Let’s learn how to set up your gas grill for great low and slow cooking with smoking. This is an excerpt from my How to Grill Baby Back Ribs but I broke it out so I could refer to is for other recipes. While I use a Weber Summit that is very hot and versatile, I tried to generalize the instructions.
So let’s talk about your grill. You must know your grill. If you can get or have the instructions for your grill from the manufacturer, follow those instructions. You are going to experiment a little with your grill set up. You need to know how to get a steady low grill surface temperature in an area reserved for indirect heat. Also, be sure you have enough gas. I have natural gas, so I’m good.
If you are a beginner please check A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill
I used grill surface thermometers for years. They only cost about $10 and will last most of grill season until you can’t read it anymore. Amazon, Home Depot or Lowes will have them. I now use a fancy Theromoworks remote monitor.
For me, I have four main burners that run front to back. If I only turn one burner on high, the grill surface temperature in the indirect (not over the burner that is turned on) is right at 225. With the two outside burners at medium, I have a steady 250. Turning on the smoker side burner kicks the temperature up about 50 degrees while on.
So how do I know these things? I played with it. If you have 2 or 3 burners, start with one burner on high and see what you get in the indirect area. Some grills will have vents, and you can experiment with them too. If you have a one burner, you’re going to set a large pan on top of your grates and cover it with a rack of some type. Do not put any weight on top of your burners directly with the rack and meat. Ever….
A thin aluminum cake pan under the grill racks.
So now you have played with your grill enough to know it, Doesn’t it feel good already? Next, you need a drip pan. Things you cook indirectly usually are full of fat and can make a mess of your grill. Usually, you will just place a thin disposable aluminum pan under the grates on the indirect side. If there is no room between the grill grates and the burners for a thin aluminum pan, then you will put the pan on top of the grates in the indirect area with a rack or grate on top of that.
Look closely and you will find a notch in the pan to keep the weight of the rack off the “flavor bars” below.
I needed to notch the pan a little to get it to fit. Do NOT allow the pan to support the grill rack and put pressure on the things below. This would be dangerous. Mine are on top of burner guards called flavor bars. You may have lava rocks or something similar. Usually, you should add water to the drip pan for added moisture in the grill. Again, if you can get the instructions for your grill from the manufacturer, follow those instructions. Let’s be careful and safe here.
Smokin’
Next smoke. You want to smoke, right? If you’re lucky, your grill has built in a smoke box like I do. If not, you have a couple of choices. If you just want to try it once, you can make a pouch of heavy duty aluminum foil with some holes and place it on a burner on high until it starts to smoke and then turn it back down. Here is a YouTube video.
If you are going to do this more than once or twice, pick up a cast iron smoker box (again Home Depot, Lowe’s or Amazon) for about $15.
Here is an affiliate link to one similar to ones I used for 20 years (it should last that long). An affiliate link is one where I get paid a small amount if you buy through that link. My opinion of this product is not influenced by that small amount. It is provided for your convenience. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
A note about wood chips. I have become unconvinced about soaking wood chips. I haven’t noticed any significant difference and have stopped soaking. I’m not alone in giving up on the time-honored tradition.
Happy Smokin’
DrDan
Last Updated
July 4, 2016
Robert Searl
Have you tried using an infrared thermometer to gauge grill surface temperature?
DrDan
Nope, I have considered it but then I read things about them having trouble since there is no flat surface to focus on. True??? I don’t know. Although my cheap surface thermometers many not be perfect, they seem close enough for cooking. I had two on a brisket (the next post) last weekend and they were within a couple of degrees of each other. I have an iGrill with a surface probe and I need to learn how to use it.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Chris
You are in the clear with not soaking your chips. It doesn’t extend combustion (and smoke), it just delays it. Nicely put together post, especially the how to with pics.
Grillman
Great stuff, nicely put together. I love how gas grills are becoming closer to the taste charcoal grills can do. And with that, gas grills become the better choice for the convenience and benefits it can bring. It’s really awesome having a natural gas grill. No need to go back and forth to get your fuel.
Ken
Just starting to smoke on my gas grill haven’t got the taste that I want yet but I will keep trying thanks for the post.
Bob N
Thanks for the intel. I have the same exact grill you do. If you use the smoker box, mine is on the right, do prefer the burners adjacent to the smoker box to be the off burners or do you keep those on and the indirect area would be on the left?
DrDan
Hi Bob,
When using the smoker burner, the temp will increase but will settle back down once I’m done with it.
I have done it both ways but my habit is burners on the left side on and right side off. With a long cooking like a pork butt, I’m sure it doesn’t matter since the smoking doesn’t take long. Maybe with baby backs it might. Next grilling season I think I will try left side off and access the effect.
Bungalow Bill
Soaking the chips is mainly for SAFETY not TASTE to prevent them from lighting on fire.
Sue
Higher temperature chips mean more NO (nitric oxide). NO is what makes the smoke ring happen. You want the outside of your meat to stay low temp (less than 170 I believe for beef, as once the myoglobin is cooked, no more smoke ring formation) while your chips go high heat to produce lots of NO.
Note, the smoke ring makes you look like an awesome grillmaster, but does nothing for the actual flavor of the meat, LOL
DrDan
Hi Sue,
I need to research the science of smoking I guess. Thanks for the info.
Dan
Michael Lawton
Thank you for your earlier reply.
As far as grill surface temperature, are we shooting for 250 or 300 degrees. I am presuming we want the 250. Thank you.
DrDan
Yep for baby backs you’re going for 250 about. I don’t want to be much under that so I would accept a range of 240 to 280. Max of 300. My smoking bin will kick the temperature up to almost 300 when turned on.
Lori
Dr. Dan…. You taught an old dog a new trick!! Yay! That was what I was missing all this time. Thanks for the pics! I get it now..
DrDan
Here is a helpful hint from Robert W on the brisket post. Thanks to Robert!!!!
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Every one buys prepared (dry wood chips. If you have access to fruit trees,ie. apple pear peach cherry. It a great time to lightly prune 1/2″ to 3/4″ limbs from the inside area of the tree to slowly open the center of the tree to help ripen the fruit. Don’t heavy trim cut only what you use that day, Cut with sharp pruning shears into 3 to 6 inch chunks(remove ALL leaves), Load your smoker tray in your gas grill, no tray , wrap in 4 layers of foil, poke tiny holes with a fork, you will get slow heavy smoke for hours, try micing it up. I usr 2 parts Hickory 3 peach 2 apple and 1part cherry, Works much better than any store bought chips I’ve ever tried…
Brian
I have a 5 burner Char-broil gas grill with a large gap at the back of the lid between the top of the grates and the bottom of the lid when closed. I am able to produce lots of smoke on the grill, but it seems like a lot of it escapes out the back. Has anyone else noticed this, or have any suggestions on how to better seal in the smoke?
DrDan
Hi Brian,
I would not be in favor of obstructing it in any manor. If you are using a smoking box, get it as far away from that gap as possible. Experiment with different positions. The normal convection and flow of air in the grill will vary obviously.
You might contact Char-broil directly through their web site/facebook/twitter https://www.charbroil.com/
Jenson Dreasky
I had the same problem, although I get it goingtoward the back as it burns a little hotter there, then once the smoke gets going, I move it toward the front so it will circle around grill going across the front first
Avi
Hi
Thank you for your post, I have a Weber Summit 420 , I am trying to set the temperature between 225-240 for smoking , can’t get there, 1 high burner is to low, 2 low burner is to high….. Any tips will be most appreciated
DrDan
Hi Avi,
Welcome to the site. My grill is an S-670 so basically the same grill but I use natural gas which burns slightly cooler. I assume you are trying to get indirect low and slow. First, it can take 15-20 minutes for everything to heat up and level out. Second, the outside temperature seems to affect it a lot. During the winter, I need to add much more heat. On a hot summer day, it may run hot.
So if you took those things into account, we are aiming for 225-250 indirect on the right half then I would start with far left on high. If not enough then the second left on low. Then fuddle some from there to get what you want.
Don’t forget to check my tutorial on grill temperatures and how to measure it at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/grill-temperature/
Hope that helps some. Let me know if you have other questions.
Dan
Ant in Cle
Many tipsters recommend covering your brisket with foil after you reach about 150 degrees to keep from drying out. What are your thoughts?
DrDan
The foil trick is one commonly suggested. When cooking brisket, it will hit “the stall” at about 150 degrees. At that point, moisture is rising to the surface and evaporating which keeps the meat at the same temperature for a while.
I think it happens more when you inject the meat and have more free liquid to evaporate. By wrapping with foil you can stop the evaporation and “power through” the stall. The cooking time will actually decrease by a few hours. If you wrap, that crust is not as firm but it will be slightly more moist.
If you want to wrap then use a double layer of heavy duty foil wrapped TIGHT. You want as little air space as possible. The foil stays on until ready to cut. Obviously leave a thermometer probe in place.