Propane is one of the most convenient fuel sources, and when you combine that with a Masterbuilt smoker, it is hard to have a better experience unless you have no recipes. Masterbuilt propane smoker recipes will help you be the top chef you want to be at home or abroad.
Some people have reported propane smoker to be hard to control at very low temperatures, but since it is a locker-style smoker, it is more widely diverse than you would think. To help you around some of the problems it may or may not give you, we have compiled a list of some great Masterbuilt propane smoker recipes to try out next time you fire the smoker up.
Note: most links in this article are Amazon.com Affiliate links, see Affiliate Disclosure, thank you.
Check out our article How to use a Masterbuilt Propane Smoker: A Beginners Guide
Overview of the Masterbuilt Propane Smoker
For this conversation, we are going to talk about our favorite size smoker, 40 inches. While this smoker is on the large size, it is still portable if you find yourself on a camping trip or tailgate party. Lift it is not impossible, but at 92 pounds, you should have a friend to assist you.
The tradeoff for the weight is a large capacity. There are four included shelves roughly 18 inches by 14 inches, making 1008 square inches of cooking area. We always put a disposable aluminum foil tray on the bottom rack for easy cleanup despite the included collection tray and drip pan.
Controls are straightforward to use, starting with turning the temperature control knob, holding it in, and pressing the ignitor. After 30 seconds of holding the knob, the safety thermostat will have heated up, and you can release the knob.
Preheat your smoker slightly below your desired cooking temperature as propane heats up quickly, you will be able to increase the temperature with ease. While the operating temperature of this propane smoker is 175 to 325 degrees, we recommend target temperatures of 250 to 300 degrees for consistent results.
Finally, always season every smoker before your first cook by running a minimum of two cups of strong wood chips on high and allow to cool.
Check out the Masterbuilt MB20051316 Propane Smoker 40 inch on Amazon.com
Picnic Basket Pulled Pork Shoulder
This Masterbuilt propane smoker recipe will work great any time of the year, but you may need to up the temperature during the wintertime to account for the weather.
Ingredients
- 1 large whole pork shoulder, bone not removed
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup black pepper
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. Garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. Onion powder
- 4 tbsp. Smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. Cayenne pepper
Directions
In a large bowl, mix all the seasonings well. Rub the seasonings on the pork shoulder, making sure to get in all the nooks and crannies of the pork and cover it all entirely until the seasoning is used up. Allow the pork shoulder to rest for an hour before placing in the smoker.
Meanwhile, preheat the Masterbuilt propane smoker to 250 degrees. Make sure to fill the water pan and add some wood chips to the lower section of the smoker if you would like. Fruit woods like apple or cherry work very well with pork products.
Once the smoker is up to temperature, place the pork shoulder on the rack, and begin to smoke. Allow the pork shoulder to smoke for at least 8 hours or until you can remove the bone from the pork smoothly without any meat attached to it.
Remove the pork from the smoker and shred it using forks or cut it into portions.
Beer Can Chicken
This style of chicken is also sometimes called drunken chicken and doesn’t take all that much time or effort to cook. You can even cook beer can chicken in the oven or on the grill!
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 tbsp. Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. Black pepper
- 2 tsp. Paprika
- 2 tsp. Garlic powder
- 1 lemon
- 1 can of beer
Directions
In a large bowl, mix all the dry seasonings well. Rub the chicken down with the seasonings. Making sure to get in all the crevasses and inside the cavity of the bird. Open the beer and either pour out or drink ¼ of the can.
Place the chicken over the beer can, making sure to work the can inside the cavity of the bird until it fits nicely and stands up without tipping over. Cut the lemon in half and place it in the top opening of the neck of the chicken to close up and seal it off.
Allow the chicken to rest for about 30 minutes before placing it in the smoker. Meanwhile, preheat the Masterbuilt propane smoker to 250 degrees. Make sure to fill the water pan and add some wood chips to the lower section of the smoker if you would like.
Place the chicken in the smoker on a sheet pan on the rack and close up the smoker. Smoke the chicken for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken breast, near the breast bone, is at least 165 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the smoker and separate it from the beer can. Allow it to rest for about 10 minutes, then carve it up and serve it up!
Barbeque Pork Spare Ribs
This Masterbuilt propane smoker recipe works great for ribs, but you want to wrap them in aluminum foil for the second half of your cook, so they don’t burn or dry out.
Ingredients
- 1 whole rack of pork spare ribs with silver skin removed from the back
- 5 tbsp. Yellow mustard
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. Sugar
- 2 tbsp. Black pepper
- 2 tbsp. Paprika
- 2 tbsp. Garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. Onion powder
- Aluminum foil
Directions
In a large bowl, mix all the seasonings well. Cover the ribs in the mustard until a thin layer of mustard is covering the ribs. Rub the seasonings on the pork spare ribs. Make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies of the pork and cover it all completely until the seasoning is used up.
Allow the pork spare ribs to rest for an hour before placing them in the smoker. Meanwhile, preheat the Masterbuilt propane smoker to 275 degrees. Make sure to fill the water pan and add some wood chips to the lower section of the smoker if you would like.
Fruit woods like apple or cherry work very well with pork products. Once the smoker is up to temperature, place the pork spare ribs on the rack and smoke. Cook the ribs in the smoker for about two hours, then remove them from the smoker.
Lower the heat to 225 degrees and wrap the ribs in aluminum foil entirely with a few layers to lock in moisture. Place the wrapped ribs back in the smoker for 5-6 hours. The ribs are ready when you can pull a bone from the meat with ease.
Remove the ribs from the smoker and allow them to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting the ribs up and serving them.
Smoked Pepper Brisket
This recipe will work great for the Masterbuilt propane smoker and is pretty easy to get done right!
Ingredients
- (1) 8-10-pound Whole Beef Brisket, trimmed
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 1/3 cup coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. Smoked Paprika
- 4 tbsp. Garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. Onion powder
- 6 tbsp. Yellow mustard
Directions
In a large bowl, mix all the seasonings well. Cover the brisket with a thin layer of mustard. The mustard helps keep the seasoning or rub to the meat while it cooks and creates a nice bark. Next, rub the seasoning all over the meat until it has been completely covered.
Allow the brisket to rest for about an hour before placing it in the smoker. Meanwhile, preheat the smoker to 250 degrees. Make sure to fill the water pan in the smoker as well. If you want, you can place some wood chips in the lower compartment to add some extra smoke flavor.
Just make sure they smolder and don’t catch fire. Go ahead and put the brisket in the smoker on the rack and close up the door. Try to maintain the temperature of 250 degrees the entire time, keeping the water pan full and the wood chips smoking every so often.
Smoke the brisket for about 8 hours and remove it from the smoker. Wrap the brisket in aluminum foil, turn the smoker up to 300 degrees and place the meat back in the smoker. Smoke for about two more hours or until the internal temperature is about 200 degrees.
Remove the brisket from the smoker and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving. Make sure to cut the meat against the grain when slicing it.
Conclusion
When it comes to Masterbuilt propane smoker recipes, there isn’t much difference at all. You can take any of your favorite regular smoker recipes and alter them a bit to fit the smoker’s preferences.
Aluminum foil will be your best friend because it will lock in the moisture and prevent the meats from either overcooking or becoming burnt. Happy smoking!
These recipes can be used in a Masterbuilt electric smoker, check out our A Beginners Guide – How to use a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker for more information.