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charcoal grill with briquettes piled on one side and a wood chunk on top and a charcoal chimney next to it with lit briquettes inside
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How to Smoke on a Charcoal Grill

Simple steps for how to smoke on a charcoal grill and set the grill up for indirect cooking.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Author Meghan Martigan

Equipment

  • Charcoal Grill
  • Charcoal Chimney Starter
  • Charcoal Briquettes
  • Wax Lighter Cube or Fire Starter Cube
  • Wand Lighter
  • Wood Chunks
  • Heat Resistant Gloves
  • Metal Ash Tool

Instructions

Setting Up the Charcoal Grill for Smoking

  • Remove the cooking grate from the charcoal grill.
  • Move any remaining charcoal left in your grill over to one side. Add some fresh briquettes on top. If you don't have any briquettes already in your grill, make a pile with new briquettes.
    pile of charcoal briquettes on one side of a charcoal grill
  • Make an indentation in the pile close to the side of the grill. This space will eventually hold the hot charcoal and wood.
  • Open the bottom vents all the way to allow enough air flow for the fire.

Lighting the Charcoal

  • Fill the charcoal chimney starter with about 15 new charcoal briquettes.
    new charcoal briquettes in the bottom of a charcoal chimney
  • Place one briquette on the empty side of the grill. Place a wax lighter cube or fire starter cube on top of the briquette.
  • Light the cube with a wand lighter.
    a charcoal grill with a charcoal briquette on one side and a paraffin wax cube on top being lit with a wand lighter
  • Allow the cube to burn and ignite the charcoal briquette.
    a lit paraffin cube on top of a charcoal briquette
  • Place the charcoal chimney starter on top of the lit cube. Allow the briquettes to ignite for about 15 to 30 minutes.
    a lit smoking charcoal chimney starter on a charcoal grill

Adding the Smoking Wood

  • Wearing heat resistant gloves, carefully pour the lit briquettes into the indentation in the pile. Make sure you check the bottom of the charcoal chimney to ensure no lit briquettes remain inside.
    a charcoal chimney filled with lit charcoal being dumped onto a pile of unlit charcoal briquettes
  • Place the chunk of wood on top of the lit briquettes.
    a gloved hand placing a chunk of wood onto a pile of lit charcoal on a charcoal grill
  • Use a metal ash tool to move the single lit briquette over to the pile of briquettes.
  • Turn the bottom vents so they are open only slightly.
    bottom vents of a charcoal grill only open a sliver to allow just a little bit of air flow

Replacing the Grill Grate and Lid

  • Place the cooking grate on top.
    the grate of a charcoal grill placed on top of a a pile of lit charcoal briquettes with a piece of wood on top
  • Place the lid on top with the vent over the opposite side of the charcoal.
    a gloved hand placing the lid on top of a weber charcoal grill
  • Turn the vent cover so they vents are open about half way.
    the top vent of a weber charcoal grill open

Safely Removing a Charcoal Grill Lid

  • Always open a lit grill away from you first to minimize the chances of a flare out.
  • Burp the lid by slowly lifting it on the opposite side from where you are standing just briefly and then place it down again. You can repeat this a couple times.
    burping the lid of a charcoal grill
  • Then remove the lid, making sure to lift the side away from you first.
    lifting the lid off a charcoal grill

Place Food on the Grill

  • Allow the white start-up smoke to dissipate before placing your food on the grill.
  • Once the smoke gets a little bluer, about 5 to 10 minutes, place your food on the pre-oiled grates on the opposite side of the grill from the pile of charcoal.
  • Do not keep the lid off for too long when you're putting your food on the grates. The more oxygen that gets to the coals and wood, the hotter the fire will get.

Maintaining Smoking Temperature

  • Throughout the cook, you can adjust the bottom vents to control the temperature inside the grill.
  • You can also adjust the top vent as needed if the temperature is too hot or too cold.

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