How to Turn Your Kettle Grill into a Smoker

Summer was made for grilling. Red-hot charcoal, hot dogs, burgers, the obligatory limp, grilled eggplant.

But what about truebarbecue. The type of slow and low cooking that's characterized by billowing plumes of smoke at 9-hour cook times. How do we dothatat home?

In his new bookFeeding the Fire, NYC chef and restaurateur Joe Carroll and writer Nick Fauchald break down the separate and often misunderstood art forms of barbecue and grilling While there are plenty of great tips for those looking to get their grill on, it's Carroll's smoking advice we really wanted. After all, the man produces award-winning 'cue at his smoked meat meccas in Brooklyn and Philadelphia,Fette Sau.

That's great and all, but there's one problem: Like a lot of people, we don't have a smoker.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle

Luckily, Carroll's book gives us the blueprint for smoking in something that most people already have and anyone canbuy for less than $100—a simple charcoal kettle grill.

The biggest hurdle to summertime smoking for most home cooks is not having a dedicated smoker—they're expensive, bulky, and yet another piece of cooking equipment. But they seem especially redundant if you already have aperfectly acceptable charcoal kettle grillsitting around. Well, good news: "Kettle grills make pretty good smokers," says Carroll. You just need a few pointers on how to set them up for barbecue success.

Turn your kettle grill into a smoker

It's easy. First, be sure to thoroughlyclean out all ash and debrisfrom the bottom of the grill before you do anything. From there, use achimney starterto heat up yourhardwood lump charcoaljust as you would if were grilling. Once they're ready, remove the grate and dump the charcoal one side of the grill and place a disposable aluminum tray on the other. Place a few hardwood chunks (more on that in a second) over the coals, replace the grate, and place your meat on the grill over the pan.

Using agrill thermometer, monitor the heat of your DIY smoker—you want to stay between 200°F and 225°F. If things get too hot, close the top vent. On the other hand, if the temperature drops too low, add a few pieces of unlit hardwood charcoal.

(The only problem with using your kettle grill as a smoker is that you have to remove the top of it to add more charcoal and wood, which will cause smoke and heat to escape. This means your meat might take a bit longer to smoke, but shouldn't be too much of an issue if you work quickly and efficiently.)

Photo by Chelsea Kyle

Score Wood Chips For More Flavor

Wood chips, it turns out, are an incredibly important part of the smoking universe. Charcoal will give your food smokiness, but wood adds an extra layer of depth. But you'll want to choose your wood wisely. For example, while mesquite might be the most widely available, its aggressive, bitter flavor might not be exactly what you're looking for.

Instead, look to milder smoking woods: Consider cherry or apple if you want to impart a gentle sweetness; maple and pecan for a medium amount of smoky essence; and woods like hickory, oak, and walnut for an unmistakable pungent smokiness (just use those woods in smaller amounts).

BUY IT:Wood Chips for Smokers : Oak, Alder, Cherry, and Apple, $20 on Amazon

Make a Killer Spice Rub

Want to define your own personal style of 'cue? The best place to start is with your spice rub. Carroll bases most of his menu on his house blend. "We use this rub on just about everything that we smoke," writes Carroll. His version uses dark brown sugar, salt, ground espresso, black pepper, garlic powder, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne—and works great as a starting point point for your own. Want a spicier smoked meat? Up the amount of cayenne and cut down on the sugar. Looking to add a Cajun or North African bent to your brisket? Check out more ideasright here.

Don't Skip the Barbecue Chicken

So you've hacked your kettle grill into a smoker, made your own house spice rub, and bought some fancy new wood chips. Now it's time to smoke something. We love Carroll's dead-simple dry rub-brined chicken. "Barbecue chicken is so common that we often overlook it," writes Carroll. "But when done well, it's one of my very favorites." That dry rub you concocted? It's going flavor the chicken in the form of a simple brine, which will keep things juicy. No time for a 4- to 8-hour brine? Just coat the chicken in the stuff, toss it on the smoker, and call it a day. Either way, you can't lose.