib roasts at Christmas. It will get more of a workout as the summer cooking season kicks off.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: What are the best ways to smoke meat? Here's what to know