How To Smoke Meat with a Charcoal Grill

How To Smoke Meat with a Charcoal Grill

Updated February 2025

You don’t have to head to your neighborhood barbecue joint to eat the best meat in town. With a charcoal grill and the right technique, you can get that smokey, wood-fired flavor right in your own backyard. Wondering how to smoke meat without a fancy smoker? Kick Ash Basket has you covered. So grab your apron, and let's fire it up.

You Don’t Need a Smoker to Smoke Meat at Home!

Think a high-end smoker is the only way to get that deep, smoky flavor? Nope! Your charcoal grill can do the job just fine. In this blog, we’ll walk you through everything you need—from must-have tools to step-by-step smoking techniques—so you can master the art of backyard barbecue.

Essential Equipment & Ingredients

Before firing up the grill, make sure you’ve got the right equipment:

  • Charcoal Grill – Any will do, but kettle grills (like a Weber) make heat control easier.

  • Lump Charcoal – Burns hotter and faster than briquettes, if given an unlimited air supply.

  • Wood Chips/Chunks – Add flavor!

    • Hickory (bold, great for pork), Mesquite (strong, best for beef), Applewood (mild, great for poultry), Cherry/Pecan (subtle, works with pork & poultry).

    • Chunks burn longer; chips are better for quick smoke bursts.

  • Drip Pan & Water Pan – Catch drippings, regulate heat, and keep meat moist. Bonus: add beer or juice for extra flavor.

  • Thermometer – A must-have for nailing temps—guessing won’t cut it.

  • Rub & Seasoning –

    • Dry rubs build a flavorful crust.

    • Marinades tenderize and add depth.

Gear up, season up, and let’s smoke some meat!

Step 1 - Set Up Your Charcoal

Move all your charcoal over to one side of your grill. Smoking is all about indirect heat, so you want your charcoal on one side of your grill and your meat on the other.

The easiest and most foolproof way to make sure your charcoal stays where it’s supposed to be (don’t want it falling over into the other side while it’s hot and your meat is already on the grill) is to use a charcoal divider in your charcoal basket. The divider hooks into the grates of your charcoal basket and creates a wall that even the mightiest charcoal can’t squeeze through.


Step 2 - Set Up Your Drip Pan

Place your drip pan in the grill and fill it with water. This step is key to smoking meat on a charcoal grill—it helps maintain a steady temperature, keeps the meat moist, and allows the smoky flavor to cling better. To avoid spills, set the pan in place first, then carefully pour in the water (unless you’ve got nerves of steel!).

Want to add an extra layer of flavor? Swap out the water for apple juice, beer, wine, or fruit juice to infuse your meat with a subtle, delicious twist.

Step 3 - Light the Charcoal 

Light your charcoal and let it burn until the interior of your grill reaches a consistent 225-250 degrees. A steady, low temperature is key to creating that fall-off-the-bone tenderness and succulent flavor in smoked meat.

PRO TIP: If your grill doesn’t have a thermometer built in, an easy way to keep an eye on the temperature is to insert a meat thermometer into your grill’s top vent.

Step 4 - Add Wood Chips

When your grill has reached the right temperature, add your wood chips right on top of the charcoal. It’s a myth that you have to soak the wood in water before adding it to your grill. Any water absorbed by the wood would need to evaporate before the chips could begin to generate smoke anyway, so soaking the wood only prolongs the wait before dinner. Skip the soak and throw them right on.

Step 5 - Add Your Meat

Add your meat to the side of your grill opposite the charcoal and close the lid. The vent on top of your grill should be open slightly to allow smoke to escape slowly. Proper smoke flow is important because too much smoke buildup can cause your meat to burn, and too little smoke kinda defeats the purpose of smoking meat in the first place.

Step 6 - Watch, Maintain, and Wait

This is the part where you crack open a beer and grab a good book. Depending on what cut of meat you’ve chosen to smoke, it can take as long as 24 hours to fully cook. So you’ve got time to kick back and relax. 

Check about once an hour to make sure your temperature stays in the correct range, and you may need to add more wood to your coals or more water to your drip pan as time goes by.

How Long to Smoke Meat on a Charcoal Grill? 

Smoking is an all-day affair for most meats. While smaller cuts may cook fully in as little as 4 hours (you can even smoke burgers in one hour), larger cuts like a brisket can take up to 20 hours or even more to reach full flavor and optimal tenderness.

Want to know how long to smoke your favorite cut of meat? Check out the Smoking Times and Temperatures Chart from our pals at Food Fire Friends.

Choosing the Right Meat for Smoking

Not all meats are created equal when it comes to smoking. Some cuts just soak up that slow, smoky goodness, while others… not so much.

If you're firing up the charcoal grill for a proper smoke session, here are some of the best cuts to work with:

Best Meats for Smoking:

 

  • Brisket – The king of smoked meats. It takes time and patience, but the payoff? Pure, juicy perfection.

  • Pork Shoulder (a.k.a. Pulled Pork Heaven) – Super forgiving, loaded with flavor, and basically made for smoking.

  • Ribs (Pork or Beef) – Low and slow turns these into tender, smoky goodness. Just try not to eat the whole rack in one sitting.

  • Chicken – Smokes fast compared to the big cuts, plus it soaks up all that smoky flavor like a sponge.

  • Turkey – Not just for Thanksgiving! Smoked turkey is next-level delicious.

  • Sausages – Brats, chorizo, or any other links—smoking takes them up a notch.

Why Fat is Your Best Friend

Here’s the deal—fat is what makes smoked meat juicy and flavorful. The best cuts for smoking, like brisket and pork shoulder, have a good amount of fat and connective tissue. As they cook low and slow, all that fat melts into the meat, keeping it tender and packed with flavor.

On the flip side, leaner meats like chicken breast can dry out if you’re not careful. If you’re set on smoking something lean, brining or basting will help keep it juicy.

Moral of the story? Fatty cuts love the smoke, and the smoke loves them back. Choose wisely, and you’ll be serving up some next-level barbecue in no time.

Choosing the Right Wood 

The right wood can be the difference between disappointment and a mouth full of goodness. Not all wood is created equal! The type of wood you choose will make a big difference in the flavor of your finished product.

In general, lighter, fruitier woods go better with chicken and seafood, and woods with more intense flavor - like hickory and mesquite - go better with beef and pork. Of course, this is totally subjective. Try out different wood/meat combinations and see which you like best.

You Can Learn How to Smoke Meat With Your Charcoal Grill! 

Some people spend a lifetime perfecting the art of smoking meat. But you don’t have to wait decades to get it right. With these tips, you’ll be smoking meat on your charcoal grill in no time, to “can’t-get-enough” tasty results.