Can You Smoke Meat on a Gas Grill? (And How to Do It)

Smoking is a great way of adding a delicious, smoky flavor to your meat, and the slow cooking process breaks down the fat and connective tissue so that the meat becomes extremely tender.

However, if you’re a smoking novice or beginner you might be curious to know: Can you smoke meat on a gas grill?

In this article, I will give you an overview of whether you can smoke meat on a gas grill, including how to prepare your meat for smoking and a step-by-step guide on how to smoke on a gas grill.

So, let’s get started.

Can you smoke meat on a gas grill?

You most definitely can smoke meat on a gas grill! In fact, you can smoke pretty much anything you want on a gas grill.

There are a variety of different meats that are all delicious when you add a smoky flavor to them, as I go into below.

So, how do you prepare the meat for smoking?

Choose a Type of Meat to Smoke

The smoking technique can be used on any type of meat, but it’s usually best for tough cuts that need a slow cooking time. The slow cook breaks down the fat and connective tissue, resulting in a moist, tender result.

You will want to choose meat that will taste good with a smoky flavor. Here are a few types of meat that taste great smoked.

A few types of meat that are delicious when smoked include but are not limited to:

• Beef, particularly briskets and ribs.
• Pork, particularly shoulders and ribs.
• Poultry, such as whole chicken or turkey. It’s important to know that poultry skin doesn’t always last well when being smoked, so you might need to take it off before you eat the meat if it becomes too charred.
• If you prefer fish, then oily fish, such as trout, salmon, or mackerel is also a great choice.

Marinate Or Rub the Meat

If you’re cooking a cut of beef brisket, for instance, you will want to make a BBQ rub for your joint. This helps to add flavor and tenderize the meat.

For poultry or ham, you’ll want to make a brine to lock in the moisture of the meat.

Add a Dry Rub to Ribs for a Flavor Boost

Rubs are usually made with a combination of salt and spices. Apply a rub that compliments your meat choice before applying it and allowing it to rest for a few minutes before cooking.

Allow the Meat to Come to Room Temperature Before You Smoke It

Allowing the meat to come to room temperature is a crucial step to take before you begin smoking any type of meat. This process will ensure that the meat cooks evenly and reaches the right internal temperature by the end of the cooking process.

Failure to do so can result in different parts of the meat being ready before the rest of it is, leaving you with a very uneven cook.

How to Smoke Meat on a Gas Grill with Chips

To add smoke to your gas grill, you need to either make your own smoking pouch out of wood chips or use a pellet tube smoker.

Here’s how you’d do the pouch method:

Start off by finding some aluminum foil. Cut or tear two large pieces of aluminum foil and layer them flat on your countertop.

Next, it’s time to make the pouch that your wood chips are going to sit in. Place two cups of dry wood chips in the center of the foil. Fold up each long side and crimp to secure. Then roll up the ends to make a sealed pouch.

Once you have made the pouch, you will need to poke holes in the top of it to allow the heat from the fire to singe the wood chips inside the pouch. This will create smoke that will, in turn, be released through the holes you’ve created and add a delicious smoky flavor to your joint of meat!

Next, you’ll need to add the pouch to your gas grill. Move one of your grates on your gas grill, and then place the pouch of wood chips right over one of your burners. Replace the grates, and you’re ready to go.

Turn on your burner on your gas grill. If you’re aiming for a temperature of 180-275 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll likely only need to turn on one burner. This will heat the pouch, circulate the smoke through the grill, and should provide enough heat to get your grill to a perfect smoking temperature.

Next, you’ll want to place your food on the opposite side of the grill from the smoking pouch. Close the lid, and use the dome thermometer on your grill to monitor the temperature. Turn on any additional burners as needed to maintain your desired smoking temperature.

Next it’s time to calculate your cooking time. The length of time it will take to completely cook your meat is determined by the heat of the grill, the type of meat, and the size of the meat joint.

In most cases, plan on at least 6-8 hours of cooking time – and sometimes many more. Check your recipe to determine how long your meat will need to smoke. After about 4 hours, check to see if it’s done.

If the meat is still firm, it needs to cook longer – smoked meat should be a bit limp (but not falling apart at the touch) by the time it’s done. It will take around 45 minutes to burn through all of the wood pellets that you placed in the pouch, so make sure that you have enough extras on hand when the first lot of wood chips burns through.

Continue to cook and smoke your food until it reaches your desired internal temperature and is gorgeously smoked!

Serve it up!

In Summary

Yes, you can smoke meat on a gas grill with a little help from an aluminum pouch filled with wood chips!