What should you do if you want to do some low and slow cooking and don’t want to shell out the cash for a dedicated smoker? The answer is to turn your kettle grill into a smoker. I have done this with my Weber kettle many times.
It’s easy and the results are amazing. No one will be able to tell that you smoked your meat on a grill instead of a modern day smoker.
This article provides the steps you need to turn your kettle charcoal grill into a smoker. I will list each step and give you the instructions you need. You’ll be feeling like the BBQ master in no time.
Keep reading to find out more.
Related article: Best Smoker Grill Combo for 2023: A Review of the Top 7
1. Remove the Ash
Remove leftover ash and charcoal from the bottom of the bowl and the ash catcher. This is one of the easiest steps and something that everyone should be aware of. You don’t want your food soaking up any unpleasant flavors from the past.
Make sure the grill is cold and the coals are extinguished.
Some grills have built-in cleaning systems. Cleaning blades are attached to a handle under the bowl. All you need to do is move the handle side to side to push the ash into the ash catcher.
If your grill doesn’t have an ash cleaning system, you can use a plastic or rubber scraping tool to remove any leftover ash or charcoal.
Related article: Seasoning a Smoker
2. Light the Coals
Throw out the lighter fluid. It was used by almost everyone in the past, but the days of fumey tasting food are over.
I recommend using a chimney starter light to your charcoal. It looks like a big metal cup with holes in the bottom.
Use the following steps to get the fire started.
- Remove the cooking (top) grate.
- Flip over the chimney starter so that the holes are on top.
- Crumble up some newspaper and place it in the cavity that is surrounded by the holes.
- Flip the starter back over and fill with charcoal.
- Light the newspaper with a BBQ lighter or match.
You can use briquettes or lump charcoal. I personally use charcoal briquettes. They burn longer and it is easier to keep the grill temperature steady.
Either way, the coals will be ready to use in 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Place a Water Pan in Grill
Once the coals are ready, get a metal pan to use as a water pan in your grill. Ideally you want a pan that covers half the area of the grill. The cheap aluminum baking pans found in most supermarkets will do just fine.
Place the pan on one side of the grill. Fill the pan half way up to the top with hot water. Using cold water will increase the time needed for the grill to reach the desired temperature.
The water adds moisture when the meat is cooking and helps keep the temperature inside consistent.
4. Pour Out the Charcoal
Pour the coals onto the bottom grate on the side opposite the water pan. Use a long tool or similar object to push the coals to the side of the grill. I use a fireplace shovel for this, but a long stick will work just fine.
Just be careful where you place a smoldering stick! You don’t want to start a fire by mistake.
5. Place the Cooking Grate on Grill
With the water pan and charcoal in place it’s time to place the cooking grate on the grill. Most of the newer cooking grates are hinged on both sides. Position the grate so that one of the hinged areas is directly over the charcoal.
This will make it easy to add more coals when needed.
If you are using a grate that isn’t hinged, make sure you can slip charcoal through the slim opening. If you cannot, you can carefully lift the whole grate and add more charcoal.
6. Add Wood to Top of Coals
Place some dry wood chunks on the top of the hot coals. Use about one chunk per pound of coal if using large chunks or two chunks per pound if using smaller pieces. Applewood and hickory are great flavors to start with!
A lot of folks out in BBQ land think it is important to soak the wood in water before using it. The thought is that wet wood burns longer and produces more smoke. This is simply not true.
7. Place Meat on Grill
Place the meat on the grill directly over the water pan on the opposite side from the charcoal. Keep it as far away from the charcoal as possible. This will ensure that the meat is cooked low and slow and prevent it from burning to a crisp!
8. Place the Lid on Grill
Place the lid on the grill with the vent directly over the meat. This is important because this setup directs the flow of smoke over the meat. As a result your meat will have a nice, smoky flavor.
Adjust top and bottom vents to one quarter of the way open to start. It is a good idea to physically mark the gap spacings for the bottom vent if won’t be able to see the gap at this point.
9. Maintain the Temperature
You want the temperature of your kettle smoker to stay between 225°F and 250°F. The temperature range may vary a little depending on the meat you are cooking.
The best way to control the temperature is to place a good grill thermometer on the grate where the meat is.
Some grills have them built into the lid. These are good but may not give a true indication of the temperature near the meat. Better yet, you can insert a meat thermometer with a long probe into the lid vent to get a better indication of the true temperature.
Check your coals every 60 to 90 minutes. Add more coals and wood if needed. Avoid removing the lid unnecessarily to limit heat loss.
It’s important to adjust the vents at different points throughout cooking so that you can control how much air enters into the cooker. If things get too hot, close the top vent.
On the other hand, if the temperature drops below 225°F, open both vents. If that doesn’t cause the temperature to rise, open the lid and add more coals.
What to do next?
It is not hard to turn your kettle grill into a smoker. Follow the steps provided in this article and you will be smoking like a pro in no time.
Your family and friends will love you for it!
Please read our post to find out what America’s most popular smokers are.
