How To Set Up A Smoker Box

Concluding Updated On: January 31, 2022

Ideally, a smoker box volition go along your wood chips called-for between 550 and 750 degrees Fahrenheit (287.vii - 398.8 Celsius).

Annihilation outside of that heat range will take you lot from a barbecue hero to a grilling zero in no fourth dimension.

Luckily, we've put together this like shooting fish in a barrel 5-step guide that will show you exactly how to utilize a smoking box, and get a tasty flavor for grilled meat. Nosotros've got some tips, as well.

Step 1. Preheat the Grill and Clean the Grate

Information technology is recommended that y'all preheat the grill for nearly 10 to xx minutes long. Yous can set up your burners up to high during this time. This will shorten the time it takes in producing the normal grill temperature right.

Yous don't need many tools or accessories to smoke your food. A smoker for grill purposes is sufficient and often comes great at the side of a smoking grill.

You'll find that preheating the grill get-go allows it to fume faster when you place in the smoker box adjacent.

Using a stainless steel type grill brush to directly clean the metal grill grate volition likewise come in handy. Y'all should effort to continue your grill brush clean at all times.

Footstep 2. Fill up the Box With Smoking Chips

Make full slightly more than half of the smoker box with dry wood chips. One other mode is adding wood chunks to allow it to burn down more slowly and consistently.

There are many types of woods chips to choose from, and y'all tin pick a type or two. You can likewise employ hickory or pecan to fume red meat as this would give the best results. Crimson forest and apple wood work well to add together a sweet, smoky flavor to chicken and pork. Mesquite means a strong flavour to ruby meats, and oak is perfectly made for the low-cal classic beef gustation to requite you a happy grilling experience.

Some people say you need to soak your wood chips in h2o for close to xxx minutes to prevent them from catching burn. Even so, most smoker boxes practise not have pocket-size close holes on the bottom, so the wood chips are not in direct contact with the flames. Soaking them may increase the corporeality of fourth dimension needed for them to start smoking.

Don't want to buy a new smoker box yet? Load up a foil pan with the smoking chips and embrace the pinnacle lid with aluminum foil. Poke little holes in the aluminum foil for the smoke to escape.

"If you desire to become serious, become a woods-fired smoker."

- Derrick Walker, co-owner of Fume-a-holics BBQ in Fort Worth, Texas

Step three. Place the Smoker Box on the Grill

If you're using a gas grill, lower the smoker box on top of a burner. For charcoal grill users, make sure to put your box on pinnacle of the dress-down, and always use the best-rated charcoal for smoking.

You need the smoker box to be as close to the heat source as possible. Don't pile too much charcoal close effectually the smoker box when using it, as embers from the fire can fall low in through the holes on the peak of the box and set your chunks on fire. For electric grill users, cover the box with a foil where you will poke a few holes in information technology.

If your gas grill burners are not already on the highest setting, one way is to become them going high up, so your smoker box will get hot enough, and the chips will start smoking ameliorate. Information technology's actually easier this manner. In instance yous've run out of gas and need to supervene upon your gas tank, be certain to check out our guide on how to remove the propane tank from your grill safely.

Step 4. Turn off the Burners Once the Box Is Smoking

Once you come across the wood chips smoking, we recommend you turn down your burners on your gas grills to the typical cooking temperature of 225 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit [1]. This is designed to especially set up your grill for indirect cooking.

You can go on using the burner with your smoker box on and plough down the others so that wood smoke continues to be produced throughout the cooking process.

Stride 5. Place Meat on the Grill and Close the Lid

Place your food directly on the cooking grate over an unlit burner on your gas grill and close the hat. The cooking time can vary depending on the beef, fish, or ribs you are cooking, but you demand to let information technology melt slowly to go the delicious mild smoke flavors. This method tin be upwardly to 1.5 hours per pound of meat.

You tin can cook poultry on a temp of up to 160 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit and red meats way up to 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you notice the smoking fries burned through, though, you can only open it, remove the smoker box with full heat resistant tongs, and replenish information technology.

FAQs

Will wood chips catch fire in the smoker box?

No, your wood chips will not chop-chop catch fire in the smoker box. The flashpoint of wood is 482 degrees Fahrenheit or 250 degrees Celsius [2]. The typical temperature range used for the smoking procedure is around 220 degrees Fahrenheit or 104 degrees Celsius.

Should you use moisture wood chips in a smoker box?

You should not utilize wet wood chips inside as they take longer to smoke. The heat is used to evaporate the water into steam which slows down the increase in temperature of the fries.

Conclusion: How to Use a Smoker Box

When information technology comes to grilling, at that place'south zippo equally flavorful every bit smoked meat to share. Good thing you take your handy smoker box.

A smoker box gives that irresistible smoked flavor to your grilled meat recipes. Now that you know how to utilize a smoker box, it's time to bring dorsum abode the bacon. Literally.

References:

one. Fellows, P. (2000). Nutrient processing engineering. Woodhead. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272495249_Food_Processing_Technology_-_Principles_and_Practice

Certifications: Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC), George Mason Academy (GMU)

Education: Jacksonville Academy

Lives in: Jacksonville, Florida

Timothy Woods is an advocate of the carnivore diet, athlete, and a pure wellness-enthusiast. He started this blog in society to brainwash people about the all-meat nutrition and to debunk all the myths that environment it.