“How to find the best smoker under $500?” must be a tricky question for you if you are so into the appealing aroma curling up from grilling meat, but a professional smoker is often out of your budget. 

However, that question will no longer be a tough task once you read our smoker recommendation list. You can even get an ultimate one with just a half price of your current budget, but its quality is still one of the top-notches.

So, if you are a BBQ lover, and you often hold a backyard grill with your family and friends, stay tuned and hop into this article to find your ideal smoker now!

Perfect juicy smoked lamb leg

5 Things You Should Consider When Looking For A Smoker

Quality and Design

Actually, there is a wide range of smokers on the market today  with different designs, so it’s not hard to find one that suits your taste.

However, besides considering the smoker’s eye-catching design, don’t forget to take its build quality into account. You never want to end up in a situation when your new smoker is broken only after several uses, right?

So, a high-quality smoker must be durable and heavy-duty so that it can hold a significant amount of meat for a family party. Besides, it should be well-sealed so that it can maintain stable heat and air during grilling.

Another essential point that you should also focus on is that the smoker must have an enamel or a powder-coating cover to minimize rust, acid rain, and high heat. 

Consistent Temperature

A low, constant temperature is the key to have tender smoked meat. With this kind of slow-cooking, smoke will have enough time to sink into every slice of meat, tenderizing it and making it become more flavorful and have a taste of natural sweetness.

The ideal temperature that a smoker should always keep for juicy smoked meat is from 225℉ to 250℉. And, a small tip here is that drum and bullet smokers often complete this job better than offset ones.

Low-and-slow smoked meat

Price

Yes, this might be the most crucial aspect that you often consider when it comes to shopping, and of course, a smoker is not an exception.

We all know that an expensive smoker can surely offer some great dishes, but not everyone can afford it. Still, don’t worry, as we have picked out for you some of the best smokers at the lower price range (under $500). They are cheaper, but their quality is definitely not a joke!

Size and Cooking Area

When choosing a smoker, its size and cooking area are important factors too. If you tend to often bring the smoker with you when traveling, instead of buying a big one, a medium or small and portable smoker will be more suitable for you. 

However, if you often hold a BBQ party for a big group, make sure that your smoker will have plenty of space to cook.

Smoke Flavor and Final Meat Results

After all, what we care most about is what the final results will be like or how the meat will taste, right? It’s no use spending hundreds of dollars on a smoker and then what you get is just burned, dry and tough meat.

Therefore, the recommended smokers below can surely provide you with some smoked dishes that can kick your taste buds!

Guide to Make Smoked Chuck Roast

Best Smoker Under $500- Top 5 Favorites

#1. Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker- Best For Size

This version of the Masterbuilt smoker is right for you if you often hold a backyard grill party for a big group of people. With its 30-inch size, no one will be hungry because of waiting for the meat!

Furthermore, this is also very easy to use as it’s an electric smoker. Gone are the days of dealing with charcoal, gas, or flame .With just some adjustments with the digital control panel on its top, you are ready to cook without any difficulties!

One interesting thing in this Masterbuilt smoker is its side wood chip loading system. This allows you to add wood chips without opening the smoker’s door. 

This feature is specifically helpful as it can prevent heat or smoke loss, and thus help to keep the inside temperature and smoke level always in a stable condition.

Besides, one disadvantage that must be concerned about before buying this smoker is its durability. This MB20071117 model from Masterbuilt seems not to last long as other smokers at the same price range. 

Verdict: In short, besides those cons, this is still a worth-trying smoker in this price range. Moreover, this brand has a warranty of 90 days with free repair and replacement to support its customers. Still, in our opinion, it is pretty short, so remember to make use of this smoker capacity during that period!

#2. Weber 711001 Smokey Mountain Cooker- Best For Build Quality

This smoker has an impressive construction quality, as expected from the product of Weber with the warranty for the main body, grates, and lid up to 5 years. 

In addition, the outside body is covered with enamel paint, which makes it long-lasting and able to work under the rain. And, its grates are chrome plated, which you can only find in some high-end smokers.

This a charcoal smoker, so if you are a big fan of the traditional smoky smell from charcoal, this will not let you down. A plus point for this Weber smoker is there is a water pan that is used for not only collecting the excess drippings but also moisturizing and smoothing meat, giving it a juicy texture.

Among the five smokers in this list, this is the smallest one with a size of 14 inches so that you can easily bring it with you when traveling. Still, if you want a bigger size smoker to place it at home and serve some big backyard grilling parties, the 18-inch and 22-inch will fit the bills. 

A small hindrance to this smoker is when you use the water pan, you should always ensure that there are around 2 inches of water in it, and when you refill it, the water must be warm or else it will lower the inside temperature.

Verdict: If you are looking for a long-lasting smoker, congratulate, this is it! With the quality guaranteed by Weber, it’s needless to doubt!

#3. Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Charcoal Offset Smoker- Best For Taste

The best thing that we love about this smoker is its six height-adjustable cooking grates. With this, you can cook various kinds of meat and vegetables at the same time. For example, upper grates that are further from heat and smoke are better for vegetables or fish, while the lower ones can be used to grill whole chickens or big slices of pork and beef.

One unique thing about the offset smoker is its design, which can optimize the indirect heat flow. This is the ideal feature for slow cooking and infusing smoke.

The biggest con of this Dyna-Glo smoker is its built material. It’s made from thin steel, which makes it difficult for it to maintain the heat level accurately when being used on a cold or rainy day. However, if that is not a big matter to you, it’s still a great choice when it comes to an affordable big-size smoker.  

Verdict: A fully-loaded smoker for beginners is what we can say to describe this. What’s more, thanks to its removable pan and tray, cleaning a smoker will never be a pain in the neck!

#4. Camp Chef Smoke Vault- Best For Temperature Control 

Camp Chef Smoke Vault is the only one gas-powered smoker in this list. One thing that makes it different when compared to other gas smokers is that it can easily convert into natural gas. Well, you might think that this feature is too obvious, but actually, only the Camp Chef brand can provide it for you at this time.

The reason why we vote this as the best smoker for temperature control is that it has three adjustable damper valves on its two sides and the top. This allows you to control the inside heat and smoke fully.

Still, one con here is that you need additional assembly when you first receive the smoker as it’s still not in a ready-to-use condition. This may annoy you at first hand, but we believe that it’s grilling quality will live up to your expectations.

Verdict: This smoker is more pricey when you purchase it on the official website of Camp Chef. We’re not sure why it is but if you want to save up an amount of money, get it on Amazon. And, undoubtedly, this can provide you with delicious grilling parties.

#5. Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker- Best For Price 

This is the second electric smoker on this list. To be honest, it’s so difficult for us to decide which one is better; however, we give this a plus point because of its price. 

Can you believe it? Only $142.96 for a good smoker. This one is an optimal choice for those who are on a serious budget. 

Another selling point is that it has a big tray to hold wood chips. You no longer have to keep checking and refilling wood chips to maintain the heat when using this smoker. 

Still, just like the Camp Chef Smoke Vault, this smoker comes with separate parts, and it might disturb you if it’s your first time using a smoker.

Verdict: Just infuse your meat with some seasoning, set up time and heat, and this smoker will ensure that your meat will have an umami flavor!

Final Thoughts

It’s so hard for us to choose the best smoker under $500 in this list as all of them can deliver you fantastic smoked meat dishes. 

However, we cannot resist the traditional smoky flavor from charcoal. Just imagine that wonderful aroma sinking into every soft and juicy slice of beef, and we’re mouth-watering! 

That’s why we choose the Weber smoker as the winner. Besides, its built quality, as well as the warranty from Weber brand, is really impressive.

However, we believe that each kind of smoker above has its own strength, so it’s up to you!

Well, smoking meat has never been such an easy task that it requires time and effort during the process, but enjoying its unique flavor and tender texture, after all, it feels like you’re on cloud nine!

Last but not least, we hope that this article could give you a hand in choosing a suitable smoker. Good luck and have great meals with it!

If you are thinking of hosting a party, you can treat your guests with a smoked chuck roast. You can make this juicy smoked chuck roast on your own and it has many advantages over common holiday meats.

Beef chuck is relatively cheaper compared to prime rib or tenderloin and it is readily available in various grocery stores. With smoked chuck roast, you can serve between eight and ten people and it requires about six to eight hours preparation time.

To prepare your chuck roast, you will need butcher’s wine and about four to five-pound beef. On top of that, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

You will also need either a charcoal grill or water smoker to make your chuck roast. To grill the chuck beef, you can use charcoal or wood chips and a probe thermometer is vital.

You should also heavy a pair of tongs and heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Steps in Preparing Your Smoked Chuck

You start by rinsing your chuck roast weighing about five pounds with cold running water then dry it with paper towels. You must also tie your beef chuck with twine such that it will form a grid-like pattern around the meat.

You then combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a Wisk for a perfect mixture. When the mixture is ready, you then rub it on all sides of the chuck roast. You can also wrap the chuck roast in plastic and put in the fridge for about four hours to cure or even overnight.

You can smoke the chuck right away but placing it in the refrigerator enhances penetration of the spice rub into the meat.

1. Preparing Your Smoker

Start by soaking a few quantities of wood chips for about 30 minutes in water before you place them on coal. You should preheat charcoal grill or smoker to 250 degrees F.

You should use half the charcoal so that you can maintain a low temperature. Alternatively, you can use a drip water pan directly under the meat to maintain the temperature when using a charcoal grill.

When the coal is ready, you then place your chuck on the center of the grill. You should then constantly toss the soaked wood chips together with some dry wood onto the hot coal to smoke the beef.

Dry wood increases the intensity of smoke and heat while wet chips provide lower and slower smoke that also reduces the heat.

It is important to regulate the heat for better results. You need to add new wood chips and fresh coal after every hour for about four hours during the smoking process.

You should maintain the temperature of the smoker at 250 degrees F every hour to achieve the desired results. It is also important to maintain the smoke at the same level.

It is always crucial to know the temperature of the grill. You can buy a BBQ thermometer if your grill does not have one.

It is also important to make sure that the thermometer has double channel for smoke and meat to ensure that they are maintained at the right level.

2. Testing for Readiness of the Chuck

To test that your meat is done, you can use a read meat thermometer. You should smoke the chuck roast until it gets dark outside. The internal temperature should be 190 degrees F during the cooking process of about 6 to 8 hours.

The appropriate temperature of well-smoked chuck should not be less than 160 degrees F. However, the maximum interior temperature of your chuck roast should not be more than 200 degrees F otherwise it can lead to dryness of the meat.

3. Holding the Chuck

When you remove the chuck from the smoker, you should wrap it using a heavy duty aluminum foil and use a double layer. Return the chuck roast to the smoker for about an hour while maintaining a maximum temperature of 250 degrees F.

The process of holding the roast helps to improve its tenderness and prevent the meat from drying out.

You must carefully unwrap the meat and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes so that it can cool. You should leave the internal temperature to drop to about 150 degrees before serving.

Once you cut the chuck roast, you must know that it quickly dries out. You should begin by cutting off the twine then cut the roast into thin pieces.

You must also make sure that you slice the meat that you are only serving at a particular moment. You can serve the sliced roast chuck with your favorite sauce.

There are different reasons why you should brine the pork shoulder. This part of the meat is usually big and it might not be very easy to cook.

Brining is a vital process that you should perform if you want to improve the moist and taste of your meat after cooking. If you want to prepare your meat using the method of grilling or smoking, brining is an essential procedure.

When grilling your meat, high temperature may cause it to be dry in the interior. As such, the brine becomes essential before cooking to keep the meat moist inside while at the same time giving it a great taste.

Essentially, the process of brining is aimed at preventing the meat from dehydrating so that you can eat it comfortably.

Brining is also advantageous in that it improves the aroma of the meat and makes it juicy. The process also gives your meat a nice color such that you will enjoy every bit of the delicious meal. To prepare your pork brine, you should have certain ingredients that you should use.

Ingredients of Pork Brine

The basic ingredients of brine mainly include water, salt, sugar, onion, paprika, bay leaf, cayenne, garlic, peppercorns, and other seasonings. You can reserve some of the ingredients for the actual cooking of the meat. 

The brining process involves some simple steps that you should carefully follow. To begin the brining process, you need to begin by adding water to a bowl where you will dissolve the salt and brown sugar. When the solution is ready, put it in a bag then place it aside.

The next steps involve mixing all the ingredients in a bowl while also making sure that the remaining salt and sugar in the bowl are properly absorbed. When all the contents have been thoroughly mixed, you then add them to the salt and sugar solution in the bag you set aside.

Before adding your pork to the brine, you must reserve two cups of the brine that you will use later for cooking. After this, you can then add your pork meat to the brine.

Make sure the meat is submerged in the brine and you should put it into the fridge for a minimum of about eight hours. It is still okay to leave the brine in the fridge for 24 hours.

How to Cook Brined Pork Shoulder?

After the lapse of 24 hours, while your brine is in a fridge, it will be ready for cooking. You begin by rinsing the pork with running water before drawing it to the cutting board.

You can either cook the pork slowly on your smoker at the temperature of 225 degrees F or use your oven at the temperature of 350 degrees F.

Make sure that the pork is completely dry before beginning to cook it. You can add your preferred flavors when you cook the meat. When you are using the smoking method for cooking, then you can apply paprika, sugar, salt as well as crushed peppers.

You can apply these ingredients direct to your meat to improve the taste regardless of the fact that they were also in your brine. The application of dry ingredients also helps to create a layering effect of different flavors on your meat.

The dry rub of ingredients on top of your meat also gives it a delicious bite. When you leave the brine to set onto the meat, it will reach even the center of the initial thick piece of meat.

Brining also helps to retain some moist in the meat during cooking so that it does not become dry.

Applying the Reserved Brine to Your Pork Shoulder

You can slowly cook the brined pork should for a period of six to eight hours using your favorite smoker. Alternatively, you can cook quickly the meat in a period of about two to three hours. When your meat is cooked, this is the right time to take that reserved brine.

You pour the contents slowly over the cooked meat or you use a brush to apply it. The aim is to increase the flavor content on your meat while at the same time making it moist for easy chewing. You should not overcook the meat such that it will exceed the recommended internal temperature.

The internal temperature of the meat should be about 160°F. When you attain this temperature, you can then pull off the meat then wrap it using a tin foil for a period of 30 minutes.

This process will allow the juices from continuing to circulate and set on the meat. When your brined pork is ready, you can serve it along with your favorite BBQ sauce.

You can also cut it into small slices that are easy to eat and you should serve it while still warm.