How to Use a Char-Broil Smoker (Easy-To-Follow Steps)

Timothy Woods
Published by Timothy Woods
Last Updated On: December 4, 2023

Char-Broil offers a wide range of affordable smokers, fryers, and grills. They are an excellent choice for those that find pellet grills outside their budget.

As Meathead put it, when it comes to smokers, Char-Broil is as good as it gets in this price range. Thus, you’ll pay a lot more to beat Char-Broil. So we went to the experts to find out how to use them.

Quick Summary

  • The Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker is easy to use, with a control panel and LED display, while the Char-Broil Bullet Smoker offers a more traditional, hands-on approach.
  • A Char-Broil smoker is a versatile cooking device that can use either electricity or charcoal.
  • Both types of smokers require careful preparation and monitoring, but they provide a rewarding and flavorful cooking experience.

How To Use Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker

Meats inside the Char Broil smoker

The mini-fridge vertical style is 32.5 inches tall, so you’re going to have to find it a table unless you don’t mind getting at toddler height.

It has an insulated, double-wall construction, a control panel with an LED display, a food thermometer, and a glass door.

This smoker is pretty easy to use and can cook either to your time preference or set to finish when the thermometer for cooking until a set internal temperature is achieved in your meat.

However, it is essential that regardless of whether you decide to use it with woodchips or not, always have the smoker box and water pan in place when the machine is on.

Step 1 – Prepare Your Woodchips: Char-Broil Deluxe Smoker

The first step is to put your water pan and smoker pan in place. Unlike the water pan, you cannot refill the smoker box once cooking begins, so you need to fill it to the desired level now.

Char-Broil does provide a grilling guide to buyers to help estimate the amount of woodchips.

Also, the woodchips do not need to be presoaked, unlike many other smokers.

But you cannot put anything other than woodchips or pellets into the smoker box. Wood chunks or charcoal can ruin your smoker.

Step 2 – Slide In The Water Pan: Char-Broil Deluxe Smoker

Once your smokebox is in place, slide in your water pan. Ensure it isn’t overfilled.

But try to fill it as much as you think you’ll need because while you can refill it while cooking, it’s awkward.

Step 3 – Preheat Your Char-Broil Deluxe Smoker

Close up image of Char Broil smoker temperature

The third step is to preheat your smoker. This phase will last 40 minutes.

If you have the SmartChef WiFi model, you select the preheat setting from your phone.

However, the model without that feature is set through the display pad above the door via the Temp Button. You will hold the UP or DOWN button until PH appears, then release.

The PH blinks, then you hit the Temp Button once, and the preheat begins.

Step 4 – Load Your Meat Into The Char-Broil Deluxe Smoker

When the preheat cycle has concluded, you load your seasoned meat into your smoker and insert the meat thermometer.

Step 5 – Program The Char-Broil Deluxe Smoker

Top view of Char Broil smoker

Once the meat is loaded, you program it based on time or temperature. The SmartChef WiFi model will help you do this through a selected recipe making it super easy.

The panel method requires you to know the time or required internal temperature and takes a few more button punches.

On the panel, you will have to either press the UP or DOWN method on the Time Button or the Meat Probe Button (internal thermometer).

Meathead is on team Meat Probe, all the way, but the decision is entirely yours.

The Time method will run for the desired period at a cooking temperature you select.

The Meat Probe function will run at the desired temperature for as long as it takes for the meat with the internal thermometer to reach your desired temperature.

Also Read: Char Broil Performance 650 Review

Step 6 – Check The Meat In Your Char-Broil Deluxe Smoker

If you selected the Meat Probe option, you’re done the moment the smoker shuts off. But of course, by all means, inspect it.

However, if you selected the time option, you will have to check the meat to see if your meat is done (or overdone) once the timer has gone off.

Once you are satisfied everything is cooked to your desire, you’ve finished.

How To Use Char-Broil Bullet Smoker

Empty and new Char Broil Bullet Smoker

Char-Broil’s Bullet Smoker is the perfect choice for those keeping it on an electricity-free cabin or who don’t want to be dealing with fancy electronics or fiddle with gas.

Like cooking on a charcoal grill, your temperature control relies on the quality of your coals and how you operate the vents and dampers.

The Bullet does have an extremal thermometer in the lid, which is fancier than our great-great-grandparents had.

But any internal meat temps will have to be taken by yourself, and of course, the more you open that lid, the less cooking is getting done.

Thus, these more traditional smokers have a steeper learning curve and require an artistic, hands-on approach.

However, while these traditional smokers are far from “set-it-forget-it,” they are cheaper to buy, and the instructions are straightforward.

The personal TLC during the process makes the difference between success and crispy-carbon-crunch.

Step 1 – Prepare The Fuel: Char-Broil Bullet Smoker

Wood chunks on a bullet smoker

The first step is to take off the lid and remove the fire bowl. Set the lid to the side and the fire bowl on your top grate and build your fire.

Choices of fuel are charcoal or bark-free wood. Wood is highly recommended, and what type goes best with which meats are suggested by their user guide.

Tip: Only light your fire with lighter fluid if you enjoy the taste of lighter fluid or find flash fires fun.

Step 2 – Prepare The Fuel: Char-Broil Bullet Smoker

Once the fire has calmed, the fire bowl can be returned to the smoke chamber and the lid replaced.

This is when you begin working the vents and dampers, ensuring you do not exceed 350°F.

Step 3 – Add Meat: Char-Broil Bullet Smoker

You add the meat once your desired smoking temperature has been achieved.

Step 4 – Monitor Until Ready: Char-Broil Bullet Smoker

Char-Broil suggests an hour of cooking time per pound of large cut meat. However, this is not a perfect formula.

Also, it will be up to you to monitor the fire, vents, and damper to keep the Bullet at the correct cooking temperature the entire time.

Finally, ensure you have a quality internal meat thermometer to check that you are truly done cooking.

Once you feel all is as good as it can be, you’re finished. Enjoy.

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