Theres nothing that brings the heat at a cookout like presenting a platter full of delicious ribs that have spent the last five hours reaching tender perfection in a smoker. But smokers can be expensive, with a professional-grade smoker costing several hundreds of dollars, and you may not have room to store one even if you have the cash. So how do you get that characteristic smoky taste if all youve got in your backyard is a standard grill?
Smokers are used for slow-cooking meat by continuously circulating low heat (usually between 200 and 275°F), which interacts with moisture inside the smoking chamber to lightly steam your meat over the course of several hours. The burning charcoal or wood pellets used to power the smoker will make your ribs or salmon delightfully smoky without drying them out. But you can achieve nearly the same effect with a simple smoker box.
If you do not have a smoke box, then you can use aluminum foil or a foil pan to make your own. Using a foil pan, place your wood chips in the pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Be sure to poke holes in the aluminum foil cover so that the smoke will be able to travel to your food to produce the desired flavor.
How to use a smoker box
According to Grillers Spot, its easy to turn your gas grill into a smoker by buying (or making) a smoker box. Smoker boxes are generally made from stainless steel, and look something like a metal shoebox with holes punched in the top.
To use your smoker box, preheat your grill to around 225 to 250°F. Fill your smoker box with wood chips and place it over the direct heat source on your grill. Within about 15 minutes, the box should start to smoke. Add the meat you wish to smoke around the box, close your grill lid, and let the box work its magic.
If smoking larger pieces of meat like brisket or steak, which take longer to cook, you may want to add a water pan with at least two inches of water and place it over the direct heat source in your grill. The moisture will create the same steaming effect as an actual smoker, and prevent unwanted temperature changes.
Smoke for the recommended amount of time or until desired temperature of your meat is reached, and impress your husband with your awesome grilling/smoking skills. (But really, he will totally be impressed).
I am going to show you my thrifty homemade bbq smoker plans today. I LOVE my grill! In the summer I think I use it at least four times a week, and the only reason I don’t use it more is so my neighbors don’t think I’m a crazy lady! This summer I have a goal to up my grilling game, and part of my goal is to smoke more meat. However, I have never smoked meat before, so I want to gain a little experience with the process and see if it is for me before I go out and buy a $300 smoker. So if you want to join me this summer and improve your BBQ prowess, join me! These homemade bbq smoker plans are just what we need to get started!
I realize not everyones grill is set up this way. Some heating element run horizontally, and some may have fewer heating elements. However, the important thing to remember, is the smoker box goes over direct heat, and the meat should be over indirect heat (read: a burner that is turned off)
Let your wood chips soak for at least 2 hours (but overnight is best). This step is important because it allows the chips to smoke, and not just catch on fire and burn up.
Turn your grill on and let it heat up the wood chips for about 10 minutes (you want to start seeing a little smoke) before you place your meat on.
Make Your Own BBQ Smoke Box in less then a minute
FAQ
Do I need a smoker box?