21 Smoked Recipes Your Mother-in-Law Calls the Best Thing to Come Off Any Grill She Has Ever Seen

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When the smoker is running, the food needs to justify the extra time and keep people interested beyond the first platter. These 21 smoked recipes range from fast wings and pork tenderloin to all-day pulled pork, beef shank, roasts, stuffed appetizers, and vegetable sides. Low-temperature smoking, hotter finishing steps, spice rubs, glazes, and compound butter give the lineup plenty of range without losing the backyard grill theme. The result is a mix of shareable snacks, substantial mains, and smoky sides that can cover anything from game day to a larger family meal.

Smoked Chicken Al Pastor

After an overnight marinade, Smoked Chicken Al Pastor turns chicken thighs and pineapple into eight servings with three hours of smoker time. Guajillo chiles, achiote paste, citrus juice, garlic, cumin, and chipotle build the marinade before the meat is stacked on a vertical skewer. A low-temperature smoke followed by a hotter finish creates caramelized edges throughout the stack. Slice it for tacos, nachos, burritos, or rice bowls.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Chicken Al Pastor

Smoked Ribeye Roast

For a beef centerpiece, Smoked Ribeye Roast (Cap-Off) turns a four-pound roast into six servings with about 2½ hours of cooking. Olive oil helps Montreal steak seasoning coat the meat before it starts at 180°F and finishes at 225°F. Cooking to internal temperature rather than relying only on the clock protects this premium cut from overcooking. Pair the slices with mashed potatoes, asparagus, corn, or salad.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Ribeye Roast

Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings

Peach jam brings a sweet start to Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings, a four-serving recipe that cooks for about one hour. Chipotle, adobo sauce, and apple cider vinegar balance the fruit while the wings absorb smoke at a low temperature. A brief high-heat finish browns the skin before the sauce goes on. Set them out with celery, ranch, slaw, or extra peach-chipotle sauce for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings

Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb

Fresh rosemary and thyme cover Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb, which serves six with a simple garlic and olive oil paste. The lamb starts at 180°F to take on smoke, then continues at 225°F until it reaches the preferred internal temperature. Scoring the fat cap gives the herb mixture more surface area, while the resting time protects the juices. Slice it with roasted potatoes, asparagus, couscous, or a green salad.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb

Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze

Glossy red pepper glaze makes Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze a six-serving main with 10 minutes of prep and 90 minutes of cooking. Garlic, lemon, rosemary, and olive oil season the chicken before red pepper jelly, bourbon, and Sriracha form the glaze. The legs smoke gently first, then finish at higher heat to help the skin crisp. Serve with potato salad, corn, baked beans, or grilled vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze

Smoked Pulled Pork

A long applewood smoke gives Smoked Pulled Pork six hours to soften a pork shoulder into 10 servings. Yellow mustard holds a rub of brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic, thyme, and chipotle against the meat. The pork cooks at 250°F until it reaches pulling temperature, then rests in foil before shredding. Pile it into buns, tacos, nachos, or bowls with barbecue sauce.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Pulled Pork

Smoked Dill Pickle Wings

Dill pickle brine sets Smoked Dill Pickle Wings apart before they ever reach the smoker. Three pounds of wings become four servings after brining, seasoning with dill, garlic, salt, and pepper, then smoking for one hour. A final turn at 450°F adds a crisper exterior without covering the pickle flavor in sauce. Bring them out with ranch dip, celery, fries, or a simple cabbage slaw.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Dill Pickle Wings

Smoked New York Strip Roast

Coffee rub gives Smoked New York Strip Roast a darker crust while a four-pound roast feeds six in about 1 hour 35 minutes. Brown sugar, instant coffee, ancho chile, black pepper, garlic, onion, and cayenne make up the seasoning. The roast gets an hour of smoke at 180°F before finishing at 225°F to medium-rare. Serve thin slices with mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, salad, or crusty bread.
Get the Recipe: Smoked New York Strip Roast

Smoked Carver Ham

Maple and brown sugar glaze Smoked Carver Ham, an eight-serving recipe with a 2-hour 10-minute total time. Cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, onion, and chipotle keep the coating from tasting one-note. Scoring the four-pound ham helps the glaze settle into the surface as it warms at 300°F. Put it on a holiday table with potatoes, asparagus, rolls, or a crisp salad.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Carver Ham

Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings

Butter, garlic, and Parmesan coat Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings after the meat has taken on smoke and a crisp finish. Two pounds of wings make six servings in 1 hour 5 minutes, with lemon juice and red pepper flakes rounding out the sauce. The wings cook at 225°F before returning to a 450°F grill for several minutes per side. Serve them with ranch, blue cheese dip, celery, or coleslaw.
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Smoked Beef Tenderloin

Whiskey and Dijon give Smoked Beef Tenderloin a bold surface while the lean roast stays the focus. The two-pound tenderloin serves six in 2 hours 10 minutes with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar in the rub. Smoking at 180°F until medium-rare keeps the cooking process steady, and a 10- to 15-minute rest helps retain the juices. Slice it for dinner with potatoes, vegetables, or salad.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Beef Tenderloin

Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce

In only 30 minutes, Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce makes six servings from two tenderloins. Brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, thyme, and chipotle form the rub, while ketchup, beer, citrus juice, mezcal, and vinegar become the sauce. The pork smokes at 250°F until it reaches 145°F, then rests before slicing. Add coleslaw, cornbread, beans, or roasted potatoes.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce

Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings

Without a sticky sauce, Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings rely on a full spice coating and a quick high-heat finish. Two pounds of wings serve six after one hour with chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic, onion, thyme, and smoked hot paprika. The wings smoke at 225°F, then return at 450°F for a few minutes per side. Set them beside coleslaw, cornbread, ranch, or several dipping sauces.
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Pork Stuffed Smoked Jalapeno Poppers

Ground pork turns Pork Stuffed Smoked Jalapeno Poppers into a substantial appetizer rather than a light bite. Twelve jalapeños are filled with pork, cream cheese, green onions, cilantro, and seasonings, then wrapped in bacon for four servings. The poppers move through three smoker temperatures during their 90-minute cook so the filling cooks and the bacon crisps. Serve them at game day parties or alongside pulled pork.
Get the Recipe: Pork Stuffed Smoked Jalapeno Poppers

Smoked Meatballs

Beef and pork keep Smoked Meatballs moist through 1 hour 40 minutes of smoking, producing six servings and about 36 meatballs. Milk-soaked bread, eggs, Italian seasoning, garlic, and onion bind the mixture without making it dense. The meatballs start at 180°F, finish at 225°F, and rest before serving. Add barbecue sauce, marinara, pasta, cheese, green onions, or a cool cucumber salad.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Meatballs

Traeger Smoked Chicken Spatchcock

Flattening the bird helps Traeger Smoked Spatchcock Chicken cook evenly and serve six in 2 hours 10 minutes. A whole chicken and Montreal chicken seasoning keep the ingredient list short while the smoker handles the flavor. The chicken starts skin-side up at 180°F, continues at 225°F, then gets a high-heat finish for crisper skin. Carve it with corn, potatoes, slaw, quinoa salad, or rolls.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Smoked Chicken Spatchcock

Smoked Pulled Pork

Twelve hours of low heat turn Smoked Pulled Pork into 12 servings with bark, tender meat, and plenty of juices. A five-pound pork butt gets mustard and a brown sugar, paprika, chili, garlic, onion, cayenne, salt, and pepper rub before apple juice is used during smoking. The pork cooks uncovered, then wrapped, and rests before pulling. Use it in sandwiches, tacos, nachos, baked potatoes, or freezer portions.
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Smoked Tomatoes

Roma tomatoes gain a deeper flavor in Smoked Tomatoes, a six-serving recipe that takes 1 hour 10 minutes. Olive oil, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper keep the seasoning simple while the cut tomatoes sit upright in a grill basket. A 45- to 60-minute smoke at 225°F softens them without requiring a complicated process. Add them to pasta sauce, sandwiches, salads, bruschetta, or soups.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Tomatoes

Smoked Shotgun Shells

Bacon-wrapped pasta makes Smoked Shotgun Shells one of the more filling appetizers in this lineup. Four servings combine cannelloni tubes with ground beef, cheddar, milk, garlic, onion, and seasoning before each shell is wrapped in bacon. After an hour at 225°F, barbecue sauce goes on, and the shells smoke for another 30 to 45 minutes. Serve them for game day, parties, or a grill-side snack table.
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Smoked Spaghetti Squash

Olive oil and smoke give Smoked Spaghetti Squash a simple base that can take several different toppings. One squash makes four servings in 1 hour 40 minutes with only salt and black pepper added. The halves smoke at 180°F for 30 minutes, then cook at 350°F until fork-tender and easy to shred. Finish the strands with garlic butter, Parmesan and herbs, marinara, or grilled meat.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Spaghetti Squash

Smoked Thor’s Hammer

Built around an eight- to ten-pound beef shank, Smoked Thor’s Hammer serves eight after roughly 10 hours on the smoker. Salt and pepper the meat first, while butter, garlic, chipotle, adobo, smoked paprika, onion powder, and lime form the compound butter. Four hours of low smoke are followed by a wrapped finish at 300°F until the shank becomes tender. Use the pulled beef for tacos, nachos, sandwiches, or a platter.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Thor’s Hammer