How to Smoke Meat in a Weber Kettle (10 Steps)

Smoking meat is all about the temperature, which must be low, and the heat source, which must be indirect. Making this happen inside a Weber kettle grill is a snap.

While Weber recommends the purchase of an accessory called a charcoal basket, it is quite easy to arrange the hot charcoals as needed for smoking without using additional accessories.

In fact, the covered Weber kettle grill was introduced in 1951 to allow outdoor cooking in wind and rain and to transform an ordinary grill into a sort of oven where foods could be slow-roasted rather than grilled.

Things You'll Need

Hardwood charcoal
Wood chips
Charcoal starting chimney or coffee can
Long matches or utility lighter

Newspaper
Tongs or oven glove
Meat thermometer

Setup

Prepare your meat for smoking. There are many techniques for ensuring tender and flavorful smoked meat, including brining and spice rubs.
Soak wood chips in water for at least a half hour before you expect to begin the cooking process. You will begin the process with about a handful of soaked chips but you should prepare at least twice that amount so that you can replenish the smoke source during the cooking.
Using a charcoal starter chimney or a coffee can with both ends removed, pile in a small amount of tightly crumpled newspaper and about two cups of charcoal. Hardwood charcoal is the most desirable, but ordinary briquettes will work as well.
Lift the can slightly to expose the newspaper. Light the newspaper and lower the can.
When the coals have begun to turn white, remove the can and arrange the coals against the side of the kettle in one quadrant only. This will be the source of indirect heat for the smoking process.
Scatter a handful of wood chips on the hot coals and add another handful of unheated charcoal. As the white coals burn out, the fresh ones will become hot ensuring the even heat needed for long, slow cooking.
Arrange your meat on the portion of the grill farthest from the coals.
Cover and insert the temperature probe through the vent on the top of the grill. The ideal smoking temperature is between 225 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature falls below that range, add more coals. If it rises too high, remove the cover for a few seconds at a time until the correct temperature has been achieved.
Add more damp wood chips as needed.
Check for doneness by probing the meat for tenderness and by checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer.

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