how much propane does a gas smoker use?

On average, when using a medium-sized smoker set to high heat, you will burn 1 to 2 pounds of fuel during cooking. You could love smoking your meat or fish as much as the next guy, but one thing you’ll always be conscious of is how much fuel you burn.

If you wonder how much propane does a gas smoker use, the truth is there is no clear answer. Many factors affect how much fuel you burn while using your smoker. This article will look at the key factors that affect how much propane gas is used during smoking.

Factors That Determine How Much Propane A Gas Smoker Uses

1. Type of Smoker

There are different ways to classify propane smokers, but when it concerns fuel consumption, there are two that are particularly important – insulation and construction.

Smoker units can either be insulated or non-insulated. All other things being equal, an insulated grill will provide better temperature control, and preserve more fuel.

As regards to construction, you want to pay attention to the material and quality of the build. Sturdy smokers made from thick materials can hold in more heat while smoking. This helps save a lot of fuel and keeps the right internal temperature. This is better than smokers made from flimsy materials especially the water pan.

The size of the smoke chamber matters, as a larger amount of allowed smoke will mean more fuel consumption.

The amount and type of wood chips also come into play here, along with the amount of water in the soaked chips. A larger number of wetter wood chips will cause for more fuel to be burned.

2. Size of Tank

The size of the propane tank on a smoker can affect both cooking time and fuel usage. It goes without saying, the larger the tank, the more fuel consumed. This also implies that the fuel will last much longer than in a smoker with a smaller tank.

Propane tanks vary significantly in size, with some reaching up to 420lb and some as small as 15lb. A 20 lb propane tank can hold sufficient fuel to cook for almost 20 hours on average temperature settings.

3. Cooking Method

The cooking method you employ is another factor that will influence how much propane gas your smoker will use. Direct cooking methods give faster results but consume a higher quantity of fuel compared to indirect smoking. This is because the food is smoked at a comparatively high temperature directly above the heat source.

With indirect cooking, the food is placed adjacent to the heat source and cooked through convection. This method uses less fuel.

4. Food

The type of food and quantity of food you cook will directly affect how much fuel you use up. Certain foods take longer to cook, and as such, you’ll use up more fuel cooking them. For example, it takes longer to smoke a meatloaf than it takes to smoke rib. By this analogy, you smoker will burn more fuel cooking a meatloaf than cooking rib.

In addition to the type of food, quantity is another thing to pay attention to.  Cooking large quantities of food will naturally burn more fuel.

5. Cooking Temperature

The level of heat at which your food is cooked will affect how fast propane gas burns. For instance, if you cook on two similar smokers, one set on high heat and the other on low heat. The appliance smoking at a higher temperature will burn propane gas quicker than the one cooking at low temperature.

6. Environmental Temperature

Suppose you’re cooking on a hot summer day. You can expect no heat to be lost to the environment because of the high ambient temperature.

More fuel will be conserved in this scenario. When the temperature is low, however, heat escapes from the smoker. This results in increased fuel consumption.

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How Long Will 20lb Propane Last on a Smoker?

The 20 lb propane tank is the most common choice for gas smokers. However, many users struggle to estimate how long their fuel will last. If used continuously, a 20lb propane tank should last about 19 hours on a medium-size smoker.

With the right environmental temperature, you should be able to get 10 two-hour smoking sessions with a full 20lb propane tank. However, when using a large smoker, the same quantity of propane may last for about 10 hours. A larger surface area would imply that more energy is needed, so the fuel burns faster.

Hot Smoking vs Cold Smoking

Two different ways exist to smoke your food – cold smoking or hot smoking. These methods are very much like the direct and indirect grilling methods.

In hot smoking, food is placed directly over a fire that creates smoke. This process cooks and smokes the food at the same time. Typically, the temperature is maintained between 80 and 150°C throughout the cooking process.

Hot smoked foods are characteristically tender and juicy with a subtle smoke flavor. Whether it’s hot or cold smoking, the cooking duration will impact how smoky the food tastes. However, fast and direct hot smoking tends to produce smokier flavors.

In cold smoking, the food isn’t exposed directly to the heat source. Instead, it is placed in a box or chamber through which smoke is continuously passed for a duration of 12 – 24 hours or more. Usually, the temperature inside the chamber is regulated between 20 -25°C for the cooking duration.

Historically, the cold smoking process has been used as a means of preservation by drying. Cold smoking is also more commonly used for foods that can be eaten raw, like cold smoked cheese and vegetables. 

However, curing before cold smoking meats is always recommended, as it draws moisture out from the food and allows smoke to penetrate the cured meats better. It is an important step that should not be skipped when cold smoking fish, like cold smoked salmon. This process helps the food stay fresh longer without refrigeration.

Types of cold smoke generators:

• Electric Smoker: These are powered by electricity and are typically easier to use and maintain.
• Manual: These require manual operation, often involving the use of a heat source like a candle or lighter.
• Outdoor gas grills: Some outdoor grills have built-in cold smoke generators or can be adapted for cold smoking.

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How to Check the Amount of Propane Left in a Tank?

In addition to being able to estimate how much propane a smoker uses, it can be beneficial to know how to check the level of propane gas left in your tank. This can help you avoid running out of fuel while cooking. There are two common ways to go about checking your propane level – carrying out a water test or using a pressure gauge.

Pressure Gauge

This is the most reliable way to check the propane gas level in your tank. Besides, a pressure gauge is very straightforward to use. You have to disconnect the smoker from the tank and connect the pressure gauge to the tank.

Water Test

This is a quick improvisation you can employ to check propane level in a tank without any special tool. To carry out the test, pour some hot water down the side of your tank, making sure the water runs entirely from up to down, and immediately feel down the side of the tank with your hand, the point at which you feel a cold spot is the level of the propane gas.

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Conclusion

Different factors come into play to determine how much propane gas a smoker will burn per cooking session, and we have looked at quite a lot of them. Generally, cooking for an average of 2 hours per cooking session, you can expect a 20 lb tank filled with propane gas to last for about 10 sessions.

However, you can’t always expect this to be the case. That’s why we’ve also discussed how you can check the propane gas level in your tank. And we hope you remember to bookmark our blog so you don’t miss any new discussions!

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