Anyone Have Suggestions for Smoking in a Propane Grill?

[JamesB]

Oh that's really interesting - for more smoke flavor, more temp swings are necessary.

I don’t have the BFG. I have the RT-700, and while it’s true that I’ve been grilling and smoking for about 25 years, (Weber kettle), I’ve only had my 700 for 15 months, and seldom cook for more than my 3 person household. So, I may be woefully ignorant about many of the finer points especially when it comes to producing larger quantities to feed large groups. With that being said, I’ve found the extreme smoke setting on my Bull works really well for long or shorter cooks.

My family’s headed to the Outer Banks for our annual vacation in a week. It’s a tradition that I host what we refer to as Grillapalooza for 14 people (Dino bone ribs, pork loin, cedar plank salmon, two roasting hens, etc.)

Unfortunately, our rental is always equipped with a propane grill. In the past I’ve rented a Weber, but this year I’m going to try using the propane grill with a smoke tube.

Any suggestions about maximizing the smoke tube would be greatly appreciated.

James

 

[Jim6820]

I don’t have the BFG. I have the RT-700, and while it’s true that I’ve been grilling and smoking for about 25 years, (Weber kettle), I’ve only had my 700 for 15 months, and seldom cook for more than my 3 person household. So, I may be woefully ignorant about many of the finer points especially when it comes to producing larger quantities to feed large groups. With that being said, I’ve found the extreme smoke setting on my Bull works really well for long or shorter cooks.

My family’s headed to the Outer Banks for our annual vacation in a week. It’s a tradition that I host what we refer to as Grillapalooza for 14 people (Dino bone ribs, pork loin, cedar plank salmon, two roasting hens, etc.)

Unfortunately, our rental is always equipped with a propane grill. In the past I’ve rented a Weber, but this year I’m going to try using the propane grill with a smoke tube.

Any suggestions about maximizing the smoke tube would be greatly appreciated.

James

Alternately mix wood chunks (chips, if you have to) and pellets in the tube to get a good, smoky burn. Light the tube with a small torch and let it burn 5-10 minutes before putting it inside the gas grill. Don’t forget the tongs or hot gloves to handle the hot smoke tube.

I like to use two smoke tubes, one at each end of the grill to get more smoke in a given amount of time. For longer smokes, I have alternated smoke tubes as my experience is that the tubes only burn well for a couple hours each.

Good luck on your experiment.

 

[SmokeZilla]

I don’t have the BFG. I have the RT-700, and while it’s true that I’ve been grilling and smoking for about 25 years, (Weber kettle), I’ve only had my 700 for 15 months, and seldom cook for more than my 3 person household. So, I may be woefully ignorant about many of the finer points especially when it comes to producing larger quantities to feed large groups. With that being said, I’ve found the extreme smoke setting on my Bull works really well for long or shorter cooks.

My family’s headed to the Outer Banks for our annual vacation in a week. It’s a tradition that I host what we refer to as Grillapalooza for 14 people (Dino bone ribs, pork loin, cedar plank salmon, two roasting hens, etc.)

Unfortunately, our rental is always equipped with a propane grill. In the past I’ve rented a Weber, but this year I’m going to try using the propane grill with a smoke tube.

Any suggestions about maximizing the smoke tube would be greatly appreciated.

James

I love the Outer Banks. My family’s homestead is south of Wilmington about 30 miles. My recommendation (to keep it easy) is to hit Walmart and get some heavy duty foil (Reynolds is my favorite). While at the store, get some hickory, mesquite, and cherry wood chunks. For the Salmon, get the small pieces as it has a relatively short cook time and you will need to maximize your smoke accordingly. Use the medium sized chunks for the sturdier proteins. I suggest you soak the medium sized for at least 3 hours before you use them. You want them to absorb maximum water because you don’t want the chunks to light/burn, you actually want them to simmer/smoke for some time. Using the foil, double it up and enshroud the wood. Poke holes with a fork into the top of the foil coffins and place them under the grill grates on above the burner tubes but not on the burner tubes as this will create way to much heat and catch the wood chunks on fire. If you want to expedite their smokiness you can put them directly on the tubes but I recommend you remove it/them and put them on the cooking grate for the duration to keep them from burning or generating “dirty” smoke. You may want to allocate 1 smoke packet for each 20 minutes of cook time, depending on the quantity of wood and cooking temperature. Also, Make sure to give them a head start before you add the proteins so they can have the best chance to absorb the smoke.

I hope this helps.

 

[Jim6820]

Great tip, @SmokeZilla. I always forget about the foil-wrapped wood chunks/chips/pellets since I have more than enough smoke tubes/boxes. The foil trick does work well if you position them where they don’t get overly hot and melt the foil.

 

[kstone113]

I used to "smoke" chicken on my Weber Genesis using one of their smoke boxes. It is a metal box you can flip open and I just put wood chips in it.
This: https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7576-U...ocphy=9021465&hvtargid=pla-360124076339&psc=1

However, my experience has (at least in my opinion) has greatly improved. If I was going to smoke on a propane grill, I would use a smoke tube with pellets and wood chips mixed in just as I do on my pellet smoker for added smoke flavor.

Depending on what you plan to cook, may be a good idea to cook indirect in some way. Maybe putting an aluminum pan under the grates if possible or above the grates and use some sort of rack on top of the pan.

 

[JamesB]

Well I’m currently involved in the cook I mentioned in my original comment asking about smoking me tubes.

I can happily report that the smoke tube works great! It’s delivering a steady and reliable amount of smoke.

However, the Master Forge propane grill I’m using is leaky, and singularly unimpressive. Huge temperature swings (according to my ThermPro), and a massively inaccurate built-in hood thermometer, about 150 degrees shy of reality (again according to my ThermPro).

If there was a contest on what to accurately name this thing I’d suggest “LousyBake Oven.”

 

[Roaniecowpony]

I don’t have the BFG. I have the RT-700, and while it’s true that I’ve been grilling and smoking for about 25 years, (Weber kettle), I’ve only had my 700 for 15 months, and seldom cook for more than my 3 person household. So, I may be woefully ignorant about many of the finer points especially when it comes to producing larger quantities to feed large groups. With that being said, I’ve found the extreme smoke setting on my Bull works really well for long or shorter cooks.

My family’s headed to the Outer Banks for our annual vacation in a week. It’s a tradition that I host what we refer to as Grillapalooza for 14 people (Dino bone ribs, pork loin, cedar plank salmon, two roasting hens, etc.)

Unfortunately, our rental is always equipped with a propane grill. In the past I’ve rented a Weber, but this year I’m going to try using the propane grill with a smoke tube.

Any suggestions about maximizing the smoke tube would be greatly appreciated.

James

Years ago, before I bought any dedicated bbqs, I started smoking meat in my gasser. I used heavy foil and chunks/chips of wood that I lit with a propane torch and closed up the "burritos" of wood, leaving holes or slightly open gaps in the foil. The heat was mostly provided by one of the gas burners. I had to seal up some of he big gaps in my gasser with foil. It was a lot of babysitting to keep the temperature steady, but it works.

It can be done.