At BBQ Québec, we have several accessories that allow you to smoke and give a good smoky taste to your food in your BBQ.
The Smoker, Copeaunator, and Smoke Box are all accessories that will allow you to do this, without having to use a smoker.
The differences between these 3 accessories and their particularities may not be obvious, so I will allow myself to present them to you so that you really know what they are for and how to use them.
The Smoker
The BBQ Québec Smoker, or the BBQ Québec Smoke Labyrinth Smoker , as it is called, is an accessory that fits into any BBQ (as long as it fits).
Although it can be used for hot or cold smoking, it is really for cold smoking that it is designed (small reminder: to cold smoke, it is ideal that the outside temperature is less than 10 ° C, that there is no sun and that the BBQ is in the shade). It is a light, durable and portable smoke generator.
To use it, it's simple. You install it on the grill of your BBQ, put pellets in its zigzag part (the "maze"), then light the pellets on one or both sides of the Smoker with an ElectroMax , an AlluMax , or a blowtorch in the big hole(s) so that, slowly, they come to burn, then go out and smoke from one end of the labyrinth to the other. And... that's it; the process is the same for hot and cold smoking, the only exception being that the BBQ, charcoal or burners will not be lit in the second case.
The length of the smoking time depends on how many pellets you put in the accessory and whether you light the fuel from one side or both. If it is full and lit from one side, you will have smoke for about 12 hours, and for about 6 hours if you light it from both sides.
I would like to make a small clarification about the Fumaniseur. In fact, it smokes; it does not "smoke", strictly speaking. Its primary purpose is to give a more pronounced taste to food, which is perfect when you want to cold smoke, or, again, when you want to "boost" the taste of our food that is cooked in a pellet BBQ. The smoke and combustion generated in a Fumaniseur do the job, but... nothing more.
So I would say yes, it is for cold smoking, but as for hot smoking, it is not quite that. It is more that it cold smokes in a hot BBQ, let's say, since it does not give off heat; just smoke. 🤪
Otherwise, also note that I have only been talking about granules since a while ago; that's really all you want to put in there for it to be optimal.
The Copeaunator
This accessory is the ULTIMATE chip box. It is… the “big brother” of the Smoke Box. It does everything the Smoke Box does, but better and for a little more money.
Technically, theCopeaunateur BBQ Québec can fit in pretty much any BBQ (as long as they have the right baffle shape), but it was really designed for gas BBQs . Indeed, its "V" design makes it fit very well with the shape of the baffles of most BBQs on the market right now. It can then easily be installed under the grills of a BBQ, on its baffles or burners.
The cool thing about the Copeaunateur is that it has a hinge , so you don't have to fiddle with the lid for 10 years when the accessory is hot, AND there is a container included with the accessory that allows you to add wine, water, Pepsi, Jack Daniel's or another liquid at the same time as the chips and increase the humidity in the BBQ . It's up to you whether you put it in place or not.
In any case, whether you add liquid or not in the Copeaunator, the chips will take about 10 to 30 minutes to burn when the accessory is full. But be careful! If you do not install the container, yes, you will be able to put about 30% more wood chips (and I insist on the fact that it is this fuel that you were using, because it is really what will burn the best) in the accessory, but the smoking time will be the same, there will just be more smoke.
As for the procedure, you place the Copeaunator in the BBQ, light the burner under the accessory so that the chips get hot, then reduce its intensity to the minimum when the smoke appears and let it do its magic. Make sure to set up the liquid container beforehand if you want to add moisture and aroma to the inside of your BBQ.
This accessory is really the best for hot smoking.
The Smoke Box
Just like the Copeaunateur, the BBQ Québec Smoke Box can fit in almost any BBQ, but it is really made to be put in gas BBQs . It is the least expensive accessory of the three for hot smoking (it is the "beautiful, good, cheap" option, finally 😜).
You fill the Chip Box with wood chips, position it under the grills of your BBQ, on the deflectors, and light the burner under the accessory to maximum. Once you have smoke, you reduce the intensity of the fire to minimum and smoke your food, placing it far from it.
The chips will burn for 10-30 minutes and will add a nice aroma to your food. (And, again, only put wood chips in this attachment, because the chips will actually reach their burning point, unlike pellets, and will heat up more; not just smother and smoke like pellets.)
Smoke Box or Smoke Box?
If you're on the fence between these two accessories, here are some differences to consider:
- The cover of the Copeaunator is held by a hinge, which is not the case for the Smoke Box;
- The Copeaunator offers the possibility of adding a liquid with your shavings;
- The Copeunator has a triangular prism shape, while the Smoke Box has a rectangular prism shape; and
- The Copeaunator is more expensive than the Smoke Box.
In short
For cold smoking, the Smoker is really the accessory to have. Otherwise, for hot smoking, the Copeaunator and the Smoke Box are good options, depending on the BBQ you have, your preferences and the budget you want to invest.
Hoping to have helped you make your choice easier.
Happy BBQ!