Smoker Configurations
Hot Smoking - Low’n Slow
“Low’n Slow” is a common method used in American style BBQ, it refers to cooking meat at a low temperature, for a long time. Usually this is done at 100 – 120°C or 220 – 250°F. To set up your ProQ smoker for low’n slow smoking, light around half a chimney starter of charcoal or briquettes, and pour it into the centre of your charcoal basket, then fill up the rest of the basket with unlit charcoal or briquettes. For smokey flavour, add a couple of wood chunks to the top of the unlit coals. Fill ¾ of your waterpan with warm water, and put it into the first stacker with a grill on top, and if you need the space, add a second stacker with another grill and cover with the lid. We suggest starting with all 4 vents open and just closing off one of the bottom vents once you’ve reached your desired temperature to save fuel. The water in the pan will act as a heat sink, and as long as there is water in the pan, it will stop the temperature rising much over 110°C/225°F. If you prefer not to use water, and favour something like sand or terracotta in the waterpan, you can achieve the same temperatures by simply adjusting the bottom vents of the smoker to control the airflow to the fire.
Hot Smoking - Hot & Fast
Hot & Fast barbecue emerged out of the BBQ competition scene where teams often are under a lot of time pressure to cook large cuts of meat. It offers the same flavour profile as Low’n Slow, but can reduce the cook time of a brisket from 16 hours to 5. This is usually done at around 150-175°C or 300-350°F. To set up your ProQ Smoker for hot and fast barbecue, light around half a chimney starter of charcoal or briquettes, and pour it into the centre of your charcoal basket, then fill up the rest of the basket with unlit charcoal or briquettes. For smokey flavour, add a couple of wood chunks to the top of the unlit coals. Place the first stacker on your base with an empty waterpan, covered or lined with foil to help with clean up. Add a grill to the first stacker, and if you need more space, add a second stacker with another grill and cover with the lid. Keep all the vents open, and close the vents in the base slightly if your temperature gets too high.
BBQ Roasting
The best way to set up your ProQ Smoker for roasting is using an empty waterpan, similar to Hot & Fast BBQ, but starting with a larger fire. Usually this will be done at temperatures similar to your oven - 175-205°C or 350-400°F. First of all, light a full chimney starter of charcoal or briquettes, and pour it into the centre of your charcoal basket, then fill up the rest of the basket with unlit charcoal or briquettes. Let the fire really catch for about 10-15 minutes. To get roasting, place the first stacker on your base with an empty waterpan, covered or lined with foil to help with clean up and add a grill and close the lid, keeping all the vents open. You can adjust the temperature down by closing the vents in the base if needs be.
Grilling - Long Distance Direct Heat
Long distance grilling (long distance direct heat) will give you much more direct heat from the fire, which is great for things like pork crackling and chicken skin. First of all, light around half a chimney starter of charcoal or briquettes, and pour it into the centre of your charcoal basket, then fill up the rest of the basket with unlit charcoal or briquettes. Smoker setup is simple, place both stackers on the base after your fire is lit, with a grill on the top stacker. Place your food on the grill and close the lid. You should check this every 15-20 minutes. Without the grill, this setup can also be used to replicate cooking in a drum smoker, hang your ribs using the meat hooks and in-built hanging bar on the inside of the lid. You can adjust the temperature down by closing the vents in the base if needs be.
Grilling – Kettle Grill
ProQ BBQ smokers also function perfectly well as a kettle grill, perfect for days on the beach, camping or simply when you want to cook up a few sausages or burgers. Light about half a chimney starter of charcoal or briquettes, and scatter them into your charcoal basket, then add some more charcoal to cover the basket evenly. Pop a grill on top and wait for the fire to burn down a little, the coals should be grey and there should be little to no flames, this will reduce the amount of flare ups that fat can cause. Another way to use the smoker in situations where you don’t have a stacker handy is to light enough charcoal or briquettes to fill 1/3 of the charcoal basket, and push them to one side of the smoker, then add a grill. Put your food on the side of the grill opposite to the fire, with the lid on. This allows you to cook at a lower temperature, whilst still getting that awesome BBQ flavour.
Grilling – Offset Grilling
Offset grilling allows you more control over the heat, and is a lot more forgiving than normal grilling, really useful for things like chicken, it takes a little longer but ensures the food is cooked all the way through without burning. There are a couple ways to do this in the ProQ Smokers, the simplest way is using one of the stackers. Light about half a chimney starter of charcoal or briquettes, and scatter them into your charcoal basket, then add some more charcoal to cover the basket evenly. Add a stacker and a grill and wait for the fire to burn down a little, then get cooking. The other way is useful in situations where having a stacker isn’t possible like camping or cooking on the beach. Light enough charcoal or briquettes to fill 1/3 of the charcoal basket, and push them to one side of the smoker, then add a grill. Put your food on the side of the grill opposite to the fire, with the lid on. This allows you to cook at a lower temperature, whilst still getting that awesome BBQ flavour.
Cold Smoking
Cold Smoking in the ProQ BBQ Smokers is simple with the ProQ Cold Smoke generator and setup takes no time at all. Empty your charcoal basket and place the ProQ Cold Smoke Generator inside it once it’s lit, then place a stacker on with an empty waterpan and a grill, you can add another stacker with a second grill too for more space. Close off two of the vents in the base completely, and open the vent in the lid, this should provide ample airflow for the ProQ Cold Smoke Generator.