Propane smokers unlocked the backyard grill for a new generation of pit masters. Master your smoker’s ignition, temperature control, airflow, and woodchips with our guide to using a propane smoker.
Propane smokers have opened up a whole world of grilling for newcomers. THEY allow for a quick and easy way to prepare smoked foods but without the complicated hassles that charcoal smokers come with.
They remove all the stress and difficult controls and instead allow you to smoke food in an easy and expected way.
Our beginner’s guide explains exactly how to use a propane smoker and gives you some expert tips to ensure you get the best results.
Choose your grill
The best propane smokers have a large capacity and an upright shape. This is to allow for good airflow while still giving you plenty of cooking surface to work with.
They also have an uncluttered control panel and can reach a cooking temperature of up to about 350°F. Since we smoke and don’t smoke on the grill, we don’t need excessive maximum temperatures.
Recommended by Masterbuilt MPS. It has a large cooking capacity(792 square inches) and incredible construction to ensure excellent heat retention and smoking temperatures.
Light your smoker
Before adding food, wet or dry wood chips , or other equipment, you must light the smoker.
Ignition systems can vary from device to device, but in general there should be a simple power button and temperature settings on your smoker’s control screen. This type of quick ignition is one of the things that sets them apart from electric smokers.
Before you activate it, make sure your propane tank connection is secure. We want the gas supply to be good, but also safe. Also, check that your smoker door is properly closed and that your propane gauge is showing a good reading.
The heat begins. Aim for a target cooking temperature of 107°C(225°F). It usually only takes 10-20 minutes for the smoker to heat up.
Prepare wood chips
Wood shavings are a great way to enhance the flavor of your food. Popular wood chips include apple, oak, and hickory.
Many smokers come with a smoker box to store them. Measure out about a cup of chips and place them in the smoker box or wooden chip pan.
Pro tip: Wood chips will not be removed. This will ruin the quality of the smoke in your grill.
Add one tablet with water
Using a censer water pan is an excellent way to improve the performance of your propane smoker.
They can help stabilize in-unit cooking temperatures(even with propane smokers) while preventing food from drying out. The best smoked meats are always moist and rich in juice, so using a skillet is a great way to ensure we get these results.
Water pans are very cheap to buy and are often included with smokers.
Fill the pot with clear cold water. In your preheated smoker, place the pan on the bottom of the smokehouse. If not, place it on the lowest cooking grate.
The water in the pan evaporates during cooking, so you may need to refill it while cooking. You to keep an eye on it(your smoker may have a window in the door) and refill as needed.
Pro tip: Don’t use added flavorings in your water pan. Some people like to use beer, apple juice or cider. I find that it doesn’t have much impact, so I prefer to create flavors with just wood, brine, or marinades.
Check ventilation slots and air flow
Your propane smoker may contain vents(also called regulators ) to control the temperature inside your smoker. Oxygen is the primary fuel for fires, so good air regulation is crucial when grilling.
Your smoke should have an inlet regulator at the bottom that allows air to enter the smoker ; and an exhaust flap at the top that draws air out of the smoker. To put it simply: the wider the air slots, the more oxygen is supplied to the flames and the higher the cooking temperatures.
When lighting your smoker, fully open the vents. This will help your smoker reach 225°F quickly.
Once preheated, set the vents halfway. This will help stop the cooking temperature from accelerating without extinguishing it.
Pro Tip: Every smoker is different, so there WILL be a learning curve in knowing exactly how to adjust the vents to achieve a good heat. Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn how to make small changes to the air vents in your kitchen environment.
Add your food
Now for the real fun.
Transfer your food to your smoker and place it on the center racks in the cooking chamber. Get to put it directly on the pan of water so the juices or drains can carry extra flavor to the smoke from the pan.
Close chamber door and roast at 225°F. Cooking times are based on meat and weight, so check out my guide to the best meats to smoke for times.
Don’t constantly monitor the progress of your meal. As tempting as it is to open the door to see how you’re doing, doing so can significantly change the cooking temperature and potentially ruin the meat.
Pro tip: let meat sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before smoking. This can help improve results by minimizing temperature changes throughout the garden.
Check for wood chips and water.
Check your food after 2 hours(waiting until this period is often cited as a rule of thumb ). Make sure the temperature gauge on the smoker reads close to 225°F.
Check for a quick read of the wood chip box or water pan, and refill if necessary.
Close the door and let the meat finish smoking.
Check the meat
As your meat’s target time approaches, YOU use a meat thermometer to check your meat’s progress. To do this, insert the sample into the thickest part of the meat.
Once the meat is done, remove from the smoker and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Do you soak wood chips for a propane grill?
No, don’t soak your wood chips. Smoking with wood chips is a subject of much debate among tobacco enthusiasts, with many claiming that it helps create more smoke and may help mitigate the effects of high temperatures. This be a strong argument if you’re using a charcoal or offset smoker, but might be excellently needed if the temperature control you get with propane means it IS not.
Soaking wood chips beforehand can produce gray or black smoke that can be harmful when cooking. With propane for grilling, we want to achieve a thin layer of blue smoke. Using dry shavings is the best way of ensuring.
For a full discussion of the practice see my post on removing wood chips in an electric smoker.
Best Propane Grills in The Market
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