If you’ve ever wanted to dip your toes into the BBQ smoker game, now is the perfect time! Long holiday weekends like Memorial Day were made for low and slow cooking, plus many BBQ smoker recipes are designed to feed a crowd. Scroll down for five of our favorites for beginners and consider making them all for an epic backyard feast!
Smoked Mac and Cheese
This spin on classic mac and cheese retains all the best elements of this comfort food—like its rich and cheesy flavor—but also delivers a smoky kick and unique texture from the panko breadcrumb topping. This recipe from Hey Grill Hey is especially beginner-friendly thanks to its use of a cast-iron skillet as the cooking vessel, which easily travels from smoker to table.
Texas-Style Pulled Pork
Pork shoulder is one of the best beginner cuts of meat to smoke, as it’s fairly forgiving compared to other cuts like brisket. This recipe for pulled pork from Dad with a Pan is seasoned with an all-purpose BBQ rub, and each step of the process is clearly explained for the smoking novice.
Smoked Shishito Peppers
Blistering shishito peppers on a grill really complements the vegetable’s naturally sweet and slightly smoky flavor. You Need a BBQ recommends leaving the peppers on the fire for only three to four minutes to achieve the ideal texture and taste.
Smoked Baked Potato
Baked potatoes are a crowd-pleaser! Bake It with Love’s take on this grill-out staple calls for a simple spice blend of salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, but feel free to personalize your spuds with sweet smoked paprika, savory herbes de Provence, or Old Bay and a generous pat of butter.
Smoked Corn on the Cob
Although this smoked corn from Allrecipes packs a big punch of flavor, the prep time for this side dish is a mere 10 minutes! Be patient, as the corn will cook slower than usual thanks to the husks remaining on the cobs throughout the smoking process.
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