Dec 10th 2024

Benefits of Using Smokers for Your BBQ

Smoked lamb on a platter

For those who are in the process of buying their first grill, you may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options on the market. We suggest honing in on what your grilling goals are. If you’re someone who loves tender cuts of meat and spending all day with your barbecue, using a smoker BBQ may be the best option for you. If you want crowd-pleasing smoked meats, a smoker should be your go-to. In this guide, we’ll dive a bit deeper into what smokers are, what benefits they offer, and what types of smokers are out there.

What Is a Smoker?

Whereas a traditional barbecue grill is designed to grill your meat quickly and efficiently, a smoker BBQ is designed to leverage low temperatures to slowly barbecue your food. This results in a far more tender cut of meat with a smokier flavor that all true grill enthusiasts can get behind. If you’re looking to prepare food for a barbecue that’s fall-off-the-bone good, using a smoker BBQ is your best bet.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Smoker?

Before we dive into the benefits of a smoker, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to choose a grill over a smoker. Many BBQ lovers have both! Rather, these are both great tools to have in your grilling arsenal. That being said, what are the unique benefits that come with using a smoker BBQ instead of a grill for certain cuts of meat?

  • Completely different flavor experience: Both the contribution of the smoke itself, as well as the slow cooking produced by the low temperatures, combine to create a unique, flavorful end product that you simply can’t achieve with a traditional grill. If you love meat that’s moist, smoky, and tender, you’ll love using a smoker BBQ.
  • Customizable aromas and flavors: One of the best things about smokers is the fact that the different types of hardwood you burn in your smoker produce different flavors within the meat, one of the major benefits of pellet grills. Just a few of the wood pellet options you have include cherry, apple, hickory, maple, and mesquite. With a wide variety of options at your disposal, you can experiment with each type of wood to see which you like best.
  • Smoking gives you plenty of time to prepare other dishes: Although grilling can take time, it often demands your attention as you tend to your meat, vegetables, and other food items. Using a smoker BBQ, however, will often take hours, giving you the freedom to prepare other dishes for your barbecue while only checking in occasionally to see how your meat is faring.
  • You have greater control over the grilling experience: With lower temperatures and multiple hardwood options, you have full control over the grilling experience, allowing you to experiment with your smoker to see which conditions produce the best possible outcome.

Put simply, using a smoker BBQ allows you to truly unlock the potential of your meat in a way that no other cooking method will produce!

What Types of Smokers Are There?

Much like grills will utilize different types of fuel to prepare your food, so too will smoker BBQs, which is why it’s important to look for smoker grill comparisons to see which option is the right fit for your needs. Some of the different types of smokers you’ll encounter during the shopping process include:

  • Gas/Propane Smokers
  • Charcoal Smokers
  • Electric Smokers
  • Pellet Smokers (One of the benefits of pellet grills is that they combine the convenience of an electric grill with the flavor offered by a smoker, producing a simple yet comprehensive grilling experience that avid smokers are sure to love.)
  • Kamado Grills

How to decide? Focus on which options fall within your budget, which type of fuel source will make using a smoker BBQ an enjoyable experience for you, and which type of grill will best fit your backyard kitchen space.

Find the Right Smoker at Fireside BBQ & Appliances

Photo of barbecued ribs

A smoker is an excellent barbecue to have on hand if you love grilling and want more tender, flavorful cuts of meat. Whether you’re considering the  benefits of a pellet grill or want a natural gas grill with smart smoker tech, there is a world of options. Start exploring with us and find your next smoker BBQ here at Fireside BBQ & Appliances!

Our extensive collection of grills and smokers will guarantee that you find the right type of smoker for your needs. Additionally, shopping with Fireside BBQ & Appliances means tapping into benefits like lower prices and a 30-day price match guarantee, easy delivery options, and financing available if you need it. If using a smoker BBQ is on your summer to-do list, inquire for a quote or speak to a sales expert about our smokers today!