How To Add More Smoke To A Pellet Grill. – 3 Easy Ways

I am a big fan of a pellet grill but sometimes there is not a lot of smoke flavor in the meat or my underdeveloped taste buds.

Adding more smoke to a pellet grill is a topic that often is looked at by both beginners and experienced grilles.

Drawing from my years of experience, and my passion for home BBQ, I’ve delved deep into the art of smoking with pellet grills.

In this guide, I’ll share with you the 3 best techniques I’ve tested and tried in my personal pellet grill adventures.

All 3 work but one is my favorite.

I’ll show you my practical tips and tricks to enhance the smoky flavor in your dishes.

By the way, I did some pellet grill reviews and at this moment in time, I am pretty impressed with the Z-grills (LINK).

There are, in my opinion, three easy ways to add more smoke in the chamber of a pellet smoker.

Wood Chip Foil Pouch

Just like I and many others have used on a gas grill you can also use this method on a pellet grill.

The only problem is that you have to place it close to the fire pot in the pellet grill and that sometimes can be a problem.

How To Make A Wood Chip Foil Pouch

This is how you make a wood pouch out of aluminum foil and how it works.

Step 1: Take a generous piece of aluminum foil and place some wood chips or the same pellets you use in the hopper.

Step 2: Fold it over without making it too snug.

Step 3: You need airflow to keep the wood smoldering so you have to poke some holes in the homemade aluminum smoke tube foil for this purpose.

If you cannot place it on the firebox of the pellet grill you can start the wood with a propane burner or even on the side.

After it starts smoldering you can add it to the smoke chamber and you will see more smoke coming out of the chimney.

I strongly advise using heavy-duty aluminum foil. Not just for a wood chip pouch but for everything on the grill. Here you can find my favorite heavy-duty aluminum foil (LINK).

Smoke Tubes

I have to be honest and let you know right from the get-go that this is my preferred method of adding more smoke to a pellet grill.

A smoke tube is a sheet of metal with holes in it that is bent round or square. You can fill it with the same wood pellets you use in the hopper of the pellet grill.

How To Light A Smoke Tube

You can light the pellets in it with a small propane burner and sometimes even with a piece of newspaper.

The pellet begins to burn first and you have to let it go for a while.

To get it to smoke you will just have to blow on it until the flames die out, and then it will add the extra smoke you were looking for.

My favorite pellet tube brand is the Amazen smoke tubes. They come in several sizes and you can find them here on Amazon.(LINK)

Smoker Box

Besides a smoke tube, you can also use a smoker box as many people use on a gas grill to give the meat they grill some smoke flavor.

Here is a picture of a smoker box from the same company.

How To Use A Smoker Box

Most of the time a video can explain it better than I do with my writing.

Adding More Smoke To A Pellet Grill? – My Experience.

As you can see there are several ways to add more smoke to a pellet smoker. What method works best for you is something you have to figure out.

The cheapest way to test it is with a wood chip foil pouch of course. Aluminum foil is something most people have in their kitchen drawer.

Many discussions are going on about soaking woodchips and there are many opinions out there.

But my answer is that I never soak them! I want wood smoke and not water vapor.

If you, however, are planning on using one of the methods to get more smoke from a pellet grill more often I suggest having a look at a smoke tube or maybe even a smoke box.

Both come in several sizes and will last for a long time.

I have had mine add smoke to my pellet grill for almost 2 hours without refilling.

Warning: Since you add an additional heat source to the pellet grill chamber it might have an effect on the temperature of the pellet grill and slow down the number of pellets it feeds to the firepot.

Feel free to share my BBQ tips and tricks with your friends.

Eddie van Aken

Eddie van Aken brings years of experience from running a full-service restaurant, where he honed his skills with all types of kitchen equipment. His expertise extends to mastering the art of outdoor cooking, utilizing the right recipes to enhance flavors on grills and smokers. Eddie’s in-depth knowledge allows him to provide comprehensive grill reviews and valuable outdoor cooking tips, helping enthusiasts make the most of their grilling adventures. You can read more on the About page for Eddie van Aken