How to Make a Smoker with Your Grill: Gas or Charcoal

‘Tis the season for backyard barbecues with family and friends. Having a smoker would take your average ingredients like ribs, chicken, and even salmon to the next level by creating robust flavor and a fall-apart texture. But when you’ve already got a gas or charcoal grill, who wants to invest in another backyard appliance?

We’ve got you covered—here’s a step-by-step guide on how to turn a grill into a smoker. Let’s get started.

What kinds of grills can be converted into smokers?

Good news: Most grills can be used for smoking. Our Test Kitchen expert, Catherine Ward, likes to use a grill that allows her to control the temperature easily—whether it’s adjusting the vents on a charcoal grill or the knobs on a gas grill.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you frequently use a grill for smoking, it will impart a smoky flavor on other foods smoked on that grill.

What is the best fuel for a homemade smoker?

Charcoal, propane and natural gas can all be used for smoking. Catherine says that for charcoal grills, soaked wood chips placed on top of the coals will provide smoke throughout the cook, giving the food the deepest flavor. For gas grills, a smoke box placed on the grill grates will create a good smoky flavor.

How to Convert Your Grill to a Smoker

Step 1: Soak the wood chips

Soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. Wood chips come in flavors ranging from hickory to pecan to spicy apple, so be sure to choose a flavor that complements the dish you’re cooking. (For example, this smoked honey peppercorn salmon calls for hickory chips.) The wood chips can be strong and pungent and will add great flavor; soaking helps increase the amount of smoke.

Step 2: Fire up the grill

While you soak the wood chips, take a moment to preheat your grill. Whether you’re using a charcoal grill or a gas grill, the temperature should hit around 225°F for most barbecue recipes. If you’re using a charcoal grill, start by filling a chimney starter about 1/3 of the way with charcoal. Once the coals are hot, pour the charcoal off to one side of the grill, and let them burn down until the optimal temperature is reached. Preheating the coals could take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour, so be patient and have a thermometer ready.

Step 3: Dump the chips

Once your grill hits the desired temperature, strain the wood chips. If you’re using a charcoal grill, dump the damp chips directly onto the coals. If you’re using a gas grill, wrap the coals in foil and poke tiny holes to allow steam to escape. Lay the package of wood chips directly on the unlit cooking grate and then fire it up again. You’re ready to get started once you see smoke!

Step 4: Start smokin’

Just add your meat to the grill and relax! (We recommend this barbecue brisket or Santa Maria roast beef.) Smoking could take anywhere from one to six hours, so be patient and have some yard games ready. If you’re using a charcoal grill, be ready to add more coals every hour or so to maintain the desired temperature.

Tips for Converting Your Grill

Turning your grill into a smoker is a pretty easy, hands-off process. That said, here are some tips from Catherine and team:

Avoid softwoods when smoking: Woods like pine are full of sap, which can make your food taste strange and even make you sick. Stick to rich hardwoods like hickory, cherry, mesquite, pecan or oak.
Don’t add too much wood: When you’re going for a rich, smoky flavor, it can be easy to want to add a few extra pieces of wood to the grill, but don’t! Too much wood can result in a bitter flavor.
Open a vent: Create an airflow that evenly smokes your food and keeps the coals hot by opening the vent above the meat (which should be on the opposite side of the coals and wood).
Keep meat moist: Do this by adding a water pan to the grill.
Don’t go overboard on the seasonings: Heavy seasonings or globs of barbecue sauce can mask that smoky flavor you spent hours achieving, so try to add these flavorings with a light hand.

What are the best meats to cook in a smoker?

It all comes down to personal preference when determining what meats to smoke. Fattier cuts of meat like beef brisket and pork shoulder are perfect for long, slow, low smokes. But salmon, whole chickens and turkeys smoke beautifully for shorter cooking times. Even lean proteins like chicken breast and white fleshed fish are great for smoking and will have the shortest cooking time.

Next Up: We sent Taste Recipes Creator Tyler Smith to the Lone Star Smokeout in Texas! Find out what he learned from the pro pitmasters at the event.

Grilled Recipes You Have to Try

1 / 45

Tender Flank Steak Exps Tohvp24 11505 Mr 06 18 1

Soy-Marinated Flank Steak Recipe photo by Taste Recipes

Soy Marinated Flank SteakTotal Time: 25 minutes Main Ingredients: Flank steak, soy sauce Level: Beginner

Here’s How to Make a Smoker with Your Grill