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If you’ve ever tasted St Louis cut pork ribs, beef brisket, or Nashville hot chicken with that deep, smoky flavour, chances are it was made in an American BBQ smoker. But what exactly is a smoker, and how does it work?
In simple terms, an American BBQ smoker is a cooking device that uses low, indirect heat and wood smoke to slowly cook meat until it’s perfectly tender and packed with flavour.
Smoking is also a key part of American BBQ culture. It’s popular across the Southern US and is now gaining fans worldwide, too.
In this blog, we’ll explain how these American-style smoker machines really work. This will also help you understand how to pick the best smokehouses, based on the types of machines and methods they use for BBQ.
A BBQ smoker is a special type of cooker used to slow-cook meat using smoke and low heat. Unlike a regular grill that cooks quickly over high flames, a smoker gently cooks food over many hours, locking in moisture and rich, smoky flavour.
It uses wood or charcoal to produce the smoke, which surrounds the meat and gives it that classic American BBQ taste. At Red Dog Saloon, we use traditional smokers imported from the US to create tender, juicy meats just like you’d find in the Deep South. It’s all about patience to achieve that unmistakable smokehouse magic.
Smokers create the low-and-slow flavour by cooking meat gently over a long period of time, usually at low temperatures between 95°C and 120°C. This slow cooking process allows the meat to break down slowly, becoming incredibly tender and juicy.
Meanwhile, the wood smoke, often from hickory, oak, or applewood, adds a deep, rich flavour that seeps into every bite. The result is meat that’s just mouthwatering. Our American BBQ smokers run for hours to bring that delicious flavour that’s hard to beat, straight to your plate.
There are many types of BBQ smokers, each with its own style and benefits. For instance, offset smokers are traditional and use a firebox to burn wood, sending smoke into a separate cooking chamber.
There are also pellet smokers, which are easy to use and run on compressed wood pellets, offering steady temperature control. Electric smokers, on the other hand, use electricity and wood chips to create smoke, making them great for beginners.
You’ll also find drum and vertical smokers, which are compact and efficient. At our smokehouse, we stick to traditional methods to keep that authentic American BBQ flavour alive, just how it’s meant to be.
The secret to great BBQ starts with three key ingredients: wood, smoke, and patience. Firstly, different woods like hickory, oak, apple, or cherry add their own unique flavours to the meat, ranging from bold and smoky to sweet and mild. As the wood burns, it creates a rich smoke that slowly cooks and flavours the meat over time.
However, the real magic happens when you’re patient. Low-and-slow cooking can take hours, but it allows the meat to become tender and soak in all that flavour. That’s why we never rush the process. We believe that proper BBQ is always worth the wait.
Smokers are an essential part of authentic American BBQ because they create that deep, smoky flavour you just can’t get any other way. In the Southern US, smoking meat is a renowned cooking tradition.
Using low heat and wood smoke, smokers turn tough cuts into tender, flavour-packed dishes like brisket, ribs, and chopped pork. It’s this slow, hands-on method that gives real BBQ its unique flavour.
We also honour these roots by using traditional smokers to serve up great BBQ every day. When it comes to proper American BBQ, the smoker does all the talking.
Now that you understand what an American-style BBQ smoker is and what it does, would you like to taste the results of this machine and its slow cooking process?
At Red Dog Saloon, our menu boasts hickory-smoked meats, Nashville hot chicken, ground-in-house loaded burgers, craft beers and cocktails. Our award-winning smokers have been imported from the USA and are built to recreate the cooking process of those original fire pits.
With locations across the UK, each saloon is slightly different, but they all offer a laid-back vibe perfect for casual dining or private parties.
If you’re looking for the ultimate BBQ experience, book your table today!