General Electric Indoor Smoker
Between pellet smokers and remote thermometers, achieving the taste and aroma of barbecued meats has become a set-it-and-forget-it proposition. Now, with the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker, it’s easy to master the art without leaving the kitchen.
The smoker uses a filter to remove most of the fumes while accommodating up to two slabs of pork ribs, two dozen chicken wings, a whole chicken or even an entire brisket. The results are succulent and the process nearly idiot-proof. At about twice the size of a microwave, it is a countertop affair—if you have the real estate. However, at 45 pounds it’s not something you’ll move about with ease.
The unit boasts a mirrored black exterior, touch buttons and a large knob. A light switch illuminates the inside, revealing your meats bathed in an alluring cloud of wood smoke. Presets for various meats make it easy even for a novice. Load in the water basket, where the discarded pellets will soak up smoke, and fill up the hopper with the included package of pellets (you can get refills in a variety of flavors, including pecan, oak and cherry woods).
A four-pound chicken, dusted with rub and cooked for three hours at 250 degrees, came out well browned, juicy and kissed strongly with smoke. Those concerned about noxious odors can relax—there’s certainly a pleasant aroma of slow-smoking meat, but the filter does its job. (If you’re still worried, place it under the stove hood.) Before opening the smoker, press a button and the fan sucks out any remaining smoke. That process takes 10 minutes.
Atlantic salmon, smoked for just under an hour at 225 degrees, was another success, as was a rack of baby back ribs. Barbecue fanatics looking for Texas-style brisket, with smoke flavor bursting from the first bite, probably won’t get those results. But if you want something to show off your barbecue chops, it’s a nifty parlor—er, kitchen—trick for about a thousand dollars.
