The Best Meats to Smoke At Home (and Where to Buy Them)

To enjoy smoky meat is the hobby of many of us. In fact, we love BBQ, and there is a tremendous variety of online meat delivery services, and surely we could have them without leaving our home. But at the same time, if you want to serve your guests with your own smoking service, you are warm welcome at our site because we are presenting a list of the best meats to smoke at home.

best meat for smoking

Whether you are a professional cook or a beginner, you can definitely avail this list and can make a delicious BBQ fish for your guests with the right pair of your hands.

1. Beef Brisket

best meat to smoke Beef Brisket

Beef Brisket is the first and foremost type of meat to smoke at home. Brisket is a large cut from the lower chest of the animal.

As brisket is a tough cut of meat, it yields outstanding results when cooked slow and maintains its shape.

It requires several cooking hours. Without any doubt, it is a perfect cut to slice and put in sandwiches or serve on its own with a good pile of mashed potatoes.

Although enormously popular, juicy smoked brisket is a difficult experience for beginners; anyway, slow cooking gives better results.

2. Pork Butt:

bbq Pork Butt

A big pork roast cut from the shoulder of the pig, best for smoking along with roasting. It does not come from the back of the pig; in fact, quite the opposite. It is moderately a rough cut and probably is inexpensive.

Pork Butt is an excellent choice for smokers. It is slowly roasted or barbecued. Long and slow cooking on low heat develops a juicy flavor and adds a delicious taste as well. The lovers of pork Butt enjoy this dish with regular intervals as it takes 1.5 hours per pound to smoke.

So, it goes without saying that this dish is definitely once or twice a week.

3. Pork Shoulders:

There is a hell of a difference between pork Butt or pork shoulder. The pork shoulder is obtained from the shoulder, but the lower shoulder region of the pig. The purchasing of pork Butt and pork shoulder from a butcher demands your wit, as these two are referred to as sourcing from the shoulder; the only difference is that of the upper or lower region. Anyhow it may create confusion.

The shoulder needs comparatively much less Smoking time owing to its small size than the butt requires. Both pork shoulder and pork Butt carry a similar amount of muscles and connective tissue s, so it fits delicious smoking.

4. Baby Back Ribs:

Baby Back Ribs

Pork Back Ribs, also called baby back ribs, come from high on the hog’s back, where they meet the backbone.

One thing to keep in mind is this; they need low heat to cook well as they are a little leaner. At low temperatures, they tend to cook faster. So for a delicious smoky flavor, you need to keep a sharp eye on them at high temperatures overlooking them will bring tough and bitter taste.

5. Spare Ribs:

Spare Ribs and baby back Ribs are quite different from one another. Moreover, spare ribs come from close to the pig’s belly area. They are large in size contain delicious taste.

You will get a lot of cartilage when choosing a whole slab of them ideal for smoking resulting in a tasteful incredible dish.

Moreover, for making St. Louis style, you can trim them up and remove the cartilage. It makes them easier to handle if you are a novice to smoking.

6. Beef Ribs:

Beef Ribs

Beef Ribs are somehow tricky to find. It demands your patience to find them when you make a special trip to your butcher.

Furthermore, they are also termed as “brisket on a stick.” For a mouthwatering taste, they need a slow cooking process, consisting of five to six hours. For extreme tender, they need a slow temperature.

7. Lamb Shoulder:

Lamb Shoulder:

Along with beef and pork, lamb is also commonly known as an excellent choice for smoking. Lamb’s shoulders cooked at low temperature will be the juiciest, most extraordinary you have ever heard.

To add this, Lamb’s shoulders are easy to cook and contain. Much taste. It needs a low temperature. Due to its slow cooking requirement, it keeps its taste incredible and awesome.

Moreover, a hard and tough area lambs’ shoulder is dense and has connective tissue s. This makes it ideal for the slow smoking process. The reason is connective tissue s dissolves slowly, enhancing extra tender adding a juicy taste.

8. Lamb Leg:

Lamb Leg

Lamb’s leg is another cut known best for smoking at home. In addition to this, it requires a long cooking hour as from three to four hours.

Owing to its time taking features it is enjoyed mostly on Saturday and Sunday. Above all, lambs ‘legs are available into two cuts a narrower shank end and the other upper, fattier sirloin end carrying extra days.

To add this, most people consider this fattier sirloin end favorite for smoking purposes.

During the slow cooking method, taking low temperature, it leaves enough fats to keep the meat soft and tender, avoiding it becoming meat harsh and distasteful.

9. Spatchcock Whole Turkey:

The whole spatchcock Turkey is a big addition to the list of meats smoked at home.

Moreover, it is easy to cook as it is lean meat. It gives out a delicious taste when cooked for the whole family.

10. Spatchcock chicken:

spatchcocked chicken

Cooking chicken in smokers provides the best results, just like that of Turkey.

Smoking chicken needs medium temperature. At high temperatures, it can burn. The higher cooking temperature mixed with the t spatchcock method means a short cooking period consisting of 1- 1.5 hours.

So with ideal cooking time, it seems a wonderful recipe to practice more than once a week.

11. Chuck Roast:

Chuck Roast is a cut of beef from the shoulder area. It has a lot of flavor and energy as well. It is a tough and heavy-duty muscle. So far, we have observed that heavy muscles have a high level of connective tissue, making them excellent for smoking. It needs slow heat. At low-temperature, muscles can gently break down the tough tissue, providing it incredible taste.

It requires 5-6 hours for smoking.

12. Chicken Breast:

chicken breast

Chicken breast needs your care to keep it safe from drying. If you smoke in the right way, it can give marvelous results.

The thing to bear in mind is the slow temperature. Moreover, using a brining method will keep it moisture and tender, good in taste.

Furthermore, for flavor, the addition of chicken rib is awesome.

13. Chicken Thigh:

Chicken thighs are the best choice for smoking. Above all, when smoked, they give an outstanding taste. So for the next time, you must try it.

14. Turkey Breast:

Turkey breast gives a delicious taste. To save it from dry, the use of the injection method before cooking can give extraordinary results. It needs three to four hours for smoking.

15. Beef Prime Rib:

Beef Prime Rib is the most expensive quarter. However, it requires six hours to smoke, promises good results, and taste.

16. Sausages:

Smoking store-bought sausages is a simple way to give you a new smoky taste. You can use various types of sausages according to your choice and preferences.

Moreover, you need to keep a strict eye on your sausages and give them enough time for cooking.

17. Pork Belly:

Pork Belly:

Pork belly is soft and tender, ensures the best results when smoked.

Furthermore, it comes from the lower abdominal area of the animal. It contains fats because of sourcing from the belly area.

Above all, it demands round about Three hours to smoke. Slicing them into small cubes according to the popular way gives the best results.

18. Tri-Tip:

Tri-Tip

Tri-Tip is the best item for smoking at home.

  • It is becoming popular now a day.
  • tri-tip is easily distinguishable due to its popular shape.
  • It comes from the lower part of the sirloin or rear of the animal.

However, after trimming, the average weight of Tri-Tip is around about 2-3 pounds. In addition to this, it does not need a long time for cooking.

It demands two hours for smoking; you can enjoy it daily and even in a tough work schedule.

Don’t Waste these cuts on the Smoker:

To make the best use of your smoker, don’t try to smoke expensive lean cuts. As these cuts do not contain many fats, they easily get dry on smoking giving bad results. They can burn to inspire your great attention.

For instance, here are some meats that you need not smoke:

  • Pork tenderloin
  • Lean Roast
  • Individual Thinly Cut Steaks.

Final Words:

Smoking adds incredible taste and flavor to your meat. Anyhow it is a slow process, but it has the potential to transform your meat into a mouthwatering, extraordinary taste.

In the end, we hope that our list the best meats to smoke at home will help you getting the cuts that are special to smoke at home. You would like to practice the above-mentioned cuts even if you are a novice to this experience.

We will get back to you if you have further inquiries.