Smoke Food on the Stove Top – 6 Steps to Mastering Success

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 smoked salmon with a dill dry rub has incredible flavor and is so easy you will wonder why you never made it before.

Stovetop Smoker Highway Chicken

Love smoked food but live in an apartment? This DIY stovetop smoker is the answer for chicken, pork, fish or whatever protein you want.

Equipment for Smoke Food on the Stovetop

Our Picks

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*wood chips

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*Stockpot with Pasta Insert

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*foil

*

*Thermometer Probe

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*Infrared Cooking Thermometer

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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

Veggies	Poultry	Ribs1	Pork Butt/Brisket2
2 oz / 56 g	6 oz / 170 g	8 oz / 226 g	8 oz / 226 g

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

Grilling the Food

See, that was easy wasn’t it? You can smoke food but it might not be such a pretty color. The best way to get that grilled perfection look is to sear it on a cast iron grill.

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!

Footnotes

1. 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. ↩︎
2. Brisket or pork shoulder needs long cooking times, so the chips must be replenished periodically. ↩︎
3. 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. ↩︎