15 Smoked Food Recipes for Summer Cookouts

Maximo Grilled Beef Ribs with Chimichurri — Photo:
Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco

Smoke imparts a deep flavor in food that can't be beat, and you can achieve that effect through a number of different methods, from using a smoking gun to smoking with a grill or a smoker. We've got several variations of smoked turkey, whether you're looking for Smoked Turkey Breast or prefer turkey legs (get an extra kick with a chipotle-spiced dry brine). This Smoked Brisket recipe is on the smoked food menu, too, as are Burnt Ends and Beef Ribs — there's even Smoked Cherry Bounce, which gets depth from smoked fresh Bing cherries. So gather your wood chips or chunks, prepare your smoker or grill, and get ready for a seriously delicious meal with standout smoked food recipes.

01 of 15

Smoked Pork Butt

This recipe is perfect for your next weekend cookout. You can use Boston butt or pork shoulder; either will yield incredibly smoky, tender, and juicy meat. After rubbing the mustard into the pork and sprinkling on the brown sugar mixture, allow it to rest at room temperature while you prepare the smoker — this will not only allow the rub to permeate deeper into the meat, but also help expedite the cooking process slightly.

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02 of 15

Smoked Whole Chicken

For this recipe, Nicole Hopper in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen spatchcocked the chicken for even cooking. She salt dry brined it overnight to help the skin crisp up despite the low cooking temperature. The simple dry rub has garlic, onion, cumin, and brown sugar, but feel free to use your favorite barbecue dry seasoning you have in your pantry.

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03 of 15

Maximo Beef Ribs with Chimichurri

Chef John Manion cooks these South American-style ribs slowly, spritzing them with red wine vinegar every 30 minutes over the course of a few hours to enhance the flavor. Their smokiness pairs nicely with a bright, tangy chimichurri sauce.

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04 of 15

Barbecue-Spiced Hot-Smoked Salmon

Homemade barbecue spice seasons both a dry brine and pineapple-based mop sauce for a double dose of flavor in this hot-smoked salmon recipe. The resulting salmon makes a show-stopping buffet centerpiece any time of day.

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05 of 15

Spatchcocked Smoked Turkey

Spatchcocked Smoke Turkey — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer & John Somerall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Sweet, tangy, and succulent thanks to chef and pitmaster Rodney Scott's smoky dry rub and spicy mopping sauce, this turkey is easy to tackle on a kamado-style cooker. While Scott swears by the thermal qualities of a ceramic grill, this turkey can also be cooked in a kettle grill or smoker at 225°F until it reaches an internal temperature of 155°F, or roasted in the oven at 325°F (cook times will vary).

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06 of 15

Smoked Cherry Bounce

Smoking juicy, sweet Bing cherries infuses them with a heady, savory aroma. The depth carries into boozy cherry bounce — after a three-month rest. Plenty of sugar, a touch of bright lemon juice, and smooth brandy round out this vibrant homemade cordial.

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07 of 15

Smoked Brisket

This smoked brisket is self-taught barbecue expert Matt Horn's signature recipe — the star of the menu at his restaurant, Horn Barbecue, in Oakland, California. The 2021 F&W Best New Chef spent weeks perfecting this recipe, and says time is the most important ingredient in this dish. You need to be patient while the meat's internal temperature rises to 203°F (95°C), but it's worth it when your smoked masterpiece is ready.

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08 of 15

Smoked Fish Brunch Board

"Up North" Smoked Fish Board — Jen Causey

Grilling expert Paula Disbrowe says this fish couldn’t be easier to prepare. She calls for simple seasoning — olive oil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of heat. She tops the fish with sprigs of fresh dill or thyme and then smokes it over indirect heat for about 20 minutes. The ambient heat of the covered grill causes the herb sprigs to meld to the fish and perfume it with a lovely flavor.

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09 of 15

Simple Smoked Turkey

Smoking a turkey yields juicy and tender meat. The keys to success are seasoning the bird with a dead-simple saltwater brine, then controlling the temperature of the smoker for even cooking. The added bonus of smoking the Thanksgiving turkey? It frees up the oven for sides and pies.

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10 of 15

Burnt Ends with Bourbon Sauce

The crispy, caramelized "burnt" pieces of a smoked brisket are often the best part because the flavor is concentrated and the texture is pleasingly chewy. This recipe creates an entire baking tray of crispy pieces, so there are plenty to go around. Chef Matt Horn likes to serve these with slices of white bread; he shared his step-by-step process for making Burnt Ends with us, from seasoning the brisket to caramelizing the sauce on the cubed meat.

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11 of 15

Smoked Turkey Breast

Smoked Turkey Bread over Spring Salad — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Smoking a turkey breast results in smoky, juicy meat with a deeply golden skin. Applying the lemon-oregano rub under and on top of the skin ensures that the flavors permeate throughout the meat. The meat is very juicy when it comes out of the smoker, so make sure to allow it to rest for the full 20 minutes before carving and serving it, so the juices have a chance to redistribute.

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12 of 15

Chipotle-Spiced Smoked Turkey Legs

Seasoning these turkey legs with a dry brine packs them with flavor before they head to the smoker, resulting in juicy, smoky, and tender meat with a light kick from the chipotle chiles. Brining the legs uncovered in the refrigerator overnight also helps to keep the skin dry, and crisp up as it cooks. The turkey legs will emerge from the smoker a beautiful mahogany color. Serve them whole (which would be perfect for Thanksgiving), or shred the meat and mix it into grain bowls, pasta salads, sandwiches, and more. Save the bones as well to make a smoky turkey broth for soups or sauces.

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13 of 15

Smoked Rib Tips with Andouille Sausage and Amarillo Barbecue Sauce

Rib tips with andouille sausage and barbecue sauce — Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne

At Chicago’s Lexington Betty Smokehouse, guests line up for plates of chef and owner Dominique Leach’s smoked rib tips with andouille sausage. Leach makes the andouille sausage in-house and sells it online, and its gentle spice and heat are an excellent partner to these smoked ribs.

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14 of 15

Perfect Smoked Pork Ribs

To make these ribs, grilling expert Paula Disbrowe begins with a dry rub of warm red spices and gochugaru, which adds peppery heat that's the perfect partner for the natural sweetness of pork.The ribs start over a two-zone charcoal fire perfumed with a few wood chunks. After the ribs have absorbed a couple of hours of smoke, they're wrapped in foil and parchment and finished in the oven, where the low heat allows the meat to gently braise in the seasoned juices.

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15 of 15

Hill Country Smoked Chicken Wings with Texas Ranch Dressing

Chef Ben Ford rubs these chicken wings with paprika, cumin, and cayenne among other sweet and spicy seasonings before smoking to give them a double dose of delicious flavor. He serves them with an herb-packed buttermilk ranch dipping sauce.

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