Converting an old gas BBQ

[Blobybob]

Hi all,

I have a generic gas bbq and I would like to convert to something charcoal that I can make jerky on and other hot/cold smoking activities.

Like one of these https://www.diy.com/departments/cos...becue-burner-and-storage/5060381722903_BQ.prd

is it worth the hassle, I can't really invest much in new equipment and its just sitting there already in my garden?

 

[chopsaw]

Just be aware that some of the gas grill bodies aren't made to take direct high heat contact .

 

[Blobybob]

Just be aware that some of the gas grill bodies aren't made to take direct high heat contact .

Fair point, it is pretty flimsy looking stainless, would a reasonably sturdy baking tray suffice as a sacrificial base to burn charcoal on?

 

[chopsaw]

I only mentioned it because I had a buddy that gutted a gas grill and used charcoal in it .
Lit about a half bag of lump charcoal , and it melted / burned through the bottom . It was a cast body of some sort .
I'm sure you could come up with something to contain the fire .

 

[bill1]

The coals won't burn as well directly on the bottom either. Find a fairly sturdy steel grill (grate) that holds your coals off the bottom. You may find a half-grate laid sideways works just fine. It can be supported off a couple bricks or a few rocks if it doesn't fit the bottom curvature of the former gas grill quite right. You'll need to ensure there's at least ~4" gap from the top of your coals (once spread out) and the grate holding your meat, but most gas grills permit this...you're not going to need a lot of coals because we're controlling the burn rate via "draft control"...

You'll probably also find you have way too much air flow (draft) with the gas grill as is...the bottoms of gas grills have large air openings. Choke those way down with a steel plate, etc. That's your air intake...you'll learn to size that appropriately. The top lids fit loose on gas grills so that "exhaust" port is not easily changed. Some may say to drill a large hole in the top of the lid and put a "chimney" there so the smoke flow is always "up", but I wouldn't.

And of course remove the gas burners and keep the propane bottle far away. And don't forget the pictures for us!

 

[Blobybob]

The coals won't burn as well directly on the bottom either. Find a fairly sturdy steel grill (grate) that holds your coals off the bottom. You may find a half-grate laid sideways works just fine. It can be supported off a couple bricks or a few rocks if it doesn't fit the bottom curvature of the former gas grill quite right. You'll need to ensure there's at least ~4" gap from the top of your coals (once spread out) and the grate holding your meat, but most gas grills permit this...you're not going to need a lot of coals because we're controlling the burn rate via "draft control"...

You'll probably also find you have way too much air flow (draft) with the gas grill as is...the bottoms of gas grills have large air openings. Choke those way down with a steel plate, etc. That's your air intake...you'll learn to size that appropriately. The top lids fit loose on gas grills so that "exhaust" port is not easily changed. Some may say to drill a large hole in the top of the lid and put a "chimney" there so the smoke flow is always "up", but I wouldn't.

And of course remove the gas burners and keep the propane bottle far away. And don't forget the pictures for us!

Thanks for the advice, its starting to sound unreliable at best,

I have a 55gal drum knocking around as well, I didn't realise a drum smoker was a thing untill an afternoon of Google, would I be better to scrap Plan A and make that the new Plan B?

I'm really just looking to make a load of jerky, also general BBQing on the side.

 

[chopsaw]

starting to sound unreliable at best,

I'm sure it workable . Certainly for lower temp smokes . If you have a source to contain the charcoal and ash that would work I would think .
I just added a 1500 watt electric analog element to an old kettle . Maybe that's an option ?
I think it was $35.00 from Amazon .

Heck for jerky you could use a smoke tube or tray for some smoke then move it to the oven to finish . I wouldn't give up just yet .

 

[bill1]

Unreliable? You're basically just turning it into a Weber Kettle of rectangular instead of round shape. There's millions of those out there turning out great food. Yours will probably be a better (more convenient) height, have an easy hinged lid, and have wheels for moving it around. Sounds like a win all around.

When I was giving advice about food grates and charcoal grates, and the size of intake and exhaust, a Weber kettle was what was in the back of my mind.