Low n' slow

Low n' slow BBQ is more than a way of cooking, it is a lifestyle for some and for others it is a way of life. It's the art of smoking big pieces of meat for up to 24 hours (think whole hogs) until the meat becomes the consistency of butter, the flavours burst and your guests think this is just pure meaty heaven. 

The ultimate dance of smoke, seasonings and heat results in some of the most authentic and primitive flavours you will ever taste. 

The rise in American popularity has brought this style of cooking to the land down under, a form of cooking around since the dawn of time and perfected during the slave era of American history. 

The cuts of meat are big, like really big. They were the off cuts to the more sought after pieces and were given to slaves, and were within the means of the poor. Honing their skills by cooking for hours whilst they tended fields and the like, the flavours burst at the seams and eventually this form of cooking caught on and American Low n' Slow was born.

Today with certain competitions around the world you can earn big money just from cooking, but if you are like the majority and want to just impress your friends and family, we here at Appliances Online will take you, step by step from cooker purchase to smoked perfection. 

To create amazing, smokey BBQ goodness you don't need the biggest and baddest pit on the block (though you could), you just need to know how to maximize your current setup. 

Smokers or pits come in all shapes and sizes and at their core, all do the same thing. By providing the perfect balance between fire, smoke and convection heat to break down large cuts of meat slowly over time, the food will resemble the consistency of butter with a fine pink ring around the side (known as the smoke ring) and your guests will think you are an old pro. 

Below is all the different style of smokers you can buy and how they can help improve your BBQ game from burnt sausage to competition quality ribs and brisket. 

This is the traditional shape of smokers, the big and glorious pieces of rolled sheet metal that litter the backyards and alleyways of rural America. With their inception rooted in the blue-collar, oilfields of Texas and Oklahoma out of old barrels and oil pipes, the offset smoker hasn't changed all that much in the 30+ years of existence.

A simple design with a horizontal barrel - at one end sits the firebox and the other side a chimney. The fuel source (whether wood chunks, chips, logs or a charcoal fire) is burnt in the firebox, the heat and smoke travel through the chamber, in turn cooking the food and seasoning with flavoured smoke. The chimney at the other end not only releases the smoke it also acts as an air drawer, moving the convection heat and smoke through and out the top.

All units will come with a hood mounted thermometer which will monitor the ambient air temperature inside your cooker and this gives you greater control and insight into what's happening inside without opening the lid. Be aware that even though your thermometer may read 275f (most units will be in fahrenheit as a guide) the temperature at your cooking grate level will be less.

Suitable for: Experienced charcoal and wood cooks or those willing to learn and spend up to 13 hours tending to fires.

A simple design to create amazing backyard BBQ, the cabinet smoker is designed as an entry level unit to spark the passion and create a lifelong journey with smoked food.

The majority of units will be powered by LPG (bottled gas), while other units can be run by a power cord, both the exact same shape and style.

The fuel source at the bottom will create the heat, while above will sit a tray of wood chips. The chips will slowly combust creating that lovely rolling thin blue smoke that is so sought after in the world of low n' slow. Most units above this will have a water pan to regulate the temperature inside the cabinet (so it doesn't overheat) as well as to create a moist environment to help the meat thrive and not dry out.

Heat and smoke travel upward through the chamber, past and through the 3 or 4 cooking racks and are released out the top through dedicated air vents. Air control is simple by closing the dampers on the air vents, which will slow down combustion and cool the chamber.

Most will be fitted with a door mounted thermometer, meaning you aren't looking so you can keep cooking.

Suitable for: Beginners, backyard folks with an interest, those unable to spend hours tending a fire.

The kettle BBQ unit is synonymous with Australian backyard culture - it was the number one selling BBQ grill style in Australia and around the world for the latter part of the 20th century. Designed as a hot and fast cooker, meaning the food is cooked directly over coals underneath and fast, the kettle has solidified its place in the low n' slow circuit recently due to its ease in slow combustion and simple to control fire methods.

For low n' slow BBQ, a cooking method called the "indirect method" will be your saving grace. Your fuel source, in most cases, will be charcoal briquettes (easy to control, uniform in size) will be placed on one side of the cooking barrel will the food will be on the grill above on the opposite side. With the lid close this will create convection heat as opposed to direct heat which will break down the meat and food slowly over time.

Air vents at the top and bottom control the oxygen to the fire, giving greater control over fire management. All kettles will be fitted with a hood thermometer to monitor what is happening inside, again, however, the thermometer is not at grate level so is not a true indication of what is happening to your food.

Suitable for: Beginners to intermediate cooks and those with a passion willing to learn proper fire management.

Pellet smokers or grills as they are often referred to differentiate themselves from the entire range by using compressed hardwood pellets for heat and flavour as opposed to wood chips and chunks. 
Using an electric ignition pellet cookers have a hopper for pellet storage that is fed into the fire chamber by an auger. Once at the fire pot the pellets are ignited creating heat and smoke (different flavours available) and then the science of heat and smoke rising takes over much like an offset smoker.

The only air vent will be on the chimney and this is simply to pull the smoke through the chamber across your food. This will prevent over-smoking your food which can leave a bitter and overbearing taste long after you are finished eating. 

Unbelievably fuel efficient, with the units computer system running the fire and pellet control, the pellet cookers are the smokers for the 21st century and beyond. 
Suitable for: Beginners all the way up to competition cooks and caterers.

Egg shape cookers are often referred to as Kamado style cookers, a term from ancient Japan meaning "stove" or "cooking range". Dating back nearly 3000 years, the kamado style of cooker was originally made from terracotta and run on charcoal fires and today they remain almost unchanged in their science and style. 

The units are some of the most fuel-efficient cookers on the market and this is in part to their construction. Either made from ceramic or like the Broil King Keg, rolled steel, they insulate themselves meaning the heat penetrates the walls and stays inside. 

The charcoal fire (lump wood works best in these units) sits at the base with the cooking grid almost in the middle of the unit. The lids are heavy, most with a counterweight to make lifting easier and are fitted with a thermometer giving you a quite good indication of whats happening inside. 
An air vent sits at the bottom at charcoal height feeding the fire oxygen while the top will have a chimney with dampers to draw and shut down air flow. 

With the number of additional accessories available you can cook low n' slow or hot and fast depending on your setup. 

Suitable for: Beginners through to advanced backyard cooks, chefs, competition teams and caterers.

Bullet smokers take their name from their very distinct shape - they look like the top part of a bullet. 
Using the same principle as a cabinet smoker, however, with a refined design the bullets use multi-levels of cooking grids to smoke big pieces of meat to perfection.

The fire is in the bottom part of the chamber and is always run with either lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes. The selection of charcoal will come down to each individual user to which they find the most comfortable to use and have the most experience with.

Above the fire pit will be a water pan, much the same as the cabinet smoker to regulate the temperature and keep the humidity inside the chamber. Above will sit multiple levels of cooking grates (depending on the brand style of bullet purchased) with the lid fixed on top. If desired you have the ability to hang food inside instead of cooking on the grates, but this will require additional accessories to be purchased.

Top and bottom air vents regulate the temperature and give you control over the oxygen in the chamber while the hood and side thermometers are a good indication of what's happening inside. 

Suitable for: Moderate and more advanced BBQ users as well as competition and caterers.

While all the other units on here are mostly dedicated smoking units, it doesn't mean you have to neglect the old 4 burner gas BBQ in your backyard, or for those looking to experiment this is a good starting point.

While getting maximum low n' slow flavours is significantly harder, it is by no means out of the question. You do need some patience and will need to keep an eye on the temperature, as the units are designed for direct heat as opposed to indirect heat. Your gas BBQ will also need a roasting hood as this will help an allow convection cooking to take place. 

Using the indirect method of cooking (heat on one side, food opposite side) you can have quality, low n' slow BBQ like everyone else.

Use your favourite wood chip flavour and soak in water for about half an hour (to slow down combustion) make a foil packet to hold them in and poke some holes in the top for the smoke to escape and penetrate your food. Place this packet on the grill directly above the turned on burner. The smoke will travel around the main unit and escape around the seals of the BBQ - smoked meat on your everyday grill.

Suitable for: Beginners, those looking to try before you buy.

Cooking low n' slow BBQ is not just about that perfect cut of meat or the complex sauce and rub combo used. It starts with a well built fire, with a good amount of heat and the ability to control that output of heat will ultimately lead to a complete success in your meal or a burnt crispy failure. 

The two forms of charcoal listed here are the two most common that you will find and see people using, however, they are no means all there is. Gas (LPG or Natural Gas), electricity, traditional cinder block pits and straight wood-fires all produce amazing low n' slow BBQ and are tried and tested the world over. 

Cooking amazing BBQ requires the ultimate wood pairing. It's a delicate balance of flavours that with the wrong wood can overpower your food giving off a strong, unpleasant taste. 

Heavier cuts of meat like red meat respond exceptionally well to hardwoods like Australian Ironbark, Oak, Mesquite and Hickory while, white meat and vegetables smoke perfectly with fruitwoods like Apple, Cherry and Maple. 

Below is a comparison table of the most common types of cooking woods available however, the sky is the limit with woods available so it is always best to do some research and see what other people are using and if your desired wood is safe to cook with. 

Be aware that any wood that has been treated or has chemicals on it should not be used as these could be poisonous and be harmful to you and your loved ones.  

Once upon a time, a cheap off-cut that was turned into sausage, mince and dog food the brisket is the solid front part of the chest of a cow. Two pieces make up the brisket - the "point" and "flat" with the latter being a lean piece with the "point" containing much more fat and marbling. Brisket can be cook from 8 hours all the way up to 24 hours, depending on your level of dedication and style of cooker. 

You want to look for a piece that weighs between 4 and 6 kgs and still has the shoulder blade, as this will not only help keep your piece together, the meat on the bone is the most succulent and flavoursome of the whole cut. Finding the perfect cut at the supermarket can be difficult so it is best to ask your local butcher. 

Further down you will get Spare Ribs, which can feature the arch of the rib cage and a flatter piece. Either will work fine, just make sure they are nice and meaty. Ask your butcher for St Louis Cut ribs for that competition placing, photo-worthy finish results. And remember, always take the membrane off the underside of the ribs - when cooking this will not render and will become chewy and stringy when you are ready to eat. 

Beef Ribs (Back & Short) - Beef short ribs are super easy to cook, are packed high full of meat and impress nearly everyone you will show them to. They may also be called "plate ribs" and could also be sold as individual bones. For the best kind for low n' slow you want to find 3,4 or 5 bones per rack as this will yield the best results. Treat these much like a rack of pork ribs, trim the hard fat off the top and peel the membrane off from the underside as this will not render down during cooking. Back ribs are much thinner as they are taken from higher up the animal and closer to the spine. They will not be as meaty as a short rib, but with the right care and attention are just as delicious. Back ribs will also cook in much the same amount of time as pork ribs, close to 4 or 5 hours.