LDB
10-19-2010, 07:02 PM
I bought the 30" Sureheat Tuscany (Costco) three years ago. I was tickled because it was the first gas grill I've owned that I could actually keep the temperature low enough to smoke meat on, yet have a hot enough fire over the infrared burner to keep the wood chip box hot enough to keep the wood smouldering. I can place the ribs/tenderloins/chicken/etc. (even a whole turkey) far enough away to keep the temp at 200-250 degrees F. I do not turn on any burners other than the infrared burner with the wood chips over it.
I had to make a modification to the grill -- and the same mod could be made to a number of other grills. I bought a strip of sheet metal and cut it to fit from the top of the rotisserie burner housing that sticks out the rear of the grill to the top of the rear opening under the roll top hood, wide enough to go all the way across the opening and close it all off. I loosened the fasteners on the rotisserie housing, tucked the sheet metal down, and retightened the screws. This now keeps the smoke in great. You may have to decide on how to fasten the sheet metal across the rear opening of the grill if you can't do it the same way I did.
I highly recommend getting one or more grill/oven thermometers to put at different places on the grill, and preferably at different heights. This is particularly important until you get a good feel for how to keep the temperature adjusted around the grill. Do not rely on the temperature guage on the front of the grill! Start experimenting by adjusting the infrared burner higher or lower. It needs to be high enough to keep the wood smouldering, but probably no higher. I always put the infrared burner on high until it starts the wood smoking, then turn it down. If the temp still gets too high, then wedge something about 1/4 or 1/2 inches high under one front corner of the grill cover on the intrared burner side to allow a little outside air into the grill.
I hope this works out as well for you as it did for me if you have (or get) a grill where you can try it. I'd love the feedback if you find that you can do this with your grill or have other improvements.
I had to make a modification to the grill -- and the same mod could be made to a number of other grills. I bought a strip of sheet metal and cut it to fit from the top of the rotisserie burner housing that sticks out the rear of the grill to the top of the rear opening under the roll top hood, wide enough to go all the way across the opening and close it all off. I loosened the fasteners on the rotisserie housing, tucked the sheet metal down, and retightened the screws. This now keeps the smoke in great. You may have to decide on how to fasten the sheet metal across the rear opening of the grill if you can't do it the same way I did.
I highly recommend getting one or more grill/oven thermometers to put at different places on the grill, and preferably at different heights. This is particularly important until you get a good feel for how to keep the temperature adjusted around the grill. Do not rely on the temperature guage on the front of the grill! Start experimenting by adjusting the infrared burner higher or lower. It needs to be high enough to keep the wood smouldering, but probably no higher. I always put the infrared burner on high until it starts the wood smoking, then turn it down. If the temp still gets too high, then wedge something about 1/4 or 1/2 inches high under one front corner of the grill cover on the intrared burner side to allow a little outside air into the grill.
I hope this works out as well for you as it did for me if you have (or get) a grill where you can try it. I'd love the feedback if you find that you can do this with your grill or have other improvements.