Smokehouse Products Big Chief Electric Smoker review

Originally posted 2020-07-12 21:51:50.

Ahoy survivors!  It’s been a minute since I’ve  had time to do any new reviews on the site, so let’s jump right back in!  One thing the COVID19 pandemic has made me think about is the ability to preserve my food longer – and in any emergency, having an alternative way to keep food outside of a frozen / refrigerated area is very important.  That’s when I saw the Big Chief Electric Smoker at my local sporting goods store, and I decided to try my hand at smoking foods!

The Big Chief Electric Smoker runs on a very simple design – it’s essentially a front loading metal box that has a heating element on the bottom.  The box is plugged into a normal 110v socket, which begins the heating process.  Wood chips are then placed in an included metal pan, and after a few minutes these chips are heated up to the point of beginning to smoke (but not catch fire).  This is where the magic happens!

My first experiment with the Big Chief Electric Smoker was to make a classic we all love – beef jerky.  I marinated a London broil cut in soy sauce, worchester sauce and a variety of spices overnight.  Then, I took this meat to the chopping block and cut it into as thin of strips as I could.  I transferred these strips of meat onto the 5 provided metal trays, and loaded them into the Big Chief Electric Smoker.

For my first go around, I used Jack Daniel’s oak wood chips, which are made from the barrels that their whiskey ages in.   I smoked them for about two hours (replacing the tray of wood chips twice) and then simply unplugged the smoker and left it in the sun for a few more hours to further dry the meat out.  The result was fantastic!  Some of the best jerky I’ve had, and I’ve been snacking on it the past week.

My second experiment with the Big Chief Electric Smoker was to make a batch of smoked garlic.  It is delicious, and I packed it into some jars with olive oil and rosemary and will use it in all of my future Italian dishes!  The flavor of garlic matched with the subtle smokey flavors is something really unique and delectable.

Smoking foods has been a centuries old practice by humans – the chemicals in the smoke help to dry out meats, while also imparting the unique flavor of the woods used.  You can smoke meats, fish, cheeses, vegetables, nuts, and really anything you put your mind to.  Alternatively, the Big Chief Electric Smoker could double as a dehydrator if you just utilize the heating element without the wood.

Overall, this was a great item to add to my food preps and will allow me to make unique, long lasting treats with a delicious smokey flavor.  The Big Chief Electric Smoker also includes  a great little recipe book with over 50 different ideas for smoked foods.

Hope you enjoy and let me know how you like your smoked stuff!