IF I USE A GREEN MESQUITE LIMB IN A GAS BARBECUE

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The inverted V Burner shields over the twin burners do or do not create enough protection against plugging?

The convience of gas with the flavor of mesquite is a made in heaven grade dream.

But

Is it practical?

[Gdetrailer]

Never tried Mesquite, supposed to be pretty strong, I don't have any of those trees around my place.

My favorite go to is Maple, mild sweet smoke.

Also use Apple wood, can get a bit harsh but still a good smoke.

The pellets I have are a mix of Cherry, Apple and Oak, pretty tasty results, so far works very well on Chicken quarters, Baby back ribs and pork loin and shoulder for pulled pork..

I have also used the same pellets for cold smoking cheese (tastes fantastic when you manage to get it right, extremely easy to over smoke cheese), double smoking ham and bacon.. Results add a lot of flavor when done correctly but cold smoking typically is done when you have cool temps outside, cheese melts above 80F and meats need to stay at refridgerated temps..

Tried cold smoking "Chex mix", supposed to taste good, I am not a fan of that..

Cold smoked nuts are also supposed to really good, have not tried that yet.

Thought about cold smoking salt, haven't tried that but most likely add a nice smokey finish to meals when done cooking.

With that smoking tube, you can turn any gas grill into a smoker..

Addictive for sure, DW and DD favorites are the smoked pulled pork I do..

My favorite food smoking website is https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/, lots of great ideas and information on all things smoked!

[Gjac]

rexlion wrote:

Gjac wrote:

rexlion wrote:
I like tilapia over hickory chips, but I've always done it by throwing soaked wood chips on hot charcoal briquettes. On a gas grill, since the wood isn't in direct contact with the heat source, how long does it take for the gas flame to get the chips smoking, prior to putting the meat on the gas grill? Do you experienced folks soak the wood chips, or not?

What I do for fish(trout,salmon) is to soak a 1/2 in oak plank in water, put it on top of the grate until it gets hot, spray with EVOO then put the fish on top of the wood slab. As it cooks the edge of the wood slab will start to smoke but the water in the wood will keep it from actually burning up. Two things happen, the flavor from the wood is infused into the fish from the wood slab being heated and the smoke is released from the smothering edges in the slab adding a smoke flavor.

My buddy likes to grill salmon on a cedar slab in that manner. I've eaten it and didn't think it had nearly enough smoke flavor. Two handfuls of hickory chips gives me much more smokiness than what he got from the slab. JMO.

It depends on how wet the wood is. I tried soaking overnight and the wood plank does not burn much, just a couple of hours and the edges will burn creating smoke. You will get more smoke from wood chips but I like the flavor that comes from the volatiles in the wood plank combined with the smoke flavor.

[rexlion]

Gjac wrote:

rexlion wrote:
I like tilapia over hickory chips, but I've always done it by throwing soaked wood chips on hot charcoal briquettes. On a gas grill, since the wood isn't in direct contact with the heat source, how long does it take for the gas flame to get the chips smoking, prior to putting the meat on the gas grill? Do you experienced folks soak the wood chips, or not?

What I do for fish(trout,salmon) is to soak a 1/2 in oak plank in water, put it on top of the grate until it gets hot, spray with EVOO then put the fish on top of the wood slab. As it cooks the edge of the wood slab will start to smoke but the water in the wood will keep it from actually burning up. Two things happen, the flavor from the wood is infused into the fish from the wood slab being heated and the smoke is released from the smothering edges in the slab adding a smoke flavor.

My buddy likes to grill salmon on a cedar slab in that manner. I've eaten it and didn't think it had nearly enough smoke flavor. Two handfuls of hickory chips gives me much more smokiness than what he got from the slab. JMO.

[Gjac]

rexlion wrote:
I like tilapia over hickory chips, but I've always done it by throwing soaked wood chips on hot charcoal briquettes. On a gas grill, since the wood isn't in direct contact with the heat source, how long does it take for the gas flame to get the chips smoking, prior to putting the meat on the gas grill? Do you experienced folks soak the wood chips, or not?

What I do for fish(trout,salmon) is to soak a 1/2 in oak plank in water, put it on top of the grate until it gets hot, spray with EVOO then put the fish on top of the wood slab. As it cooks the edge of the wood slab will start to smoke but the water in the wood will keep it from actually burning up. Two things happen, the flavor from the wood is infused into the fish from the wood slab being heated and the smoke is released from the smothering edges in the slab adding a smoke flavor.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I will have to Amazon everything. Mesquite is great, as is oak. Never cooked with Hickory, or apple. Manzanita was great and in Michoacan guisache which is another acacia is much like oak.
The pellet idea sounds excellent. Duck from Costco is on the menu.

[rexlion]

Thanks for the info!

[Gdetrailer]

dedmiston wrote:
A Smoke Tube filled with pellets gives you 2+ hours of good thick smoke and there's almost no cleanup. When the tube cools down, just shake the fine ash our into a planter or lawn.

X2!

Looks like this..



can be used like this..



Bunch of these tubes out there in different lengths from 6"-12", 6" typically gives about 2 hrs worth of smoke, 12" can get 4hrs or so (more for smokers). You can put less pellets in for shorter grilling times.

As mentioned, leftover ash is very little so it would be easy to dispose of compared to using a stick of wood or branch..

I have a 12" A-Maz-N brand which is made of good quality stainless, lives it's life outdoors year round in my smoker.

You can get the 6" HERE for $18

A 20 lb bag of food quality pellets lasts me well over a year (I mainly use in my electric smoker) and if I remember correctly typically costs less than $20 for the bag.. You do need to keep them in a dry place like a sealed container.

Food quality pellets could be an issue for you finding in Mexico..

[dedmiston]

A Smoke Tube filled with pellets gives you 2+ hours of good thick smoke and there's almost no cleanup. When the tube cools down, just shake the fine ash our into a planter or lawn.

[Gdetrailer]

Smoker box for gas grills is what you seek..

like this.



HERE

Nothing more than a small box which holds wood chips, has a lid and/or sides with small perforated holes to limit the oxygen to prevent flames but allow the wood to smolder and smoke..

I have done something similar to this with a simple homemade metal box from scrap leftover sheetmetal (not galvanized please), left it open top. Took some small tree twigs and a few small splits of Maple and start it smoking with a torch..

Green wood however typically is difficult to light and the smoke will be much stronger to the point of being harsh "licking a used stove pipe" creosote taste if you are not careful. I also prefer less bark as it can cause some off flavors..

There are a lot of different ways to generate a good tasting smoke on a gas grill, Ama-zen smoking tubes are a good choice for smoking pellets (looks simular to pellets for pellet stoves but does not have artificial binders).

Smoking boxes are designed for wood chips but I suspect if you have small enough chunks/chips/kindling/splits of Mesquite it might work.

[dedmiston]

Moved from Tech Issues.

[mgirardo]

rexlion wrote:
On a gas grill, since the wood isn't in direct contact with the heat source, how long does it take for the gas flame to get the chips smoking, prior to putting the meat on the gas grill? Do you experienced folks soak the wood chips, or not?

That would depend on how far from the flame the foil packet is. My previous gas grill, a Charbroil brand grill had the burners covered by flavorizer tents, then the grate was a few inches above that. With a foil packet on the grate it would take a few minutes to start smoking. I haven't smoked on a gas grill in a long time, but it is effective. I've smoked ribs and boston butts on a gas grill. Not a flavorful as when cooked on a smoker, but still good.

-Michael

[profdant139]

Chips of mesquite wrapped in a foil envelope on the grill will work better than a whole branch -- more surface area. Poke holes in the foil. You can soak the chips. I don't soak them -- I like a strong smoke taste. (I cook on a Big Green Egg grill/smoker, but I used to cook on a gas BBQ.)

[rexlion]

I like tilapia over hickory chips, but I've always done it by throwing soaked wood chips on hot charcoal briquettes. On a gas grill, since the wood isn't in direct contact with the heat source, how long does it take for the gas flame to get the chips smoking, prior to putting the meat on the gas grill? Do you experienced folks soak the wood chips, or not?

[Old-Biscuit]

Wrap in aluminum foil....cut a few 2" slits in top of foil then place onver burner
Aluminum foil keeps ashes from falling out and clogging burner......slits allow the smaoke out

When done.......drop aluminum foil package in trash (after it has cooled down)