When the smoker is already fired up, burgers and ribs do not have to be the whole plan. This collection covers big meats, snack trays, sides, soups, desserts, and cocktails, all with recipes that build flavor through smoke in different ways. You’ll find long, low cooks for weekend projects, faster wings and salsas for casual hangouts, and a few unexpected picks that make the backyard menu feel bigger than one main dish.
Traeger Smoked Turkey
Built for the kind of backyard cook that needs a centerpiece, Traeger Smoked Turkey uses a 15-pound turkey with brown sugar, paprika, thyme, sage, garlic powder, and onion powder in a 7-hour smoker recipe. It makes 8 servings, with the bird smoked low before finishing at 165 F. Slice it for a holiday table, a big weekend dinner, or leftovers that can turn into sandwiches and soup.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Smoked Turkey
Smoked Brisket Chili
Loaded with smoked beef instead of plain ground meat, Smoked Brisket Chili combines cubed brisket, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, dark beer, beef broth, beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle powder. Ready in 1 hour 15 minutes and built for 8 servings, it is the bowl you make when leftover brisket deserves more than a sandwich. Top it with sour cream, cheese, or whatever chili fixings are already on the table.
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Smoked Tomatoes
Simple but useful, Smoked Tomatoes turns 2 pounds of Roma tomatoes into a smoky base with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. The recipe takes 1 hour 10 minutes and makes 6 servings, with the tomatoes smoked in a grill basket until the flavor concentrates. Use them in sauces, soups, salsa, pasta, or anywhere plain tomatoes would disappear into the background.
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Smoked Peaches with Spiced Rum Whipped Cream
A dessert can still come off the smoker, and Smoked Peaches with Spiced Rum Whipped Cream proves it with peaches, turbinado sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, sugar, and spiced rum. Ready in 40 minutes and sized for 4 servings, it keeps the fruit simple while the whipped cream brings the finish. Serve it after grilled meats when you want dessert without turning the oven on.
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Smoked Tomato Salsa
Made from smoked Roma tomatoes instead of raw ones, Smoked Tomato Salsa mixes the tomatoes with red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, and cumin. It takes 55 minutes and makes 8 servings, with the tomatoes smoked first before everything gets pulsed together. Set it out with chips, tacos, grilled meat, or anything else that needs a smoky spoonful on the side.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Tomato Salsa
Smoked Mac & Cheese
Built like a full side dish, Smoked Mac & Cheese combines macaroni, milk, heavy cream, cheddar, Gouda, cream cheese, mustard powder, and a bacon panko topping. The recipe takes 2 hours 20 minutes and makes 10 servings, so it is not a quick box of noodles. Bring it out with smoked chicken, ham, steak, or anything that needs a creamy side with a crisp topping.
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Smoked Shotgun Shells
Stuffed instead of tossed in sauce, Smoked Shotgun Shells fills 14 cannelloni tubes with ground beef, cheddar cheese, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper before wrapping them in bacon. The smoker does the work in 1 hour 50 minutes for 4 servings. Put these on when the backyard table needs something people can grab before the main meat is ready.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Shotgun Shells
Smoked Tomahawk Steak
Big enough to look like the main event, Smoked Tomahawk Steak uses a 2-pound tomahawk steak, Montreal steak seasoning, and a mustard seed chimichurri made with lime juice, shallot, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and mustard seeds. The recipe lists 20 minutes prep, 2 hours cook time, and 2 servings. Slice it against the grain and spoon over the chimichurri when the backyard dinner needs one serious steak.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Tomahawk Steak
Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze
Coated first and glazed later, Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze starts with 3 pounds of chicken legs, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper. The glaze brings in red pepper jelly, bourbon, and Sriracha, with 10 minutes prep, 1 hour 30 minutes cook time, and 6 servings. Serve them hot with the extra glaze warmed on the side for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze
Smoked Double Stuffed Baked Potatoes
More than a plain potato side, Smoked Double Stuffed Baked Potatoes uses russet potatoes, avocado oil, heavy cream, butter, bacon, green onions, and cheddar cheese. The recipe lists 15 minutes prep, 2 hours 20 minutes cook time, and 4 servings. Smoke the potatoes, scoop and mash the centers, refill them, then melt the cheese on top for a side that can stand next to steak or ham.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Double Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Smoked Beef Kabobs
Skewered for easy backyard serving, Smoked Beef Kabobs pairs sirloin, ribeye, or tenderloin with zucchini, red onion, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. The marinade uses soy sauce, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, pepper, and salt. With 10 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook time, 1 hour marinating time, and 4 servings, these work well when dinner needs meat and vegetables on one stick.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Beef Kabobs
Smoked Jalapenos
Small but useful, Smoked Jalapenos keeps the ingredient list to 8 whole jalapenos, oil, coarse salt, and black pepper. The recipe takes 1 hour 5 minutes and makes 4 servings, with the peppers smoked at 250 F until soft. Chop them into dips, serve them beside grilled meat, or pass them as a smoky side for people who like heat without a lot of extra prep.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Jalapenos
Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
Fast for a smoker themed list, Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup uses onion, jalapeno, garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, fresh Roma tomatoes, black beans, corn, cooked smoked chicken, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and lime juice. It is ready in 30 minutes and makes 8 servings. Serve it with tortilla strips, sour cream, cheese, avocado, or lime when the menu needs a bowl instead of another tray of wings.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup
Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings
Sauce is not required here, since Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings coats 2 pounds of chicken wings with olive oil, chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, kosher salt, thyme, and smoked hot paprika. The recipe lists 10 minutes prep, 1 hour cook time, and 6 servings. Finish them hot on the grill for a crisper bite, then set them out for game day or a backyard snack tray.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings
Smoked Sweet Potatoes
A side dish can still pull its weight, and Smoked Sweet Potatoes uses 4 sweet potatoes with oil, salt, pepper, and chipotle compound butter. The butter is made with salted butter, chipotle pepper in adobo, adobo sauce, garlic, smoked paprika, and onion powder. With 10 minutes prep, 2 hours cook time, and 4 servings, these belong next to ribs, chicken, ham, or steak.
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Smoked Old Fashioned Cocktail
For the drink side of the menu, Smoked Old Fashioned Cocktail uses simple syrup, Angostura bitters, whiskey, a cherry, orange peel, and a smoked cocktail kit. It takes 4 minutes and makes 1 cocktail, so this is more of a finishing touch than a smoker project. Serve it with appetizers or after dinner when the backyard setup moves from food to drinks.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Old Fashioned Cocktail
Smoked Beef Stew
Built for a heavier bowl, Smoked Beef Stew starts with 2 pounds of beef stew meat and adds red wine, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, carrots, pickled onions, and peas. The recipe lists 30 minutes prep, 1 hour cook time, and 6 servings. It is a good fit when the smoker is running but the table needs something spoonable and filling.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Beef Stew
Smoked Dill Pickle Wings
Brined before they hit the smoker, Smoked Dill Pickle Wings uses 3 pounds of chicken wings, dill pickle brine, dried dill, granulated garlic, black pepper, and kosher salt. The recipe takes 1 hour 10 minutes after brining and makes 4 servings, with a 4-hour to overnight brine listed in the instructions. Serve with ranch dip when plain wings are not enough for the snack table.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Dill Pickle Wings
Smoked Carver Ham
Meant for feeding more than a couple of people, Smoked Carver Ham starts with a 4-pound carver ham and a glaze of brown sugar, maple syrup or honey, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, cloves, and chipotle powder. It takes 2 hours 10 minutes and makes 8 servings. Slice it thin or thick, then use leftovers for sandwiches, eggs, or snacking.
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Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings
Sweet heat drives Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings, which coats 2 pounds of chicken wings with a sauce made from peach jam, chipotle in adobo, adobo sauce, and apple cider vinegar. The recipe lists 5 minutes prep, 1 hour cook time, and 4 servings. Smoke the wings first, crisp them at higher heat, then toss them in the sauce for a sticky backyard plate.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings
Smoked Meatballs
Made with both beef and pork, Smoked Meatballs mixes white bread, milk, lean ground beef, ground pork, Italian seasoning, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. The recipe takes 1 hour 40 minutes and makes 6 servings. Serve them with BBQ sauce, smoked marinara, pasta, or toothpicks when the smoker needs something that works as dinner or a snack.
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Smoked Gimlet Cocktail
Quick but still tied to the smoke theme, Smoked Gimlet Cocktail shakes gin or vodka with fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and ice, then finishes the glass with a smoked cocktail kit. It takes 2 minutes and makes 1 cocktail. Pour it for the drink side of the backyard menu, especially when the food is already heavy and the glass needs something bright.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Gimlet Cocktail
Smoked Tomato Soup with Mascarpone
Smooth instead of chunky, Smoked Tomato Soup with Mascarpone uses about 2 pounds of Roma tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, shallots, chicken broth or vegetable stock, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and mascarpone. The recipe takes 2 hours 30 minutes and makes 6 servings. Serve it with grilled cheese, toasted bread, or a small sandwich when smoked tomatoes need to turn into a full bowl.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Tomato Soup with Mascarpone
Smoked Beef Tenderloin
Kept simple so the meat stays the point, Smoked Beef Tenderloin uses a 2-pound beef tenderloin roast with Dijon mustard, garlic, whiskey, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. The recipe lists 10 minutes prep, 2 hours cook time, 2 hours 10 minutes total, and 6 servings. Slice it for a backyard dinner where you want something leaner and cleaner than brisket or pork belly.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Beef Tenderloin
Smoked Pork Belly Tacos
Bigger than a quick taco night, Smoked Pork Belly Tacos uses 4 pounds of pork belly with brown sugar, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, guajillo chili powder, and chipotle powder. The pickled vegetables bring cucumber, carrots, red onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, rice wine vinegar, salt, and sugar. It takes 3 hours 15 minutes and makes 10 servings, giving the backyard table a full taco setup.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Pork Belly Tacos