Pour GREEN coffee beans in a 12" cast iron skillet until it is ¼-½ inch deep.
Heat the grill to 400 degrees using indirect heat. For a Kamado style grill, add a plate setter. For a gas grill, turn off the center burners. Add smoking chips.
Stir every five minutes for 30 minutes total. This will create a wonderful smoky flavor on the beans.
After smoking, set up the grill for direct heat to begin roasting and bring the temperature up to 425 degrees. The coffee beans will darken quickly, so stir them every three minutes so they don't burn. You will hear them start to pop when the oils inside the beans heat up.
When they are the desired deep, rich brown color, remove them from the grill and quickly pour them into a disposable aluminum pan. If you keep them in the cast iron, they will continue to keep roasting and potentially burn.
After they have cooled completely, store them in air tight for at least 24 hours to maximize the smoke flavor. The flavor will intensify each day and will reach its peak in three or four days.
Smoking Coffee Grounds
Set a small pile of charcoal on one side of the grill and light it. Add a piece of alder on top. The goal is to create a smoke without raising the temperature of the grill. I kept the grill well below 200 degrees. Add the plate setter.
Pour one cup of roasted coffee grounds into a small cast iron dish and place it on the grill.
Stir the grounds every five minutes for 30 minutes.
Remove the grounds from the grill and allow them to fully cool. Place them in an airtight container to rest.
Allow them to rest for at least 24 hours. The smoky flavor will intensify as it rests.
Notes
Stay close. This is the time to pretty much stay outside and near the grill at all times. 3-5 minutes goes so fast and these turn from golden brown to black in seconds and it can become a hot mess. I used Siri on my iPhone to set a timer to warn me when it was time to stir.Remove the Roasted Beans Immediately. Make sure to get the beans out of the cast iron right away as the cast iron retains the heat and the beans will continue to roast and potentially burn quickly. Transfer the beans to a bowl or another pan and allow them to cool. GREEN COFEE BEANS ONLY: Make sure to use green coffee beans. You will smoke them first and then roast. Don't Burn: Closely monitor them as they start to darken. It is extremely easy to leave them on too long and you'll end up with burnt coffee.Coffee Grounds Version: For the coffee grounds, recognize that they are pre-roasted. For these, you only want to imbue a smoke flavor, so keep the grill temperature down.Gift Giving: Smoked Coffee makes an amazing gift for special occasions. Make sure to make some extra for the important people in your lives.Smoker + Gas Grill: For a kamado style grill, add the plate setter. For a gas grill, only use the burners away from the skillet.Turn Gas Grill Into Smoker: You can do this on a gas grill too! Fill a smoking box with your favorite wood and it will turn your gas grill into a smoker.Resting: Leave the beans in an airtight container for at least 24 hours before use. I find it fascinating that the longer they rest, the more intense the smoke flavor will become. I think it hits its peak in about 3-4 days.