How to Use Your Gas Grill as a Smoker

How to use your gas grill to smoke meats.

It is becoming ever more popular to use smoke while grilling to enhance the flavor of the foods we are grilling as evidenced by the steady increase in the sales of wood chips and wood chunks over the last several years (according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association)<

Choosing a Smoking Flavor.

Strong flavors-hickory, mesquite, and pecan

Moderate flavors- oak, maple, and alder

Mild flavors- apple, cherry and pear

Pairing flavors with meats

Strong flavors ; beef lamb and pork

Moderate flavors; fish, pork and poultry

Mild flavors; chicken, vegetables

Prepping the Wood.

Wood chips should be soaked in water for at least 30 minutes; chunks need at least a one-hour soak. Soaking ensures that chips/chunks will smolder rather than simply burn. Thoroughly drain and loosely fill the gas grill's smoker box and leave enough room for air to circulate.

Even without a smoking attachment, you can still enjoy the diverse, rich flavors imparted by smoking. Simply place presoaked wood chips in a foil pan, cover with aluminum foil, and poke enough holes in the foil to allow the smoke to escape. Once the grill is preheated, place the foil pan directly on the bars or lava rocks over the lit burner. Place the cooking grates on top, turn the burners on high, and close the lid. Begin cooking when the grill is fully smoking.

When grilling with wood leave the lid closed, If you keep opening to check you will loose the smoke, and thus the taste.
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