How Do You Smoke food On A Gas BBQ?

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There are few things more evocative than smell. The scent of a particular sauce or a certain meat has this magical, nostalgic power to remind us of special meals and exactly where we were when we ate them. Smoking on the barbecue creates a unique aroma and delivers flavour that you can't get in the kitchen. Yet, like much in the world of BBQ, smoking is an underrated technique – and one which can be applied with a far broader brush than you might think. So let’s whip out our barbecues and smoke out some of the myths about this versatile method.

"Myth 1: There’s a “perfect” way to smoke meat"

Even among keen barbecuers, there is often a widespread misconception that all smoked foods, whether they’re meat, fish or vegetables, taste the same. What is most exciting about smoking, however, is the exact opposite: smoking can create a whole range of flavours!

Changing the wood is the easiest way to manipulate these elements. Every type of wood releases a different aroma, so cooking your meat on a Weber cedar plank will infuse a subtle smokiness into your dish, while our range of flavoured wood chips (such as apple or whisky) can bring out whole new dimensions of deliciousness. Another tool is seasoning. In smoking, this includes three aspects of flavouring, from brine, to rub, to sauce – experiment and see what works for you!

"Myth 2: Only professionals know how to smoke"

Even though smoked foods have a complex flavour, this doesn’t mean the process itself needs to be complicated. With the new Weber Master- Touch Premium or Genesis® II barbecue, smoking is made accessible and easy. All you need to do is add the smoking chunks directly to the briquettes for a delicious, full-bodied flavour, and, in the case of the Weber Genesis® II barbecue, you just add a smoking box and insert.

Weber’s smoking chips. Close your barbecue lid for long enough to let the chips start smoking, before reopening to place your ingredients on the grate. After that, the smoke will take care of the rest, meaning plenty of room for experimentation!

"Myth 3: There’s a limit to what you can smoke"

We’re all familiar with the crispy skin of smoked brisket, the heady flavours of smoked ribs and the sultry smoothness of smoked salmon. These are the foods most associated with the technique, and for good reason. They are crowd-pleasers, and you can get to grips with these classic recipes for smoked meat and smoked salmon on the following pages. But it’s worth remembering that smoked brisket, ribs and salmon are just the beginning: a small corner of the big, delicious world of smoking.

Smoking’s foremost principle – ‘low & slow’ – is guaranteed to bring out unique tastes and textures in all sorts of meat, fish and vegetables. Smoked artichokes paired with a garlicky yoghurt sauce; cherry tomatoes smoked until almost at bursting point, then tossed into a warm grain salad; Brussels sprouts smoked alongside juicy chunks of pork belly. Smoking can do it all. So don’t let the myths fool you!

How to smoke on gas?

1. Choose the right Weber smoking chips to match your recipe. There is a range of flavours to choose from, so take a look at all the options before making your choice.

2. Take a handful of your selected woodchips and let them soak in water for 30 minutes before you intend to start.

3.
Pre-heat your grill to at least 250–260° C.

4. Shake off any excess water from the woodchips, and put them straight into the smoking box. Place this on the grate right above one of the burners so that it is exposed to
direct heat.

5.
Close the lid and let the smoke build up before placing food on the grate. Now, you can reduce the heat to the ideal smoking temperature suggested in the recipe. Note: A handful of woodchips will be enough to add that sought-after smoky flavour. Do not over-smoke at the beginning: 20 minutes is plenty to impart a great smoky taste.

Ingredients

  • circleServes: 4
  • circle1 h
  • 1 kg salmon side, skin on
  • Marinade
  • 1 tbsp mixed peppercorns
  • ½ bunch fresh dill
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • Salsa
  • 1 fresh red chilli
  • 3 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
  • ½ cucumber
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1 small handful dill
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 tbsp good-quality olive oil
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Sugar
  • Potatoes
  • 250 g new potatoes
  • 2 tbsp good-quality olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  •  
  • Special Equipment
  • Cedar plank, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Instructions

  • 1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Spread over the fish and wrap tightly in cling film. Leave for at least 1–2 hours in the fridge, preferably overnight.

  • 2. Pre-heat the grill to 150° C. Place the salmon on the soaked cedar plank on the barbecue over indirect heat, close the lid and smoke for one hour until its core temperature is 58° C.

  • 3. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes and prep the salsa by mixing all the ingredients and setting aside until the fish is done.

  • 4. Serve the fish with the dill salsa, boiled potatoes, a good squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and pepper.

  • All of our recipes are created by our expert chefs at the Weber Grill Academy. View more inspirational recipes or book a course at the Grill Academy now.

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Ingredients

  • circleServes: 10
  • circle1:30 - 2 h
  • 2.5 kg rump of beef
  • 20 g peppercorns, coloured, whole
  • 5 g allspice, whole
  • 10 g ginger
  • 10 g garlic
  • 2 g chilli flakes, to taste
  • 30 g sea salt, coarse
  • 10 g sugar, brown
  • 80 g butter
  • 60 ml Madeira
  •  
  • Special Equipment
  • Smoker box, beef blend woodchips

Instructions

  • 1. Soak the woodchips in water for at least 30 minutes.

  • 2. Peel the ginger and garlic and chop coarsely, then work into a paste using a pestle and mortar.

  • 3. Roast the coloured peppercorns and allspice in a pan over a low heat until fragrant, then add to the garlic-ginger paste and pound until a medium-fine consistency is achieved. Mix together with the chilli flakes, sea salt and sugar.

  • 4. Melt the butter in a pan, add to the mortar and then thoroughly blend the mixture.

  • 5. Rub the spice mixture into the beef.

  • 6. Prepare the barbecue for indirect heat at 140–160° C. Drain the woodchips and place them in the smoker box. Place the smoker box on the barbecue and wait for the chips to start smoking.

  • 7. Place the beef joint over indirect heat.

  • 8. Stick a meat probe into the centre of the joint, close the barbecue lid and cook until a core temperature of 58° C is reached.

  • 9. For a more powerful smoky aroma, more soaked woodchips can be added. Baste the beef periodically with the Madeira to keep it moist.

  • All of our recipes are created by our expert chefs at the Weber Grill Academy. View more inspirational recipes or book a course at the Grill Academy now.

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