For someone brand new to the world of meat smoking, a charcoal smoker grill might be the best way to go. Charcoal smokers are the least expensive way to enter into the world of BBQ smoking. Many also believe that the flavor you get from cooking over charcoal cannot be matched.
Cooking over charcoal will require a little bit of experimenting in order to get the temperature control just right. Each smoker will act a little differently. The type of charcoal used will also have an impact on your temperature, burn times, and smoking times.
Most people find a vertical smoker the simplest design to use. They are designed with a charcoal pan or ring in the bottom. The container is vented, allowing the charcoal to get some air and burn better. You will find that the larger the capacity of the pan or ring is, the better. Look for something with around a ten pound capacity or more.
Located somewhere above the charcoal pan you will find a water pan. This is filled with water. It will prevent the smoker from overheating and keep the meat from drying out. If a “dry smoke” is desired, the pan can be filled with sand instead of water. For a hotter smoke, the pan can be left empty, but this is not usually recommended.
Vertical BBQ Smokers will usually have two racks or grates. One you find directly over the water pan, while the other will be near the top of the smoker. One thing people often fail to realize is that the temperature on the top grate will be higher than the temperature on the grate just above the water pan. In a vertical smoker, the heat rises. You will want to put your larger cuts of meat at the top, while the smaller cuts are placed down below. By doing this, you will find that your food will be done at about the same time.