Turning Your Gas Grill into a Smoker Is Way Easier than You Think

Owning a gas grill no longer means buying more gadgets to smoke your meats at home. Babs Costello, the self-appointed “internet mom/grandma you didn’t know you needed,” recently offered her Instagram followers a simple way to convert a gas grill into a smoker.

All you’ll need, aside from your grill, are wood chips — which can be purchased from your neighborhood hardware store — aluminum foil, and a metal pan. A disposable foil pan from the grocery store will also do the trick.

To get the smoking process going, you’ll want to work with a cold grill. Start by pouring the wood chips into a large bowl and filling the bowl with enough water to cover. Allow them to soak for an hour, then discard the water. Place the wood chips in the metal or foil pan, then cover with aluminum foil. Poke several holes into the foil to allow the smoke to escape.

Once your wood is prepped, place the pan on your cold grill, turn on all the burners, and set them to high. Cover the grill and heat until you see heavy, blue smoke. Once your makeshift smoker box has been properly heated, turn off all but the primary burner — which you will turn down to medium — and you’re ready to smoke.

This method is a great way to infuse your meats with different smoke flavors, as it works with any flavor you can grab from the store. Smoking your meats is also a great way to guarantee even cooking.

What other grill hacks do you turn to in the summertime?