Hot smoking on a gas grill — here's how

What's behind it?

Hot smoking means temperatures between 70 °C and 130 °C, smoke enveloping your food, and indirect cooking. A gas grill is actually ideal for this — you have precise control over the heat, which is much trickier with charcoal.

The basic principle is simple: one burner generates heat and gets the wood chips smoldering, while the food sits on the opposite, cooler side. The closed lid turns your gas grill into a makeshift smoker. No rocket science — but there are a few things to keep in mind to make it really work.

Important: don't soak wood chips for gas grills too long. 20–30 minutes in water is plenty, then let them drain well. Chips that are too wet produce steam instead of smoke — it tastes bitter and does nothing for you.

How to do it right

• Prep the chips: Soak about 100–150 g of wood chips (e.g. hickory, apple, beech) for 20–30 minutes, then drain well.
• Fill the smoker box: Put the chips in a cast iron or stainless steel smoker box — or wrap them in aluminum foil and poke a few holes in the top.
• Place the box: Set the smoker box directly on the burner or on the grates above the active burner.
• Preheat: Close the lid and turn the burner under the smoker box to medium-high until smoke appears — takes about 10–15 minutes.
• Set the temperature: Once smoke appears, reduce the burner to low. Target temperature in the cooking chamber: 80–120 °C (use the lid thermometer or a separate thermometer).
• Place the food: Put meat, fish, or cheese on the side without a burner — the indirect zone.
• Keep the lid closed: Open as little as possible. Every opening costs 10–15 °C and smoke.
• Check internal temperature: Rely on a probe thermometer, not time alone. Example: pulled pork is done at ~93 °C internal temperature.

Bottom line

With indirect heat, 80–120 °C, and a good smoker box, your gas grill becomes a fully functional hot smoker.