How To Smoke In Your Gas Grill

Judith Hannemann — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Smoking food in your gas grill is easy. No fancy equipment needed!

That’s right–no fancy equipment and all you need are your favorite wood chips!

First we start with what we need, which is heavy-duty aluminum foil, a bowl for soaking some chips and of course, wood chips.

This is all you need

Next, we soak some chips–maybe about 4 cups–but the amount is entirely up to you. More wood equals more smoke. Just fill a large bowl with warm water and dump in the wood chips. Soak the chips for at least 30 minutes, but no more than one hour.

Soaking the chips

What you want to do here is have your wood chips in the ratio of 3 parts soaked and 1 part dry. The dry is for kindling so it “catches.” The wet chips are what gives you the smoke.

Tear off 2 sheets of the aluminum foil. You’ll want at least 2 pouches. A pouch with about 3 cups wet to 1 cup dry–which is what I use–should produce smoke for 1 1/2 hours.

Just drain the water from the chips–you don’t have to use a colander, just draining with your hands is enough. Now add the amount of wet chips on the foil and top with the dry chips. Remember it’s a 3:1 ratio of wet to dry. No exact measures are really necessary; your eye is good enough.

Remember to use a 3:1 ratio of wet to dry

Seal up the pouch and using a fork, prick holes all over the pouch–the more holes the more smoke.

More holes, more smoke

Now to prepare your grill–you are going to only use one side for heat. The smoked food will be on the unlit side.

Remove the grate from the side you are using for heat. I use my grill A LOT, therefore, it’s not pristine like the showroom. FYI I have a Napoleon and swear by it.

Grill prepped for smoking

Now light the side without the grate and set the temp to HIGH. Close the lid and when it’s about 350-400 degrees F, then throw on the pouch. Close the lid and wait to smell and see the smoke.

Pouch placed on lit side

Working quickly so as not to lose all that precious smoke flavor, put the food on the unlit side.

Food is placed on unlit side

Then close the lid. Wait for the inside grill temperature to level off…this should be about 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat so you’re keeping the interior of the grill between 300-325 degrees F. My grill has a built-in temperature gauge, but if yours doesn’t, a cheap oven thermometer will do just fine (place it inside). Most references state 200-250 degrees for smoking, however, the USDA does NOT deem those temperatures as “safe.”

Smoked food is cooked low and slow. Ribs should take approximately 3 hours. A turkey breast about 4-5 hrs and a whole brisket at least 8-10 hours.

Cook low & slow

Always make sure you have enough gas in your tank when you plan to smoke food. If you’re in doubt, attach a full tank. I’ve run out on a few occasions and it’s an unnecessary PAIN.

Add a new pouch after about 1 1/2 hours. I leave the spent one in the grill, but use tongs to push it back. If you want to remove it, remember, it is HOT and the embers can cause a fire. I caution you to use a galvanized steel bucket to place the spent pouch in just to be safe, and move it AWAY from your house or any other structure. This is why I leave the old pouch where it is.

After the smoking is done, merely leave the pouch(es) in the grill until they are completely cool. Clean up is a breeze because all you do is toss those spent pouches in the recycling bin. Everything is recyclable, biodegradable and best yet, nothing to clean up.

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How To Smoke In Your Gas Grill