21 Best Smoker Recipes For Beginners of 2023 – Mary Tyler

There is nothing like the delicious smell of smoking meat. It is infused in every juicy crumb of beef, chicken, or delicious taste of any meat.

If you have a smoker grill, you may have some questions you’ve started to cook smoking meat.

First of all, what is the best smoker recipes to cook for smokers?

Well, the answer is … everything! Sausages from the ribs, and roasts from Brisket, where smoke-infused smell is inevitable.

21 Best Smoker Recipes For Beginners

Fresh from the outdoor cooking experts, we have combined the 21 best smoker recipes for beginners here.

01. Barbecue Ribs

 Ingredients:

•  2 tsp. of paprika
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp. brown sugar
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
•  ⅛ tsp. ground cloves
•   ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
•  5 pounds pork spareribs
• 2 pounds hickory wood chips, soaked

Instructions:

• In a bowl, put some paprika, garlic powder, Cayenne chili, onion powder, salt, gin, ground black chili, cinnamon, brown sugar, cloves, & nutmeg. Apply liberally at these ribs.
• Put ribs in a large roasting pan, cover, and refrigerate them overnight. 1 hour out of the fridge before smoking.
• An outdoor smoker produces a temperature from 200 to 225 degrees.
• Keep smoke ribs for 6 / 8 hours and add a wooden chip to maintain a steady smoke (about 30 to 45 minutes).
• Remove from smoke and serve after 15 to 20 minutes.

02. Smoked Rib Roast

Ingredients:

• 15 lbs charcoal briquette
• 2 lbs wood chips
• 1 cup whiskey (bourbon)
• 4-lbs rib roast (bone-in)
• ½ cup steak Flavouring

Instructions:

• Start with almost 10 pounds of charcoal in a vertical types of smoker, which is about 10 pounds. It will require fairly hot fire for it.
• Fill the second pan with cold water and wait for coal white. Make sure there is enough water.
• Make a roast liberally with steak spices and ensure all surfaces coat.
• Keep roast over top grate after being prepared in coal. After that, you can put some boxes in the fire to heat up and then shut the lid.
• Slightly keep the fire on for 45 minutes. Always check the fire and add more wood chips.
• You can check with a meat thermometer to check roast.

03. Smoked Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces large shrimp that peeled and deveined
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of field paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley flex

Instructions:

• 250 degree preheat smoker.
• Place the peeled shrimp in a bowl. Stir the shrimp by adding oil, paprika, and parsley. Transfer them to a 6×8 inch baking sheet.
• Keep smoke till the bright pink bell outside (about 45 minutes).
• Then serve hot.

04. Smoked Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lb. whole chicken
• Chicken brine (optional)
• 1/4 cup BBQ spice rub
• Parsley for garnish optional
• 1 gallon of water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup Tabasco sauce
•  ½ cup kosher salt

 Instructions:

• Prepare chicken brine by dissolving Tabasco, brown sugar, and salt.
• Bray the chicken for 24 hours and you need to keep a plate to keep the chicken dipped.
• Preheat the smoker to 120 degrees centigrade. Load the smoker with wood chips.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and tie the legs with yarn by pulling the wings under the dried pat chicken.
• Place the chicken in an aluminum pan and coat the chicken with spices. Never forget to loosen the skin and rub some spices on the flesh under the skin.
• Place the chicken on the smoker. Smoke for 3/4 to 4 ½ hours or until a thermometer rises to 120 degree centigrade in the densest part of the thigh. You need to refill the wood chips while cooking, so keep a close eye on your best smoker for beginners.
• Remove the chicken from the smoker then rest for 10 minutes.
• Chop the chicken and serve it garnished with parsley.

05. Smoked Hilsha

Ingredients:

• 2 large hilsha fillets or sides, pin bones removed
• 1 cup kosher salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp crushed black peppercorns

Instructions:

• In a bowl, combine salt, brown sugar and pepper powder.
• Spread the aluminum foil a little wider than the length of the fish and top with a layer equal to the plastic wrap.
• Sprinkle 1/3 of the rub on the plastic and rub on one side of the fish skin.
• Sprinkle 1/3 rub on the hilsha meat and place on the second side of the hilsha, keep the meat down on the first side. Cover the skin on the upper part and use the rest of the rub.
• Fold the plastic to cover and close the edges of the foil together, then wrap tightly around the fish.
• Place the wrapped fish on a sheet pan and place another pan on top and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• Some juice will leak out during the process, so make sure there is a place for the run-off.
• Open the wrap and wash with cold water and pat the hilsha with a paper towel.
• Then place the fish in a cool, dry place (not refrigerated) until the surface is dry. It takes one / three hours depending on the humidity.
• Keep the temperature inside the smoker between 150 and 160 degrees. Serve immediately.

06. Smoky Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 16 chicken wings, tips discarded
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup your favorite dry chicken rub
• 1 lb. mesquite wood chips, soaked in water
• Blue cheese salad dressing

Instructions:

• In a large mixing dish, combine the chicken wings. Pour in the olive oil and mix with your hands until everything is evenly coated. Apply a thin layer of dry rub on the wings.
• Light the charcoal and heat the smoker to 170 to 200 degree centigrade, as directed by the manufacturer.
• Drain the wood chips and set half of them on the charcoal immediately. Skin-side down, spread wings equally on the frying grate.
• Smoke the wings for approximately an hour, or until they are aromatic.
• Spin the wings and toss in the rest of the wood chips to the charcoal. Continue smoking for another hour or until an instant-read thermometer placed near the bone registers 165 degrees.
• Serve the recipe of chicken wings with blue cheese dressing.

07. Smoked Beef Brisket

Ingredients:

• One whole beef brisket
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• Barbecue rub
• 1 cup strong, freshly brewed coffee
• 1 cup beef broth
• For the smoker, a mix of hickory and pecan wood is used.
• Meat thermometer

Instructions:

• Trim the brisket until there is about ⅛” of fat on top.
• The whole fat kernel from the inside of the brisket should be removed since it will never render out.
• Apply yellow mustard to the whole brisket. Using your hands, slather on all of the savory delight.
• Sprinkle the seasoning rub all over the brisket.
• Preheat the smoker to 230°F before adding the wood.
• I used one hickory piece and two pecan wood chunks.
• Insert a temperature probe into the brisket and place it in the smoker.
• Get a disposable broiling pan and fill it with one cup of strong coffee after the meat reaches 165°F.
• Place the brisket in an aluminum pan with the coffee and heat until the internal temperature reaches 190°F.

08. Smoked Beef Short Ribs

Ingredients:

• 6 pieces of beef short ribs
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• Beef BBQ rub
• BBQ sauce

Instructions:

• Apply kosher salt evenly across the surface of the ribs to dry brine them.
• Allow to brine for at least one hour, preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.
• Eliminate the ribs from the fridge and pat them dry to remove any extra salt.
• Apply hot sauce to the ribs’ tops. Rub the beef rub over the spicy sauce.
• Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius). If you’re using a charcoal barbecue, set it up to cook in two zones. Toss oak wood into the smoker.
• Smoke at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Normally, it takes 6 to 8 hours.
• Remove the meat from the smoker. Cover it with foil and let aside for 30 minutes before serving.

09. Bacon Explosion

Ingredients:

• Seasoning: Your favorite seasoning, and your favorite BBQ sauce
• Other Ingredients: Additional toppings (cheese, hot sauce, bacon, etc.)
• Apple and cherry woods were used.
• Temperature on the grill should be between 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Temperature of the meat: 165 degrees Fahrenheit
• Time to smoke: 3 hours

Instructions:

• The first thing you’ll need to do is start weaving your bacon. Typically, you’ll want to make it 5×5, which will leave a couple extra pieces in the bacon packet, allowing you to mend your weave using the additional slices if one tears.
• Sprinkle some of that good oil’ rub on there once the weave is finished.
• The sausage should now be placed atop the bacon weave. Make sure the sausage is pressed to the bacon’s outside edges, resulting in a patty that is the same thickness all the way around.
• After the sausage has been set down, liberally apply more rub to the sausage.
• You have complete freedom to let your creativity run wild here. We added hot sauce, and cheese to our spicy version. On our mild version, we just cooked up the leftover bacon slices and piled them on top of the sausage.
• Now comes the crucial step of rolling all of this pork goodness up. It’s easier to roll it up with the help of another person, and then use toothpicks to hold the loose ends of bacon together.
• Add a little extra rub to the outside of the bacon weave, and it’s ready to go into the smoker. Cook the bacon explosion in a continual cloud of smoke over indirect heat at 225–250 degrees until the meat achieves an internal temperature of 165 degrees. I smoked with apple and cherry wood since the sweetness goes nicely with the bacon.
• Normally, each inch of thickness takes around an hour, but this might vary depending on how well you manage your fire and how many times you open the smoker to glance inside. It took me roughly 3 hours to do mine.
• When your explosion is about done (approximately 145-150 degrees), baste the roll with your favorite sauce and keep cooking for the remaining 30 minutes, allowing the sauce to become sticky.
• Take the toothpicks and remove the roll from the smoker, as the heat should have seared the bacon together.
• To serve, cut the bacon explosion into quarter- to half-inch rounds.

10. Smoked Beef Brisket

Ingredients:

• Allow your 12-14-pound full packer brisket to rest here.
• 2 tbsp. Kosher salt, coarse
• 2 tsp. black pepper, coarsely ground
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder (optional) let your creativity run wild with this one.

Instructions:

• Keep your brisket refrigerated until you’re ready to begin trimming.
•  Briskets that are cold are considerably easier to work with.
• Turn your brisket over so that the tip end is on the bottom.
• From the flat muscle, remove any silver skin or extra fat.
• Trim the huge crescent moon-shaped fat part until the tip meets the flat in a seamless transition.
• Remove any excess or dangling meat and fat from the tip. Square the flat’s edges and ends.
• Flip the brisket over and trim the top fat cap to a thickness of about 1/4 inch over the beef’s surface.
• Combine the salt, pepper, and garlic in a mixing dish or an empty spice jar.
•  Distribute the spices evenly over the brisket on all sides.
• Preheat the smoker to 225 ℉ using indirect heat and wooden smoke.
• Place the brisket on the smoker with the point of the brisket facing the heat source.
• This section of the brisket is thicker and can withstand the extra heat.
• Close the lid and smoke until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
• Roll out a large piece of butcher paper (or foil) on a large work area and place your brisket in the center.
•  By folding the brisket’s edge over edge, you may create a leak-proof closure all the way around.
•  with the seam side down to firmly compress the edges of the paper wrap. It tightly wraps the borders.
• Close the lid on the smoker and cook until the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 202 degrees F in the thickest portion of the meat, maintaining 225 degrees F. (takes anywhere from 5-8 hours).
• Allow 1 hour for the brisket to rest on a large cutting board before slicing. Serve immediately after slicing both the point and the flat against the grain using a sharp knife.

11. BBQ Smoked Spiral Ham

Ingredients:

• Spiral cut 10-pound entire ham
• 1 apple jelly cup
• 1 cup BBQ sauce with raspberry and chipotle.

Instructions:

• Preheat the smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss cherry wood into the smoker.
• Remove the ham from its packing and place it cut-side down on the chicken tray. Transfer to the smoker on a cooking tray. Cook for 2 hours with the lid closed.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the apple jelly until it reaches a liquid consistency.
• Toss in the raspberry chipotle. Stir in the glaze and bring it to a low simmer. Keep the saucepan on low heat until the ham is done.
• In a shallow aluminum pan, place the ham. Using a basting brush, apply glaze to the ham. Make sure all cracks on the ham surface are covered.
• Return the ham to the smoker while it is still in the pan. Close the cover and smoke for another 30 minutes.
• Place the ham on a cutting board after removing it from the smoker. Allow for a 10-minute rest period.
• Allow the pieces to slip away by cutting along the ham’s outer seam.

12. Brown Sugar Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds’ fresh salmon.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon dill weed, dried
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions:

• Preheat the smoker to 250-275 degrees Fahrenheit.
• To make the rub, combine salt, pepper, dill, and brown sugar.
•  Apply a light patting motion to the top of the fish.
• If time allows, dry brine the salmon in the refrigerator for about an hour.
• Smoke the salmon for one hour, or until it reaches a temperature of 145 degrees F.

13. Barbecue Apple-Wood Chicken Breast

Ingredients:

• 4 big skinless and boneless chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• BBQ Dry Rub
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp kosher/table salt
• 2 tbsp black pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat the electric smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (107 degrees Celsius). In the tray or smoker box, place apple, peach, or cherry wood chips.
• Rub the chicken breasts with such a thin layer of olive oil.
•  In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the dry rub ingredients.
• Season each breast generously on all sides with dry rub seasoning.
• Place the breasts in the electric smoker. Close the door and smoke for 1 hour, or until the inside temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
• Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board after removing them from the smoker. Cover with foil and let aside for 5-10 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
• Alternatively, serve whole or in slices.

14. Buttery Smoked Corn on the Cob

Ingredients:

• 6 ears corn
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 green onions

Instructions:

• Remove the silks and immerse the corn for a few hours after peeling back the husk.
• Brush the corn with the butter mixture, top with green onion, and cover with corn husks.
• Serve immediately after smoking.

15. Easy Double Smoked Turkey

Ingredients:

• Turkey breast, pre-cooked and smoked
• The BBQ Brothers’ All Purpose BBQ Rub is used for seasoning.
• Wood Used: Mesquite
• Grill Temperature: 250 degrees
• Meat Temperature: 170 degrees
• Smoke Time: ~2.5-3 hours, indirect heat

Instructions:

• We’ll start by rubbing the turkey with vegetable oil and our All Purpose BBQ Rub.
• Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees and add some mesquite wood chips to the indirect heat setting.
• A coffee mug with 2 sticks of butter, 2 teaspoons spicy sauce (I used tabasco), 1 teaspoon honey, and a sprinkling of rub will be placed next to the turkey.
•  Place the mug on the stovetop over high heat. This will be our basting mixture, and as we smoke, the butter melts, and when we open the cover, everything is nice and hot on the grill, so we don’t have to bring anything out in the cold with us.
• Leave the cover on for around 45 minutes when we first start smoking (avoid the impulse to peek).
• Then we’ll baste the bird every 15-20 minutes for another 2 hours, or until it reaches the temperature we want to serve it at (internal temperature of 170 degrees).
• We want to baste it fairly heavy (where the bird is pouring) and pump up the heat once we get close (the last 10 minutes) to build a good bark. Allow it to rest for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
• There you have it! Everything has been completed. There’s no carving or stuffing here; simply plain turkey with a big smoke flavor!

16. Smoked Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 potatoes (medium)
• It’s better to use 3/4 cup kosher salt with bigger granules.
• a quarter cup of olive oil

Instructions:

• To prevent your potatoes from exploding, pierce them all over with a fork or knife.
• Salt should be placed in a flat basin or container.
• One of your potatoes should be rubbed with olive oil before being rolled in salt.
• After you’ve done this with all of your potatoes, you’re ready to smoke.
• Set the smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, add the wood chips of your choosing to the inside container, and smoke for 2 hours or until the meat is tender in the center (test with a knife or fork).
• Allow them to rest for a few minutes after removing them from the oven.
• Slice and stuff with chili for a main course or sour cream & butter for a side!

17. Beef Jerky

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs round steak
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions:

• Trim the beef round of any unwanted fat. Remove any remaining membrane or silver skin from the meat with a table knife and paper towel.
• Using a 14-inch slicer cut the beef round into 14-inch slices.
• To get the finest effects when smoking, make sure they are chopped irregularly.
• Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Allow cooling completely before adding the meat slices to the marinade.
• Place the slices in a big Ziploc bag or an airtight container to keep them fresh. The remaining marinade should be poured over the meat.
• Place the container or bag in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 12 hours or overnight.
• Using a paper towel, line a baking sheet. Remove the meat from the refrigerator and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow drying.
• Preheat your electric smoker to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius). Toss wood chips into the tray.
• Close the chamber door and place the beef strips on the smoker grates. 3 hours of smoking
• Every hour, check the jerky to ensure that the pieces are not cooking unevenly. If that’s the case, reorganize them.
• Remove the jerky from the smoker after three hours and chill on a cooling rack. When the jerky is dry, tough, and bendable without breaking, it is ready.
• Refrigerate in an airtight container after it has totally cooled. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, although it’s best eaten within four      days.

18. Smoked Burgers

Ingredients:

• 4-6 hamburgers
• 2 tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp. dehydrated onion minced
• 1 tbsp. pepper

Instructions:

• In a large mixing dish, thoroughly combine all of your spices.
• Place your hamburgers on a plate and rub a small amount on the top and bottom of each one. If you wrap bacon around them, make sure the ends are on the bottom and tucked in tightly.
• Allow your smoker to warm to 275 degrees before adding wood chips or pellets.
• Smoke for 45-60 minutes at 275 degrees on the top rack (if you have one) and or directly on the grate, depending on how well done you want them; 45 minutes was medium or well done for us, and 60 minutes was well done.
• For best results, flip halfway through the cooking time.

19. Smoked Lobster Tails

Ingredients:

• 4 lobster tails
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ tbsp black pepper

Instructions:

• Prepare the lobster tails first. Cut them along the top of the shell, along the middle, and to the tip of the tail with kitchen scissors.
• Pull the shell open gently so that the meat may be seen. Make sure you only split it partially so the shell doesn’t crack any further. Remove any shell fragments from the tails by rinsing them under cold water.
• Start your smoker and set the temperature to 225°F for cooking.
• Prepare the butter mixture while the smoker heats up.
• Melt the butter, lemon juice, black pepper, and minced garlic in a small skillet over medium heat. Remove the butter from the fire once it has completely melted and set aside to cool.
• Start at the exposed flesh and work your way to the tail fin at its other end of each tail using a skewer. This will keep the tails from curling throughout the cooking process.
• Place the tails with the slit side up on the smoker grates. Cook for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the lobster meat reaches 145°F (62°C). Apply the butter to the tails after 20 minutes, massaging it into the meat via the tail slit.
• Measure the internal temperature of the tails with a meat probe.
• Remove the meat from the smoker when it reaches 145°F and serve immediately.
• Finish with a high-heat sear for 1-2 minutes to add grill marks to the tails. (Optional)

20. Hickory Smoked Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 4 pork chops
• 2 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp Kosher salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp ground mustard
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

• Set the temperature on your electric smoker to 225°F (107°C). Fill the wood chip pan halfway with chips.
• Combine all dry rub ingredients in a small basin. Cover all sides of the pork chops with a generous amount of dry rub.
• Close the chamber door and place the pork chops on the smoker grates. Smoke for 60-90 minutes, or until the interior temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius).
• Transfer the pork chops to a cutting board after removing them from the smoker. Allow for 10-15 minutes of resting time after covering with aluminum foil.
• To serve, cut into slices. Enjoy!

21. Smoked Boneless Pork Loin

Ingredients:

• 1 pork loin
• 3 tbsp rub of choice
• ¼ cup BBQ sauce
• 1 ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 ½ tsp chili powder

Instructions:

• With your choice of wood, heat your smoker to 225°F. Maple is my personal favorite.
• Trim the fat off your meat as the smoker heats up.
• Apply a generous amount of your selected rub to the loin.
• Place the meat in the smoker once the temperature has reached 225°F.
• Smoke for 2.5-3 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145°F.
• Apply BBQ sauce to the meat with around 30 minutes left.
• Finish smoking and remove from the smoker.
• Set aside for 15-20 minutes to cool before slicing and serving.

We hope you enjoy the recipes of these novice smokers and they will provide you with tender ribs with bone marrow, and beef with a juicy smell, chicken that will delight you. We can say that once you get a taste of smoking, you will want to cook it outside soon.

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