IF I USE A GREEN MESQUITE LIMB IN A GAS BARBECUE

Sure, use a box with holes to put the wood in. That keeps the crud out of the burner orifices. You can do that and put the box under the grate and free up more space for cooking.

SUPER IDEA, SIR!

Thank you.

If the unit has 2 burners, put the wood in an old pan on one side, with only that burner going, on low.
You will slow cook then on the other side if you can keep the overall temp down to 300 or less.

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)

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?

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 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

Moved from Tech Issues.

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.

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.