Discovered an affordable and brilliant device for infusing food with smoky flavors on a gas barbecue, something I previously hadn't realized was possible.
Smoking Food on a Gas BBQ Made Easy with a Smoker Box
A smoker box is a versatile and convenient tool for adding a smoky flavor to your BBQ dishes without the need for expensive charcoal or dedicated smokers. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use a smoker box on a gas BBQ.
What You Need
A smoker box is a metal container designed to hold soaked wood chips. You can find smoker boxes like the Weber smoker box, priced at £26, or the Landmann smoker box, a cheaper alternative, both available on Amazon. For wood chips, you can opt for Woodabrix cherry wood chips, costing £8.89, also available on Amazon.
How to Use
- Fill the smoker box with wood chips, ideally soaked in water to create smoke rather than burn quickly. Popular wood chip flavors include apple, hickory, and mesquite, each suited to different types of food. For example, apple wood is great for chicken, while hickory is ideal for ribs.
- Place the smoker box directly over one of the burners on your gas BBQ. This allows the heat from the burner to warm the box.
- Close the lid of your BBQ to trap the smoke inside. As the smoker box heats up, it will release smoke through small holes in the box, infusing your food with a subtle, sweet smoky depth.
- Cook your food as usual, letting it absorb the smoky taste created by the smoker box.
This method lets you experience smoking on a gas grill without the need for extensive equipment or preparation, making it simple and low effort for casual BBQ use.
Additional Tips
- Experiment with different wood chips to match flavors with your food.
- A smoker box offers a subtle, sweet smoky depth rather than an intense smoke flavor typical of full smokers.
- No extra equipment is needed beyond the smoker box and wood chips.
Using a smoker box is distinct from using pellet smoker tubes, which involve lighting pellets and placing the tube on the grill to create prolonged smoke. While pellet tubes work well with various grills, the smoker box is a simpler, straightforward method for gas BBQs.
In summary, a smoker box is placed over a gas burner filled with soaked wood chips; it smokes your food by releasing smoke through its holes as it heats, with the BBQ lid closed to contain the smoke and flavor your food. This is an easy upgrade to conventional BBQ use, mimicking the effect of a traditional smoker.
Jenny McFarlane, the Senior Digital Editor, who joined the team in 2021, is a fan of using smoker boxes. She works across Real Homes, Homes & Gardens, Livingetc, and Gardeningetc. Since getting on the property ladder, Jenny has developed a passion for interior design and gardening. She loves collecting and salvaging unique items, including smoker boxes, for various uses.
- For those interested in diversifying their cooking options, incorporating a smoker box into their home-and-garden essentials can elevate outdoor-living and food-and-drink experiences, bringing a subtle smoky flavor to BBQ dishes.
- As an avid lover of interior design and outdoor living, Jenny McFarlane, the Senior Digital Editor, has adopted the use of smoker boxes in her personal lifestyle, creating a harmonious blend of cooking and style.
- To complement a well-designed interior, incorporating a smoker box for BBQ dishes can be a remarkably simple yet effective way to enhance lifestyle gatherings, adding a delightful touch to food-and-drink occasions in a home-and-garden setting.
