Commercial meat smokers provide great joy to barbeque enthusiasts and meat lovers. The tender flavors of meat are brought out through the smoking process, especially with certain cuts like slow cooked brisket.
When you’re choosing a commercial meat smoker of your own, you have plenty of options. You can go for the traditional style, which is generally operated outside and uses a wood fire. This is great for food trucks and some barbeques, but there are many who want the smoker taste without having to pay the commercial smoker dues. There are devices that can speed up the process. Ask yourself the following questions to help you decide what you need.
How much meat?
That’s the biggest question that you have to ask yourself when you’re choosing a commercial meat smoker. Are you going with something small, which can only do a little at a time? Are you looking at something which can tackle 400 pounds of meat on a regular basis?
Convection or radiant heat?
Convection heated smokers use fans to move the heat around from the heat source. Not only do they heat the chamber evenly, but they are incredibly energy efficient. With that consistency comes a brand reputation that you can count on.
Radiant heat smokers have the heat coming from heating elements. The heat is not moved around the chamber, but rather left to stay there. This results in uneven cooking across the batch without a careful eye. However, they can be used indoors.
Fuel Source
Some barbeque places have loads of wood lined up around the outside. Other restaurants go with a gas line. Depending on how you learned to smoke meat, you may have a preference that will help you decide. If you choose to go with radiant heat, electric is your choice.
When you purchase a commercial meat smoker, you are making an investment in your restaurant. Choosing the right one for today and tomorrow’s needs will help your customers stay happy for years to come.
Thanks go to Brian Gautreau on Flickr for the Creative Commons use of his picture.
