Our 15 Favorite Pellet Smoker Recipes from Around the Web

Last Updated on May 3, 2021

Your pellet smoker has the potential to do so much more than hot smoking meat, cheese, and fish. If you’re stuck in a BBQ rut, using the same old recipes every time, broaden your horizons with these mouthwatering dishes scoured from every corner of the web. 

Cooking on your pellet smoker doesn’t have to become a chore or boring and repetitive; in fact, it is quite the contrary. Your smoker combines various elements from charcoal grills, gas grills, as well as traditional kitchen ovens, giving it an incredibly broad range and versatility of cooking styles for whipping up new and exciting recipes. Take a look at 15 of our favorites and delicious recipes from around the web to help you put the fun back into using your pellet smoker again.

Smoked Mac and Cheese

If you didn’t already love mac and cheese or are looking for a new spin on a classic, this recipe will transform your BBQ spread forever. Think of everything great about mac and cheese, add your pellet smoker, and you have something completely irresistible. To get the most out of this incredible recipe, make a big batch; it’s freezer-friendly, so you can easily reheat it in your convection oven without losing the intense smoky flavor. The best thing about this recipe is that it has a load of available substitutions for the type of pasta, toppings, breadcrumbs, and other fillings. So it allows you to make it your own and to suit your dietary requirements. The basic ingredients are the same as regular mac and cheese, so you’ll most likely have them in your pantry.

Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends

For a total crowd-pleaser at your next cookout, this recipe takes you through every last step with hints and tips along the way, so you get it just right. If you’re more of a visual learner, you’ll also be pleased to know that this recipe has a video version too, so you can see what you’re doing. 

It incorporates a special dry rub, and using pork belly versus traditional beef burnt ends, gives an added depth of flavor from the pork fat while the texture is tender, juicy, and sweet. Your pellet smoker was made for this dish: a smoking process, followed by a braising makes the most succulent, intensely smoky version of pork belly you have ever tried.

Smoked Bread

Hardly anyone can resist bread. It’s one of life’s great gifts. However, have you ever thought of using your pellet smoker to cook it? This smoked bread recipe might just be the thing to inspire you to do so. A great tear-and-share pull-apart recipe, this will have all your friends going back for more. The best part about it? You don’t even have to worry about doing all the time-consuming preparation involved in making dough from scratch. 

This recipe uses the good old frozen dinner roll to produce a cheesy, carby heaven. Fantastic for brunch, or as a sumptuous side dish, and with the added twist that cooking it using your pellet smoker produces. 

Smoked Sausage and Cabbage

This is a low-budget, low-effort recipe that always goes down well with guests of all ages and tastes. Such a simple combination that just somehow seems to go so well with very little interference from copious amounts of herbs, spices, and prep. All you need for this recipe are some precooked link sausages, a head of cabbage, and a few basic seasonings, including Old Bay, dried onion, and garlic powder. 

After all, you don’t need anything to take away from the flavor of your sausage or the wonderful smokiness imparted by preparing it on your pellet smoker. This recipe is one that you’ll come back to time and time again given how simple and convenient it is, while also incredibly versatile, and not to mention filling.

Smoked Whole Chicken

There’s nothing like using your pellet smoker to cook a whole chicken. This recipe takes you through every single step, including stuffing and dressing the bird, smoking it, and grilling it to perfection. One of the things to love about this recipe is that once you have practiced it and know it well, you can make it anytime and use the leftovers to make delicious midweek meals for all the family. 

No need to buy prepackaged chicken from the grocery store when you have a load of perfectly cooked, juicy, and tender chicken from your pellet smoking session. If you don’t cook chicken often, this recipe is foolproof, and it helpfully includes cooking times for all different weights and has a guide to making sure yours is cooked through to perfection.

Loaded Nachos

This insanely savory and wonderfully tasty Tex-Mex dish will have you craving it again and again once you’ve made it the first time. Nachos are a versatile dish, great for sharing, and there are so many options when it comes to toppings with meats, cheeses, and various veggies and chilies to choose from. 

Not only is this recipe amazingly delicious, but it also makes the most of your pellet smoker by showing you how to produce the most mouthwatering combination of flavors. Smoky, juicy pulled pork along with corn, beans, pico de Gallo, and a load of cheese cooked on a tray over your pellet smoker with a drizzle of sour cream. Nothing can go wrong with this one.

Pellet Smoker Beef Jerky

Want to try your hand at making your own beef jerky but not sure how to go about it? This recipe is a fool-proof guide giving you information on everything there is to know about making beef jerky using your pellet smoker. It talks through the various cuts of meat that they recommend using (round, flank steak, sirloin tip) as well as the best wood pellets to use (hickory, mesquite, oak, pecan, whiskey-soaked) to get maximum flavor. 

Beef jerky is a great snack that you’ll keep coming back to, and it’s also packed full of protein. Apart from the marinade and the preparation, this recipe is one of those where you put it in and let the smoker do its thing. Plenty of time to be getting on with other stuff while you let the meat dry out. Simply transfer to a bag, and you’ve got a go-to snack for the next few weeks. 

Smoked Crab Legs

Crab legs are a true delicacy and need to be treated as such. With that said, did you know that your pellet smoker can add a wonderful delicate flavor to them and make them taste even better than the ones you find in those expensive seafood restaurants? This recipe is here to show you just how to achieve that. As with any kind of delicate seafood, less is more when it comes to what you add to the recipe. 

This recipe calls for butter, parsley lemon, and a rub and seasoning mix. You’ll cook your crab legs over indirect heat to ensure and baste them consistently. The outcome is an impressive-looking dish that really didn’t require a whole lot of effort and yet packs a real punch when it comes to flavor. 

Smoked Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

This is a colorful year-round classic Louisiana recipe that should inspire you to try something that little bit different with your pellet smoker. It makes for a hearty family meal or a fun feast for visiting friends. This recipe explains that the key to a great gumbo is in the base, and it goes into a lot of detail explaining how to get it just right. 

It encourages you to get the most out of your pellet smoker by cooking both delicious grilled meats and a rich flavorsome broth. It’s bold, has plenty of protein and you can even freeze it once you’re done and come back to it on a day when you just can’t be bothered to cook but still want something utterly delicious.

Viral TikTok Smoked Queso

While some social media recipes can seem like a fad, this one delivers big time on flavor and may just become your new go-to. It will work great as a creamy, cheesy appetizer and there are so many things you could pair it with or use to dip into it. 

Not only that, but you’ll be glad to know that it’s incredibly easy to throw together. It’s one of those ‘throw it all in’ kinds of recipes that require very little effort from you besides preparation. However, the result truly is comfort food at its finest.

Smoked Grilled Vegetables

Whether you’re vegetarian, have vegetarian guests, or are just looking for something nutritious to make on your pellet grill, this is the perfect recipe for you. So often vegetables can be bland and uninspiring and feel like a chore to make. Not with this recipe. 

The most amazing thing about it is that it doesn’t try and use a ton of ingredients or spices to cover up the natural and wonderful sweetness of the vegetables themselves. If you’ve never made vegetables on your pellet smoker, you’ll be amazed at how it brings out a flavor in them that you simply couldn’t replicate in your kitchen. 

Smoked Olives

Now you might think of smoked olives as a bar snack or something that you love when you get the chance to eat, but that you’d never know how to make for yourself. Change all that with this recipe using your pellet smoker. It’s simple, refreshing, and adds an amazing twist to salty olives that makes them irresistible. 

It goes great with a crisp glass of white wine on a summer’s day. Or, make a whole batch and keep them in your fridge for a light snack along with some feta cheese. Either way, you’ll only need a few basic ingredients and spices, and the pellet smoker will be doing all the work. 

Peach Cobbler With Cinnamon Maple Whipping Cream

Time for dessert, and what could be better than peach cobbler? How about peach cobbler with cinnamon maple whipping cream? And it’s nowhere near as complicated as it sounds! 

This recipe requires a dutch oven and breaks down all the steps you’ll need to make this classic dessert on your pellet smoker. It even has a video to make things easier to visualize. The whipping cream is only four simple ingredients, and the homemade crust makes all the difference. 

Smoked S’mores Nachos

Have you ever thought about making a sweet version of nachos on your pellet smoker? Sharing desserts is a great way to end a dinner, and your pellet grill is the perfect thing to help you make these mouthwatering s’mores smoked nachos. 

S’mores are always a popular campfire favorite, but adding that little twist by making them look and feel like nachos adds the fun factor and makes them feel even more indulgent. You can guarantee you’ll have everyone coming back for seconds. Incredibly, a recipe with really only three main ingredients can be so delicious and addictive. 

Traeger Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy, delicious chocolate chip cookies, but with a slight twist. A hint of smokiness that only your pellet smoker could produce. If you’re somewhat of a baker normally and are looking for something new and exciting, then see how you can add a whole new depth of flavor with your pellet smoker. 

This recipe explains in great detail all the best techniques to make your cookies extra chewy and soft. Sure, it might take a little more effort than your average chocolate chip cookie recipe, but if the grill is already fired up, then this one is worth a try!

Expand Your Culinary Horizons

Instead of letting your smoker sit in your backyard gathering dust, these 15 incredible and tasty recipes will give you a boost of inspiration to get cooking! You can do so many things with your pellet smoker, from savory to sweet, quick to slow cooking, so take your pick and get smoking.