Is turning gas grill into a smoker possible? let’s find out! Propane grills are no longer limited to burgers and brats. You can produce superb slow smoked barbecue meats by mimicking the heat flow of a typical smoker using a few strategies. Looking for the best gas smoker? We have a list of recommendation you can check.
Turning Gas Grill Into a Smoker
Begin by determining your heat sources and preparing your grill for some indirect cooking. Avoid directly exposing your meat to the heat source when cooking low and slow (225-250°F [107-121°C]). That’s what grilling is all about! For additional information on the temperature changes between direct and indirect heat cooking, see our page The Difference Between Grilling and Barbecuing. Alternatively, read our BBQ 101 series to learn more about different types of smokers and how they’re used.
Setting up your cooker so that the meat isn’t directly in front of the heat source allows heat to circulate around the meat, resulting in convection cooking. A fluid – in this case, ai – transfers heat to the meal.
Turning Gas Grill Into a Smoker: Set up Your Gas Grill for A Two-Zone Fire
By turning on (or off) the burners, you may create hot and chilly zones. If your propane grill has four burners, for example, switch on burners one and two, or three and four (see diagram). This will provide a single heat source, allowing you to cook your meat on the grill’s colder side.
If your gas stove only has three burners, set the one closest to the left (or right) to high and the one in the centre to medium or low, depending on the temperature you want to reach. Turn off the remaining burner. This will again create a cool zone, allowing you to place the meat over the burner that has been turned off.
Turning Gas Grill Into a Smoker: Water Pan
Continue setting up when you’ve discovered your heat sources. You’ll need a disposable aluminum pan filled with water to add moisture to the grill’s normally dry atmosphere, as well as wood bits to add a lovely kiss of smoky flavor to your meat. The exterior of the meat is kept sticky and better able to absorb smoke in a humid atmosphere.
Remove the grill grates first. Fill a disposable aluminum pan halfway with water and place it on top of the protective heat deflectors you set up earlier in the hot zone.
Turning Gas Grill Into a Smoker: Wood Chip Packet
Place the wood chunks next to the water pan, as close to the fire as possible. Wrap your pieces or wood chips with aluminum foil and poke a few holes in the top to allow the smoke to escape more readily to avoid flare-ups. Depending on the size of the chunks, placing the wood between the heat deflectors in your hot zone is the ideal option.
Turning Gas Grill Into a Smoker: Temperature Tracking
Replace the grill grates and turn on the burners in your hot zone as directed earlier after your water pan is in place and the wood chunks are ready. Allow time for your grill to heat up. You may need 20 to 30 minutes depending on your goal smoking temperature, which should be between 225 and 250°F (107 and 121°C). Make any necessary adjustments to help you maintain your desired temperature.
Do not, under any circumstances, use the factory-supplied dome thermometer to check the internal temperature of your grill (now smoker). Instead, use a thermocouple probe thermometer to measure the temperature at the grill grate level, as we mentioned in our Dome Temperature vs Grill Temperature post. The Crocodile Clip Oven Probe, which can be clipped anywhere on the grill surface and withstands temperatures up to 660°F (349°C), is a good choice.
Turning Gas Grill Into a Smoker: Proper Probe Placement
It’s also crucial to get the probe in the right spot if you want to make sure you’re monitoring the temperature appropriately. Place the sensor no more than one inch from the surface of the meat you’re grilling on larger grill surfaces. This will allow you to take temperature readings straight at the meat’s surface. Place the probe no less than one inch from the smoker’s wall for smaller grill surfaces where the meat takes up the lion’s share of the cooking area. The surface heat emitted from the wall may compromise your results if you get too close.
A leave-in probe thermometer can be used to check the internal temperature of your meat. The Smokehouse Penetration probe is ideal for this since its stainless steel lead is tough enough to withstand grill temperatures while remaining thin enough to fit snugly in the cooker’s lid.
With the ThermaQ 2-Channel Thermocouple Alarm, you can monitor both ambient and internal temperatures on one device for increased peace of mind. You’ll be able to see what’s going on inside your smoker without having to open the lid. You won’t waste any valuable smoke or heat, so dinner will be ready much faster.
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