# How to smoke on a gas BBQ Source: https://charandsmoke.co.uk/blog/how-to-smoke-on-a-gas-bbq Published: 2026-10-12 Publisher: Char and Smoke **In short:** Put dry wood chips in a smoker box or a foil pouch with holes, place it over a burner at the back or side, and run that burner on high until the chips smoke. Then turn the other burners down or off, put the food over the unlit side, close the lid and cook indirectly at a low, steady heat, adding chips when the smoke fades. You do not need a separate smoker to get smoky food. A gas BBQ with two or more burners can smoke chicken, pork, sausages and fish well, using wood chips and indirect heat. The smoke is lighter than from a charcoal or pellet smoker, but the method is simple and costs very little. This guide covers the kit, the set-up, burner settings and the mistakes that cause bitter, sooty food. ## What you need Smoking on gas needs only a few items, most of which you may already have. - A gas BBQ with at least two burners and a lid that closes well. - A metal smoker box, or heavy-duty foil to make a pouch. - Wood chips for smoking, such as hickory, oak, apple, cherry or beech. - A probe thermometer for the food and ideally one for the grill level. - A drip tray or foil tray under the food to catch fat. ## Setting up the grill for smoking Smoking is indirect cooking with smoke added. The food sits over the burners that are off, and the heat and smoke come from the burner under the chips. On a three-burner grill, put the smoker box over the left or right burner and the food on the other side. On a four-burner grill you can run two burners on one side. Some grills have a built-in smoker box or a slot under the grates. Weber and other makers sell boxes designed for their grills; follow the manual on where the box may sit, because a box placed directly on burner tubes can block ports on some models. 1. Fill the smoker box or foil pouch with a couple of handfuls of dry chips. Poke a few holes in the top of a foil pouch. 2. Place it under the grate over the burner you will keep lit, as the manual allows. 3. Light the grill, close the lid and run on high until smoke appears, usually 10 to 15 minutes. 4. Turn the smoking burner down to medium or low and leave the others off or on low. 5. Put the food over the unlit side, close the lid and leave it. 6. Top up the chips every 30 to 45 minutes for the first part of the cook, when food takes on most smoke. ## Temperatures and timing Aim for a lid temperature of roughly 110 to 150 °C for smoking. Most gas grills will not hold the very low temperatures of a dedicated smoker, especially big four-burner models, so pick foods that suit a moderate heat: chicken thighs and wings, pork chops and tenderloin, sausages, salmon, whole chickens and smaller pork joints. Judge doneness with a probe, not time. The Food Standards Agency advises cooking poultry, pork, sausages and minced meat until steaming hot throughout with no pink meat and clear juices, and lists core checks such as 70 °C for 2 minutes. Smoked meat can stay pink just under the surface because of the smoke ring, so the probe matters more than colour. See our [core temperature table](https://charandsmoke.co.uk/tools/core-temperature-table). ## Getting clean smoke, not bitter smoke Good smoke is thin and blue-grey. Thick white or grey smoke that billows out means the wood is smouldering badly and will make food taste bitter. If that happens, open the lid briefly, let it clear and use fewer chips. Soaking chips is optional. Wet chips take longer to start smoking and mostly produce steam at first; many cooks now use dry chips in a closed box, which smoulders slowly anyway. Do not use treated, painted or unknown wood, and keep the grease tray clean, because burning old fat adds a harsh taste. Note: Smoking means long cooks. Never leave a lit gas BBQ unattended for long, keep it in the open away from fences and sheds, and check gas joints with soapy water after any bottle change. ## When to move to a real smoker If you find yourself smoking every weekend and want brisket, ribs and pulled pork at low temperatures for hours, a dedicated smoker is easier. A pellet grill holds a set temperature on its own, and a charcoal bullet or offset smoker gives deeper smoke. Compare them in [best pellet grills for UK gardens](https://charandsmoke.co.uk/best/best-pellet-grill-uk) and [best charcoal smokers](https://charandsmoke.co.uk/best/best-charcoal-smokers). If you are buying a gas grill and want to smoke on it, choose one with three or more burners so you have a proper cool zone; see [best gas BBQs for UK gardens](https://charandsmoke.co.uk/best/best-gas-bbq-uk). ## Frequently asked questions **Can I smoke on a one-burner gas BBQ?** It is harder because there is no cool side. Some cooks use a foil tray of chips on the grate and a raised rack, but results vary. Check the manual before putting anything on or near the burner. **Should I soak wood chips?** It is optional. Dry chips in a smoker box smoulder well; soaked chips delay the smoke while the water steams off. **Which wood is best for smoking on gas?** Fruit woods such as apple and cherry give mild smoke for chicken and pork; hickory and oak are stronger and suit red meat. **Will smoking damage my gas grill?** Smoking leaves more residue inside the lid and on the burners, so clean the grill more often and keep burner ports clear. ## Buying guides on this topic - https://charandsmoke.co.uk/best/best-gas-bbq-uk - https://charandsmoke.co.uk/best/best-pellet-grill-uk - https://charandsmoke.co.uk/best/best-charcoal-smokers ## Sources - [Food Standards Agency](https://www.food.gov.uk)