As someone who’s essentially dedicated their life to the combination of smoke and delicious meats, you don’t need to convince me that it’s the reason for lighting a fire. It’s surprising to me that most smoke-inclined cooks tend to stop there. Somewhere between here and the caves we crawled out of, we decided that smoke was for meat only.
Well, I disagree. In fact, smoke can be the perfect complement to a whole mess of culinary dishes, and that’s what I wanted to explore today. We’re working on putting together some specific recipes but, in the meantime, consider this a conversation starter for your next backyard barbeque—not measurements and ingredients, but inspiration to smoke “outside the box” next time you get the smoker going.
Lastly, anyone who knows me knows that I’m a mesquite man through and through—and generally prefer to use real wood to impart my flavor. For those who prefer pellets or shavings, these ideas are perfectly viable, too. No judgment here.
So, without further ado, here are a few creative ways to spend your summer at the smoker.
Accoutrement
There are quite a few folks out there who are sensitive to smoke and only want subtle hints (crazy, I know), and that’s where the accoutrement shines. By smoking the little touches to a great dish, you can let your guests pick and choose how much smoke to throw at their plate.
First up, we have butter. It’s perfect for smoking because its mild, fatty flavors complement the earthy aroma. All you need to do is smoke it at low heat (under 200 degrees) and use it! Or, you could throw some herbs in with the butter, smoke it, cool it in the fridge, and then roll it up for the perfect compound butter over your next big cut of meat.
Where butter excels as a finishing touch, flour can be the perfect smoky addition at the beginning. I’ve heard of folks smoking their flour before making bread—which sounds great—but my personal favorite is using the smoker to make a roux for jambalaya, gumbo, or your Cajun dish of choice. All you need is flour and oil in equal parts, and a few hours on low heat in the smoker. Once it’s the color of chocolate milk, you’re all set.
Lastly, any variety of nut is a great topping for savory and sweet dishes. Throw pecans, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, or any nut you’d like on a tray and smoke them until they’re nice and dark. You don’t even need a dish—just salt ‘em and eat ‘em.
Side Dishes
Much like the previous section, side dishes are another way to add smoke to a meal without overwhelming the smoke-sensitive. For example, mashed potatoes are a classic side dish that couldn’t be easier on the smoker. Just follow your normal process and replace the oven with your smoker to cook the potatoes, and you’ve got a rich flavor before you ever throw the butter in.
A personal favorite of mine is queso. You can use yellow or white cheese and either will be a great pairing with a smoky flavor. In my opinion, the spicier the better because the sharp taste of peppers will help elevate the smoke flavors and help the dish pop. Simply throw your ingredients in a cast iron skillet, put it in the smoker, and close the lid.
For a slightly more off-the-wall approach, try making deviled eggs on the smoker as well. Instead of hard-boiling them, throw them on the grate at between 300–325 degrees for around 30 minutes and you’ve got a great foundation for a tasty dish.
Main Dishes
Now, to the main event. Once again, there’s never anything wrong with smoking traditional cuts like brisket and ribs—they’re staples for a reason. But, if you’re looking to branch out or mix up a meal on a weeknight, a smoker is a surprisingly simple option. Due to their ability to cook at low heat, you can essentially swap ‘oven’ for ‘smoker’ in most recipes so don’t be afraid to test out some dishes yourself!
First up, we have Osso Bucco. If you’re a big-game hunter, you’ve probably wondered what to do with the shanks from a whitetail or elk, and this is a primo choice. Essentially, you cross-cut the shanks into 1.5-2” sections, brown them on the stove, and then slowly cook them in broth for 2–4 hours until the meat is fork tender. The marrow in the bone melts and makes the richest, tastiest broth you can imagine. As for how to smoke it? Once again, replace ‘oven’ with ‘smoker’ and you’re all set.
The same goes for mac ‘n’ cheese. This crowd favorite is easily handled on the smoker if you make it “casserole style” and throw cooked noodles in a cast-iron skillet with cheese (obviously), bacon, broccoli, onions, or whatever you fancy. The kids’ll love you for it.
Last and not least, I have a painfully practical option: frozen pizza. Yep, that staple of a dish that comes out when work runs late or you just can’t handle another minute over the stove is perfect for the smoker. You just took Tuesday night to a whole new level.
Grab your pizza of choice and smoke that son of a gun until that crust is crispy.
Dessert
Last, and certainly not least, is dessert. If you want to hear audible gasps and applause from your dinner guests, just pull a dessert out of the smoker and make that “cock of the walk” stroll to the table. I’m impressed just writing about it. Smoke and sweetness are the perfect match, and there are a million desserts that you can test out.
Maybe the most common is a classic American cobbler. Pick your fruit (it should be blackberry) and hit the ground running. Cobbler is great because the soft, biscuit topping soaks up smoke flavor like a sponge, while leaving the fruit filling with enough separation so as to not overwhelm the dish. It’s a one-two punch that everyone wants.
My personal favorite smoked dessert may be cheesecake. Because smokers excel at low heat, they’re perfect for the low-and-slow process required of most cheesecake recipes. The soft texture soaks up the smoky flavor, and then you can contrast the savory flavor with a bright topping like raspberry or lemon afterwards.
Call it dessert or call it breakfast, but cinnamon rolls are a great baking addition to your smoker’s arsenal. By now, you’ve probably figured out that I’m going to say “just use the smoker like an oven” and that’s exactly what you need to do. I think cinnamon pairs particularly nicely with mesquite and most other hardwoods.
I hope your brain is turning right about now because mine sure is. Feel free to test out these ideas or simply use them as inspiration to test out something creative for your next backyard meal. Trust me, it’s probably been tried before. I’ve heard about everything from smoked cream cheese (great with redfish) and spaghetti squash to Cheez-Its and Chex Mix, so don’t be shy. Even if it fails, you’ll have a great story to share—and that’s almost as valuable as a good meal.
Photography by Jody Horton.