Most BBQ enthusiasts agree that grilling the best meal starts by purchasing the best meat. Therefore, if you are trying to figure out the best meats to smoke for your next grilling venture, then you are on the right track. You are likely to make a delicious meal with the right quality of grilling meats.
The meats with a high amount of fats and collagens, such as beef briskets, pork shoulders, beef rib, and cheeks, are the best meats to smoke. The fats, collagen, and connective tissues break down during the smoking process, which is vital in making the meat tender, moist and delicious.
If you are looking for the best meat to smoke for your next special dinner, this article provides you with a list of the best meats for smoking.
The Best Meats To Smoke For Beginners
Although smoking is an ideal cooking method for delicious meat, most beginners make simple mistakes, including choosing the wrong meat and using a large amount of smoke to cook the meat. Since preparing the best-smoked meat starts by purchasing the best meat, here are the top best meats to smoke for beginners.
The Boston Butt
The pork butt or the Boston butt should be the first meat that every beginner should begin with. First, the Boston butt opens your eyes to essential qualities you are supposed to look out for in the best meat selection process. Boston butt has an even marbled intramuscular fat and a firm fat cap.
For a beginner, purchasing a bone-in Boston butt is pretty helpful because the bone will pull away when the meat is tender.
Beef Ribs
You can try the beef ribs if you do not think the Boston butt will make a delicious meal for your next special dinner. The beef back ribs are easy to smoke. One of the qualities that makes them great for beginners is that they take less time to smoke. This is beneficial in several ways, including saving time and energy.
Another quality of the back beef ribs that will make your work easy when smoking the meat is that you won’t have a hard time removing the membrane because it is thicker. However, membrane removal on beef back ribs is not entirely necessary.
Smoked Turkey Legs
If you have tried smoked turkey legs, then you know that this is the type of delicacy that you would not want to miss. Interestingly, smoking the turkey legs is never as demanding a task as some people may want to presume. To smoke delicious turkey legs, you need to soak them in brine overnight, and a few hours of smoking will give you a mouthwatering meal.
Baby Back Ribs
The baby back ribs are not only delicious but also easy to smoke, hence one of the best meats to smoke. If perfectly smoked, the baby back ribs will provide a tender, juicy, and succulent delicacy that anyone would find sweet.
Beef Jerky
Beef jerky is also another easiest and tastiest meat to smoke. Besides, it is affordable, meaning that you wouldn’t have the nervousness that comes with imagining the amount of money that would go to waste if you mess it up. Despite the affordable price tag, the beef jerky is full of sweet flavors, and you can never get disappointed if you cook it well.
Brisket
Brisket is a great beef cut that comes to mind when one thinks of smoking beef. The cut is flavorful, sweet, and pretty easy to prepare.
However, you must be patient when preparing the brisket because it is a lean cut that turns out best when cooked low and slow. It is important to note that if you fail to cook the meat properly, it will turn dry.
The Tomahawk Steak
The Tomahawk steak is a Frenched ribeye steak that can be pretty appealing on the dinner table. Most grilling bosses believe that the best way to cook the Tomahawk steak is to reverse sear, which means smoking it at 135 degrees Celsius for a few hours until it attains your desired level of doneness.
What Are The Best Meats To Smoke?
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned meat grilling expert, knowing the best meats to smoke is essential as it will directly influence your final product. Therefore, whenever you think of smoking meat, always choose the best quality.
From experience, the cuts people want to avoid when frying meat make an excellent smoking option. Generally, when looking for the best meats for smoking, you need to pay attention to the cuts that;
- Have a high-fat control
- Have a thick fat cap
- Possess good marbling
- Have tough muscles fibers
In most instances, meats with the above characteristics are of the best quality. The following at the best meats for smoking;
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Beef Brisket
Since this cut comes from a highly active part of a cow, it has tough muscles rich in connective tissues. Although it can be challenging to smoke brisket, it is a delicious meal if you get it right.
You will need about 60 to 90 minutes to smoke a pound of brisket at 225 degrees F. Smoking brisket may not be a good idea if you are a beginner.
Tri-tip
The tri-tip comes from the sirloin, and it is ordinarily triangular shaped. It derives its name from the fact that it comprises three different muscles. If you need a highly marbled cut with a lot of beefy flavors, then this is the cut that you should get. Some grilling experts recommend reverse sear smoking at a low temperature.
Pork Ribs
If you settle on pork ribs as your best smoking meat, you should spare 5-6 hours to complete the smoking to perfection.
Pork Shoulder
The pork shoulder is a cut from the lower shoulder region of the pig. Pork shoulders and pork butts are sometimes confusing, even though they are different cuts. Therefore, when shopping for the meat to smoke, clarify to the butcher to prevent a situation where you invest in a cut you do not want.
The Spare Ribs
The spare ribs are sourced from the pig’s berry area. The difference between the baby back ribs and the spare ribs is that the spare ribs are larger and more flavorful than the baby back ribs.
The Best Meats To Smoke In Electric Smoker
When choosing the best meat for smoking, you have access to an endless list. It is about you deciding on the best meat that suits your immediate needs perfectly.
While the type of grill you will use for your smoking venture can influence your success, your smoking skills and knowing how to use the grill are fundamental. Here are some of the best meats to smoke in an electric smoker.
- The beef ribs
- Lamb shoulder
- Lamb leg
- Spatchcock chicken
- Beef cheek
- Chuck roast
- Chicken breast
- Beef brisket
- Whole Turkey
- Sausage
Tips For Smoking Meat With An Electric Smoker
One of the advantages of electric smokers is that they are relatively easy to use compared to other types of smokers. Here are some tips that can elevate your electric smoking skills.
- Season your electric grill if you are using it for the first time
- Use a quality temperature probe to ensure that you do not get it wrong when determining the doneness of your meat.
- Always ensure that you cook at the right temperature.
- Experiment with hardwoods
- Always practice patience when it comes to smoking.
- Maintain a high level of hygiene for your smoker
Conclusion
Cooking a delicious meal starts by purchasing the best meat for smoking. If you purchase the wrong cuts, be sure that you will have a hard time smoking a mouthwatering dish. Remember that the meats with a high amount of fats and collagens, such as beef briskets, pork shoulders, beef rib, and cheeks, never disappoint.
Scot has loved smoking food in his free time for the last few years. Each major holiday or off-weekend, Scot spends days testing and prepping new recipes for perfection.