How to Use the Smoker Box With a Weber Grill

Add a rich, smoky flavor to meats on your Weber grill with a smoker box. Typically made of cast iron with a vented lid, a smoker box contains wood chips that have been soaked in water. Placed on the Weber grill next to the coals or over the propane burner on a gas model, the wood chips heat up rapidly and begin to smoke, imparting woodsy flavors into the grilled food.

Things You'll Need

• Wood chips
• Metal bowl

Instructions

1. Soak two or three handfuls of wood chips in a metal bowl filled with water for at least 20 minutes before you're ready to grill.

2. Place the smoker box with the lid removed inside the Weber grill. Set the box off to the side in a gas model. Don't put the box directly over the burners because it will cause the wood chips to burn out faster. Set the lid for the smoker box on the ground or on a side shelf on the grill until it is needed.

3. Start the Weber grill normally, either by igniting the propane burners on a gas model or lighting a load of charcoal in the grill. Wait for the charcoal to burn down to white coals. For a gas Weber, dial down the burners to low heat before proceeding.

4. Drain the wood chips and add them to the smoker box, placing the cast-iron lid on the box.

5. Set the cooking grates on the grill, and let them preheat for five minutes before adding food to the grill.

6. Cover the Weber and adjust the top vent to circulate smoke from the wood chips. The side vents can also be adjusted to increase smoke circulation over the food.

7. Refill the smoker box with drained wood chips about once an hour for foods that require longer cooking times, such as thick cuts of meat.

Tips & Warnings

• Some Weber grills are equipped with built-in smoker boxes. These operate precisely the same as removable boxes.

• Different types of wood chips impart unique flavors that complement certain meats. Hickory and apple are traditional for smoking beef and pork, for example, while Mesquite is a favorite for poultry and wild game. Cedar adds flavor to fish, especially salmon.

References

• Weber: Grill Features by Model
• Firepit and Grilling Guru: How to Cook with Smoking Woods