Kingsford for smoking?

[leech~~]

I've been using gas grills at home and at the camper for some time now.  I do really miss the Smokey flavor of charcoal but the speed of gas to get a dinner done and back out on the lake is nice. I do wrap some hickory up in tin foil to smoke on the gas grills when doing ribs or other longer cook meat though.

Lately I have been wondering how wrapping up some kingsford charcoal in tin foil or trying some in the smoker to get that great charcoal flavor would work?

Anyone else ever try it for smoking on a gas grill wrapped in tin foil or in a smoking tube or in a smoker instead of wood?

Edited September 26, 2017 by leech~~

[PurpleFloyd]

Just make sure you get it going good first without fluid or make sure the fluid is burned off.

 

I tried charcoal in my electric smoker once and didn't get the fluid burned off enough before I put the snack sticks in and the taste of the lighter fluid soaked into the casing pretty good and rendered it inedible. 

[chaffmj]

I agree. Don't use kingsford unless you put it in after it has turned all white. There are chemicals on it to make it light easier. 

[delcecchi]

1 minute ago, chaffmj said:

I agree. Don't use kingsford unless you put it in after it has turned all white. There are chemicals on it to make it light easier. 

Folks  use the minion method in smokers with no issues.

[chaffmj]

18 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

Folks  use the minion method in smokers with no issues.

What does use the minion method mean?

[RebelSS]

24 minutes ago, delcecchi said:

Folks  use the minion method in smokers with no issues.

Lotsa rib comps do that for overnites low 'n slow, if they're doing briquettes. Always worked for me.

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, chaffmj said:

I agree. Don't use kingsford unless you put it in after it has turned all white. There are chemicals on it to make it light easier.

Auuu, chemhecals never um, um what was I talken bout? 

[delcecchi]

2 hours ago, chaffmj said:

What does use the minion method mean?

Basically you put a bunch of unlit briquettes in the smoker, and then put like a dozen lit ones on top.  Pretty common for the low and slow smoking crowd.   The fire starts gradually so isn't too hot to start and it burns a long time.  

BTW named after a guy, Jim Minion, not some little yellow characters with goggles.  

http://virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html

[Grainbelt]

10 hours ago, leech~~ said:

I've been using gas grills at home and at the camper for some time now.  I do really miss the Smokey flavor of charcoal but the speed of gas to get a dinner done and back out on the lake is nice. I do wrap some hickory up in tin foil to smoke on the gas grills when doing ribs or other longer cook meat though.

Lately I have been wondering how wrapping up some kingsford charcoal in tin foil or trying some in the smoker to get that great charcoal flavor would work?

Anyone else ever try it for smoking on a gas grill wrapped in tin foil or in a smoking tube or in a smoker instead of wood?

The problem  with trying to smoke in a gas grill is that you cannot control the oxygen levels with dampers. These items tend to just get hotter until they are fully on fire. If you have grease build up in the Gasser, you have now just earned a timeout as the grill goes to the state of inferno with no control.  Putting them in a pouch with holes helps with oxygen levels, but if you want to smome it's best to have the right cooker. 

The minion method works if you can control oxygen, and I do use it in my Weber smoker, otherwise it will be a blazing fire.

I gave away my gassers years ago. If you light a chimney of charcoal for a charcoal cooker like the Weber kettle then go in and get your meat prepared, generally the charcoal is close to being ready by the time you get back out. Then you can use chunks of seasoned wood for flavor. 

[chaffmj]

Del thanks for the link. I had never heard of that before.

 

[Big Dave2]

I've heard of people breaking up 1 or 2 charcoal briquettes and putting that in with the wood chips in an electric smoker. Not sure why that wouldn't work on a gas grill? I have never personally tried it because I only grill or smoke with charcoal.

As far as the minion method goes, I use that all the time on my Weber grill to smoke things like chicken, ribs, etc. There is also the snake method which is similar but I have yet to try that.