Smokin' on the Gas Grill

 Like most American males, I like to grill when the weather's nice--and sometimes even when the weather's not so nice. I've actually been known to fire up the grill with snow on the ground but that's a different story altogether. For the past 30-odd years, I have primarily used gas grills out of convenience. It's nice to be able to come home for lunch, turn it on, grill a couple of hot dogs and still make it back to work on time but there's one thing typically missing with a gas grill--that lovely smoky flavor.

Now at this point, there are some who would simply say this is why one should use charcoal instead of a gas grill and while I acknowledge the validity of that argument, I shall not wade into this quasi-religious divide between gas and charcoal, other than to say I'm just not willing to give up the convenience and control of gas. I also do not have space for a dedicated smoker and I've known a lot of people who have bought one, used it a time or two and let it sit idle for a few years before giving it away or selling them at a steep loss at a yard sale. 

That said, I've had a supply of mesquite chips in my cabinet for several years and finally decided a month or so ago that I either needed to either use them of get rid of them. Being a bird-in-the-hand kind of guy, I opted for the former and went to that great fountain of online knowledge—YouTube—to find out if they could actually be used with a gas grill and if so, how.  

My first experiment, while not exactly a failure, could have gone better. I had a whole chicken taking up space in my freezer and decided to quarter it, marinate it, and grill it over wood chips, which I soaked in water and wrapped in a packet of heavy duty foil, with several holes poked into it to vent the smoke. I actually made two of these packets (called "smoke bombs" in at least one video I watched) and placed one at each end of the grill, directly over the burners. 

I cooked the chicken 'low and slow' to maximize the smoke absorption and it was very tasty—thanks to the Badia Mojo Marinade I used—but the smoke flavor I was really after was almost nonexistent. When I checked my 'smoke bombs' afterward, I found out why. They were just a little blackened at the edges but for the most part, they hadn't ignited. Too wet? Bad placement? Both? This warranted further investigation.

A few days later, I grilled a hamburger, re-using one of the smoke packets, this time dry, placed against the back of the grill. While I achieved a greater amount of smoke, the burger cooked fairly quickly so little of the flavor was absorbed. When everything cooled down, I opened the packet and found that the chips had not been completely consumed but had instead been transformed into what appeared to be charcoal. 

For my third test some time later, I grilled a seasoned pork tenderloin with the other smoke packet from the original attempt, this time with a small amount of water, and instead of a foil packet, I placed the chips into a 'smoke box', a lidded stainless steel box with holes in the top and sides to vent the smoke. The closed bottom allows the chips to be wet or dry. Again, the slightly dampened chips did not fully ignite or produce a large amount of smoke and like the chicken, the meat was very tasty but the result was indeterminate because it had been heavily pre-seasoned before packaging.

My most recent test came yesterday when I grilled two thick pork ribeye chops using all of the previously used chips dry in the smoke box, which was placed right in the middle. I think I might have gotten some good mileage out of those chips. The smoke box also covered a troublesome hot spot on my grill and I got the best smoke yet. The chops had a wonderful smoky flavor without any sauce. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this!

UPDATE: In the weeks since this initial writing, I have landed on a good technique the produces consistently good results and have also begun branching out (no pun intended) to use other types of wood chips, including hickory, apple, cherry and combinations. So what have I learned from my initial experiments? 

• On my grill at least, the smoke box works best with dry chips and should be placed right in the middle, underneath the cooking surface. Your mileage may vary.
• It is best to cook 'low and slow' (slowly over low heat) for maximum smoke absorption. This is a departure from my traditional method of grilling fast on medium to high heat. 
• Pre-heat the grill on high with the wood chips in place to get the smoke going, then turn it down to low and put the meat on for cooking. 
  
• A pan of water on the grill's upper rack can help create a more humid cooking environment and jucier meat.
• No peeking—Keep the grill's lid closed to keep in the smoke and maintain a constant temperature. Just open the lid to quickly flip the meat.
• Thicker cuts of meat, preferably with a little fat on them, work best since they cook a little slower and the fat will absorb flavors with which it comes into contact, such as smoke.
• Dry rubs and light marinades work well with smoke; thick sauces tend to hide the flavor.
  
• Don't be afraid to experiment. Just because some bozo on YouTube says his way is the only way to do it doesn't mean it's the best way for you and your grill. Figure out what works best for you and your equipment.
• A smoke box is a worthwhile investment. It works better than foil and will eventually pay for itself with what you save from not having to buy so much foil.

So, how does this gas grill hybrid method of smoking meats compare with doing it in a smoker? Based on my experiments so far, I'd say reasonably favorably, considering the inherent differences between a grill and a smoker. Even at the lowest setting, a gas grill is going to cook hotter than a smoker so it's going to cook more quickly. Leaving meat on the grill for eleven hours just isn't practical. Likewise, the smoke isn't going to last as long, maybe half an hour, and because of the placement of the smoke box or packet, it isn't feasible to replenish it while cooking. For this reason, the smoke flavor will be lighter and more delicate on the grill than from a smoker, where the meat is bathed in smoke for hours on end and don't expect to see that pink 'smoke ring' on the outside of the meat that a smoker produces.

While smoking on the gas grill doesn't make a whole lot of sense for burgers and dogs or thin steaks and chops, it can bring a world of new flavor to chicken and thicker cuts of meat—no sauces required.

My Home Just Got Smarter

It doesn't seem all that long ago that watching characters on Star Trek control various functions on the starship Enterprise, from turning on lights to procuring a cup of tea—Earl Grey, Hot—with voice commands seemed oh so sci-fi but now, it's becoming a part of our daily lives, thanks to 'smart home' technology.

I've been curious for a while about the notion of a 'smart home' and although I've largely allowed my Luddite tendencies take precedence in this area—why do I really need everything connected to my wireless network?—but despite my best efforts, I find myself suddenly thrust firmly into the twenty-first century. 

It all began last fall when SirusXM offered me a free Google Nest speaker to help me bring SiriusXM into my home. Unlike their previous—and ongoing—offers of a "free" SiriusXM receiver, which required an additional subscription, this device came with literally no strings attached so I accepted. While it's been fun to let the little hockey puck-sized device play music, set timers, give me quick weather updates, etc., all via voice command, it's hardly been a 'daily driver' device for me but that may have just changed.

Since getting the speaker, the notion of smart plugs have seemed like a potential solution to an annoying problem in my house, which has a dearth of overhead lighting. Instead, most of the rooms have a switched outlet into which one is supposed to plug a lamp. That's a nice idea, except that in pretty much every room, the switched outlet is in exactly the wrong place; case in point, the one in my living room is the outlet into which most of my electronics, including my WiFi router are plugged. I can't turn that one off so I've put a cover on the switch to keep it from accidentally being switched. The flip side of this problem is that at night, I must make my way into the living room in the dark to get to a lamp. Enter the smart plug.

The other day, I found a four-pack of Kasa Smart WiFi Mini plugs on Amazon at an attractive price, made all the more attractive by the fact that I had a credit that covered half the cost, so I felt compelled to pull the proverbial trigger. Within a half hour of their arrival, I had all four set up and working—one in the living room and one in each of the bedrooms. 

The process included downloading the Kasa app onto my smart phone—which is increasingly becoming the technological center of my life, whether I want it to or not—and then setting up each of the plugs by plugging it in, finding it on my network and giving it a name. Now, I can turn lamps in each of those troublesome rooms on and off with a tap on my phone screen. To double the fun, the Kasa app integrates with the Google Home app so that I can also control those lamps from my Google speaker with a voice command; for instance, if I'm sitting in the living room and want the bedroom lamp on when I get back there to get ready for bed, all I have to do is say "Hey Google, turn on bedroom lamp". 

 And we thought "The Clapper" was exciting back in the '70s. 

UPDATE—I just read an article titled "Smart Home Tech We're Leaving Behind in 2021" and I agree with most of it. Smart appliances—refrigerators, washers, dryers, toilets, etc.—are generally not worth the cost for the benefits they provide. But I have to disagree with the author on smart plugs. It is a technology I would definitely miss if it went away. They have definitely made my life easier with the simple task of turning lamps on and off in rooms where the switched outlets are in illogical locations as mentioned above. They also offer the added convenience of being able to turn on a light remotely when I'm out at night so I don't have to come home to a completely dark house. The only one I'm having trouble with is my bedroom lamp, which is mostly a matter of muscle memory. Because the lamp itself is conveniently located, I still frequently turn it off at the lamp instead of with my iPhone. Fortunately, I've gotten to where I usually instantly recognize my mistake and correct it. 

After about six weeks of using these plugs, I'm finding that I mostly control them from the Kasa app on my phone, although I will occasionally turn on the living room lamp with a voice command but I just as often, if not more often, simply use the phone app and even though I can also issue voice commands on my phone via the Google Home app, I never do.

The one thing the article failed to list was smart light bulbs and light sockets. To me, these are more dispensable because they are of more limited application. They only work with lights while a smart plug could conceivably be used with other appliances although the only one I could think of that makes any sense is a coffeemaker but most of those have timers, making remote control somewhat superfluous. It might also be handy to have an extra 'floating' smart plug that could be used for something temporary like a Christmas tree. But for my needs, the four plugs I have address my needs quite nicely. 

Another Update--I just added another Google Home device Nest Hub touch screen display. It does everything the Nest Mini does but it adds the convenience of touch controls. It looks like a small tablet mounted on a stand but the stand is actually the speaker. While I like having the option for a touch screen interface, I can't see that it adds any essential functionality over the Nest Mini speaker, it does seem to understand my commands somewhat better I've only had to yell at it once in the four days I've been using it. Perhaps the best part of having the Nest Hub in the living room now is it allowed me to move the Nest Mini into my bedroom so that now I have voice control over my four smart switch-equipped lamps at either end of the house. It's the little things, I guess.

Yet another update--Now that some of my smart plugs are getting a little age on them, they're periodically malfunctioning and showing as 'unavailable' in either the Kasa or Google Home app. Also, my Google Nest Home smart speaker sometimes fails to respond to my voice commands. When either of these things occur, I don't get annoyed, I just give the offending device a reset by unplugging and re-plugging it. That is usually sufficient to return it to working order. If not, or I'm in a hurry, I'll just skip the automation and push the manual button on the side of the smart plug.

I have also added yet another smart plug--a weatherproof outdoor model for two post lamps on my deck. For years, I have been turning them on and off by plugging them in and unplugging them, but no more. Because it's not near either of my Google Home devices voice control is out of the question, and since it's kind of troublesome to dig out my phone to control them remotely, I just find the manual button to be the easiest solution. Because they have proven satisfactory, I have kept to Kasa brand smart plugs to maintain a unified environment.