How To Smoke Meat On A Charcoal Grill

Smoking meat is awesome, but not everyone owns a smoker. So, here’s how to smoke meat on a charcoal grill, step by step. This guide will teach you how to smoke meat on a Weber Kettle grill, but you can apply these simple principles to any other grill.

How To Smoke Meat On A Charcoal Grill

To smoke meat on a charcoal grill, you want to replicate the conditions present inside a smoker. These conditions include:

A “hot zone”
An indirect heat “cool zone”

Since the Weber Kettle (like many other grills) is quite compact, there is limited space, and you can’t just put the coals on one end of the chamber to create this temp differential.

Instead, place the lit coals on one side of the chamber (under the grates), and a roasting pan under the other half. Pour a liquid of your choice in the roasting pan (usually water, but don’t be afraid to get creative with apple juice, beer, etc). You don’t want to fill it up, just add some moisture, which will also work as a heat sink for your “hot zone”.

Finally, throw a chunk of smoke wood on the hot coals.

You’re almost ready! Close the lid, and adjust the vents to get the temperature up to where you need it. From this point, proceed as you would with any smoker.

Have fun!

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