Hot Smoking — Full Chamber Method (Offset and Kettle)

Ingredients

• WHOLE PROTEIN (chicken, pork shoulder, beef brisket, or whole fish, 2–4 kg)
• OR cured protein (bacon, ham, salmon belly)
• SMOKE FUEL
• 2–3 handfuls hardwood chips or chunks (oak, hickory, apple, or alder, soaked 30 min)
• EQUIPMENT
• 1 offset smoker or kettle grill with thermometer

Method

1. 1
   Prepare smoker: fill firebox with charcoal briquettes; light and preheat to 107–121°C (225–250°F) using vents and dampers for airflow control.
2. 2
   Add soaked wood chunks to hot coals in firebox (not above grate); verify thin blue smoke is rising (thick white smoke indicates incomplete combustion).
3. 3
   Place protein on grates in chamber (away from direct heat in offset smokers); insert meat thermometer into thickest point without touching bone.
4. 4
   Maintain chamber temperature at 107–121°C throughout; adjust vents and add fuel every 60 minutes; refresh wood chunks every 90 minutes for continuous smoke.
5. 5
   Smoke until internal temperature reaches 71°C (whole poultry and pork), 63°C (beef), or 54°C (fish); total time varies by protein size and smoker type (3–8 hours typical).
6. 6
   Remove protein; rest 15–30 minutes before carving. Smoke ring (pink layer under surface) develops within the first 2 hours and does not deepen further.