5 Unexpected Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Smoke with Wood

Smoking is not limited to traditional meats like beef, pork, chicken, and fish. You can get creative with your smoking endeavors and explore unique flavors by smoking unexpected foods.

Here are five unexpected foods you might not have known you could smoke with wood along with suggested wood to use.

Cheese

Yes, you read that right! Smoking cheese can add a whole new dimension to its flavor profile. Hard cheeses like cheddar, gouda, or mozzarella work best for smoking. The process requires a gentle, cool smoke to avoid melting the cheese. Once smoked, the cheese develops a delicious smoky taste that pairs wonderfully with crackers, fruits, and charcuterie.

When smoking cheese, you’ll want to use woods that provide a mild and delicate smoke flavor, as cheese is a relatively delicate ingredient that can easily become overwhelmed by stronger smoky aromas. Here are some of the best woods to smoke cheese with:

Fruitwoods (Apple and Cherry): Fruitwoods like apple and cherry are among the top choices for smoking cheese. They offer a sweet and subtle smoke that complements the creamy texture of the cheese without overpowering its natural flavors. These woods are widely favored for smoking various types of cheese, including cheddar, gouda, and mozzarella.
Alder Wood: Alder wood is another excellent option for smoking cheese. It provides a light and mild smoke that doesn’t dominate the cheese’s taste, making it perfect for more delicate varieties like brie or camembert.

Maple Wood: Maple wood offers a gentle smokiness with a touch of sweetness. It pairs well with a wide range of cheeses, adding a unique flavor without being overly assertive.
Pecan Wood: Pecan wood provides a mild and nutty smoke that complements cheese wonderfully. It works well with both soft and hard cheeses, adding a subtle layer of smoky goodness.
Hickory (in moderation): While hickory is a stronger wood that is commonly used for smoking meats, it can be used for smoking cheese in small amounts. Use hickory sparingly to avoid overwhelming the cheese with its robust smokiness.

When smoking cheese, it’s essential to use a cool smoking technique to prevent the cheese from melting. Keep the temperature low and the smoking time relatively short to achieve the desired smoky flavor without compromising the cheese’s texture. Additionally, it’s a good idea to let the smoked cheese rest in the refrigerator for a few days to allow the flavors to mellow and harmonize.

Remember to experiment with different wood types and cheese varieties to discover unique and delightful combinations. Whether you’re smoking slices for sandwiches, grating over pasta, or enjoying on its own, smoked cheese is sure to elevate your culinary experience.

Butter

Infusing butter with smoky flavor can elevate various dishes. Simply melt the butter, place it in a heat-safe container, and expose it to the smoke for a short period. Smoked butter is fantastic for seasoning grilled vegetables, spreading on bread, or using in recipes to add a subtle smokiness.

When smoking butter, you’ll want to choose woods that impart a milder, sweet, or fruity flavor to complement the richness of the butter without overpowering it.

Here are some of the best woods to smoke butter with:

Apple Wood: Apple wood offers a delicate, slightly sweet flavor that pairs exceptionally well with butter. It’s one of the top choices for smoking butter as it adds a subtle fruitiness without overwhelming the natural buttery taste.

Cherry Wood: Cherry wood provides a mild, fruity, and slightly sweet smoke. It infuses the butter with a lovely aromatic touch, making it a great option for creating a unique flavor profile.
Pecan Wood: Pecan wood has a rich, nutty flavor that works harmoniously with butter. It adds a warm and subtle smokiness that complements various dishes.
Maple Wood: Maple wood offers a sweet and delicate smoke that pairs beautifully with the creamy texture of butter. The smoky-maple combination is fantastic for breakfast items like pancakes and waffles.

Alder Wood: Alder wood provides a light, delicate smoke with a slightly sweet taste. It’s a traditional choice for smoking fish, but it also works well with butter, especially when you want a more subtle smoky essence.

When smoking butter, it’s crucial to use a gentle smoke for a shorter period to avoid melting the butter and to prevent it from absorbing too much smoke. You can smoke the butter in a covered heat-safe container for a short time until it develops the desired level of smokiness. Once smoked, the butter can be chilled and used as a flavorful addition to various dishes, adding a delightful twist to your culinary creations.

Nuts

Smoking nuts like almonds, cashews, or peanuts can turn them into irresistible snacks. The smoky flavor pairs exceptionally well with the natural nuttiness. Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet and smoke them for a short time until they absorb the smokiness. Smoked nuts can be enjoyed as standalone snacks or added to salads and desserts.

When it comes to smoking nuts, you’ll want to use woods that provide a complementary and not overpowering smoky flavor. The goal is to enhance the natural nutty taste with a subtle hint of smokiness. Here are some of the best woods to smoke nuts with:

Pecan Wood: Pecan wood is a top choice for smoking nuts. It imparts a rich, slightly sweet, and nutty smoke that beautifully enhances the flavors of various nuts. Pecan-smoked nuts are a real treat.
Almond Wood: Almond wood offers a delicate and slightly sweet smoke that works well with nuts, especially almonds themselves. Smoking almonds with almond wood creates a unique and enjoyable flavor experience.

Fruitwoods (Apple and Cherry): Fruitwoods like apple and cherry are excellent options for smoking nuts. They provide a milder and slightly fruity smoke that pairs wonderfully with various nuts, adding a subtle and delightful twist.
Maple Wood: Maple wood offers a gentle and sweet smoke that complements the natural nuttiness of different nuts. It’s a versatile wood that works well with many nut varieties.
Hickory (in moderation): While hickory is often associated with smoking meats, it can be used in moderation to smoke nuts. Use small amounts of hickory to avoid overpowering the nuts with its strong smokiness.

When smoking nuts, keep in mind that they are relatively small and delicate compared to meats or cheeses. A shorter smoking time is usually sufficient to achieve the desired smoky flavor without making the nuts overly intense. Additionally, you can use a smoking box, pouch, or even a perforated aluminum foil tray to prevent the nuts from falling through the grates while still allowing them to absorb the smoky goodness.

Smoked nuts make for fantastic snacks on their own, add depth to salads, and create delicious flavor accents in both sweet and savory dishes.

Salt

Smoked salt is a fantastic seasoning that can transform the taste of your dishes. You can use various types of wood to smoke coarse sea salt or kosher salt. The smoked salt works wonders as a finishing touch for grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or even on sweet dishes like caramel desserts.

When it comes to smoking salt, you’ll want to use woods that provide a delicate and subtle smoky flavor without overpowering the salt’s natural taste. Here are some of the best woods to smoke salt with:

Alder Wood: Alder wood is a popular choice for smoking salt. It offers a light and gentle smoke that doesn’t overwhelm the salt, allowing its natural flavor to shine through. Alder-smoked salt works well with a wide range of dishes.
Cherry Wood: Cherry wood provides a mild and slightly sweet smoke that complements the salt without dominating it. Cherry-smoked salt adds a delightful touch to both savory and sweet dishes.

Apple Wood: Apple wood offers a delicate and fruity smoke that pairs beautifully with salt. It adds a subtle sweetness to the salt, enhancing its versatility in various culinary applications.
Maple Wood: Maple wood provides a light and sweet smoke that works well with salt. Maple-smoked salt is perfect for adding a unique twist to desserts, breakfast dishes, and savory recipes alike.
Pecan Wood: Pecan wood offers a mild and nutty smoke that complements salt nicely. Pecan-smoked salt can add a warm and savory touch to a variety of dishes.

When smoking salt, it’s crucial to use a cool smoking technique to prevent the salt from clumping or absorbing too much smoke. Spread the salt evenly on a heat-safe container or tray and expose it to the smoke for a short period. The smoking time can be relatively brief, as salt absorbs smoke quickly.

Smoked salt is a versatile seasoning that can elevate the flavors of many dishes. It works wonderfully as a finishing touch for grilled meats, roasted vegetables, soups, salads, and even desserts.

Tofu

Smoking tofu is an excellent way to add depth and complexity to this versatile plant-based protein. Extra-firm tofu works best for smoking, as it holds up well during the process. Once smoked, the tofu develops a savory and smoky flavor that can be sliced and added to salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries.

Alder Wood: Alder wood is a popular choice for smoking salt. It offers a light and gentle smoke that doesn’t overwhelm the salt, allowing its natural flavor to shine through. Alder-smoked salt works well with a wide range of dishes.
Cherry Wood: Cherry wood provides a mild and slightly sweet smoke that complements the salt without dominating it. Cherry-smoked salt adds a delightful touch to both savory and sweet dishes.

Apple Wood: Apple wood offers a delicate and fruity smoke that pairs beautifully with salt. It adds a subtle sweetness to the salt, enhancing its versatility in various culinary applications.
Maple Wood: Maple wood provides a light and sweet smoke that works well with salt. Maple-smoked salt is perfect for adding a unique twist to desserts, breakfast dishes, and savory recipes alike.
Pecan Wood: Pecan wood offers a mild and nutty smoke that complements salt nicely. Pecan-smoked salt can add a warm and savory touch to a variety of dishes.