Have you ever heard the term "vertical barbecue smoker" and thought to yourself, "Huh?" In order to make authentic smoked barbecue, there are three types of barbecue smokers. The first is a type of smoker known as an offset smoker. The offset smoker's firebox is located on the other side of the smoke chamber. A fire is produced in the firebox, and smoke and heat from the fire are transported into and out of the smoke chamber via a chimney ventilation system at the top. Inside the smoke chamber, the meat to be smoked (and later eaten) is put on grates. On their route to the chimney vents, the smoke and heat pass around the meat.

The second main type of smoker category is the kettle cooker (think Weber Kettle.) A kettle cooker can be set up for smoking by building the fire off to the side of the kettle, and placing the meat not directly over the heat source, but off to the other side. When the lid is closed, smoke from the charcoal and any added wood chips will flow around the meat giving it that great smoke barbecue taste before exiting the kettle lid through the vents. The third major type of barbecue cooker is what is known as a vertical smoker. With a vertical smoker, there is only one chamber for everything. The fire is built down at the bottom of the unit, there is a pan with soaked wood chips directly over the fire area, and then there are 2,3, or 4 horizontal racks above the smoke pan where the meat is placed. The smoke will rise in the smoke chamber, go around the meat giving it that great flavor, then exit out the top of the unit. Some more info of the vertical smokers also have a water pan directly over the smoke pan. This pan will hold water throughout the cooking process and will help the meat stay moist and not dry out.