23 Easy Smoker Recipes for Beginners

Originally designed for barbeque, you’d be surprised by all the tasty treats you can make with a smoker. A smoker allows you to cook your food at a low temperature without running the risk of burning anything. Furthermore, it allows you to cook your food all the way through.

A smoker adds a delicious smoky flavor to whatever you’re cooking, so you can get the taste of a chargrilled barbeque with whatever you eat. If you recently purchased a smoker and are on the hunt for some delicious new recipes to try out, then you’ve come to the right place.

The smoker recipes on this list are melt-in-your-mouth tasty and only require a handful of ingredients, so they’re pretty simple to make.

Using a smoker adds an extra level of flavor to whatever meal you’re cooking. In this article, we take a look at the best smoker recipes. Let’s get started!

1. Smoked Chicken Breast

This delicious recipe allows you to make smoked chicken breast that is still juicy and flavorful.

First, you brine the chicken in a broth made from water, salt, and a little bit of sugar. This brine is what helps bring out all of the flavors from the chicken.

From there, place it in the fridge uncovered for a few hours. This makes the skin of the chicken perfect for absorbing the smoky flavors.

Throw that chicken in a pan, skin side down, and get a nice sear on it. From there, throw it in a smoker until it hits an internal temperature of 165F, and you have a perfect smoked chicken breast.

If you’re looking for something a little different, swap out the sugar in your brine with maple syrup for a different kind of sweetness. Either way, don’t forget to add some sort of sugary element, as this is the secret ingredient.

2. Smoked Prime Rib

White meat isn’t the only meat that can benefit from being used in a smoker. With our smoked prime rib, we suggest making a wet rub of garlic, rosemary, thyme, sage, and olive oil, and slather it on your cut of prime rib.

This wet rub is the secret ingredient and will add a level of flavor that just the prime rib by itself wouldn’t have. Let it sit in the fridge for a little bit and fire up the smoker and get it to a temperature of 225 to 250 degrees.

Throw your prime rib in there and cook it until your meat is at your desired temperature.

We recommend a temperature of 125 for rare or 135 for medium-rare. Once done, pull it from the smoker and let it sit for 30 minutes to finish cooking. If you don’t want to use straight garlic, try using garlic salt instead, to add a little bit of salt to your prime rib.

3. Homemade Beef Jerky

There are several ways to make beef jerky but none of them are quite the same as using a smoker.

Marinade your beef strips in coconut aminos (our secret ingredient), coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.

After marinating in your fridge for 24 hours, cook in a smoker at 145 degrees for about 4 hours. There’s a lot of flexibility with this recipe. Add whatever spices you’d like for added flavor.

If you don’t want to use coconut aminos, you can also use soy sauce. And if you don’t want to use a smoker, you can also use a dehydrator and use a teaspoon of liquid smoke to maintain that smoky flavor.

4. Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

These tasty cubed pieces of pork belly are easy to make in a smoker that they will become your go-to smoker recipe. Cut your pork belly into cubes and season with a mix of brown sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

These spices are the secret ingredient. Place in a smoker for 3 hours at 225 to 250 degrees. Once done, place in a pan and braise with bbq sauce.

Cover and place the pan back in the smoker for another 60 to 90 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for a final 15 minutes before serving.

The key to playing with flavor here is using your favorite barbeque sauce of choice. If you are looking for some fun substitutions, try replacing the black pepper in the seasoning with red pepper for a little extra heat.

5. Smoked Brisket

This brisket is simple to prepare and easy to make, which is why it makes our list for one of the best smoking recipes.

Season your meat with garlic salt, lemon pepper, and fresh pepper. Throw it in the smoker for about 4 hours at 275 to 300 degrees. Next, add our secret ingredient by pouring your favorite beer on it, cover it in foil, and throw it in your oven for another 4 hours at 225 to 250 degrees.

If your smoker stayed above 275, cook at 225. If you’re looking for some substitutions, try adding your favorite dry rub for a different kind of seasoning.

6. Smoked Bread

Yes, you read that right. You can smoke bread! Get some frozen dinner rolls and put them into a bowl. Throw in the onion, minced garlic, shredded cheese, olive oil, and seasonings of your choice. Once mixed, let sit for 60 to 90 minutes.

Heat the smoker to 350 degrees. Throw your ingredients into a pan, cover it with foil, and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 15 – 20 minutes.

The secret ingredient is also the ingredient you can substitute for. The kinds of seasonings you place into the bowl will help determine the kind of flavoring your smoked bread has. It’s an easy smoker recipe that the whole family will love.

7. Smoked Spatchcock Chicken

This recipe is pretty straightforward as long as you have the right tools for the job. Remove anything from the inside of the bird. Cut out the backbone with kitchen shears.

Flip over and make a small slit in the cartilage with a knife. Flip back over and tuck the wings. Coat in olive oil and your favorite rub. You can either cook on high heat for about an hour or on low heat for three to four hours.

The secret ingredient here is going to be what you put into your rub. There are many recipes for rubs out there, so it’s a matter of using your favorite. You can also substitute the rub for your favorite barbeque sauce.

8. Double Smoked Ham

Ham is so nice that it’s been smoked twice! For this recipe, you’re going to get your smoker preheated to 225F. Place the ham in the smoker and smoke it for 4 hours and make sure it gets an internal temperature of 130F.

Every hour or so, spritz it with pineapple juice. After 4 hours, glaze it with either apricot jelly or smoked peach jam mixed with pineapple juice, our secret ingredient! Increase the smoker temperature to 300F and smoke the ham for another 30 minutes.

Baste again, and raise the temperature again to 350F for the final 30 minutes. The internal temp at this point should be around 145F to 150F. Remove the ham and let it sit for about 20 minutes before serving.

9. Smoked Salsa

Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant where the salsa has a smoky flavor to it? Well here, we’ll show you how you can make your own at home! Slice up tomato, garlic, jalapenos, and onion, place them on foil, place in a smoker for 1 hour at 275 degrees.

If you’re looking for a salsa with a little less kick, you can replace the jalapenos with green pepper. Or if you’re looking for a little more kick, go with something hotter than a jalapeno like a serrano pepper.

Once your vegetables are done cooking, place in a blender with cilantro, lime juice, cumin, garlic salt, and pepper, and blend at 5-second intervals until your salsa is the desired consistency. It’s one of the tastiest smoker recipe dishes that pair great with chips and tacos.

10. Smoked Burgers

At some point, just about everyone has done burgers on the grill. But what about burgers in a smoker? Mix beef, egg, salt, and pepper together to form your patties. Place these patties in a smoker for 30 minutes at 325F.

Make sure their internal temperature is 165 degrees before serving. Place on buns, add your favorite toppings, and you’ve got a smoky take on a barbeque classic.

If you’re looking to do something a little different with your burger, try adding onion or bacon to your patty mix – it’s the secret ingredient you won’t want to ignore when it comes to these hamburgers Recipes.

11. Smoked Mac and Cheese

Do you love mac and cheese? This is the recipe for you! This is a great smoky take on a cheesy classic. Boil your pasta of choice. While this is happening, preheat your smoker to 225 degrees using either cherry or applewood chips or pellets.

Whatever you do, don’t overlook this secret ingredient! In a saucepan, add butter then whisk in milk, mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add in cream cheese and shredded cheeses and let it all melt together.

If you don’t have milk, you can substitute it with sour cream. Put pasta in the pan and pour the sauce mixture on top. Cover with breadcrumbs and place in the smoker for 1 hour. We recommend either using shredded mozzarella, gouda, or Monterey jack cheese.

12. Smoked Lobster Tails

If you’re looking for smoker ideas, look no further. This seafood classic tastes great when cooked in a smoker. Just preheat your smoker to 100 degrees. Throw your lobster tails in a bowl with salt, pepper, and olive oil and toss until coated.

You can also sprinkle in some parmesan cheese; it’s our flavorful secret ingredient. Set your smoker to 225 degrees and throw your lobster tails in with the slit side up.

Cook for about an hour and then they’re ready to serve. For a complimentary side dish, we recommended serving this one with a cob of corn that is seasoned to your liking.

If you don’t have lobster available, you can swap it out for some monkfish since it has a similar flavor.

13. Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon

Get equal parts sweet and savory with this smoked salmon recipe. First, preheat your smoker between 250 and 270 degrees. Take brown sugar, salt, pepper, and dill and mix to create a rub.

Your brown sugar is your secret ingredient and adds a certain sweetness to every bite. Pat this rub onto your salmon before placing it into the smoker. Cook the salmon in the smoker for about an hour until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

If you have the time, you can also place the salmon into the refrigerator for about an hour before placing it in the smoker.

This provides for a dry brine that will add more flavor to your meal. We recommend substituting the brown sugar with either white sugar or maple syrup if you don’t have brown sugar available.

14. Smoked Chicken Wings

Chicken wings taste great on the barbecue but they can taste even better when cooked on a smoker. Combine paprika, salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder to make a rub.

Cover the chicken wings in this rub. After letting the wings sit for 10 minutes, cook them in a smoker for about 2 hours at 250 degrees.

We recommended smoking your wings with hickory wood for this. Once done, check to see if the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees.

The secret ingredient here is going to be the rub. It adds a flavor to the chicken that it wouldn’t have by itself.

You can try substituting the rub with a different rub recipe to create a different flavor profile. This is one of our favorite smoker recipe ideas due to how easy it is to make.

15. Hickory Smoked Green Beans

This smoked green bean recipe is a delicious and different take on your traditional green beans. In a skillet, combine chicken broth, apple cider, salt, and pepper. Throw in your green beans and blanch them for 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer everything to a disposable aluminum pan. Take some bacon, chop it into bite-size pieces, and cover the green beans.

One secret ingredient we recommend adding here is onion, although it’s not mandatory for this recipe. Place the pan in a smoker uncovered for 3 hours at 250 degrees.

Once done, remove everything from the pan and top with sliced almonds for an added crunchy texture. One thing you can substitute is that instead of using hickory wood in your smoker, you can use a hickory flavored liquid smoke if you’re using an electric smoker instead.

16. Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Jalapenos

This is a different take on buffalo chicken dip that adds a kick, so it’s not surprising that it made our list of the best smoker recipes.

Take six jalapeno peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. Then, take your buffalo chicken dip of choice, and fill each jalapeno half with it.

Preheat your smoker to 350 degrees. Once heated up, place each filled jalapeno half in and cook for 20 minutes. Once it’s done, it’s ready to serve.

The secret ingredient here is the buffalo chicken dip, providing a delicious filling for the jalapenos. We also recommend trying different kinds of fillings, such as blue cheese if you’re looking for some interesting substitutes.

17. Smoked Cheesy Potato Casserole

Cooking this potato casserole in a smoker will enhance the overall flavor and make this casserole unlike any other you’ve had before.

First, preheat your smoker to 350 degrees. Mix hash browns, butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, onions, sharp cheddar cheese, pepper, and garlic salt into a bowl then pour it into a cooking pan.

In a smaller bowl, mix butter and corn flakes, then sprinkle over what’s already in your cooking pan. Smoke for 1 hour or until the potatoes are cooked through and the top is golden brown.

Your secret ingredient here is the cornflake mix that goes on top. This is a crunchy texture to the meal you wouldn’t normally get. For some added flavor, try mixing in cooked chicken or ham!

18. Smoked Beans

Smoked beans are a barbeque classic and are something you should make for your next get-together.

Combine baked beans, black beans, red kidney beans, bbq sauce, a finely chopped red onion, chopped red pepper, chopped yellow pepper, a serrano pepper, brown sugar, chopped brisket, and a cup of bourbon in an aluminum foil tray. Mix it all and place in a smoker for 1 hour at 325 degrees.

The secret ingredient here is the serrano pepper which adds a level of spiciness to the meal. If you don’t have any serrano peppers available to you but still want some spice, a jalapeno pepper serves as a good substitute.

19. Smoked Almonds

Smoked almonds provide a taste and a texture you wouldn’t normally get with these popular nuts.

First, preheat your smoker to 225 degrees. In a bowl, combine your almonds with egg whites, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour this mixture into a baking sheet. Once it’s spread out, sprinkle sugar on top and place it in your smoker for 1 to 2 hours.

The secret ingredient to this one is the sugar on top for the added sweetness. You can use either white or brown sugar for this one. If sugar isn’t available, you can always replace it with maple syrup.

20. Smoked Papa Murphy’s Pizza

Have you ever wondered How to Reheat Pizza that tastes just as good as the first day? We’ve got you covered with a Papa Murphy pizza. As a popular food chain in the U.S., a pizza from Papa Murphy’s tastes great in a smoker!

Since the prep work of the pizza is already done, all you need to do is place it in the smoker for about 15 minutes and cook on high at about 400 degrees.

Just be sure to remove the plastic from the pizza before placing it in the smoker. When it comes out, you’ll have a cheesy pizza that has a bold, smoky flavor.

What’s great about this is that Papa Murphy’s uses fresh veggies, which soak in the smoky flavor; this is the tasty secret ingredient! Of course, you can use this tactic for any type of pizza, not just Papa Murphy’s so don’t be afraid to substitute it. Smoking is a great alternative to reheating pizza and is quick and easy to do.

21. Smoked Cheese

Cheese is one of those versatile products that can taste good with practically any type of flavor – and smoked is no exception.

Hard and semi-hard cheese like pepper jack and gouda are recommended for this recipe, but you can try your hand at any type of cheese you prefer. You’ll want to smoke your cheese at 90 degrees and use a mild wood chip such as cherry or pecan.

Once they’re cooked, you should seal them and let them sit in the fridge for two weeks to let the smoky flavor disperse. Enjoy the cheese as is or use it on a hamburger.

The secret ingredient in this dish lies with the types of wood chips you use; pecan chips have a nutty flavor, whereas cherry or more tart and sweet. Substitute them for both to get different flavors!

22. Smoked Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are one of the most classic side dishes, so why not smoke them to bring out some additional flavor?

All you need is a potato, some olive oil, some basic salt, and pepper seasoning, and wood chips to make this tasty side dish. It’s recommended to use applewood chips, but any type of wood chip will work.

Set your smoker to 275 and let the magic happen. You can substitute a traditional potato for a sweet potato. Once cooked, top with your favorite ingredients like bacon bits, sour cream, and cheese. Just don’t forget the butter while cooking – it’s the secret ingredient.

23. Easy Smoked Vegetables

Are you looking for a side dish for your smoked entree? Why not smoke up some veggies!

The best part about this dish is that you can include whatever you want. Brussel sprouts, squash, onions, green beans, sweet potatoes…if it sounds good, toss it in the smoker.

Top off with some balsamic vinegar for sweetness. This is the secret ingredient that will help bring out the bold flavors of the veggies.

Just remember, the smaller you dice up veggies, the faster they’ll cook. When it comes to this recipe, you can substitute everything, so don’t be afraid to experiment every time you make it.