When most of us think of charcoal, we think of the grill method. You burn the charcoal from the bottom, and cook the food on the heat that comes from the burning of the charcoal. However, there is another way to use charcoal to cook our food. This is called a charcoal smoker, and it works in a much different way.

How Does It Work?

When you use a charcoal smoker you are still cooking the food using charcoal. However, the flame itself is set much lower, and the charcoal burns to create a smoke. Once the smoke has permeated your food, this is when the cooking happens. Because of this, you put your food in the charcoal smoker and close the lid, and you shouldn't' open it until the food is ready. The smoke is what cooks the food, and because the smoke can get all the way through the food you are going to get a very distinct and interesting flavor that occurs with a charcoal smoker.

What Is The Difference?

The difference in cooking with a charcoal smoker is that the food isn't going to sit in any of its own grease, or contain as much fat. It will simply be cooked with the smoke, and therefore it will be healthier for you. However, the main difference lies in the taste. There is no comparison to food cooked with a charcoal smoker, it simply tastes different than any other kind of food cooked using different methods. In order to get the most out of your charcoal smoker, you need to make sure that you adhere to some rules, however.

First of all, you need to allow for much more time for the meal to be cooked. A charcoal smoker is going to cook the food but at a much slower rate than a grill. The slowness is what results in the smoked flavor, so you can't rush this along.

Also, you need to be alright with trying something new. You are not going to get the exact same tasting food using a charcoal smoker than a regular grill, so beware that it will taste different. Most people decide to keep their regular charcoal grills alongside their smokers, because they feel that the differences in taste are simply too great for them to choose one or the other. Both can benefit you greatly when it comes to your cooking styles and techniques.