In the mood for something smoky? With an electric smoker you can feast on smoked fish and meat all year round

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By Arthur Schmidt von Happe
March 7, 2024

Smoking food kills bacteria and other microorganisms, so meat or fish stay fresher for longer. But today, we’re using the electric food smoker solely to conjure up rich, intense, smoky flavours come dinner time. 

Elektrische Räucheröfen aus Edelstahl

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Smoking food kills bacteria and other microorganisms, so meat or fish stay fresher for longer. But today, we’re using the electric food smoker solely to conjure up rich, intense, smoky flavours come dinner time. 

For thousands of years, humans have smoked food to prevent meat and fish from going bad. At first, smoking was almost incidental. Fresh, usually salt-cured foods were strung up around a cooking area or in vents in the roof, at which point the smoke generated during cooking and heating would affect whatever had been caught that day. Over time, separate smokehouses were created in which large quantities of fish and meat could be smoked at a distance from living quarters. And with the development of electric smokers, smoking attained a higher level of sophistication still. 

Full steam ahead! Enjoy total control with the electric food smoker 

Whether it’s fish or meat, there’s a perfect temperature for every type of smoked delight. When using a hot wood-fired oven, controlling the temperature over a longer period is challenging. Wood-fired smokehouses can lose up to 40°C during smoking if not continuously reheated. Over extended periods, temperature fluctuations become a significant factor. To get around this, you have to constantly monitor and adjust the temperature – a bit of a hassle to say the least. 

In an electric smoker, a thermostat automatically activates the heating coils when the measured temperature deviates from the one you’ve set. Because it keeps an eye on the temperature for you, you can focus on other tasks or simply relax. Better yet, the electric smoker holds the specified temperature more consistently and without significant fluctuations. All this leads to better results when smoking. 

Besides temperature, smoke quality is a critical factor. You achieve the best results with wood chips that smoulder gently during smoking. It’s important the wood doesn’t catch fire, so stick to glowing embers for best results. To prevent smoke from escaping during smoking, regulate the temperature outside the device. An extendable drawer allows you to add new chips from the outside into the interior of the smokehouse cabinet. 

Electric smokers offer you the following advantages: 

Healthy and delicious – prepare fish and meat with an electric smoker 

Nothing beats the rich smoky flavours of well-barbecued meat or fish. But smoked foods are more than just a delicious treat, they serve up a health boost to boot. Fundamentally, two beneficial effects distinguish smoking. The smoke eliminates bacteria and microorganisms. As a result, the meat is not only longer lasting but also safer to enjoy. Additionally, you cook fish and meat in the smoker at lower temperatures. This prevents the formation of excessively harmful substances like PAH or HAA during preparation, which often occurs when grilling above 180°C. 

While smoking can’t completely eliminate harmful or even carcinogenic substances, there are further health-positive effects when compared to grilling. During the smoking process, fish loses a lot of water, which increases the protein and mineral content per portion. Moreover, the gentle cooking method results in only minimal loss of vitamins. In contrast to grilled fish, smoked fish is salted beforehand, so you should watch out for the salt content when consuming it. 

Full bellies, full pantries, full flavour – thanks to powerful electric food smokers 

If you want to smoke in a private setting, smoke pots are a good choice. Because they’re considerably smaller than electric smoker, they’re ideal for small meat portions or two to three fish per smoking session. With an electric smoker cabinet, you can smoke larger quantities of meat or fish at once. As smoke not only enhances but also preserves the food, producing large quantities of smoked fish or meat makes sense not only for fisheries or butcher shops but also for smaller to medium-sized restaurants. 

You want to offer a variety of smoked dishes? In the smoke cabinet, there’s room for fish and meat for different dishes. Essentially, you either place the smoked goods on permeable grates or hang them on hooks in the smoking oven. This method maximises the usage of the inner cabinet space. Additionally, you can combine various fish types in a single smoking session. It’s important to monitor different cooking durations and promptly remove fish that finish cooking earlier. Utilise the timer feature on an electric smoker for this task. 

Just as there’s no smoke without fire, there’s also no smoked treats without smoke. That’s why it’s essential to operate your electric smoker outdoors. Luckily, publicly smoking food a wonderful way to attract customers with the enticing aromas and visual spectacle a smoker provides. Smoking your own produce on site also instils confidence in the freshness of the dishes you provide. So why not present the freshly smoked fish or ham in front of your customers? The sight of the open smoke cabinet is sure to arouse the curiosity of your guests and may well tempt them to explore a menu featuring freshly smoked items! 

Keep it simple – stainless steel food smokers are quick and easy to clean! 

Soot, ash, ember residue – along with authentic flavour, smokers are often associated with dirty smoking chambers that are hard to clean. But the electric smoker cleaning process is much easier than you might think. A key benefit lies in their smooth stainless-steel construction. Not only is the material highly heat-resistant but creates surfaces that are easy to clean with just a few simple steps. 

The clever construction of the smoking chamber also promotes hygiene. You can quickly remove the ash using a collecting container. The container also protects the heating coils from dripping fish or meat fats when the smoker is in use. You can easily remove movable elements such as grates or hooks for thorough cleaning. These components are also made of easy-to-clean, food-grade stainless steel, ensuring the quality of the food is never in question. 

FAQ: Fast answers to common questions 

Can I use a smoker indoors? 

very smoker produces smoke, which is continuously emitted through a chimney during smoking. Therefore, you should always place the smoker outdoors, ideally somewhere protected from rain. 

What is the difference between a traditional and an electric smoker? 

Traditional smokers use wood to heat the smoking chamber. The wood serves both for heating with an open flame and for smoking. This process requires that you adhere to the fire safety regulations for the gastronomy industry. With an electric smoker, you use a safe heating coil for heating. Smoke is generated via the use of a relatively small amount of wood chips. Thus, the actual smoking process is separated from the heating process. You can control the heat more easily and achieve more precise results. 

What can I smoke in an electric smoker? 

Whether it’s meat, fish, cheese, tofu, or vegetables – all foods traditionally smoked can be prepared in an electric smoker. 

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