{"id":5087,"date":"2024-12-31T01:33:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T07:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/bbq\/?p=5087"},"modified":"2025-05-29T14:03:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T20:03:00","slug":"can-you-turn-a-gas-grill-into-a-smoker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mickeylieberman.com\/bbq\/can-you-turn-a-gas-grill-into-a-smoker\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Turn a Gas Grill Into a Smoker?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Turn a Gas Grill Into a Smoker<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing quite like the rich, succulent flavor of melt-in-your-mouth smoked baby back ribs, brisket, or even burgers.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re tired of the same old grilled meat, we have good news\u2014it\u2019s easier and cheaper than you think to turn your existing gas grill into a savory smoker.<\/span><\/p>\n

All you need to smoke on a gas grill is a smoker box. You can even DIY a smoker box in a pinch using tin foil.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smoking on a gas grill with a smoker box or pouch may not impart the same intensity of smoke flavor as when using a dedicated smoker or a pellet grill, but it\u2019s a great grill technique for those who want to get that tasty smoky effect without spending a fortune on a new smoker or grill.<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Use a Smoker Box on a Gas Grill<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Smoking on a gas grill is super easy, as long as you have one key component\u2014a smoker box. Here\u2019s how to use a smoker box on a gas grill:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Preheat your grill using a two-zone heat setup.<\/span><\/p>\n

The best smoking is done in the 225-250 degree range. If your grill is too hot, your food will cook too fast and dry out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0For succulent, melt-in-your-mouth results, smoke your meats low and slow. You can use a smart grill thermometer to monitor the ambient temperature inside the grill.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prepare your smoker box. Fill your smoker box with wood chips or chunks and place it over the direct heat zone.<\/span><\/p>\n

As long as it\u2019s placed over direct heat, freestanding smoker boxes can be placed anywhere on the grill\u2014on the grate, under the cooking grates, between the heat plates, or on ceramic briquettes.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll cook your meat over the indirect heat zone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Set up a water pan, if needed. You don\u2019t always need a water pan, particularly for things that smoke quickly, like chicken or fish.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0But if you\u2019re smoking larger cuts of meat like steaks, ribs, or brisket, we recommend using a water pan.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you do need a water pan, fill a 3-inch deep pan within half an inch of the rim with hot water, then place the pan over the direct heat source.<\/span><\/p>\n

This will help minimize temperature fluctuations and create a humid environment so your wood chips will create more smoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wait for a smoke. It should take about 15 minutes for your wood chips or chunks to start producing smoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the chips begin to smoke, you can start to adjust the temperature until it reaches the optimum cooking temperature (between 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve reached the right temperature, you can start grilling as usual.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your chips should last about 2 hours, but if you\u2019re smoking something large or dense like pork butt or brisket, plan to add more chips after about 2 hours or whenever they stop producing blue smoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re smoking anything, try to limit the number of times you open your grill lid.<\/span><\/p>\n

Opening the lid will release heat and smoke, and it can be difficult to regain the ideal temperature for smoking.<\/span><\/p>\n

What If I Don\u2019t Have a Smoker Box?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have a proper box for your wood chips and you\u2019re not sure if you want to buy one just yet, you can create your own.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to do it:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fill a foil tray with wood chips and cover it with aluminum foil<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Poke holes in the foil and place the pan directly on the grill, the same as you would a smoker box.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also make a pouch using heavy-duty tin foil or multiple sheets of regular-strength foil. Just wrap up the chips on all sides, poke holes in the foil, and place over direct heat.<\/span><\/p>\n

These chips tend to burn out faster, so you\u2019ll need to replace them every 30-45 mins.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve tried smoking on a gas grill\u2014and decide you love it\u2014you may want to consider upgrading your DIY smoker box to a cast iron or stainless steel gas grill smoker box. They\u2019re much sturdier and will last longer than DIY smoker boxes.<\/span><\/p>\n

5 Tips for Smoking on a Gas Grill<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 1. Start with a smaller number of wood chips and work your way up. It may be tempting to use more chips right out of the gate, but it is possible to over-smoke meat, and that\u2019s not tasty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Start with half a cup of wood chips or a single small chunk of hardwood. Not smoky enough? Add more chips next time!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2. Check your temperature\u2014if your grill is too hot, your meat will overcook and dry out; too low and it\u2019ll take ages to cook.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 3. Try a wet pan to help regulate temperature, but be careful not to let it get too hot. At proper smoking temps, a wet pan shouldn\u2019t boil and inadvertently cause your meat to steam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Keep the internal temp below 225 \u00a0to be safe.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 4. For maximum accuracy, invest in a quality ambient temperature thermometer that measures the temperature at the grill level.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a05. It can be tempting to open the grill lid to check on your feast, but that lets out all the heat and smoke, and it can take up to an hour to recover that perfect temperature. We recommend using a remote thermometer to check the temperature without opening the grill lid.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get Grilling<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that you know how to turn a gas grill into a smoker, you\u2019ll be the cookout king of the neighborhood.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not ready to invest in a smoker box, test it out with a DIY smoker box made using tin foil or foil trays, and play with different types of wood chips to figure out your favorite flavors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve mastered your craft and you\u2019re hooked on the savory smokiness, you\u2019ll be ready to up your grilling game with a new smoker box!<\/span><\/p>\n

This company has products that can convert your gas grill into a smoker.<\/span><\/p>\n


\nA-MAze Smoker Tubes<\/span><\/p>\n

The 6-inch tube lasts about 2 hours, and the 12-inch tube lasts about 4 hours.<\/span><\/p>\n

They have a variety of wood pellets that you can purchase to achieve different flavors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some hardware stores (Westlake) carry some of the tubes and some of the pellets.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Turn a Gas Grill Into a Smoker There\u2019s nothing quite like the rich, succulent flavor of melt-in-your-mouth smoked baby back ribs, brisket, or even burgers….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bbq","wpcat-1-id"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t