How to Turn Your Kettle Grill into a Smoker

Posted by Robyn Lee, July 10, 2008 at 5:30 PM

You don't need a fancy smoker to make great barbecue in your backyard. With the help of Hank Shaw at Simply Recipes, you can learn how to turn your kettle grill into a smoker. Just add water (in pans) along with a mix of charcoal and water-soaked wood chips beneath the grate. The meat should only lay on the side of the grate above the water pans. You'll have to periodically check the coals and pay close attention to the temperature to make sure it's low enough for a long, slow cook, but judging from these mouthwatering photos, the results will be worth it.

5 Comments | Tags: barbecue, cooking, grilling, Hank Shaw, how to, smoking

5 Comments:

I've done it exactly this way, with great success. I highly recommend it.

simon at 5:55PM on 07/10/08

keep in mind that if you CONTINUE to do this, the inside of your grill will funktify like no other. i thick film of steam and smoke will mix and drip all over the place. i would recommend that if you do this and decide that smoking is something that you want to get into... build/buy a smoker. keep your grill and smoker separate. If you don't use your grill a whole bunch, this is a great opportunity to put use to something you would otherwise neglect.

Tenbucc2 at 7:35PM on 07/10/08

@Tenbucc2: I agree that having a separate smoker and grill is a good idea, but that mix of steam and smoke is not always a bad thing. The smoke will collect on the walls of the grill, which builds up seasoning, which is good. The more seasoned your grill is, the better it will retain heat, making it easier to maintain consistent temperatures (like those needed for smoking).

I used my grill as a smoker for about one year before purchasing a Weber Bullet, but that one year seasoned my grill really well, which has been a big help later on.

josh! at 11:47PM on 07/10/08

http://www.bluesmoke-bbq.com/037splitgrill/juanchos_split_grill.php

Hocker at 6:38AM on 07/11/08

Hi Robyn, Thanks for the plug! Hank and I had a great time smoking these ribs on the grill.

Elise Bauer at 2:21PM on 07/11/08

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