Backyard smoking asks for patience, but the first slice, pulled strand, or crisp-skinned wing can make the long cook feel justified. These 23 backyard smoking recipes cover chicken, wings, burgers, beef roasts, steaks, pulled pork, ham, meatballs, stuffed pasta, lamb, and quick dishes made from smoked leftovers. Cooking times range from about 20 minutes to more than 12 hours, with several recipes adding marinating, chilling, tempering, or resting time. The collection gives weekend cookouts, game days, dinner parties, and planned family meals several ways to make waiting part of the process.
Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
Dark meat keeps Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe juicy beneath paprika, brown sugar, garlic, onion, thyme, and smoked hot paprika. Four servings take 2 hours and 15 minutes, including a five-minute rest. The quarters smoke at 225°F until 160°F, then finish at 400°F so the skin crisps as the meat reaches 175°F to 180°F. Serve them for a backyard dinner when an inexpensive chicken cut needs both smoke and crisp skin.
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Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches with Smoked Rib Roast
Leftover rib roast turns Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches with Smoked Rib Roast into two hoagies with provolone, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and butter. Ten minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking keep the skillet meal to 25 minutes. The vegetables brown first, while the thinly sliced smoked beef warms for only 60 to 90 seconds. Use it after a long roast cook when the remaining meat needs to become a quick lunch.
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Traeger Smoked Chicken Spatchcock
Flattening a whole bird helps Traeger Smoked Chicken Spatchcock cook evenly with only chicken and Montreal chicken seasoning. Six servings take 2 hours and 10 minutes on the printed schedule. The chicken smokes at 180°F for one hour, continues at 225°F to 165°F, and can finish skin-side down at 450°F for crispness. Carve it for a family meal when one bird needs less time than a traditional smoked chicken.
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Smoked Burgers Recipe With a Reverse Sear
Cold 80/20 patties give Smoked Burgers Recipe With a Reverse Sear four thick burgers seasoned with salt and pepper. The full schedule is 1 hour and 50 minutes, including a 30-minute chill. The burgers smoke at 225°F without flipping, then sear for one to two minutes per side before cheese is added. Choose them for burger night when ground beef needs deeper smoke and a firmer crust than a standard grill method.
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Smoked New York Strip Roast
Coffee and ancho chile build the crust on Smoked New York Strip Roast with brown sugar, garlic, onion, pepper, and cayenne. A four-pound roast makes six servings in 1 hour and 35 minutes. The scored fat cap takes one hour of smoke at 180°F before the roast finishes at 225°F to an internal temperature of 125°F. Carve it for a dinner party when a boneless beef roast needs a distinct rub and clean slices.
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Smoked Turkey Quesadilla
Smoked turkey gives Smoked Turkey Quesadilla a 10-minute route to one serving with Monterey Jack and two flour tortillas. Five minutes of preparation comes before five minutes in a skillet or on a Blackstone. The finished quesadilla does not go on the smoker, so its character depends on turkey prepared during an earlier cook. Add salsa, guacamole, or sour cream when a small amount of leftover meat needs another meal.
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Smoked Chuck Roast
Heavy marbling makes Smoked Chuck Roast a lower-cost route to brisket-style bark with steak seasoning and butcher paper. A 3½-to-4-pound roast makes eight servings in 9 hours and 15 minutes. The beef smokes at 225°F to 165°F, then finishes wrapped at 250°F until it reaches 205°F and rests for up to 45 minutes. Slice or pull it when one patient cook needs to cover sandwiches, tacos, or dinner plates.
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Smoked Beef Tenderloin
Dijon and whiskey cover Smoked Beef Tenderloin with garlic, Worcestershire, and brown sugar before the two-pound roast reaches the pellet grill. Six servings take 2 hours and 10 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation. The tenderloin smokes at 180°F until it reaches 125°F for medium-rare, then rests for 10 to 15 minutes. Save it for a smaller celebration when a lean premium cut needs smoke without an all-day schedule.
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Reverse Seared Smoked Steaks with Smoked Garlic Butter
Garlic butter finishes Reverse Seared Smoked Steaks with Smoked Garlic Butter over four one-inch New York strips seasoned with Montreal steak spice. The full recipe takes 1 hour and 5 minutes. The steaks smoke at 180°F to 125°F, then sear for one minute per side while butter is blended with smoked garlic, parsley, and chipotle chili. Use it for steak night when the smoker and skillet can share the work.
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Smoked Chicken Al Pastor
Stacked chicken thighs and pineapple make Smoked Chicken Al Pastor eight servings with guajillo chiles, achiote, citrus, cumin, oregano, and chipotle. The schedule includes 10 minutes of preparation, eight hours of marinating, and three hours of cooking. A vertical skewer holds the chicken between pineapple slices as the smoker moves from 180°F to 300°F. Slice it into tacos, burritos, or nachos when a package of thighs needs to feed a group.
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Smoked Ribeye Roast
Montreal seasoning keeps Smoked Ribeye Roast focused on a four-pound cap-off cut with only olive oil added. Five minutes of preparation comes before about 2 hours and 30 minutes of smoking for six servings. The roast spends 30 minutes at 180°F, then continues at 225°F until it reaches 125°F for medium-rare. Rest and carve it when a dinner table needs a beef centerpiece with very little ingredient work.
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Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings
Peach jam and chipotle turn Smoked Peach-Chipotle Wings into four servings with adobo sauce and cider vinegar. Five minutes of preparation comes before one hour of smoking. After the wings reach 165°F, they return to a 450°F grill for four to five minutes per side before being tossed in the blended glaze. Set them out for game day when a fruit-based wing needs heat, smoke, and crisp edges.
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Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork
Boneless pork shoulder makes Grilled Smoked Pulled Pork ten servings with mustard, brown sugar, paprika, chile powders, thyme, garlic, and onion. Ten minutes of preparation comes before six hours on a Ninja Woodfire grill using applewood pellets. The shoulder smokes at 250°F to 205°F, then rests in foil for at least 30 minutes before shredding. Choose it when pulled pork needs a shorter outdoor cook than the traditional 12-hour version.
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Smoked Carver Ham
Scored ham gives Smoked Carver Ham eight servings beneath brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon, cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and chipotle powder. Ten minutes of preparation and two hours of cooking bring the total to 2 hours and 10 minutes. The crosshatch surface lets the warm glaze settle into the four-pound cut while it smokes at 300°F. Slice it for a holiday meal, brunch, or sandwiches when a familiar ham needs another layer of smoke.
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Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze
Red pepper jelly coats Smoked Chicken Legs with Red Pepper Glaze with bourbon, Sriracha, garlic, lemon, rosemary, and olive oil. Six servings take 1 hour and 40 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation. The legs smoke at 225°F to about 155°F, then finish at 375°F after being tossed in the glaze until they reach 165°F. Serve them at a cookout when chicken legs need a sticky finish and adjustable heat.
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Smoked Meatballs
Beef and pork combine in Smoked Meatballs with milk-soaked bread, eggs, garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. Six servings take 1 hour and 40 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation. Thirty-six meatballs smoke at 180°F for 30 minutes, then continue at 225°F for about one hour until they reach 165°F. Serve them with sauce, rolls, pasta, or toothpicks when one batch needs several possible uses.
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Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings
Butter and Parmesan coat Smoked Garlic Parmesan Wings with fresh garlic, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes after the smoking stage. Six servings take 1 hour and 5 minutes from preparation through cooking. The wings smoke at 225°F to 165°F, then crisp for three to four minutes per side at 450°F. Serve them with celery and dip when a game-day tray needs a buttery, sauce-free option.
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Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings
Chili powder and paprika give Smoked Dry Rubbed Wings a coating with cumin, thyme, garlic, onion, pepper, and smoked hot paprika. Six servings take about 1 hour and 10 minutes, including 10 minutes of preparation. The wings smoke at 225°F to 165°F, then crisp for three minutes per side at 450°F. Choose them for a party tray when clean hands and a spice-forward wing matter more than a sticky sauce.
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Smoked Pulled Pork
Yellow mustard helps the spice rub cling to Smoked Pulled Pork before apple juice is used throughout the long cook. A five-pound pork butt makes 12 servings in 12 hours and 10 minutes. The meat smokes at 225°F to 160°F, then finishes covered until it reaches 200°F to 205°F and rests for an hour. Pile it onto buns, tacos, or plates when an overnight or early-morning cook needs to feed a crowd.
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Smoked Dill Pickle Wings
Dill pickle brine gives Smoked Dill Pickle Wings their base before dried dill, granulated garlic, pepper, and salt go on. Four servings take 1 hour and 10 minutes, plus at least four hours of brining. The wings smoke at 225°F to 165°F, then crisp for three to four minutes per side at 450°F. Pair them with ranch when a game-day batch needs a salty, tangy alternative to sauced wings.
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Smoked Shotgun Shells
Cannelloni tubes hold Smoked Shotgun Shells with ground beef, cheddar, milk, garlic, onion, bacon, and barbecue sauce. Four servings take 1 hour and 50 minutes, including 20 minutes of preparation. The wrapped shells smoke at 225°F for one hour, then cook another 30 to 45 minutes after being brushed with sauce until the pasta is tender. Prepare them ahead for a gathering when an appetizer should justify the extra assembly.
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Grilled Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce
Two pork tenderloins make Grilled Smoked Pork Tenderloin with Mezcal BBQ Sauce serve six with a brown-sugar spice rub and applewood pellets. The printed total is 30 minutes, including 20 minutes of smoking. Ketchup, beer, citrus juice, mezcal, vinegar, and chipotle simmer into the sauce while the pork cooks to 145°F. Serve the slices with sauce when a lean cut needs smoke and a stronger finish without taking over the day.
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Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb
Fresh rosemary, thyme, garlic, and olive oil form the herb paste on Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb for six servings. The displayed timing lists 10 minutes of preparation and two hours of cooking, but the directions include about two hours of tempering plus roughly three hours of smoking. The scored leg moves from 180°F to 225°F and rests at least 20 minutes. Plan it for a special dinner when a whole lamb cut can occupy the smoker for most of the afternoon.
Get the Recipe: Traeger Smoked Leg of Lamb