Backyard Smoker Recipes

Healthy Backyard Smoker Recipes

With all the fuss made about smoking food these days, you'd think you had to be one of those hard-core hobbyists who'll spend $3,000 on a pellet smoker and devote their free time to getting a master's degree in the ancient art. Or one of those high-end chefs who smoke everything in sight (smoked yogurt, anyone?). In the almost religious vogue for smoke lies a suggestion that this is not a job for the average home cook. Not so: You can smoke pork shoulder, poultry, brisket, even oysters and potato salad at home on your charcoal or gas grill to dazzling effect, as the recipes on these slides show.

We’ll begin with Fantastic Bourbon Smoked Chicken. To reinforce the whiskey flavor in the brine and basting butter, recipe developer and global grilling authority Steven Raichlen says to use Jack Daniel's whiskey barrel chips for smoking—widely available in grill and gourmet shops. This bird is so wonderfully moist and flavorful, it doesn't need added embellishment.

View Recipe: Fantastic Bourbon Smoked Chicken