Best Smoker Cookbooks | A Roundup Buying Guide

When trying out a fresh recipe, the first thing you need to do is look for a cookbook that will be both informative and easy to use. Even the professional chefs were beginners at one time, so don’t feel bad about using a reference every single step in cooking.

Smoking meat or other food is a favorite pastime for many. A great selection of different cookbooks can help you get started. The best smoking cookbook will not only make the experience enjoyable, but the results will also be worthwhile.

I have reviewed the seven best smoker cookbooks that I have found most resourceful in this article. From detailed meat smoking to the steps to achieving the perfect wood smoked dishes, these books are a top choice for those who want to get to a pitmaster level of skill.

Why do you need a smoking cookbook?

For the experienced meat smoker, a cookbook may not be necessary unless they need to reference something or try a recipe they haven’t tried before. However, a good cookbook can be very helpful for those who are just getting their feet wet in smoking meat.

• It gives you many food smoking recipes to try out

Don’t let a lack of imagination stop you from smoking a delicious meal. A cookbook will give you ideas on what tastes good together. Most cookbooks around smoking food come loaded with various recipes, using different meats, vegetables, and even fruits in your smoked dinner.

• It shows you the basics of smoking meat

Anyone can follow a recipe to a T, but you may easily make mistakes without knowing the basics of smoking meat and what it takes to cook a good meal. This can lead to a failed dish, or even worse, overcooking or under cooking your meat.

• It has tips and hints for smoking meat

Well, not everything is detailed in a simple recipe- even if it is for something that has been done hundreds of times before. A good cookbook will point out whether or not you should soak your wood chips or if you should soak your meat before cooking.

• It can help keep you safe while smoking food

The way you cook meat, especially smoked meat, can easily make it unsafe. Many cookbooks include the warning signs you should look for to ensure your food is safe to eat and what you shouldn’t do to avoid it.

• It tells you the best way to store your meat

We all know that a great recipe can take you so far. A good smoker cookbook will detail the best ways to cook and store your meat. Some meats should be eaten fresh, while others will need to be appropriately stored in your fridge or freezer.

• It helps you pick the best meat to buy

Sourcing your meat is just as important as cooking the right cut. A good smoker cookbook will detail what kind of meat is a better choice and what you should avoid. Purchasing the proper cut of meat will ensure that your meal turns out perfectly.

A few tips before you get started

These tips will help you get the best smoking experience!

• Make sure to buy a cookbook that has recipes for the smoker you have or plan on getting

All the recipes in a cookbook can be great, but if you currently don’t own a smoker you need to purchase, it is pretty useless. When looking for the best smoking cookbooks, make sure that it recommends or offers recipes for what you currently own.

• Get a good reference guide that will stay with you for years

The best smoker cookbooks aren’t about quick cash grabs; they are long-lasting and will help you get the most out of your smoker. If you go for a printed version, a hardcover will be better than a paperback, as it will last longer. The best smoker cookbooks are those that stay by your side for years to come, not only offering quality recipes but also tips and hints that only come from experience.

• Look for a cookbook with pictures, if you are a visual learner

Many people learn better by seeing than they do by reading. A good smoker cookbook should include some of its recipes with pictures to help you visualize what you are making and give you a better idea of how it should look while cooking.

• Look for a cookbook that isn’t just recipes but also tips and how-to’s

As I mentioned before, not everything is in a recipe. A good smoker cookbook will include helpful tips and how-to’s, such as the difference between smoking and grilling. Some may even come with a DVD or other media to provide you with even more insight.

We all know that a smoker can be pretty valuable, but it is essential to have some guidance when purchasing one.

• Find a smoker that is easy to use and understand

If you are a first-time buyer or want to learn how to smoke meat better, a smoker that is easy to use will be the best choice. It should have settings for time and temperature to control them separately and should have a timer function to make sure you don’t burn your food.

• Find a smoker that is easy to clean

After a long day of cooking, you will want to ensure that your smoker is easy to clean. The best smoker cookbook should detail how to clean a smoker and what you should avoid doing to ensure that it is always in good condition. Although this is not an essential part of a smoking cookbook, the best ones will include such information.

• Find a smoker that will offer the most amount cooking space

If you plan to do a lot of smoking at once, you will want to make sure that your smoker has enough cooking space to hold it all. This is particularly important if you intend to buy a cookbook with bulk smoking recipes.

Best Smoker Cookbooks Reviews

With the tips to choosing a smoker and having known how handy a smoking cookbook can be, it’s now time I spill the beans on my findings. Below are the 7 best smoker cookbooks you can find on Amazon. The recipe books strike a good balance between price and the number of recipes and how it is split up.

1. The Grill Bible Smoker Cookbook 2021

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This smoking cookbook is the perfect combination for both beginners and experienced grillers. It promises to up your pitman game, with tons of recipes for the best pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken, and more! 

If you want to get at the top of the game in a matter of days, then The Grill Bible is one of the best smoker cookbooks for you. You get to graduate from always enjoying the perfect fire-cooked meat to becoming an owner of the secrets that made Pitmasters famous.

The Grill Bible has 550 recipes, with over half containing smoking recipes. This gives you the chance to experiment with your smoker and try out new things with fish, meat, and vegetables, like a boss. If you want to start cooking for friends and family, this book has the perfect options.

You can cook for a crowd or make a meal for two, all with the simple turn of a page. The book goes further into detail, making sauces and desserts that accompany the smoked meat, so there’s no need to look elsewhere.

The Pitmaster Training Guide with The Grill Bible Smoker Cookbook is exciting. It teaches you what to do and don’t, with just a few words of advice from an experienced pitmaster. The book is also organized into sections for beginners and prosto navigate.

This includes chapters dedicated to wood pellet smokers, electric smokers, barbecue basics, how-to guides for appetizers, cooking smoked seafood, preparing rubs, sauces, marinades, desserts, and nutritional information to each recipe.

Learn how to smoke beef, lamb, chicken, pork and turkey, salt-cured meats, fish and vegetables, and more!

What we like:

• An alphabetical index of recipes.
• Contains a whopping 550 recipes for smoked food, as well as accompaniments.
• Detailed recipes for both wood pellet and electric smokers.
• The recipes are easy to follow and organized to easily navigate for beginners and pros alike.
• Includes pitmaster training guide with pitfalls to avoid, all written by an experienced pit master.
• Available in print and Kindle versions

2. Pit Boss Wood Pellet Smoker and Grill Cookbook: The Complete Guide with 1001+ Juicy and Flavorful Recipes by Leona Air

If you want to get the most out of your smoker, then Pit Boss Wood Pellet Smoker and Grill Cookbook is for you. You can get ahead of the game by learning how to make barbeque sauce, rubs, marinades, desserts, and more with your favorite wood pellet smoker.

The cookbook is aligned to Pit Boss Grill and Smoker. If you happen to own such a smoker, then this cookbook shows how to best make use of it, with over 1000 recipes for you to try out. The recipe list includes meats, fish, vegetables, eggs, soups and stews, appetizers, and desserts – all perfect if you have a large family or are hosting a big get-together.

The Pit Boss Wood Pellet Smoker and Grill Cookbook solve all problems for smoked meat lovers who find it hard to comprehend cold smoking, apply different smoking techniques, or even select the ideal wood pellets for different dishes. You won’t even have to search for expensive ingredients.

The PitBoss Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker is also a versatile piece of equipment. It allows you to smoke various foods and bake some bread, wood-fire pizza, bake lasagna, grill veggies, make chocolate muffins, vanilla cookies, and brownies, to name a few. All these take a fraction of time.

In a nutshell, the 308-page cookbook has the following contents:

• Explanation on Pit Boss Grill working mechanism and the different parts.
• Tips and hacks to perfecting your barbecue.
• Information on pellets and temperature to realize the best flavors.
• 450+ meat recipes, including veal, lamb, beef pork, rabbit, and poultry.
• 150+recipes on fish and other seafood.
• 65+ dinner recipes on pizza and wood-fired pieces of bread.
• 115+ unique recipes for vegans, vegetarians,egg-free, and gluten-free diets.
• 75+ recipes on desserts to round out your meal.
• 80+ recipes for side dishes and appetizers.
• 75+ recipes on condiments and sauces
• Information about cooking and prep duration, ingredients, portion sizes, explained cooking instructions, nutritional information, and yield.

What we like:

• Contains over 1000 recipes for various dishes with the Pit Boss Grill and Smoker.
• Aligns with the Pit Boss Grill and Smoker, among the most versatile grills in the market.
• Versatile recipes for different smoking methods, accompaniments, and even desserts.
• Easy to follow instructions with updated recipes for the latest Pit Boss Grill models.
• Categorized recipes to make it easier to browse through the cookbook.
• Has tips and tricks for barbecuing, ingredients, prep times, and other helpful information.
• Ingredients are readily available and not too expensive.
• Available in Kindle and print formats.

3. PIT BOSS Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Cookbook: The Biggest Guide for Pit Boss with 1500 Amazing Mouthwatering BBQ Recipes – Become the Undisputed Pitmaster of Your Neighborhood by Alec Poole

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The Pit Boss Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Cookbook is ideal for backyard smokers, beginners in smoking food, or even veterans who are just about to try out an ambrosian BBQ dinner.

With more than 1500 recipes, you can prepare various mouthwatering dishes that are delicious and healthy. You can cook everything from appetizers, sides, main courses to desserts with the Pit Boss Grill and Smoker.

What makes the cookbook stand out from others is because it goes a step further by:

• Making any day’s meals an experience, thanks to the numerous tips and hacks for garnishing, making sauces, and explaining simple techniques that are sure to yield a mouthwatering, tender, and well-seasoned smoked food.
• Including different meat, fish, and vegetable dishes doable by anyone, from beginner to experienced pitmasters, thanks to the easy-to-understand practical instructions and simple recipes that simplify even the most exotic recipes. For instance, you’ll learn how to make pulled pork sandwiches and the more complex smoked turkey leg with bourbon glaze.
• All tastes have been catered for, with resolutions for vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free, and egg-free diets.

Ready to step up your BBQ game? Make your way to the top of your neighborhood’s pitmaster elite with this cookbook.

What we like:

• Every recipe is complete with cooking time and the amount of ingredients.
• Includes 1500 recipes with various meats, vegetables, side dishes, sauces, and desserts.
• Covers all tastes with vegan, gluten-free, egg-free recipes included.
• Has tips and tricks for smoking, garnishing, and even preparing.
• The book is well designed with great photos that tempt the appetite.
• Available in hardcover print and Kindle formats.

4. Traeger Grill & Smoker Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Master Your Wood Pellet Grill Like a Pro by Grill Academy

This is another cookbook focused on a specific grill, the Traeger Wood Pellet Grill.The book teaches you how to make the most of your grill with over 170 different recipes made from a grill. It thus lets you into the secrets of the perfect wood smoky flavors that you couldn’t achieve in any other way.

The grill, which is the subject of this book, is Joe Traeger’s invention of 1986that would soon become a top-selling grill and a pioneer in the smoker market. It literally helps any food-smoking novice to become an expert without putting in too much effort. It’s an outdoor oven that needs minimal attendance to make the most tender and moist brisket.

The cookbook explains all the necessary information regarding this grill. You’ll get to understand why the grill is exceptional. The best pallets for the grill, how to use and maintain it,and the recipes you can prepare on this outdoor oven.

Traeger Grill & Smoker Cookbook begins with an introduction, goes into the workings of the equipment, and then shares some essential tips and tricks to getting the best out of the grill. As for the recipes, different sections cover the ingredients, vegetables, seafood, beef, pork, and more.

Since the smoker can do multiple functions, there are instructions on grilling, smoking, baking, and roasting every recipe– which is the ultimate source of this smoker’s superiority.

Grab your copy and embark on a journey of incredible dishes you can prepare on your grill!

What we like:

• The book teaches how to use your Traeger grill with recipes for all tastes.
• The book includes 170 recipes for accomplishing the best smoke flavor and more.
• Includes 5 basic recipe categories: appetizers, vegetables, seafood, and other proteins, pizzas, and desserts.
• The book is available in paperback and Kindle format.
• Affordably priced.

5. Pit Boss Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker Cookbook by Grace Allen

If you’ve recently bought a Pit Boss Grill, there is no better way to include it in your life than by obtaining this incredible cookbook.

What sets Pit Boss Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker Cookbook apart from its competitors is the fact that it comes with high-quality pictures in addition to precise instructions.

It’s effortless to prepare any recipe, regardless of the time you have at your disposal. Any beginner can prepare delicious recipes with this guide and perfect the skill quickly.

The cookbook will go a long way in teaching you the aspects of Pit Boss Grills with recipes for all tastes.

At a glance, the cookbook features an introduction to using the grill, including how the equipment works and how its various parts work together to bring out those tasty recipes.

There is also an explanation section detailing the types of cooking you can do with a Pit Boss Grill and what pellets are ideal for each.

Recipes are grouped into categories depending on the ingredients used. This way, you can skip some parts and head over to your favorite ingredient section.There are still vegan and vegetarian recipes, so non-meat eaters have something to look forward to.

Whether you intend to bake, smoke, grill, or roast, this book has a recipe section for you, plus you don’t need any skills to get started.

What we like:

• The book has beautiful illustrations that make the cooking process much more manageable.
• The cookbook includes step-by-step instructions for preparing all recipes.
• Includes explanations on the working of the Pit Boss Grill.
• Explains the types of cooking you can do with a Pit Boss Grill and what pellets give the best results.
• Very affordable.
• Available in Kindle and print format.

6. The Unofficial Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Cookbook by Adam Jones

Want a simple yet effective smoker? This bestseller is just the thing for you. The Unofficial Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Cookbook offers foolproof recipes that will let you prepare perfectly smoked food every single time.

The Masterbuilt Electric Smoker may not be cheap for everyone’s pocket, but the cookbook is simple enough to make the grill seem magical. From striking recipes that let you smoke fish, lamb, pork, beef, chicken, game, turkey and vegetables, to concise instruction for each of the recipes, the cookbook is a must-have for everyone.

It includes simple recipesthat can be made in just 30 minutes or less, with information and resources such as temperature charts, photographs, smoking meat, and sauces chapters make this the ultimate smoker cookbook.

Some of the fantastic recipes awaiting you in the book include Mixed herbs, sweet smoked whole snapper, Lemon-glazed,light caramel smoked pork roast, and Pepper marinade smoked beef brisket.

Get yourself The Unofficial Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Cookbook (and the Masterbuilt Electric Smoker if you don’t have one) and keep the traditional smoking taste the electric way.

What we like:

• Easy to follow recipes.
• Includes helpful diagrams that make it easy to follow the instructions.
• Has additional temperature charts to improve any beginner’s success rate.
• The book is affordably priced.
• Available in both soft and hard copy formats.

7. Traeger Grill & Smoker Cookbook with Pictures by Andy L. Sanders

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Finally, here’s another Traeger Grill & Smoker cookbook that’s perfect for beginners and even seasoned grillers.

Many smoker cookbooks tend to give too complicated instructions for beginners, but the Traeger Grill & Smoker Cookbook with Pictures is different.

The book begins with an explainer section on how the grill works, followed by simple cleaning and maintenance practices that any literate person can perform. There’s a step-by-step section on troubleshooting and maintaining your grill in the best condition if you encounter any issues.

Not many cookbooks will tell you how to store wood pellets apart from the ideal type of wood to use. This book takes care of all your concerns and tells you what kinds of pellets work with each recipe and how to serve the smoked meat.

Andy also shares his ideal rubs and seasoning that guarantee a smokin’ dinner.

As one of the best smoking cookbooks, Traeger Grill & Smoker Cookbook includes temperature and timing charts and illustrations of popularly smoked pork and beef cuts.

Get this book now, and those succulent smoked meats will be on your dinner table in no time!

What we like:

• The book is simple and easy to follow for beginners.
• Includes cleaning and maintenance tips.
• Has illustrations of popularly smoked pork and beef cuts.
• Guides users on pellet selection and storage.

How to Use an Offset Smoker for Beginners

Final words

If you’re looking for a smoker cookbook that is simple and easy to follow, then either of the books I’ve shared above will be a great starting point. Whether your experience level as a grill master is beginner or intermediate, these books offer foolproof recipes that are guaranteed to be delicious.

From striking poultry dishes like Lemon-glazed and light caramel smoked pork roast with pepper marinade smoked beef brisket to quick 30-minute meals such as Mixed herbs sweet smoked whole snapper, there’s something for everyone!