An indoor smoker includes an exhaust duct and an air handler fluidly coupled with the exhaust duct for urging a flow of smoke from a smoking chamber, through the exhaust duct, and out of a discharge vent. A catalytic converter is positioned within the exhaust duct, the catalytic converter comprising a catalytic element and a catalyst heater, and an air quality monitoring system is operably coupled to the exhaust duct. A controller is configured to measure an air quality of the flow of smoke passing through the exhaust duct using the air quality monitoring system, determine that an emissions control failure has occurred based at least in part on the air quality, and stop the flow of smoke in response to determining that the emissions control failure has occurred.

A smoker with a smoke on demand system includes a wood chunk or wood chip enclosure with a wood heating element, a wood temperature sensor, and a controller. In response to the sensed wood temperature, the controller causes the wood heating element to maintain the wood chunks or wood chips within a target temperature range above which the wood chunks or wood chips can sustain combustion without added heat. The actual temperature can also be maintained by timed sequences based on the cold mass and species of the wood.

Provided is a grill apparatus having an elongated base assembly coupled to a firebox assembly. The base assembly includes a lid with a handle, where the lid is pivotally coupled to a base along the length of the base assembly. The base has a bottom, and a hole in a side portion that is adapted to accept an exhaust piping assembly, while the bottom of the base has a hole that substantially accommodate a fire box assembly. The firebox assembly is coupled to the base assembly and includes a firebox and at least one vent. A removable shield separates the firebox assembly from the base assembly. The shield is slightly larger than the hole in the base in at least one dimension, such that as the shield rests on the base above the hole in the base, a gap is left that allows heat and air to flow from the firebox into the base assembly.

Provided is a grill apparatus having an elongated base assembly coupled to a firebox assembly. The base assembly includes a lid with a handle, where the lid is pivotally coupled to a base along the length of the base assembly. The base has a bottom, and a hole in a side portion that is adapted to accept an exhaust piping assembly, while the bottom of the base has a hole that substantially accommodate a fire box assembly. The firebox assembly is coupled to the base assembly and includes a firebox and at least one vent. A removable shield separates the firebox assembly from the base assembly. The shield is slightly larger than the hole in the base in at least one dimension, such that as the shield rests on the base above the hole in the base, a gap is left that allows heat and air to flow from the firebox into the base assembly.

A barbecue grill smoker assembly includes a firebox base and fuel grate handles and food grate handles connected to components internal to a cooking chamber of the grill smoker that extend outwardly beyond the cooking chamber. The grill smoker assembly includes a fuel grate assembly in the form of a basket that, when combined with a food grate assembly, contains solid fuel within an area defined by a compartment. Fuel can be managed by manipulating the food grate assembly and the fuel grate assembly. The fuel grate assembly may include an aperture to facilitate transfer of residual solid fuel to a charcoal starting device. The lid features a lid support to support the lid when inverted.

A barbecue grill smoker assembly includes a firebox base and fuel grate handles and food grate handles connected to components internal to a cooking chamber of the grill smoker that extend outwardly beyond the cooking chamber. The grill smoker assembly includes a fuel grate assembly in the form of a basket that, when combined with a food grate assembly, contains solid fuel within an area defined by a compartment. Fuel can be managed by manipulating the food grate assembly and the fuel grate assembly. The fuel grate assembly may include an aperture to facilitate transfer of residual solid fuel to a charcoal starting device. The lid features a lid support to support the lid when inverted.

A system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes a surrogate that reacts to a presence of smoke in air ambient to the surrogate and the food products; and the surrogate is configured to change a state to a preselected degree after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by a selected food product. A method of making the system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes placing the surrogate in air ambient to the surrogate in a smokehouse where the food products are to be smoked, configuring the surrogate to change a state after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by the food products; and measuring the change of state of the surrogate.

A system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes a surrogate that reacts to a presence of smoke in air ambient to the surrogate and the food products; and the surrogate is configured to change a state after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by a selected food product. A method of making the system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes placing the surrogate in air ambient to the surrogate in a smokehouse where the food products are to be smoked, configuring the surrogate to change a state after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by the food products; and measuring the change of state of the surrogate.

A system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes a surrogate that reacts to a presence of smoke in air ambient to the surrogate and the food products; and the surrogate is configured to change a state after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by a selected food product. A method of making the system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes placing the surrogate in air ambient to the surrogate in a smokehouse where the food products are to be smoked, configuring the surrogate to change a state after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by the food products; and measuring the change of state of the surrogate.