A smoker is a cooking appliance or chamber that exposes food to smoke and controlled heat to develop flavour, colour and texture. Depending on the equipment and method, smoking may also cook the food or form part of a preservation process. Hot smoking and cold smoking are different techniques and require different food-safety controls.
Hot smoking uses heat and smoke together, and the food may be cooked during the process. Cold smoking exposes food to smoke without bringing it to a cooking temperature. Cold-smoked fish, meat and other products require appropriate curing, parasite-control, temperature and food-safety procedures; smoke alone does not make them safe.
Brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, poultry, fish, cheese and vegetables can all be smoked using methods suited to the ingredient. Wood species, smoke density, temperature, humidity, airflow and cooking time affect the result.
A smoker is designed to expose food to smoke over a controlled period. A grill primarily cooks food over direct or indirect heat, although some grills can also be used for smoking.
Use food-grade fuel and suitable wood, control combustion and ventilation, and monitor the food’s internal temperature when cooking. For cold-smoked or shelf-stable products, follow a validated process rather than relying on smoke or appearance alone.
Chef’s tip: use clean, controlled smoke rather than dense, dirty smoke. Choose wood and smoke intensity to complement the ingredient, and document the time-temperature process for repeatability.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
