Smoker Boxes


 
R

Ryan Dor

New member
Have any of you used a smoker box on your gas grill? Any advice on placement or use? I received one as a gift and wanted to ask the experts before breaking it out. Thanks
 
Yes I have a cast iron smoker box for my gas grills. I place it on the front flavorizer bars (All my gas grills have East/West burners) so the smoke will go over the cook and exit the back. I like a mild smoke so it works out well. Gas grills circulate a lot of air so getting a heavy smoke can be a challenge. Make sure you soak your wood chips before using or they will burn up pretty fast.
 
I have this smoker box and use it quite often. I like to use my rotisserie and this works great for me. I place it in the front of the cook box like Rich between the first and second flavorizer bar. I have E/W style grills like Rich.
 
I have used both a smoker box and a smoker "tube". The latter was specifically designed for use with wood pellets like used in pellet grills. Wood chips would probably work in these, too.

A couple quick observations. I also put these under my grates and like the others typically toward the front of the grill. I will say that you should have a water spray bottle handy and monitor what is happening. They can get too hot and start burning with fire rather than just smoking. If you use seasoned cast iron grates like I often do, this is a problem because the fire will burn-off all your seasoning. It also creates a very hot spot in your grill. So, I do like using these but would recommend close monitoring. If you use seasoned cast iron you need to be extra careful.
 
Jon, I have found that if you cover the holes in the top of the smoker box (mine in particular), it will prevent the wood from actually catching fire. Without oxygen, the wood cannot catch fire, but it can and does still smoke.
 
I used foil also with good results. I found the CI smoker box at a yard sale for $.50, couldn't say no. Even came full of ashes at no extra charge.:rolleyes:
 
To me a nice solution would be to use the foil-wrap idea and drop the packets in a built-in smoker box like Weber offers. I have one and plan on putting it into my Genesis "1.5" project that hopefully someday will get underway:(. If you have several made up, you can just open it up, swap, and keep going. Eliminates the bad aspect of these boxes, namely ashes contaminating your crossover burner. I like the idea that the smoker box is at the right level, accessible and not under my grates. Just open the door and make the swap as needed.
 
Jon:
A great idea! I've tried a variety of smoke boxes, tubes, foil and even the Smokemeister attachment. The worst was the Weber box/grate for a sidewinder genesis which incorporated the flavor bars directly over the crossover burner. Eventually, it catch fire and spike the temp inside the grill. Fortunately, the Smoke alarm would let me know so you could hit the box with a spray bottle. Damp chips lasted the longest and pellets would fall thru the bottom holes. I now use the partial SS grate as a tilting rib rack.
 
Ryan,

I use the Weber stainless steel smoker box, and it works very well, as long as you soak the chips for 15-30 minutes before starting the grill. After that, I've found that 5-10 minutes after the box has been under the cooking grates, you'll have a good amount of smoke. You may have to have some extra soaked chips ready to go for longer smoker sessions. It will change color after the first time you use it, but it doesn't affect performance.

Good luck and enjoy!
 
LMichaels said:
I am cheap. I simply wrap up chips in foil
Click to expand...

Larry that surprises me given your thoughts on aluminum? But I guess the difference is that foil used in this manner never touches the food unlike aluminum grates (grill grates) or food cooked in aluminum foil.
 
I've got the weber one. It warped the first time I used it so it doesn't really seal and the chips burst into flames. Yes you can soak them. Then the chips steam for a while until they burst into flames.
 
I have to use a water bottle to keep them at bay. I think I am going to try the foil idea which I haven't used in quite a while and never have tried with pellets. As I mentioned, I definitely plan to use that when I get my Weber Steam-N-Chips installed (that is after I build the grill itself from boxloads of raw parts:eek:).
 
You can try putting the box above the grate on top of the lit burner too, depending on how high you need to run it to get your preferred temp.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top