The smoky flavor that the coals impart to the food makes cooking on a charcoal grill unique.The natural smoky flavors of charcoal grilling can't be achieved with a gas grill.Adding a smoky flavor to food cooked on a gas grill is very easy.You can build a smoker box in a few minutes.
Step 1: You can use your grill to practice.
Make sure you are comfortable using your gas grill before you modify it.You should know how hot it gets and where the fire extinguisher is kept.If you are new to grilling, try a few practice runs with small, quick meals like salmon before moving on to smoking.
Step 2: The grill is in an open area.
If you grill under a gazebo or shade sail, move it to the open before smoking.Smoke can make it hard to breathe in an enclosed area.
Step 3: Wood chips have a variety of flavors.
At any store that sells barbecue supplies, you can buy wood chips.It's possible that your local grocery store has them.It's important to match your wood choice with the kind of food you want to cook.If you are new to smoking, oak and hickory are great starter woods.Apple can be used for fish and vegetables.If you want to cook poultry, try apple, pecan, or cherry.It's best to use Mesquite for larger cuts like beef brisket.If you smoke a large piece of meat, you can buy larger wood chunks.
Step 4: Make sure your wood chips are of good quality.
Wood chips are food grade.Don't use scrap wood or construction grade wood because it's treated with chemicals that can poison you or make your food taste bad.
Step 5: A foil baking pan is a good purchase.
Purchase a disposable foil baking pan at the store.This is the base for the smoker box.The baking pan should be less than one quarter the size of your entire grill surface if you use a foil pan.If your grill is small, you can either fold the pan in half or use heavy-duty aluminum foil to make a packet.
Step 6: Take the wood chips and measure them out.
One cup of wood chips per smoker box is fine for most grills.If you want to smoke for several hours, you should prepare additional packets while the first set is smoking because you will need 1 cup for every half-hour.
Step 7: Take your wood chips and put them in water for an hour.
Put your wood chips in a bowl of water and let them soak for an hour.This allows them to make a lot of smoke.They can be soaked in wine, whiskey, or juice.It is easier to smoke with damp wood than it is with dry wood.
Step 8: Put the wood in the pan.
Put the wood chips in the pan.If you are going to cook multiple sets of chips, you should keep a bowl of water handy.
Step 9: The pan should be covered with foil.
The pan's top should be sealed with aluminum foil.If you are making a smoker box out of foil, make sure the edges are folded over.
Step 10: The pan has small holes in it.
You can pierce a few holes in the pan with a knife or fork.It is okay to have more than one hole every 2 inches.You don't want the wood chips to spill out in your grill if you tear the foil.
Step 11: Put the smoker box on a cooking grate.
If one part of the grill cooks hotter than the rest, put the box there.Any corner is fine if not.The smoker box can be put under the grate, but it's much harder to replace it during cooking.
Step 12: Prepare your grill.
Wait until it is thoroughly heated and turn your grill to the temperature you call for.You don't have to close the grill yet because you can gather as much smoke as you want.
Step 13: The wood will start to smoke.
Before you start cooking, make sure the wood is not smoking and that the wet chips are not giving off steam.Smoke is dark and has a smell, but steam is odorless and rises quickly.
Step 14: The food should be put on the grill.
Don't let your food touch the smoker box.It might not cook evenly if it is touching the box.To get the full smoky effect, place your food evenly on the grill.This isn't a requirement if you want to put the food on an unlit burner and let the heat from the rest of the grill smoke it.
Step 15: Close the grill.
The grill should be closed as long as possible.Resist the urge to open the grill to check for smoke if you need to turn the food.The smoke will get out when you open it.
Step 16: Cook according to a recipe.
Cook your food according to your recipe.In general, fish and small cuts of meat will cook more quickly than large cuts or bone-in meat.
Step 17: Every half hour, replace the wood chips.
You will need to replace the wood chips if you cook for more than half an hour.You can either prepare a second smoker box in advance and switch it out, or you can remove the box from the grill and add new wet chips before returning it.Remove and replace the foil with care.
Step 18: The food has to be removed from the grill.
Pull your food off the grill when it's done cooking.Allow your meat to sit on the cooking grate for a few minutes before cutting and serving it.
Step 19: The smoker box needs to be taken off the grill.
Allow the grill to cool completely.Don't throw the smoker box out.Don't touch the wood chips when you remove the smoker box.Don't dispose of wood chips if they are a fire hazard.Put them in a container and then throw them out.