Could smoked chicken thighs be prepared and eaten at the tailgate?
Of course, it is; you only require a lightweight smoking device.
Even though they’re the tiniest smokers on the market, you may find them equipped with everything you’d find on a large outside model.
However, their portability only ensures their mobility in some situations. The dimensions and capacity of the smoker, as well as its potential supply of fuel, must be carefully considered while deciding on the best model for your trip.
A portable grill is the next best thing to having a permanent barbeque setup at home. Memories are made when wonderful times are shared with lovely people over delicious cuisine. But an excellent portable smoker is necessary for this to come to fruition. This article provides a variety of options for portable smokers in 2023, whether you’re searching for a new ‘cue for your monthly beach cookout, to take camping, or to a tailgate.
The selection criteria for these smokes included functionality, mobility, our personal experience, and feedback from our customers. Grab a fresh ‘cue for the weekend from among the options available.
Traeger Tailgater Pellet Grill
Traeger is widely recognized as a premier producer of high-quality pellet grills and smokers.
To provide the same performance as their larger pellet grills while still being more convenient to transport, they created the Tailgater Pellet Grill.
The legs of the wood-burning grill fold up quickly, and there are side handles for portability.
This pellet grill is versatile enough for smoking, baking, and grilling. The maximum temperature of the pellet smoker is 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232.22 degrees Celsius), and it has a smoking area of 300 square inches.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions: 37 x 18 x 36 inches
BTU Value: N/A
Cooking Area: 300 square inches
Hopper Capacity: 8 pounds
Fuel Type: Electric
Material: Metal
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
Weber’s Smokey Mountain Cooker is indicative of the company’s longevity as a U.S. maker of smokers and portable pellet grills.
This is a lightweight and portable machine weighing only 39 pounds (17.69 kilograms).
This charcoal barbecue and smoker’s innovative design sold us on it.
You can cook anything from hamburgers to briskets to racks of ribs on the two nickel-plated grilling grids that come with the grill.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions: 21 x 19 x 41 inches
BTU Value: N/A
Cooking Area: N/A
Hopper Capacity: N/A
Fuel Type: Charcoal
Material: Stainless Steel
Traeger Ranger
If you’re looking for a compact pellet grill and smoker, the Traeger Ranger might be what you need. Hardwood pellets are fed into the fire pot by a slow-turning auger powered by electricity in this smoker.
Built-in temperature sensors from Traeger’s Digital Act processors keep an eye on everything. The Digital Arc controls the rate at which pellets are dropped into the smoker and responds to changes in temperature.
You can quickly turn on the smoker, adjust the temperature, and begin powering it down thanks to the LCD screen and rubberized controls.
The weight is the one thing we would change. Its 60-pound weight makes it ideal for use on a patio and balcony but cumbersome for camping trips.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions : 20 x 21 x 13 inches
BTU Value : 16,000
Cooking Area : 184 square inches
Hopper Capacity : 8 lbs
Fuel Type : Wood pellets
Material : Stainless Steel
14″ Pit Barrel Cooker Junior
The Pit Barrel Cooker Junior is a great choice for tailgating, camping, RVing, and other outdoor activities that require a compact cooking solution.
This smoker is made to be easily transported; it has side handles and is a manageable size to fit into the back of an SUV or pickup vehicle.
We like that this smoker has a titanium grill grate for cooking burgers and steaks, rods, and hooks for easily smoking brisket and ribs. Consequently, you can cook anything ranging from a pork butt to a 17-pound turkey in this cooker with ease.
A temperature gauge is not included with this smoker; thus, if you want to keep tabs on the cooking temperature, you will need to purchase one independently.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions: 33″ x 21.25″ comprehensive, including the handles.
BTU Value: N/A
Cooking Area: 339 square inches
Hopper Capacity: N/A
Fuel Type: Charcoal
Material: Metal
Z Grills Pellet Grill
Z Grill’s slim, sophisticated design elevates the standard of backyard grilling.
The portable pellet grills are ideal for camping or tailgating due to their tiny size yet ability to cook enough food for a family of five.
The pellets are added to the fire without the user’s intervention, and the grill’s ingenious temperature management system controls and maintains the airflow and temperature.
You can bake, roast, and braise your favorite meats on these portable pellet barbecues in addition to grilling.
In order to be put to use, the compact pellet grill needs only a short amount of time to be assembled.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions: 25 x 48 x 40 inches
BTU Value: N/A
Cooking Area: 590 square inches
Hopper Capacity: 16 pounds
Fuel Type: Electric
Material: Stainless Steel
The Art Of Picking The Right Portable Smoker
Smoker Type
Though the smokes above are the best of the best when it comes to mobility, there are a variety of factors and effects that determine just how portable a given model is. The type of fuel, for instance, may be crucial. If you are interested in knowing more about the various types of smokers that are available, you should continue reading this page.
Pellet Smoker
There is a wide range of transportable pellet grills available, and some are better suited for portability than others. While some people see wood pellet smokers as a healthier alternative to charcoal smokers, it’s important to remember that even the best power pellet smokers weigh more than your regular charcoal smoker, thanks to the hopper & wood pellets.
Electric Smoker
Another viable alternative is a portable electric smoker, as many models are designed to be easily transported. They can only be used in locations with access to electricity, limiting your mobility if you need a portable generator or auto converter.
Charcoal Grill
When considering how easily transportable a smoker is, charcoal is typically at or near the bottom. Charcoal grills come in various sizes and are often the lightest of the possibilities.
Gas Grills
Portable smokers can also be made using gas grills. A portable grill’s best quality is its portability. To cook the grill, however, you’ll need to bring a large propane canister.
Smoking Capacity
The main drawback of portable pellet smokers is that their cooking capacities vary widely. It’s essential to choose a happy medium between size, weight, and smoking capacity.
When portability isn’t an issue, a cooking area of about 500 square inches is ideal. To us, the outstanding features of a portable smoker come closest to that ideal without making unacceptable trade-offs in other areas (such as size and weight). Keep in mind that you should leave the grill intact since you’ll need some space to move the meat about.
Portability
The most crucial factor to consider when shopping for a portable barbecue is its portability. Therefore, it is necessary to strike a balance among the following elements:
Dish Capacity Weight Measurements
The portability of your barbecue depends on all of these criteria. If it comes to be too huge and too heavy, it will no longer be convenient to take around.
If you choose anything too small, you may be okay with needing more room to smoke your meat. You’ll want to find a happy medium between portability, weight, and cooking capacity so that a grill can travel anywhere you go and do anything you throw at it.
Weight
The portability of your barbecue depends heavily on its weight, as was just said. Refrain from assuming that just because a barbecue is portable that it is lightweight only because of its size.
A tiny grill could be significantly heavier than just a large grill manufactured from lighter materials due to the weight of the materials used in their construction.
The additional components required during construction are another aspect that can affect total mass.
For instance, due to the need for additional parts and wiring, electric smokers tend to be heavier than charcoal grills of the same size.
If you’re carrying the grill around yourself, think about how much you can lift without getting tired.
Materials
The weight and difficulty of cleaning your grill will be significantly affected by the materials used to construct it. The best portable pellet grills have a lightweight design, are resistant to rust and corrosion, and have an insulating body to keep the heat in. Stainless steel has all the qualities we’re looking for.
Pellet grills made of food-grade stainless steel are typically preferred, while other materials, such as aluminum, can be utilized. While some materials, like porcelain and cast iron, can fulfill all of the criteria mentioned above, they can also make grills too heavy to be functional.
Maintenance
The most convenient portable smokers are ones that require little in the way of setup, upkeep, or expertise to use.
If your grill is challenging to assemble and use for smoking, or if you have problems with even fundamental tasks like adding wood chips, all the bells and whistles in the world will only make up for it.
If you’re new to smoking meat, we recommend starting with an electric smoker featuring digital controls because of how simple it is to use.
When you master the dampers, charcoal is just as simple to smoke. What’s more, it requires little effort to keep in working order.
The most excellent charcoal smokers are lighter in weight and smaller in size than other smokers of comparable quality, as well as being less expensive in the long run. As a result, while searching for a smoker, we typically go with one that uses charcoal.
Extra Features
Considering the vast selection of grills available, from stationary gas grills to portable electric smokers, the possibilities for customization are endless. Modern life has it all, from foldable shelves to Bluetooth-enabled remote control of your smoker for optimal smoky taste in your food.
Extras are an excellent addition to your smoker, but you should be aware that they will cause it to grow in both size and weight.
From personal experience, we have found that the most effective grills are the ones that are manageable for the task at hand. Therefore, keep things essential when selecting the ideal smoking setup.
The Final Thoughts
After researching and testing various barbecues, we recommend the Traeger Tailgater Pellet Grill. As a portable unit, it features a considerable amount of space for cooking. The rust-proof construction means it can be used in any climate.
The Digital Arc controller gives the Traeger Tailgater excellent temperature regulation. More so, the Keep Warm Mode guarantees that your food will stay hot and fresh until you’re ready to eat it.
We were impressed by how many different foods could be smoked, grilled, and baked with this smoker. In particular, the grill’s collapsible legs plus side handles make transportation a breeze. See whether they have a portable Traeger smoker available right now, then buy one if you like what you see.
FAQs
When it comes to portable smokers, what kinds of wood pellets can you use?
Wood pellets, which can be utilized in portable smokers, come in various species and finishes. The following are a few of the best methods for preparing various types of meat:
Use pecan, cherry, apple, mesquite, or hickory wood for smoking and grilling pork.
Mesquite or hickory is ideal for grilling brisket.
Pecan, apple, or cherry is the best for chicken.
Do small cooking spaces affect portability in portable smokers?
Cooking spaces on portable smokers are often smaller. Significant amounts of meat may be smoked in one of several smokers, making them ideal for barbecues and other large-scale gatherings. The most excellent smokers can mass-produce succulent chicken, beef, pork, and sausage.
A portable smoker’s lifespan, roughly speaking.
Providing you maintain it properly, a portable cigarette smoker should last you about five years. If you’re the exact type, your smoker might last as long as ten more years with proper care.
