• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Vindulge

BBQ and Grilling Recipes with Wine Pairings

  • Home
  • About
    • About Mary
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work With Me
  • Cookbook
  • Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Resources
    • Fundamentals For Learning How to Grill
    • Guide to Pellet Grills – Common Q and A
    • Best Pellet Grill – MAK Two Star General – Versatile American Made Pellet Smoker
    • Blogger Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop Wines
  • Cookbook
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Wine Guides
  • Blogging Resources
  • Connect with us!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You are here: Home » Food » BBQ » Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill Guide

    Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill Guide

    May 24, 2021 By Sean Martin Leave a Comment

    Sharing is caring!

    72 shares
    • Facebook5
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe

    If you are curious whether smoking meat on a gas grill is possible, the answer is yes. Learning how to smoke meat on a gas grill requires some basic tools and an understanding of how the process works.

    Let’s also be clear that no gas grill is going to perform and be as efficient as any dedicated smoker. So temper your expectations regarding hiccups that may arise. That said, there are some great ways to infuse smoke flavor and it comes down to understanding two-zone grilling.

    Sean Martin demonstrating how to smoke food in a gas grill
    Ignore the hair, the method really works.
    Jump to:
    • Grilling Versus Barbecue
    • Two-Zone Cooking on a Gas Grill
    • How it Works
    • Tools Needed for Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill
    • Optional Tools
    • Preparation
    • Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Troubleshooting
    • Recipe Ideas for Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill
    • Smoking on a Gas Grill Guide

    Let’s start by making sure we are working off the same definitions. Often people talk about wanting to “barbecue” when they actually are just grilling.

    Grilling Versus Barbecue

    Grilling is high heat cooking in which we are cooking meat over 375 degrees Fahrenheit (F) to lock in a sear and cook until the meat is done.

    Barbecue, also knows as smoking or low and slow, is cooking meat at a low temperature, often under 300 degrees F, using both heat to cook the meat, and wood to add flavor. This guide is focused on smoking on a gas grill (or barbecue).

    Two-Zone Cooking on a Gas Grill

    Two-Zone Cooking is having a direct heat source and an indirect heat source. The direct heat source is the fire in a gas grill that is fed by natural gas. Indirect is any portion of the grill you have food where there is not a flame directly underneath. You can see much more detail on how it works in our guide for two-zone grilling.

    For smoking meat on a gas grill, it is easiest to do this with a grill that has at least three burners (which most have now). The reason multiple burners is important, or having three separate controls for the propane flame, is because we are going to use at least one, if not two burners as our heat source that will ignite the wood, and then leave one burner off as the indirect side.

    In our case, we are demonstrating how to smoke meat on a gas grill with a Three-Burner Weber Genesis 2.

    How it Works

    Smoke flavor is infused into the meat like any other seasoning. The smoke flavor comes from wood (wood chips in this case), and the heat will be maintained by the propane burner. The goal is to slowly combust the wood chips to let them burn over time and add the smoke flavor to the meat while the heating element actually performs the cooking.

    1. Woods chips need to be placed in some type of vessel to allow them to burn — either a smoker box (strongly recommended), or a foil pouch. Igniting the wood and getting the wood to slowly combust will add your smoke flavor.
    2. The heat from the propane is what is going to keep the desired temperature in the cooking chamber, not the wood chips.
    3. In order for the wood chips to ignite, you have to be sure they get hot enough. Once they are lit, then you can reduce the heat. The chips will slowly burn until the wood is spent.
    4. Airflow from outside the smoker will work its way through the grill and help to keep the wood chips combusting, however gas grills are very inefficient.

    Tools Needed for Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill

    A smoker box filled with soaked wood chips
    One large handful of chips will last about one hour.

    Besides your grill, there are a few things you must have in order to successfully master this technique. Consider this your shopping list.

    1. Spare Propane – I can’t stress how frustrating it is to plan smoking anything and not have enough fuel. Have two (full) tanks of propane on hand.
    2. Wood Chips – Good wood chips (small pieces of wood) are the ingredient that adds smoke. Be sure they are wood chips, because wood chunks (fist sized wood pieces) are not as easy to use in most gas grills.
    3. Smoker Box – If your gas grill does not have a dedicated smoker box (which you would know it has from the accessories), then a stainless steel smoker box is important as you will use the box to place the wood chips in and then on top of the heat source. We actually recommend two so you can replace the smoker box with a fresh handful of wood chips.

    An alternative to the smoker box is aluminum foil – however we strongly recommend the purchase of a dedicated stainless steel smoker box. If you use the aluminum foil method, you need to poke several holes in the top and bottom to allow for airflow and smoke to escape.

    Even better are starter sets that include everything like this barbecue starter pack from Cooking Gift Set.

    Optional Tools

    Now, there are a few “nice to have” tools that also make this experience easier and we highlighted a few.

    • High Heat Gloves – One of the things that you will be doing is potentially removing a grate to replace your foil pouch or smoker box. High heat gloves are a huge help because you don’t have to worry about burning your hands.
    • Leave in Blue Tooth Thermometer – You won’t be able to judge the relative temperature of the cooking chamber with your dome thermometer built into your grill because heat rises and likely it’s hotter than on the grill grate. So get yourself a high quality leave in thermometer, we stand by the Thermoworks MK4 Smoke Unit (there are a few models). They have at least two cooking probes, one for the cooking chamber, and one for your meat and they have great reach and integrate with an app on your phone to monitor the cooking.

    Preparation

    wood chips soaking in a glass bowl
    Be sure to use chips, not chunks.

    Before starting on the intended recipe, start with soaking your wood chips. Pre-soaking your wood chips allows the chips to slowly combust getting the most smoke flavor out of them. If they are dry, then you will find the chips quickly burn in 15 minutes or less, and you get little to no smoke flavor. We soak for at least an hour, and up to four. The chips will only absorb so much liquid, so no need for any overnight soaking. You will see the color of the water turn a light brown.

    Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill

    1. In a large bowl filled with water, pre-soak wood chips for at least an hour. After they have soaked, remove them from the water and place into a stainless steel smoker box.
    2. Turn two burners on high to ignite the flame. Place the smoker box directly on the drip shield over the flame. Place a Bluetooth thermometer on the grill grates over the indirect heat. Close the lid and and run the heat on high until you smell and see smoke rising.a smoker box on a gas grill
    3. When you see that the chips have ignited, reduce the heat to your target cooking temperature, which is most commonly in the range of 225 – 275 degrees F. Note: The best place to monitor your temperature in the cooking chamber is over the indirect side of the grill where the meat will be cooked.
    4. At the target temperature this is when to add your meat on the indirect side of the grill. We also recommend using a meat thermometer probe that you place into the meat and watch the internal temperature without having to open the grill.Tri Tip smoking on a gas grill over indirect heat
    5. Follow your intended recipe instructions, and if the cooking process will take longer than one hour, replace the wood chips once an hour.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can You Smoke on A Propane or Gas Grill?

    Yes. Using a few tools like foil pouches and wood chips, and understanding two-zone cooking you can get a smoke infused flavor using your gas grill.

    How Many Wood Chips Do I Need?

    Plan one cup of wood chips for every hour of cooking time. If you are wrapping anything, do not include the wrapping time as it does not get any more smoke flavor through the foil or butcher paper.

    How Long Do Wood Chips Last on a Gas Grill

    Soaked wood chips will last 45 minutes to one hour if wrapped in a foil pouch or in a smoker chip box.

    Do You Soak Wood Chips?

    For a gas grill, it is best to soak wood chips so they can last when ignited. Otherwise they burn too quickly and won’t infuse smoke flavor.

    Troubleshooting

    • If it’s cold or windy outside, everything is going to take longer. It cools down the grill and forces more fuel to burn. So if it’s windy or cold (including cold rain), then plan at least 25% more fuel and more cooking time. That means plan on changing the wood chips every 30 minutes.
    • Expect temperature swings high and low. Even on a dedicated smoker, there are temperature fluctuations. But expect more of them
    • Don’t expect a smoke ring on every cook with a gas grill. Smoke rings are a red color on the outside of meat (usually beef and pork) and they are not indicative of flavor.

    Recipe Ideas for Smoking Meat on a Gas Grill

    • Smoked Salmon
    • Reverse Seared Ribeye Steaks
    • Smoked Tri Tip with Red Wine Marinade
    • Reverse Seared Pork Chops
    • Smoked Beef Bolognese (in our partnership with Lowe’s Home Improvement)

    Mary (a certified sommelier) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been curating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.

    This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on the link, we may receive a small commission if you purchase through the link. We partner with brands we know and love and use and it helps keep the blog going!

    sean teaching how to smoke on a gas grill

    Smoking on a Gas Grill Guide

    A guide on how to smoke low and slow on a gas grill using wood chips and a few simple tricks.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $15.00

    Equipment

    • Aluminum Foil
    • Wood Chips

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup soaked wood chips Plan 1 cup of wood chips for every planned hour of cooking.
    • 1 stainless steel smoker box
    • 1 full propane tank
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl filled with water, pre-soak wood chips for at least an hour. After they have soaked, remove them from the water and place into a stainless steel smoker box.
    • Turn two burners on high to ignite the flame. Place the box directly on the drip shield over the flame. Place a Bluetooth thermometer on the grill grates over the indirect heat. Close the lid and and run the heat on high until you smell and see smoke rising.
    • When you see that the chips have ignited, reduce the heat to your target cooking temperature which is most commonly in the range of 225 – 275 degrees F. Note: The best place to monitor your temperature in the cooking chamber is over the indirect side of the grill where the meat will be cooked.
    • At the target temperature this is when to add your meat on the indirect side of the grill. We also recommend using a meat thermometer probe that you place into the meat and watch the internal temperature without having to open the grill.
    • Follow your intended recipe instructions, and if the cooking process will take longer than one hour, replace the wood chips once an hour.

    Video

    Notes

    Direct Heat – You can leave the grates off the direct side if you are cooking smaller cuts of meat like tri tip or steaks for reverse searing. If cooking larger cuts, you’ll want the grates on, like ribs or a brisket.
    If your grill has racks, you can also smoke with the meat on the rack over the heat, but we find the indirect side much easier.
    Find the perfect wine pairing at the Vindulge Wine Shop
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge

    « Grilled Scallops in White Wine Butter Sauce
    Ahi Tuna Ceviche and Wines to Pair »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Fire and Wine Cookbook Cover.

    Get Ready for Summer

    Smoked Brisket

    What’s on our Grill

    The Best Gluten Free Drop Biscuits – 5 Ingredients

    Smoked Hot Honey Ribs Recipe

    Vegetarian Chorizo Recipe with Cauliflower

    Hot Honey Pizza on a serving dish

    Hot Honey Pizza with Prosciutto and Ricotta

    More

    As Seen On

    Products we love

    taking the temperature of a porchetta roast on the grill
    We use Thermoworks Signals BBQ Alarm to monitor the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking, then double check with an instant read thermometer, like the Thermapen One.

    Vindulge Wine Club

    join the wine club side bar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Vindulge

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    72 shares
    • 5