No Smoker, No Problem — Here's How To DIY 'Smoked' Meat Indoors

Smoking is practically meat magic — it transforms bologna into burnt ends and makes pork belly into brisket. You don't even need a dedicated smoker since turning your grill into a makeshift smoker is easily done. What if you don't have a grill, though, or the weather isn't conducive to cooking outdoors? It is possible to smoke meat inside the house, and barbecue expert Matt Abdoo has a few thoughts on the subject. Abdoo, one of the founders of an East Cast mini-chain called Pig Beach BBQ, told The Takeout, "If you don't have a smoker, a great way to mimic the tenderness of BBQ is to follow a similar cooking process in your oven. Obviously, you won't have live fire or smoke so technically it's not true BBQ, but with the right seasonings, you can get really close." (He favors either smoked salt or smoked paprika.)

Of course, Abdoo can't resist incorporating his favorite cooking tool into the mix. His technique for smoky ribs cooked indoors involves baking them at a low temperature in the oven until they're tender, then bathing them in barbecue sauce and finishing the cooking on the grill. "That final step gives you a nice, charred flavor while allowing the sauce to caramelize into that sticky, sweet glaze everyone loves on BBQ ribs," he opined. As a grill-free alternative, you can always give the glazed ribs a final shot of high heat with five to eight minutes under the broiler.

The way Matt Abdoo sees it, if you're not actually cooking your ribs outdoors, the smoked salt or paprika will have to do all of the heavy lifting when it comes to providing smoky flavor. "Avoid using liquid smoke if possible," he cautioned. "It can easily leave your BBQ tasting overly artificial or like an ashtray."

He's also against the use of stovetop smokers. This appliance usually consists of a covered pan where very finely chopped wood chips or sawdust is heated to produce smoke while the meat sits above it on a rack. The lid is used to trap the smoky flavor inside the pan where it can penetrate the meat. Abdoo says of this method, "If you're going to smoke anything indoors, make sure your stove hood is running on high and that your home is very well ventilated. However, I don't really think the juice is worth the squeeze with most indoor smokers. The smoke flavor they produce can often taste too harsh or acrid, and they usually end up smoking out your entire house in the process."

He listed a few more issues with indoor smokers, including the possibility of using too much or too little wood, cooking at the wrong temperature, or opening the lid too frequently. "Honestly, indoor smokers just aren't that practical, and you're usually better off making your BBQ in the oven and using smoked spices to create that smoky flavor. That way, you'll have much better temperature control."