4 Reasons You Should Ditch Your Grill for a Smoker

Smoking game has been around about as long as fire itself. The process can be time consuming, so it has fallen out of favor, largely because of the convenience of a propane grill. But just the delicious aroma of wood smoke on the breeze alone makes it worth the effort.

The Taste

Smokers infuse meats and other foods with flavor. (Traeger Grills/)

Cooking with propane is everyone's go-to, but it sucks out a lot of the flavor we come to expect from cuisine cooked outside. Smokers infuse every cut of meat, piece of fish, or whatever else you decide to throw in them with a taste that's sure to have you begging for seconds. And there's no substitute for the bark created by a hearty smoke.

Set It and Forget It

Electric smokers allow you to set the time and temperature you want to cook at, and then go about your business. (Cuisinart/)

Smoking used to be an arduous process, requiring you to precisely stoke the fire every hour or so. But many modern smokers use electricity for heat, which means you don't need to keep a weather eye on the temperature. Just throw in a handful of woodchips periodically and go about your business while a delicious meal cooks itself.

Say Goodbye to Tough Cuts

Smoked under low heat for long periods of time can soften even the toughest meats. (Weber/)

The ability to cook low and slow for long periods of time means you can say goodbye to tough cuts of meat. Fourteen hours of gentle heat tames even the most difficult to cook pieces, breathing new life into venison ribs or neck roasts. You can even ditch the crockpot for an option with even more flavor.

Multipurpose

A smoker makes it easy to put a new twist on some classic recipes. (Z Grills/)

Venison is an obvious choice, but the sky is the limit when it comes to what you can use your smoker for. Smoked fish brings an interesting new dimension to an old favorite, but don't stop there. Throw some cheese or even vegetables on for an interesting take on dinnertime staples. And you can use your smoker to turn that pile of snow geese into jerky that disappears quickly in the duck blind or at a dinner party.