Smoking Time on a Gas Grill

[CNS85]

Hello,

I’m new here and I think my question might be basic. If this has been answer a hundred times before, please feel free to direct me to a previous post, as I didn’t know what terms to search for.

I’m trying to do some smoking on a gas grill and, not surprisingly, I’m running into some issues. I realize gas is probably the furthest thing from ideal, but where I’m quarantining, it’s what I’ve got. The grill is a circa 2008 BBQ Galore Grand Turbo. 6 burners (plus one for the rotisserie), built in.

The big issue is of course temperature control and the meat not cooking as fast as expected. I’ve been using one or two burners on one side of the grill, and put the meat on the far side. Even though the temperature was higher than I had intended (due to trying to get the wood chips to smoke), the meat took about 50% longer to cook than any time estimate from recipes (and was still pulled off early because the family was getting impatient).

The first attempt was a tri-tip, the second was chicken (thighs and breasts). For the chicken, I even placed it closer to the burners that were on. The grill was waaaay above the target temp for nearly the entire time, and still took much longer than planned. By the end, I had basically moved all the chicken as close as I could, and even lit the burner on the opposite side of the moved chicken, so it was sandwiched.

Of course, I understand temperature control can be difficult on a gas grill, but the high temps coupled with the long cook times are throwing me off. At first I thought maybe on that size grill, the meat was too far away from the heat source, but the second attempt makes me doubt that’s the sole issue. Am I doing something terribly wrong? Or do I just need to allow (a lot) more time for smoking on a gas grill? I’m also a little hesitant to turn the burners too high again because with the chicken, the chips caught fire a few times (fortunately I happen to have the lid open at that moment so I saw it right away).

Also, originally I had trouble getting the wood chips to start smoking, but on the second try I started adding foil pouches in addition to the smoker box, putting it over the gas stove to start the smoking process before moving it to the grill and switching out the spent one. This seems to have helped a lot. I was able to get smoke flavor, which didn’t really happen the first time. Any major red flags with this approach?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide! Once I return home and finally buy a real smoker, I look forward to spending a lot more time on this forum.

-Chad

 

[thirdeye]

I can't offer much when it comes to propane grills, but from your description of the normal grilled things cooking slower than usual.... I'm wondering if you are relying on the factory thermometer, or not verifying the actual cooking temp at the grate? Maybe your grill is saying 300*, but you are cooking at 250*.

 

[Inscrutable]

+1 on the temp gauge question.
Gas grills are also vented excessively with no vent control so hard to hold smoke as well.

 

[mike243]

Get a chip holder, go find a shag bark hickory tree, peel off some bark, take 2-4 pieces about 4" long and put it in the box, set it under the grates and fire it up, when it starts pouring the smoke out start grilling, you wont ever smoke on the gas grill but you can make some fine food with some great smoke flavor imo

 

[pops6927]

Welcome to the SMF forum! We understand and can help you with your dilemma! First, as mentioned, don't rely on your grill therm, get a good multi-probe one. See the Thermometers forum for ideas. Second, see the Amazen forum for www.amazenproducts.com products for help with a smoking tube!

 

[millerbuilds]

Welcome to the SMF forum! We understand and can help you with your dilemma! First, as mentioned, don't rely on your grill therm, get a good multi-probe one. See the Thermometers forum for ideas. Second, see the Amazen forum for www.amazenproducts.com products for help with a smoking tube!

What Pops said!

 

[CNS85]

Thank you all for the feedback!

I thought about the grill thermometer, but I have a question. Is that measuring the temperature on that spot of the grill, the air around it (since this should be indirect cooking, I assume that's what matters), or are the two basically the same? I thought that, just maybe, the thermometer in the grill is measuring the heat as it rises above the spot where the meat is, but I'm a little skeptical that it's going to be 250 degrees hotter just a foot above the meat. I'm not opposed to trying this approach of course, I was just skeptical when I thought about that as a solution to the problem, but hearing it here will definitely make me reconsider. I do have a probe thermometer for the meat, but that obviously doesn't help with the temp inside the grill.

I was able to get a good smoke flavor on the second attempt, and a lot of smoke stayed in when the lid was closed, so I'm a little less concerned about being able to get the smoke flavor than I was at first. Is the Amazen less likely to allow the chips/pellets to catch fire though? Currently using a Cave Tools smoker box, plus the pouches, as indicated.

Thanks again,
Chad

 

[Blues1]

Before I got a smoker, it was a smoke box on my gasser. Never could get it to do right. Tried several boxes. Then I discovered the Amazentube. Really helped with the smoke but temps were a pain to control. Good temp probe and patience are key too.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Everything said above. Plus:
Choose a cook method; either hot and fast or low and slow.
Don't go by the hood thermometer; bimetalic dial therms are inaccurate unless they are high quality and can be calibrated.
Buy a separate thermometer set up and use a probe at grate level where the cooking is happening. Since you are doing indirect, put your probe on that side and then adjust the lit burners until you reach your desired cooking temp.
As for smoke production, you didn't say what kind of smoker boxes you are using. I prefer to use cast iron smoker boxes placed directly above the lit burner or burners. The thin stainless steel smoker boxes are okay but they allow the wood chips to catch on flame too much. You will want to run your burner or burners hot enough until you see thin whisps of smoke and then turn the burner or burners down and keep them there util the chips are spent.
Expect to change out wood chips often especially during long smokes. Or as pops6927 said, use a tube.

As for time, do not go by time, as that is only a general guideline and each piece of meat reacts differently. Use a thermometer to tell you when the internal temperature of your meat is at your desired doneness.

Hope this helps.