First off, neither is better than the other. But understanding how smokers and grills work and their pros and cons will help you decide which appliance is best for your cookouts.
If you’re the type who loves cooking outdoors, then you know all the wonderful ways that smokers and grills will cook your food.
However, there has been a constant lack of consensus regarding smoker vs grill. So, choosing between the two can be daunting—particularly for homeowners looking to upgrade their outdoor kitchen.
And then there are smokers with grill attachments and grills with smoker boxes, which make it even more difficult to select your ideal appliance. It also doesn’t help that barbecue has been used to refer to all things outdoor cooking, despite the fact that techniques and kitchen equipment vary greatly.
Smokers and grills are alike in many ways, but they differ in other areas. And whether you want to retrofit a new appliance into your outdoor kitchen island or revamp your patio, the equipment you pick will have an influence on how the space looks and functions.
So, what’s the difference between these two appliances? Should you opt for an outdoor grill or a smoker? Or should you consider getting the best of both worlds?
The ideal cooker for you will depend on your cooking style and how you intend to make the most out of your outdoor kitchen.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at these popular kitchen appliances. And, hopefully, you’ll be able to choose the right equipment for your next cookout.
Smoker vs. Grill: What’s the Difference?
One of the main features that smokers and grills share is the fuels they use and the fact that they sit on grates. Their differences are based on factors like temperature range, cooking time, type of meat cuts, and flavor.
Grills are heat-focused appliances capable of reaching higher temperatures and can cook your food for a short period of time. Smokers, on the other hand, are all about flavoring your foods using wood, and cooking them low and slow.
The reason why these two are comparable is that both produce smoke and heat. But it all comes down to emphasis as well as the design of the grill or smoker, and how you use them.
Sigh, we know—it’s still a bit puzzling, but bear with us as we give you the specifics.
What Are Smokers?
An outdoor kitchen smoker cooks large cuts of meat. This includes briskets, pork shoulders, ribs, and whole chicken.
Due to its limited temperature range, you can cook low and slow at lower temperatures between 90 and 300℉. For low and slow barbecue, for example, you’re looking at smoking between 225 and 250℉.
Electric smokers are ideal for adding a lot of wood smoke flavor to your meats because the longer they cook your food, the more flavorful they get. Their low temperatures also make them a great option for cold-smoking bacon and cheese as well as dried meats.
When you smoke meat, you are cooking and preserving it in a confined space using a mix of low heat, smoke, and long cooking time.
One of the best things about smokers is that most of them don’t use an open fire or direct heat. Electric smokers are known for using heating elements that heat up the smoking chamber for a fairly consistent temperature. They work like convection ovens and are capable of retaining heat, which is essential in low and slow cooking.
The heat source makes the wood smolder and puts out smoke. And since the smoking process takes so long, it gives the smoke plenty of time to permeate the outer layers of the meat, adding an intense, smoke flavor to the food.
Take note that the amount of time it takes to smoke depends on what you’re trying to cook and the size of the meat. A lengthy cooking time keeps the natural juices of meat within the fats and connective tissues, making them flavorful, tender, and juicy.
Pros
• Infuses a lot of flavors
• Easy to use
• Cooks larger cuts of meat
• Available in different types and fuel sources
• Electric models retain heat and offer better control and consistent temperatures
• Perfect for low and slow and cold smoking
Cons
• Limited temperature range
• Takes a long time to cook meat
• Not as versatile as grills due to low temperature range
What Are Grills?
An outdoor kitchen grill cooks small cuts of meats or food including chops, steaks, chops, chicken, and vegetables. When you grill, you’ll be dealing with high cooking temperatures between 400 and 550°F. You can also grill over direct and indirect heat (more on this later).
Grills can quickly reach such temperatures and cook your food for a short period of time. Since there is a lot of heat, you will devote most of your time in the grill moving your foods around, keeping them from getting overly charred.
Roasting is considered a form of grilling, however, it doesn’t require high temperatures and cooks slowly. But, the heat is hotter and the cooking time is faster than smoking. Think of roasting a whole chicken at 300°F for an hour.
Among the most vital parts of bbq is searing, which takes place over high heat. When you sear, the Maillard reaction will brown the surface of the meat. It’s similar to caramelization in that it enhances the flavor of the meat. This results in super flavorful meat, depending on the type of solid fuel you use.
Most grills use propane or natural gas as a heat source, allowing for quick cooking without having to fire up the charcoal. It’s convenient and eliminates the extra step of arranging and adding charcoal.
But if you like the traditional way of grilling, a charcoal grill lets you add hardwood lump charcoal or briquettes under the charcoal grill. A charcoal grill will take time to fire up but will impart a more smoky flavor to your food. Plus, it gives you the option to pick your choice of charcoal for a more flavorful barbeque.
Pros
• Comes in different types with various heat sources
• Charcoal grills add a lot of flavor to food
• More versatile than smokers since it’s capable of reaching higher temperatures
• Gas and electric grills cook quickly
• Gas grills offer better heat control
• Easy to clean (gas grill)
• Gas and charcoal grills are usually less expensive
Cons
• Charcoal grills take long to heat up
• Risk of catching fire
• Charcoal models are messier to clean
• Gas models don’t infuse smoky flavor
Different Appliances, Different Cooking Methods
Again, smokers and grills may offer similar functionality, but they are different in many ways. Let’s get more into details below.
Grills Offer Different Ways To Cook.
Whether you’re using a charcoal, gas, or electric grill, it should reach 500°F or higher. The high temperatures even let you put a pan on the grill and make barbeque sauces.
For lidded models, you can steam fish and bake bread. A few large grills also include rotisserie attachments for cooking whole chickens. You can also use either the direct or indirect grilling method.
Direct and Indirect Grilling
Direct grilling is the fastest and easiest. All you have to do is lay food on the grate where it comes in contact with the fire and let it cook with a direct heat source. With temperatures of between 400 and 550°F, you’ll be done grilling in minutes.
Indirect grilling, on the other hand, uses the heat produced by the flame to cook your food. This means the food doesn’t come in contact with the heat source. With the lid open, convection usually does most of the cooking, with far less radiant heat.
Indirect grilling takes place between 190 and 300°F.
Smokers Offer Lower Cooking Temperatures.
This makes smokers ideal for:
Low and Slow Smoking
Wanna transform a large tough brisket into juicy and tender meat? Smoke it low and slow!
Also referred to as BBQ smoking or hot smoking, this is the most common method. Perhaps every brisket you’ve ever eaten was cooked in this fashion. Low and slow smoking usually takes place between 225 and 250°F and can go on for several hours.
Smoke Roasting
This only applies to smokers that can reach 275°F. It’s similar to roasting in an oven, except that it adds a smoky flavor to your foods. Smoke roasting is ideal for fancy roast lamb or pork.
Cold Smoking
This method uses smoke instead of heat (less than 90°F) to flavor and preserve food. As a result, cold-smoking many types of meat may be hazardous since they are kept at a temperature for an extended period of time where bacteria could thrive.
Make sure you have the knowledge and skill to cold-smoke raw meat. That said, cold smoking is ideal for precooked meats, nuts, and cheese.
How About a Smoker Grill Combo?
While the debate about smoker vs. grill is still hot, Why not get the best of both worlds? Smoker-grill combos are popular among many pit bosses.
You can go for ceramic kamado grills which are well insulated. These types of grills are featured in many outdoor kitchens and they can smoke, roast, and bake.
You can also opt for pellet smokers which are quite versatile. But since they cook with indirect heat, they cannot sear.
FAQs
Is a smoker better than a grill?
Most epicures believe that a smoker is still a better choice than a grill for all things meat. Smokers are particularly great for preparing large cuts of meat like ribs, roasts, ham, and briskets. They’re also a great option for cooking dried meats like jerky.
But if you’re going to cook smaller cuts like chicken, fish, and steak, a grill should do the trick.
Can a smoker be used as a grill?
Yes. You can use a pellet smoker as a grill. It’s a wood-burning cooker capable of grilling, baking, or smoking meat. These smokers are powered by food-grade compressed wood pellets that burn slowly and cleanly at a lower temperature than most regular wood chunks.
Is a smoker the same as a grill?
What makes a smoker and grill different from one another is their temperature levels and cooking time. When you grill, you cook food over high for a short period of time. Smoking, however, uses very low heat ranging from 225 to 250°F. for a longer period of time.
Smoker vs Grill: Which One Is Better?
The choice is up to you!
But we hope you find this article helpful in choosing between the two cooking appliances. And once you’ve decided, make sure to choose only the best smokers or the best grills to serve your outdoor cooking needs.
Good luck!
