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DCS Grill Smoker Tray Setup and Use

TL;DR: Fill the DCS smoker tray with soaked wood chips, set it over a burner, run that burner low with the others off or low, and let the chips smolder. Keep the lid closed and add chips as needed for sustained smoke.

Updated Jun 10, 2026 5 min read
TL;DR: Fill the DCS smoker tray with soaked wood chips, set it over a burner, run that burner low with the others off or low, and let the chips smolder. Keep the lid closed and add chips as needed for sustained smoke.

The dcs grill smoker tray accessory lets your Series 7 or Series 9 grill add real wood-smoke flavor to ribs, brisket, poultry, and vegetables. Used with the grill’s wide temperature range, it turns a grill into a capable smoker. This guide covers setup and technique.

Set up the tray

  1. Soak wood chips in water for about 30 minutes, then drain.
  2. Fill the smoker tray with the damp chips.
  3. Place the tray over one burner, beneath the cooking grate.

Run low and slow

Light the burner under the tray on low and keep the other burners off or very low to hold a gentle smoking temperature. The chips smolder and release smoke rather than burning fast. Keep the lid closed to trap the smoke around the food.

Tips for good smoke

  • Use the right wood for the food – fruit woods for poultry, stronger woods for beef.
  • Maintain steady low heat; the DCS dual-burner control makes this easy.
  • Replenish chips as the smoke thins for longer cooks.
  • Place food on the cooler side, away from direct flame, for indirect smoking.

After smoking

Let the tray cool, discard the ash, and clean it before storing. Keep the burners clean so they hold a steady low flame – see our burner cleaning guide. For accessory options, see the manufacturer’s site at dcsappliances.com.

Get help if needed

If a burner will not hold a low, steady flame for smoking, see our heat troubleshooting guide or schedule a technician.

Indirect heat is the key

Real smoking is low-temperature, indirect cooking. Light only the burner under the smoker tray, place the food away from that burner, and let the smoke and gentle heat do the work over hours. The DCS dual-flow burners hold a low flame well, which is exactly what sustained smoking needs.

Choosing wood

  • Apple and cherry – mild, sweet smoke for poultry and pork.
  • Hickory and oak – stronger smoke for beef and ribs.
  • Mesquite – intense; use sparingly.

Managing temperature

Watch the lid thermometer and adjust the single lit burner to hold your target smoking temperature. If it creeps up, lower the burner; if smoke thins, add chips. With practice the DCS grill smokes nearly as capably as a dedicated smoker, with the convenience of your existing grill.

Dcs Grill Smoker Tray: Key Takeaways

To recap on dcs grill smoker tray: work through the simple checks first, keep the appliance clean and correctly set up, and address small symptoms before they grow. The guidance above on dcs grill smoker tray reflects how our certified technicians approach the same issues in the field, and following it keeps your DCS appliance performing the way it was built to.

  • Start with the easiest, lowest-cost checks and confirm the basics before replacing parts.
  • Use only genuine DCS-specified parts so performance and safety are not compromised.
  • Keep up a regular maintenance routine, which prevents most problems and protects long-term value.
  • Know when a job needs a professional, especially anything involving gas, sealed-system refrigeration, or mains wiring.

If the steps here do not resolve your situation, the next move is a proper diagnosis rather than guesswork. Our team covers DCS cooking and outdoor appliances across all 50 states and 120+ metro areas, and the booking form accepts requests 24/7. You can schedule a service appointment at any time, review full specifications on the manufacturer’s site at dcsappliances.com, or browse comparable units on our model pages. Acting early on dcs grill smoker tray almost always means a smaller, simpler, and less expensive repair down the line.

When to call a DCS technician

It is worth being clear about the line between sensible owner maintenance and work that belongs with a professional. Routine cleaning, simple resets, and basic setup are well within reach for most owners and are exactly where this guide focuses. Anything involving a gas connection, a sealed refrigeration system, internal wiring, or a part that must be calibrated or pressure-tested is different: those repairs carry real safety and warranty implications and should be handled by a certified technician with the correct tools and genuine DCS parts. A DCS appliance is a long-term investment built from 304 stainless to last for decades, so it is almost always worth maintaining and repairing properly rather than letting a small problem compound. When in doubt, a quick diagnostic visit removes the guesswork, protects the appliance, and gives you a clear, written quote before any work begins so there are never surprises.

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