Turning a cast-iron grill into a smoker I have a Char-broil gas cast iron grill.  This is one of the style where the flame is under cast iron pans filled with lava rocks rather than cooking the food directly.  Works great for when you don't want to bother with charcoal.  But I digress.

My question is: I think this type of grill would make an excellent smoker, and has anyone tried doing so before?


were you able to keep it at the right temperature?  How?
how much wood chips did you use?  Did you soak them?
did you try to seal it to keep the smoke in?  again, how?
Any cooker with a lid that mostly closes the BBQ will work as a hot smoker. It doesn't have to be a perfect fit for hot smoking

Just add something that smokes with the radiant heat. Place it under the grill to the side, or on top of the grill if there is room. A crushed up bunch or tea tree or lavender twigs works fine. If the smoke runs out, add another bunch

Any wood will do, it doesn't need to be "fancy smoker chips" *. It doesn't need to be soaked or fiddled with in any way. Wood with nice smelling sap/oils seems to be better, but experience tends to indicate that any old wood will do

For temperature regulation, just concentrate on cooking correctly and safely. The smoke will do its magic regardless. You generally need more than ten minutes in smoke to make a decent impact, but for thin cuts or soft flesh fish you can do it in less


Referenced from Nathan Myhrvold talk promoting Modernist Cuisine