To many people, smoking foods can be quite intimidating and complex. Some meat recipes for smokers take anywhere from two to six hours, with some taking even longer. Additionally, many of the popular smoker recipes use techniques and tools that a beginner might not understand how to use. With the amount of time needed – and how some recipes even call for brining – many people new to it become discouraged and stop using their smokers.
Fortunately, there are many recipes that people love that are both quick and easy to make. These recipes often have a few other ingredients besides what you’re smoking. To make it an even sweeter deal, these recipes can give you delicious meals within two hours, making them perfect for beginners to try.
This article has a wide range of quick and easy recipes for all parts of a meal, side dishes and all. If you want to learn more about the different kinds of smokers, you can check out the linked catalogue and grab some sauces to add an extra kick to these dishes.
Smoked summer vegetables
When it comes to using smokers, many people don’t consider making side dishes to go along with their main meal. The main dish itself can often take quite a long time to make and then smoke, so the side dish is often something far simpler. But when it comes to grilling your cut of meat, the side dish is usually grilled as well for convenience. Many people forget that vegetables can be quite delicious when smoked too!
The main veggies used for this recipe are, ideally, summer vegetables, but you can use whatever you like. To start this recipe, cut your zucchini and summer squash into small rounds and your onions and bell peppers into eights. If you use potatoes, keep the chunks small so they cook quickly. In a bowl, add your chopped veggies and toss them with two tablespoons of olive oil, two teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, and two to three diced garlic cloves. Add salt and pepper to your preference.
If you’re just smoking these veggies, preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and add your choice of chips. Put your veggies on a plate or in a grill basket and let them smoke for 30 to 45 minutes. You can also wait until the vegetables are starting to caramelise before serving.
Perfect smoked ribeye steak
Surprisingly, steaks are a great option for smoking since the beef doesn’t need to be thick to be delicious. In turn, a single steak doesn’t take all that long to cook, whether that’s in your smoker or on your grill. With an average half-an-inch to one-inch steak, you only need 30 minutes to smoke it to medium doneness. From there, all that’s needed is whipping up a side dish and you’re ready to serve.
For a simple ribeye steak, start by trimming any excess fat off before seasoning it with salt and pepper. At this point, you can also use whatever herbs, spices or rubs you want before putting your steak to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. After that, preheat your smoker to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the smoker’s properly heated, place your steak in the smoker and let it cook for 20 minutes. Transfer the steaks onto a plate then increase the smoker’s temperature to 450 Fahrenheit. Cover your steak with aluminium foil, making sure to form a tent around it before placing it back onto the smoker. If you’re aiming for a medium steak, smoke the steak for another 5 to 9 minutes then sear before serving. You can also adjust the times for how well cooked you want the steak served.
Smoked and grilled chicken kebabs
For a more ethnic twist to smoked foods, you can easily whip up a batch of chicken kebabs. What many people don’t realise until later is that while smokers are usually used for adding smoke to food while curing it, you can also grill using it. The main fuel source is typically wood chunks, chips or pellets, many of which can still be added to barbecues for smoking as well.
To cook these chicken kebabs, cut four chicken breasts and one to two onions into bite-sized chunks. Similarly, cut a few eggplants into rough circles then add them to a bowl. In that same bowl, mix your chicken and vegetables with two cloves of diced garlic, diced ginger, half a teaspoon of turmeric, half a teaspoon of paprika and a teaspoon of garam masala. Give it a quick mix before adding half a can of chopped tomatoes and one-sixth of a cup of yoghurt. Mix it again then let it rest for at least two hours.
Preheat your smoker to 350 Fahrenheit while you thread your meat and veggies onto skewers then put them onto the smoker’s grates. After 10 minutes, flip the skewers over and let them cook for another 10 minutes. When serving, you can squeeze some lemon juice over the kebabs and garnish with some coriander for garnishing.
Buffalo hot wings
If you want to make these wings, you can easily use a bottle of store-bought buffalo sauce as a marinade or you can make it at home. All you need to do is melt eight tablespoons of butter with a teaspoon of paprika, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, half a teaspoon of garlic powder and a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. If you want to add some heat, you can mix in half a cup of hot sauce with half to one teaspoon of chilli powder.
Combine it all and season your wings with salt and pepper while you preheat your smoker to 250 Fahrenheit. Coat the wings in some of your sauce and smoke for two hours, flipping them halfway. Before serving, add in the rest of your sauce.
Takeaway
One of the main problems that make smoking far more daunting for beginners is the fact that many recipes call for low-and-slow cooking. This slow method forces even normal cuts of meat to take quite a long time to cook through and many beginners won’t be able to wait that long for a single meal. These recipes are here to provide a quick and easy-to-learn way to smoke a delicious lunch or dinner for you and your whole family.
Images by Depositphotos
