Instructions

1. Prepare the meat to be smoked. Slice the meat to the thickness you desire. Soak the meat in a marinade or brine of your liking if you choose.

2. Prepare the wood that will be used to produce the smoke by soaking it in water for about an hour. If you are using wood chips, wrap the wet chips in tin foil that you have punctured with holes to allow the smoke to escape.

3. Place the wood in the proper place according to manufacturer instructions in the smoker.

4. Ignite the heat source. Electric and gas smokers regulate the meat for you. If you use a charcoal smoker, you will have to pay closer attention to the temperature to ensure that it is maintained in the smoker.

5. Place the meat on the meat racks of your smoker.

6. Maintain a temperature of about 225-degrees Fahrenheit. On a charcoal smoker, there are generally two flues that can be opened to increase the heat or closed to reduce it. Once you achieve this temperature, it is fairly easy to maintain it.

7. Add more charcoal as necessary to perpetuate a steady temperature. Add more wood chips if the smoke seems to diminish.

8. Remove the meat when it appears to be done. If you are using a recipe, the timing should be included. Otherwise, it might be difficult to determine when the meat is done because smoked meat will continue to look pink because of the chemical reaction the smoke has on it. The best way to tell is by the consistency of the meat. The way the meat pulls apart should be the same as fully cooked unsmoked meat.