How To Use an Electric Smoker

Technological advances have given new life to cooking appliances, including food smokers, and changed how we use them at home. In recent years, cooking practices have evolved to fit the consumer market, and smoking has become a popular cooking technique beyond its use for food preservation alone. Read on to discover more about modern electric food smokers, including how to set up, clean, and use them correctly.

WHAT IS AN ELECTRIC SMOKER?

An electric smoker is an outdoor or indoor cooking device that smokes food using electricity as the heating source, making the entire process fast and easy. Let’s explore more about the parts of an electric food smoker, how to set up and use it to achieve the best cooking results, and how to clean it.

PARTS OF AN ELECTRIC FOOD SMOKER

Unlike other types of food smokers, an electric smoker uses electricity as its main heat source. This makes it environmentally friendly and easy to use, as you won’t need to keep watch constantly. Before you use an electric smoker, it’s important to know the six main parts:

Water Bowl/Pan – The water pan is just above the wood chip tray and is usually filled with cold water during smoking. As the smoker heats, the water will turn to steam, which aids in convection cooking.
Smoker Racks – This is where you arrange your meat. Smoker racks can also be used to place cast iron skillets where your food can roast.
Vents and Dampers – These components allow excess heat to escape for efficient airflow during the smoking process.
Drip Bowl/Pan – This collects the flavorful juices and drippings from your food as it smokes.
Controls – Set the oven temperature and smoke and cook times using the control panel.
Heat Element (s) – Some units have one element for both heat and smoke, others have separate elements for burning the wood and maintaining the internal temperature of the smoker.

The Bradley Smoker dispenses pucks of aromatic wood called Bisquettes® for its smoke source. Bradley Bisquettes® produce consistent, pure smoke and they’re available in 16 flavors, including hickory, pecan, apple, and maple.

HOW TO SET UP AND USE AN ELECTRIC FOOD SMOKER

Follow these four simple steps to set up and use your electric smoker:

1. Season your electric smoker.

Power on your empty smoker to a temperature between 250 and 275 °F (121–135 °C), and then let it run for three hours. After that, turn off the smoker, open the door, and let it cool. This process is typically done when the food smoker is new to help remove dust and other particles on the cooking racks or stainless steel housing that may have accumulated during manufacturing.

2. Set the desired temperature and time.

Set your electric smoker to the preferred temperature, depending on what you want to smoke. For instance, if you plan to smoke beef, preheat your food smoker to 225 °F (107 °C).

3. Place a container full of water in the smoking chamber.

This helps keep the meat moist during smoking as the water evaporates. Bradley electric smokers are designed to push the Bisquette® into the water bowl so it extinguishes before it can turn to ash. This prevents tar and resin from attaching to the food.

4. Allow plenty of space inside the smoker, and allow sufficient smoking time.

‘Low and slow’ is the motto when you’re using an electric smoker, which is designed to cook at a far lower temperature than other smokers, enhancing flavors and resulting in a tender cut of meat. So you must be prepared to allow your meat to smoke until it’s well cooked and give it enough space within the appliance to smoke correctly.

CLEANING AN ELECTRIC FOOD SMOKER

An electric food smoker should be cleaned inside and out after every use for an extended shelf life and proper functionality. Follow these tips for how to clean an electric smoker:

After you finish smoking the food, unplug your smoker and let it cool down.
Remove the accessories inside the food smoker, including the grill racks, drip pan, and water pan.
Use a slightly wet towel to brush debris out of the inside of the smoker, and then scrub with a kitchen sponge to remove the smaller particles left during smoking, including fat.
Wipe your electric smoker inside and out with a clean, damp cloth and let it dry.

WHY BUY AN ELECTRIC SMOKER?

Electric smokers are easy to use and do not require constant supervision, making them perfect for beginners.
Maintaining a consistent temperature is easy on an electric smoker.
You can use any combination of wood chips to achieve a dynamic flavor.
It is not challenging to power on or start an electric smoker.
Electric smokers are environmentally friendly.

Using an electric food smoker today is easier than ever. But it’s important to note that there are different brands of electric smokers, and the information may vary a bit.

Get started on your food smoking journey—explore our blog to learn more about:

Our Tips & Tricks page is a fantastic resource for finding more ways to get the most out of your Bradley Smoker.

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