Yes, you can barbecue on the stovetop, and the process is surprisingly simple, requiring no special equipment.
Stovetop barbecuing is a versatile method that shares similarities with the popular Reverse Sear technique. This technique is a game-changer, as it allows the food to be cooked on low heat for an extended time, ensuring even cooking and moisture retention, and then seared afterward for that perfect crust. Reverse sear usually calls for 225 F / 107 C, the temperature a large pot reaches on the stovetop.
Foods Suitable for Stovetop Smoking
Large pieces of meat require adding more wood chips. I would recommend nothing larger than 4 pounds. This is a good way to smoke a whole chicken, chicken pieces, fish, pork tenderloin, or a small roast of beef or steak. The chart below shows smoking times for larger pieces of meat marked *, which would be more suitable for a dedicated outdoor smoker. Here are some suggested recipes. For some foods that take a very long time to cook, like Brisket, you can smoke them and then finish them in the Instant Pot as in our Stovetop Smoked Brisket in the Instant Pot.
Stovetop Smoked Salmon with Dill Rub
Stovetop Smoker Highway Chicken
What you need for a stovetop barbecue
- Wood chips for smoking
- A large pot, preferably with a pasta insert
- A cast iron griddle/grill or cast iron pan
- Foil
- Infrared thermometer
- Probe thermometer
The infrared and probe thermometers are optional but highly recommended. The infrared ensures the pot’s heat is at the right temperature, while the probe precisely indicates your food’s doneness, ensuring perfect results every time.
Your pot must be relatively heavy, so triple-ply stainless steel will work perfectly. With that said, stainless steel is not completely stainless. Stovetop smoking will discolor your pot, so you might want a dedicated pot for this purpose. A heavy stock pot with a pasta insert is recommended because it can hold the food, and the holes allow the smoke to flow around it.
How to Prepare the Stovetop Barbecue
Preparing a stovetop barbecue is a step-by-step process. First, you need to know approximately how long the food you want to cook takes at low temperatures. Then, add a half hour to that for wood soaking time. This preparation step is crucial for achieving the perfect stovetop barbecue.
You must soak the wood chips. It prevents the chips from burning too quickly, creating a steady and flavorful smoke. The amount of wood chips you need is determined by how long the food has to cook. For example, a chicken takes 6 ounces of wood chips. Please use a scale to do this; don’t try to eyeball it.
Table of Chip Weights
The next thing you need is foil. I recommend using heavy-duty foil. You will need three pieces: one to line the bottom of the pot, one to fit around the soaked chips, and another to place under the food. If you are not using a pasta insert, it’s advisable to have one more sheet of foil to put the food on. Don’t use parchment paper or plastic wrap because they catch fire or melt.
Line the bottom of your pot with the first piece of foil, bringing it up partially up the sides of the pot.
Put the soaked chips on another piece of foil, make a loose packet, and put it in the pot. Then, lay the last piece of foil on top.
You can add seasoning to the food you are going to be smoking. Put the food in a large bowl and add the seasoning, then use a spatula to turn and distribute the seasoning. If it’s for fish, you can put the seasoning directly on the fish and not worry about distributing it in a bowl. I recommend adding barbecue rub or salt and pepper.
Smoking the food
Now, transfer the seasoned food to the pasta insert. Put the probe thermometer in the thickest piece of food. Set the thermometer to the desired temperature.
Put the pasta insert over the foil and cover the pasta insert. Put the pot on the stovetop. Set the burner to high for 10 minutes, then reduce it to medium for the remaining time. Check the probe thermometer occasionally to see how close you are to the desired temperature. When the food is done, remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered, for ten minutes.
Stovetop Smoking Time and Temperature
| Meat Type | Cut | Temperature | Smoking Time | Target Internal Temp3 |
| Turkey | Whole* | 225°F / 107°C | 3-4 hours | 165°F / 73°C |
| Leg | 225°F / 107°C | 3-3.5 hours | 165°F / 73°C | |
| Breast | 225°F / 107°C | 1.5-2 hours | 165°F / 73°C | |
| Pork | Butt* | 205°F / 96°C | 10-12 hours | 195°F / 90°C |
| Ribs* | 225°F / 107°C | 5-6 hours | 190°F / 87°C | |
| Shoulder* | 205°F / 96°C | 12-14 hours | 195°F / 90°C | |
| Chicken | Whole | 225°F / 107°C | 4-5 hours | 165°F / 73°C |
| Thighs | 225°F / 107°C | 1.5-2 hours | 165°F / 73°C | |
| Beef | Brisket* | 225°F / 107°C | 10-12 hours | 190°F-203°F |
| Tri-tip | 225°F / 107°C | 2-3 hours | 145°F / 62°C |
Grilling the Food
While that is happening, heat a cast iron grill on your stovetop. If you don’t have a grill, a cast iron skillet will work well, too. Get whatever barbecue sauce you want to put on as well. Remove the food from the pasta insert. Brush it liberally with barbecue sauce on both sides, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
Use your infrared thermometer now to see how hot the grill is. It should be at least 500 F / 260 C. Spray the cast iron with olive oil; when the oil stops bubbling, it is time to put the food on the grill.
Put the food on the grill for about 30 seconds, then flip it over for another 30 seconds or until the food has a nice sear on both sides.
Remove the food from the grill and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Email Me the Recipe
Stovetop Barbecued Chicken Thighs
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 32 oz chicken thighs, bone-in, about 8 thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
- 1 teaspoon *olive oil
¼ cup Boswell Barbecue Sauce, or your favorite BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Soak the wood chips in water for 30 minutes.
- 32 oz chicken thighs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepperSprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken thighs and let them sit in the refrigerator while the chips soak.
- Put a large piece of foil in the bottom of the pot and put it up the sides.
- Drain the wood chips and put them on a piece of foil.
- Make a loose packet from the foil, leaving parts open for smoke to escape.
- Add one more piece of foil and place it on the packet.
- Put the chicken thighs in the pasta insert. Put the *thermometer probe in the thickest thigh. Set the probe to 160 °F (71 °C).
- Lower the pasta insert into the stock pot. Put the lid on the pot. If your pot does not have a tight-fitting lid, wrap foil around the lid, so smoke will not escape into your kitchen.
- Heat the burner to high. Keep the burner on high for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let the chicken cook for about 2 hours or until it reaches 160 °F (71 °C). Remove the pot from the heat but keep the lid on.
- Let the chicken rest in the pot for 10 minutes. While the chicken is resting, heat the cast iron grill to at least 500 °F (260 °C).
- 1/4 cup Boswell Barbecue SauceBrush the chicken thighs, if desired, with your favorite barbecue sauce.
- 1 teaspoon olive oilSpray the grill with olive oil. Put the thighs on the grill skin side down and grill them for about 30 seconds, then flip them and grill for another 30 seconds.
- Let the thighs rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Footnotes
- Ribs will need to be replenished with chips when they turn to ash. Depending on how many ribs you are smoking, you may have to stop the process and add more chips. ↩︎
- Brisket or pork shoulder needs long cooking times, so the chips must be replenished periodically. ↩︎
- The US Food and Drug Administration recommends these internal temperatures. And, yes, the FDA will have to take the perfect rare 125℉/ 51℃ steak out of my cold, dead hands. ↩︎
