These are highly recommended products that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
Manufacturers: Contact Meathead for permission to use this award medallion and to get a high resolution version.
Shopping tip
When a product is available on Amazon.com, I often provide a direct link. Amazon.com often has the best prices anywhere, even better than many manufacturers' websites. That's because manufacturers know that if they undercut retailers, these important resellers may drop their products. Please let me know if you find broken links, discrepancies in model numbers, specs, or prices.
Full disclosure:Amazon.com pays me a small commission, so purchasing from them helps underwrite the cost of operating AmazingRibs.com. But low prices, fast delivery, and good refund policies are the real reasons to buy from Amazon.com.
Buying Guide, Reviews, and Ratings for Stovetop Smokers
Stovetop smokers are great for people who can't cook outdoors, or who can cook outdoors but don't want to use a larger grill or smoker. Stovetop smokers are great for camping trips because they can be used on campfires or small gas burners. And they are especially good for fish and fowl. You place a small amount of food grade sawdust in the bottom, place a drip pan on top of the sawdust, a rack on top of the drip pan, and the food on the rack. The unit is then closed so only a small amount of smoke can escape. The finished food is extremely moist, flavorful, delicate and complex, and you can control time and temp fairly easily.
There are a few caveats:
1) You need a good exhaust system or your kitchen will fill with smoke and your smoke alarm will drive you nuts
2) It takes practice (but so do almost all other smoke cooking methods)
3) They may not work on some flat top stoves
4) The flavor and texture are significantly different from other smoking methods. Most stovetop smokers use smoldering sawdust in a pretty tightly closed environment. The flavor is a LOT different from logs, wood chips, chunks, or pellets burning and exhaling combustion gasses. The flavor is not bad, it's just different. The texture is also different. Moisture is trapped in the cooking unit, so you get much moister food. This can be good, but if you love the skinlike crust called "bark" you will be disappointed.
Here are some models to consider.
Camerons Stovetop Smoker
Put two spoonsful of hickory sawdust in Camerons' stainless steel pan, put the drip pan on top of the sawdust, put the non-stick rack on top of that, and put the ribs on the rack. Slide the lid on, turn your exhaust fan on high, turn the burner on high, and in about 30 minutes you have smoked, moist meat. It works! After giving my meat a nice smoky flavor with a Camerons, I like to bake it in the oven a bit longer, sauce it and then broil it to sizzle the sauce. 3" high x 11" wide x 15" long, weighs seven pounds. Dishwasher safe. It can warp under extreme heat. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Emerilware Cast Iron 4-in-1 Smoker
It is called 4-in-1 because it is a smoker, a stovetop grill, a roaster, and a broiler pan. Made from cast iron and sold with a lifetime warranty, this is an impressive multi-tasker. Included are a stainless steel drip tray and rack. Cast iron has some real advantages: It is will not warp, has great heat retention, and keeps food warm at the table. Comes with an enameled drip tray and rack, a selection of wood chips, and Emeril's "Smokin' Hot!" recipe pack to get you started. As with all cast iron, it needs to be seasoned, and it cannot be washed in the diswasher. It must be dried thoroughly or it will rust. Also, it weighs almost 30 pounds! For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
MIA Multi-Function Grill and Roaster
I've never used this nor seen it in action, but it looks interesting. Here is the manufacturer's description: "Works on any stovetop, oven, grill or heat source, indoors or out. It roasts, grills, steams and smokes. It can mix steam and smoke at the same time so your smoked food never dries out. It even cooks and infuses flavor into pasta or rice and makes a great bouillabaisse or soup." For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Athena Max Burton Stove Top Smoker
Looks similar to the Camerons, only a bit less expensive. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
Chef Reece Williams Indoor Stovetop Smoker
Yet another stainless steel unit modeled after Camerons. Marketed by Bruce Foods, parent company of Cajun Injector, and it is packaged with a Cajun Injector hypodermic system, two Cajun Injector marinades, Cajun Shake Seasoning. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, click here.
This page was revised on 3/10/2007
Important Info About This Website
AmazingRibs.com is all about the Zen of Barbecue, cooking ribs, and all kinds of BBQ recipes and techniques: Barbecue baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken, smoked turkey, steak, lamb, barbecue sauces, rubs, and great side dishes, with the net's best buying guide to barbecue smokers and cookers. It is written, illustrated, and coded solely by Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn.
About links on this site. Other than clearly marked ads, links and recommendations on this site are all products, services, and websites I truly admire, and are never paid endorsements. Your suggestions are always welcome. If you would like me to link to your website, click here to read my links policy first.
Product Reviews and Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards. Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards are highly recommended products that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
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Buy Meathead some meat so he can work up some new recipes.
With a $15 donation he'll send you a very cool embroidered iron-on patch.
With a $25 donation you'll get a 100% cotton, brushed twill, adjustable, low profile cap with the patch sewn on. I'll even toss in a small bag of BBQ'rs Delight wood smoke pellets.
GrillGrates Take Your Grill Into the Infrared Zone
GrillGrates are the best new product I have tested in years and the best thing to happen to beef since salt and pepper.
They sit on top of your current grill's grates. The hard anodized aircraft grade aluminum rail tops are flat and wide and make perfect dark crunchy grill marks. The base superheats yet eliminates hot spots and blocks flareups. This is the same concept behind the expensive new infrared grills.
Juices drip in the valleys between the rails and are vaporized and penetrate the meat enhancing flavor. I throw wood between the rails and they impart a delicate smoke flavor. I have made my best steaks and burgers ever with Grill Grates. This is a really great new product! Click here to read more and for ordering info.
The Smokenator
If you have a Weber Kettle, you need the amazing Smokenator and Hovergrill. The Smokenator turns your grill into a first class smoker, and the Hovergrill can add capacity or be used to get steakhouse steaks. Click here to read more and for ordering info.
These are highly recommended products that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
Put two spoonsful of hickory sawdust in Camerons' stainless steel pan, put the drip pan on top of the sawdust, put the non-stick rack on top of that, and put the ribs on the rack. Slide the lid on, turn your exhaust fan on high, turn the burner on high, and in about 30 minutes you have smoked, moist meat. It works! After giving my meat a nice smoky flavor with a Camerons, I like to bake it in the oven a bit longer, sauce it and then broil it to sizzle the sauce. 3" high x 11" wide x 15" long, weighs seven pounds. Dishwasher safe. It can warp under extreme heat. For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, 
It is called 4-in-1 because it is a smoker, a stovetop grill, a roaster, and a broiler pan. Made from cast iron and sold with a lifetime warranty, this is an impressive multi-tasker. Included are a stainless steel drip tray and rack. Cast iron has some real advantages: It is will not warp, has great heat retention, and keeps food warm at the table. Comes with an enameled drip tray and rack, a selection of wood chips, and Emeril's "Smokin' Hot!" recipe pack to get you started. As with all cast iron, it needs to be seasoned, and it cannot be washed in the diswasher. It must be dried thoroughly or it will rust. Also, it weighs almost 30 pounds! For discount pricing and direct ordering from Amazon.com, 
MIA Multi-Function Grill and Roaster
Product Reviews and Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards. Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards are highly recommended products that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
With a $15 donation he'll send you a very cool embroidered iron-on patch.
or the 
from Amazon.
