With the advent of electric grills, it’s possible to cook outdoors without the mess of charcoal, lighter fluid, or blinding smoke. What may be missing is the smoky flavor that so many crave from barbecued food. Here are some tips to help you grill with power but still get that smoky flavor.
Safety is always the first priority in any outdoor kitchen. The fact that there is no flame does not eliminate all fire risk. Follow the clearance measurements in your owner’s manual to cook at a safe distance from all structures. If you must use an extension cord with your grill, use the proper gauge or thickness and length to prevent overheating of the cord due to excess resistance. Never leave your grill unattended. A flare-up or wind-tipped grill can quickly ruin your meal or your day.
Your smoke source will be wood, of course, in the form of chips or a large chunk. The wood can be soaked in water beforehand, but that will only increase the time it takes to get smoke. Wrap a handful of fries in a double layer of heavy aluminum foil and poke a few holes with a fork. Make too few holes and the wood won’t get enough air to burn. Push too many and the wood can burn too quickly.
Whether it’s wood chips or chunks, you’ll need to know the nature of your particular grill to determine the best location. Wood may be better suited to positions above, below or to the side of the element. As long as you get a small but steady stream of smoke, it’s enough.
If your electric grill turns the element on and off based on the thermostat, it may be necessary to increase the heat setting to get enough heat for the wood to smoke. The next consideration is how to avoid burning the food. Increase the distance between the element and the food when you are smoking it. If you turn up the heat setting but don’t get smoke, you may need to tweak the element control slightly to be able to turn it up a bit more. That option is beyond the scope of this article.
Wood smoke cannot be excessive, nor can it be allowed to accumulate around the food. The goal is a stream of smoke around the food and out of the upper grill area. If the grill lid has any type of vent hole, it should be mostly or completely open. Simply tilting the grill lid may not allow smoke to escape. It may have a thermometer in the lid; this is an ideal place to put a smoke vent. Remove the thermometer and cover most of it with aluminum foil. Another solution is to use a metal can lid screwed through the lid next to the hole to adjust the vent.
Another obvious safety point is to remember the possibility of the wood catching fire. Keep a spray bottle of water handy to spray the wood. Remember that smoking wood receives a large oxygen load when you lift the lid, and you must be prepared to keep it safe.
