How to Smoke on a Gas Grill

The Smoke Signal is independent and reader-supported. When you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission from Amazon or eBay at no extra cost to you. We don't accept payment for placement, and we don't publish made-up prices, specs or ratings — tiers ($ to $$$) show relative cost only. Follow your grill's manual, cook to safe internal temperatures and keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Gas grills can smoke food with the right setup: indirect heat, a smoke source like a smoker box or foil pouch of wood chips, and patience. You won't get quite the depth of a dedicated smoker, but you can make excellent smoked chicken, pork, ribs and more.

Step 1: Set up two zones

Light burners on one side only, leaving the other side off. Food goes on the unlit side for indirect cooking. On larger grills, light the outer burners and cook in the middle. See two-zone fire setup.

Step 2: Add a smoke source

• Smoker box: a metal box filled with chips, placed over a lit burner.
• Foil pouch: chips wrapped in foil with holes poked in the top.
• Pellet tube: a perforated tube filled with pellets that smolders for hours.

See chips vs chunks vs pellets.

Step 3: Control temperature

Aim for low-and-slow temperatures on the indirect side. Adjust the lit burners and use a thermometer at grate level; lid thermometers can be inaccurate. See thermometer calibration.

Step 4: Add a water pan

A pan of water under the grate on the indirect side stabilizes temperature and adds moisture. See water pan usage.

Step 5: Choose wood

Hickory and oak for pork and beef; apple and cherry for poultry and pork. See which wood for which meat.

Step 6: Cook to temperature

Use a probe thermometer and cook to safe internal temperatures. See food safety temps.

What to expect from gas grill smoking

Gas grills aren't airtight, and their burners are designed for high heat, so they leak smoke and run hotter than dedicated smokers. Expect a lighter smoke flavor and a thinner smoke ring than you'd get from an offset or pellet smoker. That's fine for many foods, especially chicken, pork chops, sausages, salmon and vegetables, and with good technique you can smoke ribs and pork shoulder too. Keep your expectations realistic and focus on consistent low heat and clean smoke.

Clean smoke vs dirty smoke

Good smoke is thin, pale blue or nearly invisible. Thick, white, billowing smoke comes from wood that's smoldering poorly and can make food taste bitter. With chips in a smoker box, a little white smoke at the start is normal as the wood ignites, but it should settle into thin smoke. If it doesn't, the box may be too far from the flame or the chips too tightly packed. Pellet tubes produce steady thin smoke once lit properly.

How much wood to use

More smoke isn't better. For most cooks, a few refills of chips or one pellet tube during the first couple of hours gives plenty of flavor. Meat absorbs most smoke early in the cook while it's cooler. Oversmoking produces acrid flavors.

First cooks to try

• Chicken thighs: forgiving, flavorful and done in a reasonable time.
• Whole chicken or spatchcocked chicken: great introduction to longer smoking. See spatchcock guide.
• Pork tenderloin: quick and takes smoke well.
• Salmon: mild wood like alder or fruitwood.
• Ribs: a longer project once you're comfortable holding temperature.

Keeping your gas grill healthy

Smoking produces more grease and residue in the grill. Clean grease trays and the firebox regularly to prevent grease fires, and check burners for blockage. See preventing flare-ups.

Troubleshooting

• Too hot: turn burners lower, use fewer burners, or move food farther from the heat.
• No smoke: place the smoker box directly over a lit burner and preheat it.
• Bitter taste: too much wood or smoldering chips; use less wood.
• Uneven cooking: rotate food, especially on grills with hot spots.

Upgrading from a gas grill

If you find yourself smoking often, a dedicated smoker or pellet grill offers more consistent low temperatures and deeper smoke flavor. Many cooks keep the gas grill for weeknights and add a smoker for weekends. See pellet grills for beginners.

Our bottom line

Set up two zones, use a smoker box or pellet tube over a lit burner, keep temperatures low on the indirect side, add a water pan and cook to internal temperature. Start with chicken and work up to ribs.

Choosing between smoker box and pellet tube

Smoker boxes are simple and effective when placed directly over a burner, producing smoke from chips or small chunks. They need refilling every so often. Pellet tubes hold pellets that smolder for hours once lit, providing steady smoke without refills, and can sit on the grates away from the heat. Many gas grill smokers use a tube for long cooks and a box for short ones.

Grill size matters

Larger gas grills with three or more burners give more space for indirect cooking and better temperature control. On two-burner grills, food may need rotating and a smaller cook works best.

Temperature tips

Place a grate-level thermometer probe next to the food rather than relying on the lid thermometer, which reads hotter or cooler depending on design. Adjust burners in small steps and wait for the temperature to stabilize before adding food.

Gas grill smoking gear