Equipment Needed

[ladygt]

What equipment do you need in order to smoke no matter the type of smoker. I have been reading about a Maverick thermometer and a few other things but acronyms are used. Since I am not familiar at all with smoking, I need to know about thermometers, types of wood as in what makes them special, where to purchase, and terminology used here.

 

[bluewhisper]

There's a link to an acronym list on the home page.

Maverick is just one brand of thermometer, but you should definitely have some sort of reliable probe thermometer.

As for wood, in general terms fruit and nut woods work well. The list of undesirable woods is shorter - no pines or evergreens, or a few others like sycamore or hackberry. Apple, maple, hickory, cherry, oak, and mesquite are most common.

 

[ladygt]

My husband stocked up on mesquite at Walmart, but I was wondering about the other types of wood. I am referring to taste the taste factor.  If using Apple or a fruit wood, is the meat sweeter?

A heads up, if you go to the thread listing the acronyms, at first you see just a couple of sentences and the rest of the page is blank.  I almost didn't find them until I scrolled way, way down.

 

[wimpy69]

Wood will usually match meat you are using. Find the wood info and it will recommend paring.

 

[bluewhisper]

Not so much sweet, but less tangy. Mesquite can be rather sharp-flavored. (As can oak, but others here seem to like it more than I do.) "Lighter" might be a better way to describe it. But it also depends on the fire management; you could over-do it with maple, or just have a whiff of mesquite.

 

[seenred]

Hello LadyGT and welcome to Smoking Meat Forums!  Some of the more common and handy smoking and grilling tools:

• As already mentioned, a good, reliable probe thermometer is a must IMO.  Many of us use dual/multiple probe thermometers so we can monitor both the meat temp and the cooking chamber temp.
• Grilling tools (Meat tongs, spatulas, etc.).  Having the proper tools to handle your food on the grill is important
• wire grill brush for cleaning up 
• Unless you're cooking on a stick-burner or more traditional charcoal-fueled pit, some sort of smoke generating device comes in real handy.  A common one around here is the AMNPS: (acronym stands for A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker)...another is the Smoke Daddy. 
• Heat-insulated neoprene BBQ gloves...for handling those hot cuts of meat.
• Grill Mats/Q-Mats or Frog Mats are nonstick Teflon-coated fiberglass screens/mats that make grilling/smoking things like vegetables and seafood much easier.

In regard to woods for smoking, here is a link to an old thread from Dutch that does a real good job of explaining which woods are best for cooking different foods, as well as woods you shouldn't use for smoking at all:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/50439/woods-for-smoking

Hope this helps...good luck and happy smoking!

Red

 

[jirodriguez]

One super tool that most all of use but never really mention: a large roll of food service industry heavy foil is a must! You want a big wide roll, probably cost about $20-$25.

Accurate therms, good sharp knives, etc., etc. Most of the other stuff was covered, but the foil is really something you will use a lot of for all kinds of little things.

 

[wimpy69]

Second on the foil-could write a book-1000 uses for foil, including a s owester rain hat to finish a cook. But tequila will do that to you.