A smoker is a piece of cooking equipment that surrounds food with smoke, generated from smoldering wood chips, chunks, or charcoal, to flavor and, in traditional use, help preserve it. Designs range from large commercial units to compact backyard models, but all work the same way: an enclosed chamber holds a heat and smoke source below racks or grates that hold the food, with temperature and time controlled to reach the desired flavor and texture. It's central to techniques from American barbecue to Scandinavian curing, and works on meats, fish, cheese, nuts, vegetables, and even fruit; wood choice, such as hickory, mesquite, apple, or maple, shapes the final flavor, from sweet and fruity to bold and earthy. Because smoking often takes hours, monitoring temperature and reaching safe internal temperatures for meat and fish are essential.