36x20 grill good for smoking?????

[Blizzard]

I’m sure I do not want an offset stick burner. From reading the different threads here, I just don’t have the time to babysit a firebox on an offset.

I am however thinking of a regular 36x20 grill which has an access door on one side, opposite the exhaust stack. This would allow a person to add wood chunks or more charcoal without opening the main compartment door.

Would this setup be good for smoking say a rack of ribs? Most of the cooks I do are grill style cooks. I have a WSM, but it only sees work every couple of months.

If I’m reading all these threads right, some of you are even smoking briskets on a Weber kettle? Is that right?

Anyway, what do some of y’all think? Would you attempt to smoke on a grill?

[Stlsportster]

The reason a Weber kettle can be used to smoke is the lid is tight enough to control the air flow with the vents and let the charcoal and wood not burn at full heat.

I think it would depend on the grill you get and how tight it is...otherwise you will be feeding it charcoal and wood as fast as an offset stick burner.

[Tioga]

You can absolutely smoke ribs on your grill. I do it all the time on my Chargriller pro sans firebox. Just build a charcoal fire with wood chunks on one side and put your rib racks on the other side. Adjust your vents so that the flames go out when you close it but the fire continues to slowly burn. You should be able to fit three racks at a time on your big grill. Let us know how it works out.

[Blizzard]

Thanks!

[tom b]

what Tioga said will work

[Blizzard]

Yes, I can see how this would work. Ultimately I would like a 48” grill, to have more of an offset for indirect cooking. But 36 would also work I suppose.

Y’all can probably tell, I’m new to bbq-ing. It’s definitely different that’s for sure. I will say I’ve improved my game a lot just from reading this forum.

Thanks again!

[Smoke on Badger Mountain]

You sure could. You can smoke on all kinds of cookers with a little practice and some creativity.

[Rockinar]

Yeah, it would work with a little creativity I think.

I'm not sure how you would control the draft and prevent it from totally ripping up to 500*+ though. Might need a quality grill with a lid that seals well. I don't think a Chargriller with some flimsey and leaky door would work. Maybe it will? I don't know. As mentioned a Kettle works because the lid seals well enough.

[SmittyJonz]

I'd rather Smoke in a 26" Kettle cuz they are close to Air tight so easier to regulate temps than a Barrel grill.

[Joe Black]

Why not add a fire box to your grill. Then you can have heat and smoke in your cooking chamber without the direct fire. It should be an easy mod and smoking would be a snap.

Good luck and good smoking, Joe

[Moose]

What kind/brand of 36x20 grill are you looking at? This is a picture of a BarBChef grill I had some years back.






It was a terrible smoker as it leaked like a sieve, but it was solidly constructed and was a fantastic grill, especially with the ability to raise and lower the charcoal grate.

[jermoQ]

Like others have said, build the fire (maybe use a small basket, or bricks to block off charcoal) in one end, food on the other. I have done porksteaks and chicken on a really cheap barrel that way at my dads house, and at a somewhat higher temp [no thermometer], they turned out good.