This salad is especially lovely for that weird stretch between summer and fall, when you still want fresh corn but you're also craving something roasted and warm. Sweet roasted corn cut straight off the cob plus caramelized, cubed sweet potatoes gives you a little of both seasons.

This salad is relatively flexible, too. You can swap out ingredients for those you prefer, use a different type of cheese (or none at all), or add some crispy tortilla strips & avocado. If you smoke your own pork, I can't think of a better use for the leftovers.

What Makes This Pulled Pork Salad Different

Like I said -- crisping up the pork is a unique take on a pulled pork salad. Using corn straight from the cob keeps it fresher, and using pepitas instead of croutons for a little crunch keeps the salad gluten free.

Also, keeping the ranch and BBQ drizzle separated (instead of making a BBQ ranch dressing) keeps the potency of the BBQ sauce and the ranch is hanging out in the background like a creamy little groupie.

It also straddles two seasons and is perfect for late summer/early fall. Simple tweaks to the recipe could take it further in either direction.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• Smoked Pulled Pork: If you're smoking your own, BY ALL MEANS, use it. If not, you can find prepared smoked pulled pork at most grocery stores. I really like Costco's version.
• Chopped romaine: sturdy enough to hold the warm pork and hearty toppings. You could also use green leaf lettuce.
• Fresh corn: If possible. Frozen corn roasted in the oven is pretty great, too, in a pinch.
• Black beans: canned is fine, tossed with cumin and lime and warmed up
• Roasted sweet potato: I LOVED this with the sweet BBQ sauce especially. It gave the salad another hearty boost. You could also swap it for diced fresh mango to give it a more summer vibe.
• Mexican cotija cheese: This is a hard, salty cheese and reminds me of a Mexican version of Parmesan. You can use another type of cheese, like feta or Parmesan here.
• Pepitas or pumpkin seeds: I super love these. I buy the sprouted ones at Costco and use them in allll of my salads.
• Lime wedges: extra lime wedges is never a bad thing
• Jalapeno Ranch: More on this below, but you can blend any existing ranch dressing with a fresh jalapeño and *voila*, jalapeño ranch.
• BBQ sauce: Use whatever you like! If you want to make your own, I've got a few recipes here. The Balsamic BBQ Sauce is my favorite, but the Raspberry Chipotle and Honey Lime are also delicious! All three are naturally sweetened, too.

For the Avocado Jalapeño Ranch

If you're wanting to go the homemade route, I've got my homemade ranch dressing that only needs a jalapeño. Maybe a squeeze of lime if you're feeling it. I also included a quick DIY ranch recipe in the recipe notes below if you don't have ranch seasoning mix.

How do you make pulled pork crispy for a salad?

All you need is a big skillet and a little oil. I use avocado oil, but any heat-safe oil would work here. The key is to get it really, really hot and don't put too much pork in the pan at once. Let it hang out and get toasted, caramelized edges. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to let some of the oil drain off.

Fire-Roasting the Corn

I toss the ears of corn on the pan with the sweet potatoes because I love when a sheet pan can do double duty. You can also use a big skillet -- like a cast iron skillet, if you have one. Just put a little oil in the skillet and sear the cob on a few sides. Both methods work with frozen corn, too.

How to Build the Salad

Usually I'm like... throw everything in a bowl, yee-haw! But, this salad is best with a little strategy.

First, toss the romaine in the jalapeño ranch. I don't want to dump it all over everything because it'll cool off the hot things too quickly.

Then, add the black beans, corn, sweet potatoes, crispy pork, pepitas, and cotija cheese.

Finally, give it a drizzle of the BBQ sauce.

Make It Your Own — Variations

• Fall/winter swap: Use diced fresh mango or pineapple in place of the roasted sweet potato for a summer vibe.
• Add rice or farro underneath for a grain bowl version
• Swap cotija for sharp cheddar for a more classic Tex-Mex feel
• No smoker? Use store-bought BBQ pulled pork, toss with a little chipotle powder before crisping if it isn't already smoked.
• Make it a wrap: roll everything into a large tortilla or collard green wrap for a portable version.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Leftover Pulled Pork Ideas

If you want to make your own pulled pork, I've got a great Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork recipe to get you started.

I don't have a robust pork section on my site, but this BBQ Pulled Pork Spaghetti Squash Bake is delicious!

Here are a few other ideas:

• Pulled Pork Nachos
• Pulled Pork Quesadillas
• Carnitas-style tacos (I did this recently and the crispy pork was REALLY good as a taco filling with just a squeeze of lime and a little salt.)

I have another salad coming shortly that I'll link to here!

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

BBQ Pulled Pork Salad with Jalapeño Ranch

Yield: Serves 4

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Crisping the pork in a skillet adds such a better texture in a salad! I love the mixture of tex-mex flavors here -- black beans, charred corn, and cotija with a super easy jalapeno ranch dressing. In my humble opinion, this is the best possible use of leftover smoked pork.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cobs of corn
• 1 large sweet potato
• Sea salt
• Avocado oil
• 2-3 heads of Romaine lettuce
• 1 pound smoked pulled pork
• 1 can black beans, drained
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 limes
• 1 cup prepared ranch dressing (see note)
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers
• ½ cup BBQ sauce (see note)
• Cotija cheese & pepitas for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450F.
2. Shuck your corn and cut the sweet potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Lay them on a large, parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of avocado oil and sprinkle with salt. Use your hands to coat the potatoes and corn in the oil. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning everything halfway though cooking, until the potatoes are cooked through and have deeply golden edges and the corn is a little browned in spots. Remove and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, chop the romaine and spin it dry, if you have a salad spinner. It's important to get all the water off the lettuce.
4. Drizzle 2-3 Tablespoons of avocado oil into a large skillet. Break up the pulled pork and add some to the skillet. don't add too much -- you'll want to be able to see the bottom of the skillet in places. Use tongs to flip the meat around. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until you have darker, crispy edges. (It'll get more crispy as it cools.) Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to cool.
5. Put the black beans in a small saucepan along with the cumin and the juice from one lime. Cook over medium heat until the beans are warmed through. Cut the other lime into wedges and reserve for serving.
6. Cut the corn off the cobs.
7. Put the ranch in a blender. Seed the jalapeno (if you want) and put it in the blender with the ranch. Blend until smooth.
8. When everything is finished cooking and you're ready to assemble the salads, put the romaine in a large bowl and add ⅓ of the ranch dressing. Toss to combine. Divide the lettuce among individual bowls and add pork, sweet potatoes, corn, beans, cotija cheese, pepitas, a drizzle of BBQ sauce and more ranch dressing, if desired.

Notes

1. You can prep the lettuce & ranch, crisp the pork, cook the corn & sweet potatoes a few days ahead of time.
2. You can use any ranch dressing you like. If you have a Mexi ranch (like jalapeno or avocado) you can skip step 7. I made a quick homemade version with ½ c mayo, ¼ c Greek yogurt, ⅓ cup milk, a squeeze of lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each of dried dill, granulated garlic, onion powder, and sea salt. Sometimes I use TJ's ranch seasoning or some of my own dried ranch seasoning blend.
3. Same with the BBQ sauce. You can use whatever brand you prefer. If you want to make your own, I highly recommend my Homemade Balsamic BBQ Sauce. It's my favorite!

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 657Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 6gUnsaturated Fat 28gCholesterol 56mgSodium 1649mgCarbohydrates 69gFiber 9gSugar 36gProtein 22g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Crispy BBQ Pulled Pork Salad with Jalapeño Ranch appeared first on Perry's Plate.

What makes it special is that it absorbs all that wood-smoke goodness without melting away. You end up with a creamy, savory, smoky spread that’s got serious personality. I’ve tested it on bagels, burgers, in mac ‘n’ cheese, and it holds its magical every single time.

Make at least two bricks when you fire up your smoker, because this stuff goes fast. Use it as a dip, spread it, melt it into sauces, or dream up your own twist. However you use it, it’ll take things to the next level.

This Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe Is Life Changing

When I heard this was a thing I wondered what kind of witchcraft was happening. "Cooking" cream cheese? Wouldn't it melt? Would it make a mess all over my smoker? What would I even do with it?

After tinkering with this idea I realized that smoked cream cheese is the best thing you can keep stashed away in your refrigerator. Smear it on a bagel, use it as a veggie/cracker dip, top your burger with it, stir it into Mac 'n' cheese!

FYI, it won't make a mess of your smoker. But it might just change your life.

Smoked Cream Cheese Ingredients

• Cream cheese - I like to use the blocks for this because it's easier to manage. But if you have a big tub of cream cheese, you can scoop out a big mound and use that too.
• Seasoning - I really like using steak seasoning to play off the smoky flavors from your pellet grill/smoker, but you can tinker with this and see what you like! I linked to a few more seasoning blends below that I think would work well here.
• Smoker or pellet grill - You'll need a smoker or a pellet grill (like a Traeger or a CampChef) where you can control the temperature easily. This will be a low-temp smoke session.

I've had a CampChef Woodwind Pellet Grill for a few years now and really love it!

Best seasoning for Smoked Cream Cheese

Here are a few seasoning I'd recommend for smoking cream cheese:

Montreal Steak Seasoning - My top pick and what I use most often.

Chipotle Seasoning - If you want to do a Tex-Mex version of this, try my smoky twist on a taco seasoning. I can see this cream cheese being good to smear inside of a burrito or incorporated into some queso dip.

BBQ Rub - Rubs that have a sweet, brown sugar undertone would be great.

Everything Bagel Seasoning - This smoked cream cheese is delicious on everything bagels and using everything bagel seasoning on the cream cheese would give it a little boost of "everything".

Blackening Seasoning - You can find a blackening seasoning mix in my Blackened Fish post!

How to Smoke Cream Cheese on the Traeger

1. Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to about 225F.
2. Line a small pan or baking dish with parchment paper.
3. Place the cream cheese block on the parchment. Score the top with a knife, if you like.
4. Cover the cream cheese with a good amount of seasoning. Drizzle a little oil over the top.
5. Place the pan in the smoker and let it smoke for 2 hours.
6. Remove and serve the smoked cream cheese immediately or let it cool and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.

What temp to Smoke Cream Cheese?

You can smoke the cream cheese between 200-250F. I like 225 because it's warm enough to make the insides gooey, but it won't start melting the cream cheese.

How long to Smoke Cream Cheese 

I'd recommend at least 45 minutes up to 2 hours for a mild smoky flavor. If you like you can smoke it for 3 hours to incorporate more smoke flavor into the cream cheese.

Traeger Smoked Cream Cheese Variations

Smoke your dip! Make a cream cheese based dip and smoke it in a shallow container to add more smoky flavor.

Change up the seasoning - Try using different kinds of seasoning to see what you prefer! I listed some recommendations below.

Tips For Making Traeger Smoked Cream Cheese

• Lining your baking pan with parchment lets you move the cream cheese around more easily and eliminates one more pan to clean up.
• If you like, you can use a cookie cutter and gently press it into the cream cheese to create a design. Scoring it with a cross-hatch pattern also works well here.
• The longer you smoke the cream cheese the stronger the smoky flavor will be.
• Be sure not to smoke it above 250-275F or the cream cheese will begin to melt.

Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe Serving Suggestions

Here are some serving suggestions for smoked cream cheese

• Serve as is! This stands alone as a yummy dip for crackers and veggies.
• Use it as a smear - It's delicious on bagels, burgers, sandwiches, and wraps.
• Use it as a base for a dip - If you have a dip recipe that calls for cream cheese, try using smoked cream cheese instead to add some smoky flavor.
• Stir it into creamy pasta dishes - If you're adding cream cheese to a Mac 'n' cheese recipe or another type of creamy pasta, try smoked cream cheese instead!

How to store Smoked Cream Cheese

Just let it cool off then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or two.

Smoked Cream Cheese Recipe FAQs

More Pellet Grill Recipes on Perry's Plate

If you like this smoked cream cheese recipe, try one of these other recipes I make on my CampChef Woodwind Pellet Grill!

Smoked Chicken Wings

Smoked Burgers

Smoked Chicken Breast or Smoked Whole Chicken

Smoked Salmon

Pellet Grill Meatballs

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Traeger Smoking Cream Cheese

Yield: 1 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Smoked cream cheese is one of my favorite appetizers to make on my smoker -- only TWO ingredients and ridiculously easy. It stands alone as a fabulous smoky dip, and I can show you how it can be used in other ways!

Print

Ingredients

• 8 ounce block of cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon seasoning (see note)
• 1 Tablespoon oil, any type

Instructions

1. Preheat your smoker to 225F. Line a small baking pan or dish with parchment paper.
2. Lay the cream cheese on the parchment. Score the top in a cross-hatch pattern with a knife, if you like. Sprinkle the seasoning on top of the cream cheese, then drizzle the oil over top.
3. Put the baking pan/dish in the smoker. Smoke for 2 hours.
4. Remove from smoker and serve immediately or let it cool and chill in an airtight container until ready to use. It should last a week or so in the refrigerator.

Notes

1. Steak seasoning or BBQ rub is what I typicall use on this cream cheese since it completments the smoke flavor. Everything bagel seasoning works well, too, as well as the other suggestions in the post.
2. If you chill the cream cheese and want to use it as an appetizer later, remove it from the fridge an hour or two before serving so it can soften. You can also put it in a 225 deg overn for 15-20 minutes to warm it up.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1 ounce
Amount Per Serving Calories 115Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 29mgSodium 279mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 2g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post How to Smoke Cream Cheese appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Yes, fish can be… touchy. No one likes fishy fish. Especially fishy-tasting salmon. I’ve smoked salmon DOZENS of times, my friend. Let me show you my fool-proof (yes, actually) method for smoking salmon. All you need is a few ingredients, some time, and a pellet grill.

After you do this once and post it on your social (isn’t that what we all do when we smoke things? It’s an accomplishment!) you’ll be making this again and again. And your friends will think you’ve taken up witchcraft.

Why You'll Love Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill

Smoked salmon is one of my most favorite things. We always buy some during the holidays, and I incorporate it into a big charcuterie board for Christmas Eve. (More on that later!)

If you've got a smoker or a pellet grill (like a CampChef or Traeger), smoked salmon (or hot smoked salmon) is really easy to make!

And much more economical than buying pre-made smoked salmon at the grocery store.

Pellet Grill Smoked Salmon Ingredients

• Salmon fillets
• Sugar
• Sea salt
• Maple syrup

How to Smoke Salmon on a Pellet Grill

1. Start off with a high-quality salmon fillet

I love these ones from Catch Sitka -- a sustainable fishery in Alaska that ships wild-caught salmon and fish all over the country!

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make as much or as little smoked salmon as you like. I wrote the recipe for roughly 8 ounces of salmon. Feel free to scale up or down depending on how much you need.

2. Brine the salmon for several hours

You know I'm partial to dry-brining things, so I attempted that with this recipe, but I liked the result of a wet brine more.

What's in a brine? Just water, sugar, and salt.

The amount of sugar that gets absorbed into the fish isn't substantial, but if you're avoiding white sugar alltogether, you can use coconut sugar or another granulated sugar in this recipe.

For the salt, I use sea salt, but you can use Kosher salt if you like. If you use Kosher salt, increase the salt amount by 25%.

3. Let the salmon sit uncovered after brining

After brining the salmon for several hours, drain it and let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours.

This allows pellicle to form on the surface of the fish. Pellicle is a sticky layer that the smoke adheres to when the fish is smoking. Pellicle = more smoke flavor.

4. Smoke the salmon for 2-3 hours

Set your smoker or pellet grill to 160 degrees F and high smoke.

I joined the pellet grill ground and bought CampChef Woodwind Wifi over the summer. Man, I love this thing. Especially the pizza oven attachment.

We've smoked vegetables, burgers, ribs, chickens, a Thanksgiving turkey, and lots and lots of salmon.

If you're on the fence about investing in a pellet grill/smoker, CampChef is offering $100 off all Woodwind grills through Dec 2021!

My favorite feature is the wifi/Bluetooth connection with the app on my phone and the ability to monitor up to 4 different temperature probes at once.

It makes it so easy to get perfect food most of the time!

(We won't talk about the chuck roast I botched. That's for another day. Heh.)

You'll want the salmon to reach 140 degrees before you pull if off. Make sure to put the probe in the thickest part of the fish.

5. Brush the salmon with maple syrup throughout smoking

Do this. Create that sweet crust on the salmon (it's the best part!). I love the way the sweet-smoky-salty flavors combine.

What kind of pellets are best for Smoking Salmon on Pellet Grill?

I used cherry wood pellets for mine and really like the result. Apple pellets didn't have as much smoke flavor, in my opinion.

Feel free to use what you like or pellets that are recommended for seafood.

I always use CampChef wood pellets because they're 100% hardwood without any fillers.

Look how pretty they've become! These are ready to pull off the grill!

Here's a short cut time line to sum it up for you:

Pellet Grill Smoked Salmon timeline

• Day 1 afternoon: Brine for 4-6 hours
• Overnight: Drain off the brine and let it sit, uncovered, in the fridge for 4-24 hours
• Day 2: Smoke salmon for 2-3 hours

See? It's really not that hard. It does take some planning, but hardly any of that time is active prepping time.

What to Serve With Pellet Grill Smoked Salmon

I mean... you could just take a fork to it and go nuts here. No judging here. In fact, that's what happens most of the time when I smoke a salmon fillet.

If you want to eat this like a civilized person, here are a few ideas

Make a Smoked Salmon Board -- lots of finger food here, so you can still dig into it with a fork, but not like a barbarian

Serve it during breakfast with eggs or on a Breakfast Salad

Use it in some California Roll Sushi Bowls or Poke bowls! Smoked salmon is one of my favorite maki roll fillings, too.

Make the best avocado toast of your life. Sourdough toast + avocado + Everything Bagel Seasoning + smoked salmon.

How to Store Salmon on Pellet Grill

Once the fish has cooled to room temperature, wrap it up in clingwrap and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

If you like this recipe, try curing your salmon and making some gravlax! You could even cure the salmon and then smoke it, too.

More Easy Smoker Recipes on Perry's Plate

Pellet Grill Meatballs

Pellet Grill Chicken Wings

Smoked Cream Cheese

More Recipes on Perry's Plate

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill FAQs

Pellet Smoked Salmon Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Additional Time: 20 hours

Total Time: 22 hours 15 minutes

Smoked salmon is SUPER easy to make in your smoker! I love brushing mine with maple syrup during smoking to create that sweet-salty crust on top.

Print

Ingredients

• 8 ounces salmon fillets
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup sea salt
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

Instructions

1. Put the salmon fillets in a lidded container large enough for it to lay flat.
2. Put 4 cups of cool water in a large measuring cup. Stir in the sugar and salt until it has dissoved. Pour over the salmon.
3. Store covered and chilled for at least 4 hours, up to 8 hours.
4. Drain and discard the brine and return the salmon to the fridge, UNCOVERED, for another 4-24 hours.
5. When it's time to smoke the salmon, preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 160 degrees F. If you have the option for smoke control, turn the smoke to high.
6. Lay the salmon directly on the grill grates and insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the fish. Brush the fish with some maple syrup and close the lid.
7. Continue to smoke the salmon until the temperature probe reads 140 degrees. Brush the fish with maple syrup every 30 minutes or so.
8. Remove the fish from the grill and serve immediately.
9. You can also make this ahead of time. When the fish cools to room temperature, wrap it up and store it in the fridge until you're ready to eat. It's great to eat chilled, at room temp or heated up.

Notes

I used cherry wood pellets for this and really liked the results. Feel free to use any pellets you like or ones that are recommened for seafood.

The post Smoked Salmon on Pellet Grill appeared first on Perry's Plate.

There's nothing like Smoking Chicken Wings on the Pellet Grill!

Confession: I don’t actually like wings that much, but my family does. BUT I ate a half dozen of these in just a few minutes because they were so good.

You only need a couple of ingredients, too. Use any kind of steak seasoning you like and let the smoker do all the heavy lifting!

Speaking of pellet grills and smokers. I have a CampChef pellet grill, but any type of pellet grill or smoker would work for these if you have good temperature control!

Smoked Chicken Wings Ingredients

• Chicken wings -- I like to use party wings which are chicken wings separated into a "flat" and a "drumette".
• Cooking oil -- I like to use avocado oil because of its high smoke point.
• Kosher salt -- I like using Kosher salt when I season meat because it seasons it really well without being overly salty. If you use sea salt, reduce the amount by half. If your grill seasoning has a lot of salt you might not even need extra salt.
• BBQ Grill Seasoning -- You can use whatever kind you prefer. I like to use my Homemade Steak Seasoning as an all-purpose grill seasoning.
• BBQ Sauce -- Again, use whatever you like! If you're wanting a low sugar option, I have a few BBQ Sauce recipes on my site that allow you to control the sugar content: Balsamic BBQ Sauce, Honey Ginger BBQ Sauce, and Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce would all work well here.

How to Smoke Chicken Wings on Pellet Grill

1. Preheat your smoker.
2. Toss the wings in oil, BBQ seasoning, and salt.
3. Smoke for about an hour.
4. Toss them in a little BBQ sauce.
5. Finish them off under your oven broiler.
6. Serve!

What Sauce to Use with Smoked Chicken Wings?

As delicious as these are on their own, you could add a sauce if you prefer! BBQ sauce, wing sauce, bleu cheese or ranch dressing would all be tasty options.

How Long to Smoke Chicken Wings

I like to smoke mine for an hour at 275F. Its long enough to get a lot of smoke flavor into them and cook them well without drying them out.

SMOKING TIME & TEMPERATURE

I like to smoke mine quickly and find they turn out just as smoky and tender as doing it on a slightly lower temp. If you’d rather go that route, here’s a handy table for all temperatures and smoking times. Times may vary slightly depending on the thickness of your wings and how accurate your temp readout is on your smoker.

For all temps and smoking times, aim for 165F internal temperature for the chicken and crisp them up under you oven broiler for 2-3 minutes after smoking.

225F 2 hours

250F 90 minutes

275 60 minutes

Tips for Smoking Chicken Wings

• Season the wings well. I use a combination of BBQ grill seasoning and Kosher salt to make sure they're super flavorful.
• Don't smoke them too long. They won't be as moist and the skin will get leathery.
• Don't put too much BBQ sauce on them or it'll make the skin mushy and the sauce might burn under the broiler.
• Don't broil them for too long or the sauce will burn.
• Eat them right away! They're best right out of the oven as soon as they've cool enough to eat.

Smoked Chicken Wings Variations

Make them spicy: Use a seasoning and a BBQ sauce with a little kick to give it some heat.

Smoked Buffalo Wings: Use buffalo or another kind of cayenne pepper sauce to make buffalo wings.

What to serve with Pellet Smoked Chicken Wings 

Chicken wings are typically part of a party spread, but if you wanted to make these for a main dish, here are a few side dish ideas:

Cabbage Slaw With Cucumber Yogurt Dressing

Roasted Broccoli and Instant Pot Lemon Herb Rice

Instant Pot Potato Salad

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Cauliflower Puree

Southwestern Coleslaw

How to Store Smoked Chicken Wings

I highly recommend eating them all if you can since they're best fresh out of the oven. If you have leftovers you'd like to store, just put them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Reheating Pellet Smoked Chicken Wings

I recommend putting the wings on a sheet pan and warming them in a 375F oven to reheat them. It should only take 10 minutes or so. You could also reheat them in an airfryer or a toaster oven.

I don't recommend using your microwave unless you like rubbery chicken skin.

Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe FAQs

More On Perry's Plate

More Easy Smoker Recipes on Perry's Plate

Pellet Grill Meatballs

Smoked Cream Cheese

Chicken Breast on Pellet Smoker

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Smoked Chicken Wings Recipe

Yield: 30 pieces

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Throwing some chicken wings on your smoker or pellet grill is a great way to add even more flavor to an inexpensive party food! My version is super simple, super tasty, and you can use your favorite grill seasoning and BBQ sauce!

Print

Ingredients

• 30 chicken wings (bone-in)
• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil or another heat-safe oil
• 2 Tablespoons BBQ seasoning (see note)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 cup BBQ sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat your smoker or pellet grill to 275 deg and a high smoke setting (if you have the option.)
2. Put your chicken wings in a large bowl. Drizzle oil over them and sprinkle the BBQ seasoning and salt over the top. Use your hands to toss everything to coat the wings well.
3. Lay the seasoned wings directly on the grates of your smoker. Cover and cook for 45-60 minutes. Or until the chicken is 165F on the inside and the skin has started to crisp up a bit.
4. Meanwhile, prepare a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment and preheat your oven broiler.
5. Transfer the smoked wings to a clean bowl. Pour ½ cup BBQ sauce over the top and toss them to coat. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and put them on an upper oven rack under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes or until they crisp up a little. Watch them carefully -- don't leave them in too long or the BBQ sauce will burn.
6. Take them out of the oven and serve them immediately with the remaining BBQ sauce.

Notes

1. I like to use party wings which are chicken wings separated into a "flat" and a "drumette".
2. I like to use my Homemade Steak Seasoning as an all-purpose BBQ seasoning.
3. I have a few homemade BBQ sauce recipes on my site if you're looking for something with less sugar. Balsamic BBQ Sauce, Honey Ginger BBQ Sauce, and Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce would all work well here.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 5 wings
Amount Per Serving Calories 590Total Fat 40gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 112mgSodium 1318mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 1gSugar 17gProtein 24g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Smoked Chicken Wings appeared first on Perry's Plate.

First, if you’re new to smoking meat or recently bought a Traeger or a CampChef grill you might be intimidated by the smoker itself. I’ll show you the settings and give you the tricks to getting this bird to turn out well.

Second, let’s not overcomplicate this chicken with fancy rubs or marinades. The smoke will do the majority of the work for you! You’ll see how easy I have made this recipe, and you’ll feel like a superstar for nailing a smoked chicken.

TIP: The best way to get a lot of flavor into the chicken is to let it sit with the seasonings for several hours before you cook it. I've found this to be more important than the actual seasonings you use. This works for roasted chickens and also for turkeys. It's similar to dry-brining.

Smoked Whole Chicken Ingredients

• Whole chicken
• Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• Coarsely ground black pepper

What kind of pellets are good for smoked whole chicken?

I like to use applewood.

If you want a stronger smoky flavor, try using hickory or a blend. I like CampChef's pellets the best and use their Competition blend quite often.

How to Smoke a Whole Chicken

1. The day before (or early morning the day of) you plan to smoke the chicken, prep it for the fridge. Combine the salt and pepper in a small bowl and set it next to your work area.
2. Place the chicken on a large rimmed sheet pan or baking dish. Remove any packaging from the chicken any organs or the little white bag from inside the chicken cavity.
3. If you choose to spatchcock the chicken (cut out the back bone so it lays flat), do this now. Rub ALL of the salt and pepper mixture all over the outside of the chicken.
4. Place the chicken UNCOVERED in the fridge for at least 8 and up to 24 hours before cooking.
5. When it's time to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit on your kitchen counter until your smoker has preheated. Preheat it to 220°F (105°C) and high smoke (if you have that option).
6. Insert a thermometer into your chicken into the thickest part of the breast area, but don't stick it clear down to the bone. Attach the thermometer to your smoker.
7. Smoke the chicken for an hour at 220°F, covered. Then turn the temperature up to 350°F (180°C) and continue to cook the chicken until the thermometer read out says 160-165°F (70°C). This should take anywhere from 45-75 minutes depending on the size of your chicken and how well your smoker holds the temperature. Spatchcocking a chicken will help it cook faster, too.
8. Transfer your chicken to a large cutting board and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing it -- otherwise the juices will run out all over and the chicken will be more dry.
9. Carve up the chicken how you like and serve immediately.

How Long to Smoke a Whole Chicken

The way I do it takes roughly 2 hours. So not terribly long. And not as big of a commitment as smoking a brisket.

I start off by smoking it for an hour at a lower temperature (lower temperatures have more smoke output). And then finished it off at a higher temp.

You could tinker with the smoking times, too, if you wanted to let it smoke longer at that lower temp.

See how evenly this smoked whole chicken has browned? I'm blown away at how gorgeous they come out of our smoker. Much better than our mediocre oven for sure.

If you have any other questions about smoking a chicken, leave a comment below and I'd be happy to help!

Can I use this recipe to smoke a turkey?

YES! Absolutely.

I'd allow for a longer time for the turkey to sit in the fridge to dry out -- probably 24-48 hours.

The smoking times would be longer as well and would vary depending on the size of your turkey. Plan for 30-40 minutes per pound at 220F.

SMOKING TIME & TEMPERATURE

Because whole chicken vary in size and weight (anywhere from 3-5 pounds!) it’s always good to cook by temperature instead of strictly by time. That being said, these cooking times and temps should give you a place to start from, but add/subtract time if needed as you keep an eye on your thermometer.

All temps and times should aim for about 160F internal temperature allowing time for rest afterward so the residual heat can finish off the cooking a few degrees and your bird won’t dry out.

Low heat (225F): 3-5 hours

Medium heat (250-275F): 2-3 hours

High heat (325-375F): 1-1.5 hours

Tips for Smoking a Whole Chicken

Make sure to let the chicken sit with the seasonings for at least 8 hours before cooking it for maximum flavor and crispy skin, as this process acts like a dry brine.

How to serve a Whole Smoked Chicken

I love serving this chicken with these sides:

• Cabbage Slaw With Cucumber Yogurt Dressing
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Wild Rice Salad with Cucumber and Pesto
• Instant Pot Potato Salad
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Cauliflower Puree
• Southwestern Coleslaw

Storing a Smoked Whole Chicken

I highly recommend eating the whole chicken if you can since it’s best fresh out of the smoker. If you have leftovers you’d like to store, just put it in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More Whole Chicken Recipes on Perry's Plate

If you'd rather stick to oven roasting, check out my tutorial on How to Roast a Chicken the Easy Way.

Have some leftover chicken? Make The Best Instant Pot Chicken Soup! Smoked chicken is super tasty in chicken soup.

Once you've cleaned those bones, don't throw them out! Here's my favorite way to make homemade chicken bone broth: Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe FAQs

More From Perry's Plate

Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Prep Time: 18 hours

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 20 hours

Smoked Whole Chickens are SO tasty. Smoking them in a pellet grill/smoker has been a game changer for us. Loads of flavor and always juicy and falling off the bones!

It may seem like this recipe takes forever, but most of that time is non-active. The overnight rest in the fridge before you smoke it helps the chicken to absorb all of the seasoning and allows the skin to dry out so it's nice and crispy when you cook it. It's worth planning ahead!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 3-5 pound whole chicken
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. The day before (or early morning the day of) you plan to smoke the chicken, prep it for the fridge. Combine the salt and pepper in a small bowl and set it next to your work area.
2. Place the chicken on a large rimmed sheet pan or baking dish. Remove any packaging from the chicken any organs or the little white bag from inside the chicken cavity.
3. If you choose to spatchcock the chicken (cut out the back bone so it lays flat), do this now. Rub ALL of the salt and pepper mixture all over the outside of the chicken.
4. Place the chicken UNCOVERED in the fridge for at least 8 and up to 24 hours before cooking.
5. When it's time to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit on your kitchen counter until your smoker has preheated. Preheat it to 220 degrees F and high smoke (if you have that option).
6. Insert a thermometer into your chicken into the thickest part of the breast area, but don't stick it clear down to the bone. Attach the thermometer to your smoker.
7. Smoke the chicken for an hour at 220, covered. Then turn the temperature up to 350 degrees and continue to cook the chicken until the thermometer read out says 160-165 degrees F. This should take anywhere from 45-75 minutes depending on the size of your chicken and how well your smoker holds the temperature. Spatchcocking a chicken will help it cook faster, too.
8. Transfer your chicken to a large cutting board and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing it -- otherwise the juices will run out all over and the chicken will be more dry.
9. Carve up the chicken how you like and serve immediately.

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The post Smoked Whole Chicken appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Deliciously Juicy Bison Burger Recipe

I’ve developed enough burger recipes to know that lean proteins like bison need a thoughtful touch. Cooked properly, bison is tender and flavorful, but it can dry out easily. The creamy brie cheese adds some of that richness back into the meat. The maple-Dijon wasn’t an afterthought either,  it cuts through the richness and counters every bit with a subtle sweetness that plays off the bacon and onions beautifully.

This is the kind of burger you make when you want people to pause mid-bite and look at you. It feels restaurant-level, but it’s totally doable at home. I’ll show you all my best tips for nailing this burger on the first try. Mountain air not included, but adds a nice touch if you happen to be close.

Bison Burgers Recipe Ingredients

Here's what you need to make these fab burgers:

• Ground bison: Can also use lean ground beef. I recommend grass-fed to mimic the leanness of bison. Extra lean beef works well with brie -- otherwise it gets a little greasy up in there.
• Sea salt & black pepper
• Worcestershire sauce: I love adding a splash to my burger meat. It's a little secret umami weapon.
• Avocado oil mayo: I buy the Primal Kitchen or Chosen brand at Costco so I don't have to donate my first born at the grocery store to get it.
• Dijon mustard: Whatever kind you have is great. Whole grain mustard works well here, too. I don't recommend using yellow mustard.
• Pure maple syrup: No pancake syrup, plssss.
• Bacon: Pre-cooked slices are fine here!
• Onion: I like sweet yellow onions for this burger. You can use white or red, too, if you have it.
• Brie cheese: An 8-oz wheel works perfectly for this recipe.
• Burger buns: Or not! Honestly one of my favorite hacks is making a salad out of a burger. More on this below.

If you need a visual, check out my YouTube video on this Bison Burger!

How to Make The Perfect Bison Burger

1. Season the ground meat with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire, then form them into patties.
2. Preheat your BBQ grill or smoker.
3. Mix the mayo, dijon, maple syrup, and salt for the aioli.
4. Cook the bacon, if needed.
5. Toss the burgers on the grill.
6. Slice the onions and cook them in a skillet in the bacon drippings or any kind of fat/oil you prefer.
7. Slice the brie and top each nearly-finished burger with a couple of slices. Let it get melty.
8. Assemble burgers with plenty of aioli, onions, and bacon.

Bison Burger Recipe Variations

Use your smoker: If you have a smoker or a pellet grill, I highly recommend smoking your burger patties. Cook them at 225F for 40-45 min (gives you plenty of time to prep the rest of your toppings!)

Make a burger salad: Instead of using buns, take your cheese-topped burger, chop it into chunks and put it on a bed of salad greens along with some chopped grilled onions, bacon crumbles, and a drizzle of aioli. You're welcome.

Swap out the cheese: Another creamy, buttery cheese would work well here. I recommend fontina, Swiss, or gruyere.

Tips For Making Bison Burgers

• Make the patties really flat. They'll shrink up a little during cooking -- you don't want to end up with meatballs.
• Make sure you don't leave the brie in the grill too long. I made this mistake and ended up with brie rinds on my patties with the cheese collected at the bottom of my grill.
• Prep ahead: If you want to prep ahead, you can form the patties, cook the bacon, grill the onions, and mix the aioli a day or two in advance. Just store chilled until ready to use.

How to Keep Bison Burgers From Falling Apart

I didn't have an issue with my burgers falling apart, but if you're concerned, make sure your patties are really pressed tightly. Handle them carefully on the grill, too.

Bison Burgers Recipe Serving Suggestions

I highly recommend sweet potato fries to go alongside this burger. I seasoned them simply with salt, pepper, and garlic salt so they wouldn't compete with my burger. The sweetness complimented the bacon and aioli -- perfect match!

You could also serve this with a simple salad. My Sweet Kale Salad or Spring Mix Salad with Berries would be delicious here.

Storing Leftover Bison Burger

Heaven forbid you have leftovers. It happens though. I recommend storing the burgers and their components separately, covered and chilled in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More Delicious Burgers on Perry's Plate

Here are a few more of my favorite burgers!

Jalapeno Onion Smash Burgers

Burger with Bacon Jam

How to Smoke Burgers

Turkey Shawarma Burgers

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Best Bison Burger Recipe

Yield: 6 burgers

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

A flavor-packed bison burger with melty brie, smoky bacon, sweet onions, and a maple-Dijon aioli. It's got gourmet vibes, but totally doable at home.

Print

Ingredients

For the burger patties:

Toggle ingredient group

• 2 pounds ground bison or beef
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the aioli:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup avocado oil mayo
• 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

For the burgers:

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• 8-10 slices cooked bacon
• 1 large yellow onion
• 8 ounces brie cheese
• 6 buns

Instructions

1. Preheat your BBQ grill to high heat or turn on your smoker (see notes below for pellet grill/smoker instructions).
2. Put the ground meat in a medium bowl. Add the Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon sea salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix carefully with your hands. Divide the meat into six patties, roughly 5.5 oz each. Set aside.
3. Mix the aioli ingredients well in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
4. If you need to cook your bacon, do so now. Peel and slice the onion into ¼-inch rings. I like to cook the onions in the bacon drippings, but you can use any typs of cooking oil/fat you prefer in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned on both sides and soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium if they darken too quickly.
5. Slice the brie into ½-inch planks.
6. Put your burger patties on the preheated grill. Cook for about 7-8 minutes on each side until they reach an internal temp of 150-160F.
7. Lay a couple slices of brie cheese on each patty and move the burgers to an indirect heat source so the cheese can melt. Don't let them sit too long or you'll lose most of your brie to the depths of your grill.
8. Assemble burgers by smearing some aioli on both sides of your buns (toasted if you prefer!), add a burger patty, grilled onions, and a slice or two of bacon.

Notes

Smoker instructions: Smoke the burger patties at 225F for 40-45 min until they reach desired temp. Add cheese at the end.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1 burger
Amount Per Serving Calories 996Total Fat 77gSaturated Fat 22gUnsaturated Fat 55gCholesterol 165mgSodium 1046mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 48g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post How to Make Bison Burgers appeared first on Perry's Plate.