Guides
All guides
Choosing, fuel, technique, cooks, weather and comparisons.
Choosing a smoker
Choosing a smokerCornerstoneSmoker buying checklist
A printable-style checklist for buying a smoker in the UK: what to check on the spec sheet, what to check in the showroom, and the red flags to walk away from.
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Choosing a smokerBullet smokers explained
How a bullet (water) smoker works, what the water pan does, who should buy one and who shouldn't, plus ugly drum smokers and the drums to avoid.
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Choosing a smokerElectric smokers
Who electric smokers suit, what to check in the spec, and safe outdoor power in a British garden.
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Choosing a smokerKamado smokers explained
How a kamado holds steady heat, setting one up for low and slow, what to check in the spec, and living with a heavy ceramic egg in a British garden.
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Choosing a smokerOffset smokers explained
How offset smokers work, why steel thickness and seals matter, and whether one suits a British garden.
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Choosing a smokerPellet grills explained
How pellet grills hold temperature, what happens in a power cut, how to shut one down safely and how to keep pellets dry in a damp British shed.
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Choosing a smokerSmokers for small gardens
Which smokers suit a small garden or patio, where to put one safely, keeping the neighbours on side, and what to check before smoking on a balcony or in a flat.
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Choosing a smokerUgly drum smoker
What an ugly drum smoker is, how the intake, basket and lid exhaust work, the steel drum safety rules that matter, and when buying a bullet smoker makes more sense.
Read the guideFuel and wood
Fuel and woodCornerstoneSmoking wood in the UK
Which British woods suit which meats, chunks vs chips vs splits vs pellets, how dry the wood should be, what never to burn and how to store it.
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Fuel and woodCharcoal for smoking
Lumpwood or briquettes for low-and-slow, what British-made charcoal offers, how to light it with a chimney starter, and why lighter fluid has no place in a smoker.
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Fuel and woodWood pellets UK
Why heating pellets don't belong in a pellet grill, how to keep pellets dry in a damp British shed, and whether flavour blends or single-species pellets are worth it.
Read the guideTechnique
TechniqueCornerstoneBBQ temperature chart
Smoker temperatures by style and a cut-by-cut chart of what done means, from brisket to salmon, plus how to probe and check your thermometer.
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TechniqueCornerstoneCommon smoking mistakes
The twelve mistakes behind most dry, bitter or late smoked dinners, from dirty smoke and lid-lifting to slicing with the grain, and how to fix each one.
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TechniqueCornerstoneThin blue smoke
Clean fire versus smouldering fire, how airflow shapes the smoke, when to add wood, and how to read smoke colour on any charcoal or wood smoker.
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TechniqueCornerstoneHow to use a smoker
Everything that happens in a first smoke, in order: lighting, holding temperature, adding wood, the stall, wrapping, resting and knowing when it's done.
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TechniqueCornerstoneSmoker temperature control
How to hold a steady smoker temperature with vents, fuel and placement, why the lid gauge lies, and what to do when the temperature drifts.
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TechniqueCornerstoneSmoker troubleshooting
Smoker won't get hot, smoke is thick and white, brisket came out dry? Short, practical fixes for over 30 common smoker problems, grouped by symptom.
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TechniqueCornerstoneThe stall explained
Why big cuts stop rising in temperature for hours mid-cook, the simple science behind it, and when to wait, wrap or turn the heat up.
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TechniqueBark and smoke ring
What makes a dark, crunchy bark on smoked meat, what the pink smoke ring actually is, and why you can stop worrying about the ring.
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TechniqueBBQ rub ratios
A simple base BBQ rub written as parts, why salt should be worked out first, how to scale it for any cut, and easy variations for beef, pork, chicken and lamb.
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TechniqueThe charcoal snake method
Set up a charcoal snake for a low-and-slow cook on a kettle BBQ: briquette layout, where the wood goes, lighting, vents and topping up.
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TechniqueReheating smoked meat
How to cool, fridge, freeze and reheat leftover smoked brisket, pulled pork and ribs so they stay juicy and safe, including the vacuum bag and water bath method.
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TechniqueResting smoked meat
How long to rest brisket, pork shoulder, ribs and chicken, how the cool box hold works, carryover cooking, and keeping hot food hot.
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TechniqueReverse sear steak
How to reverse sear a thick steak or rump cap: smoke it low, sear it hot, cook to doneness by probe, plus kettle and kamado set-ups.
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TechniqueSmoking on a gas BBQ
How to get real smoke flavour from a gas BBQ with a smoke box or foil pouch, what to expect in British wind, gas safety basics and when to upgrade.
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TechniqueSmoking on a kettle BBQ
Turn the kettle BBQ you already own into a smoker with a two-zone or snake setup, water pan and wood chunks, and know when it's time to upgrade.
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TechniqueTrimming and slicing brisket
How to trim a brisket before smoking, separate the point from the flat, find the grain and slice it so every piece is tender rather than stringy.
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TechniqueFoil vs butcher paper
When to wrap brisket, pork shoulder and ribs, how foil and butcher paper differ, and when it's better not to wrap at all.
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CooksCornerstoneBBQ party planner
Plan a smoked BBQ for a crowd: one big cook and one quick one, how much meat to buy, a timeline back from serving, safe hot-holding and a rain plan.
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CooksCornerstoneBrisket smoking time
How long brisket takes on a smoker, per kg, with the stall, wrapping and resting built in, so you can work back from dinner time.
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CooksCornerstonePulled pork smoking time
How long a UK pork shoulder takes on a smoker, per kg, with the stall, pulling temperature, holding and a plan that works back from dinner.
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CooksCornerstoneSmoked ribs, UK style
Spare ribs or loin ribs, what to ask a UK butcher for, how to use 3-2-1 as a loose guide, and the bend test that tells you ribs are ready.
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CooksCornerstoneUK vs US BBQ cuts
Translate American BBQ recipes into British butcher cuts: packer brisket, Boston butt, baby backs, short ribs and more, with a UK to US cut table.
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CooksChristmas smoking plan
A three-day Christmas plan for the smoker: turkey and gammon timings, fridge space, a step-by-step timeline and how much fuel to have in for cold weather.
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CooksCold smoking at home
How cold smoking works, smoke generators, the best months in the UK, and the food-safety rules that matter. Start with cheese; treat fish and meat with care.
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CooksHot-smoked salmon
How to hot smoke salmon at home: how it differs from cold-smoked, dry cure or brine, forming a pellicle, and the gentle heat that keeps it moist.
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CooksSmoked beef short ribs
How to smoke beef short ribs in the UK: what Jacob's ladder is, plate vs chuck ribs, what to ask your butcher, temperatures and the probe-tender finish.
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CooksSmoked cheese
How to cold smoke cheese at home in the UK: which hard cheeses suit, why cool weather matters, keeping it from melting and resting it in the fridge.
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CooksChicken thighs and drumsticks
How to smoke chicken thighs and drumsticks with crisp skin: why they're the most forgiving cook for beginners, dry brining, the right smoker temperature, timings and when they're done.
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CooksSmoked chicken wings
How to smoke chicken wings with crisp skin: dry brining, a smoke then hot finish, checking they're safely cooked and how many wings to buy for a party.
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CooksSmoked duck
How to smoke a whole duck or duck legs: dry brining, rendering the fat, getting the skin crisp, and what to do with all that duck fat.
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CooksSmoked gammon and ham
How to smoke a gammon joint in the UK: why gammon is already cured, soaking, smoking and glazing, and why it's the perfect Boxing Day cook.
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CooksSmoked lamb shoulder
How to smoke a lamb shoulder for pulled lamb: choosing British lamb or hogget, seasoning, the woods that suit it, temperatures and when it's ready.
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CooksSmoked mackerel and trout
How to hot smoke mackerel and rainbow trout, whole or as fillets: a quick brine, forming a pellicle, mild British woods and serving ideas.
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CooksSmoked pheasant
How to smoke pheasant, partridge and wood pigeon: brining, barding with bacon, the right temperature for lean birds, and what to do with the tough legs.
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CooksPork belly burnt ends
How to smoke pork belly burnt ends: what to ask the butcher for, rind on or off, cube size, smoke, braise and glaze, with rough timings.
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CooksSmoked pulled beef
How to smoke pulled beef in the UK: chuck, feather blade or brisket, what to ask the butcher for, smoker temperature, the stall and when it's ready to pull.
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CooksRolled brisket joint
How to smoke the tied, rolled brisket joint sold in UK supermarkets: smoke it, then braise it in a covered tray until it's tender enough to slice thick or pull.
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CooksSmoked edible gifts
Make smoked sea salt, smoked nuts, smoked chilli flakes and smoked cheese as homemade Christmas presents: one smoker session, how to jar and label them, and how long they keep.
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CooksSmoked sausages
How to smoke sausages on a smoker: British bangers vs cured sausages, why skins split, the low temperature then sear method, and when they're done.
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CooksSmoked Christmas turkey
How to smoke a turkey for Christmas in the UK: crown vs whole bird, brining, cooking in cold weather, and freeing up the oven for everything else.
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CooksSmoked vegetables and halloumi
What to smoke for vegetarian guests: halloumi, whole cauliflower, aubergine, peppers, mushrooms and onions, plus how to keep it all away from the meat juices.
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CooksSmoked venison
How to smoke venison without drying it out: which cut to buy, a short smoke for haunch and loin, a long braise-and-smoke for shoulder, and which wood suits game.
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CooksSmoked whole chicken
How to smoke a whole chicken in the UK: spatchcocking, dry brining, the higher temperature that stops rubbery skin, and checking it's safely cooked.
Read the guideWeather and kit
Weather and kitCornerstoneSmoking in the rain
How rain, wind and cold affect each type of smoker, how to shelter a cook safely without trapping smoke, and a wet-weather cook plan that works.
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Weather and kitBBQ meat thermometers
Instant-read, leave-in and wireless probes compared: how each works, which published specs matter, and how to check and care for one.
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Weather and kitSmoker gift ideas
Gift ideas for someone with a smoker, from stocking fillers to bigger presents: thermometers, gloves, butcher paper, UK wood, butcher vouchers and courses.
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Weather and kitCleaning your smoker
A realistic cleaning routine for charcoal, pellet, kamado and electric smokers: ash, grease, rust, covers, grease fires and getting through a wet British winter.
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Weather and kitSmoker kit list
The smoking kit that matters, the extras that make life easier and the gadgets you can skip, for anyone getting started with a smoker in the UK.
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Weather and kitSmoking in winter
How to keep a smoker running through a British winter: cold and wind, extra fuel, insulation blankets, dark evenings, and why it never goes in the garage.
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CompareCornerstoneOffset vs kamado vs pellet
The three big smoker types compared on effort, fuel, power needs and how they cope with British weather.
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ComparePellet grills compared
What to compare pellet grills on in the UK: cooking area, temperature range, hopper size and warranty from maker specs, and what to ignore.
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