This Grilling Tool Is A Must-Have For Smoking Vegetables

When it comes to grilling tools, there's no lack of options. Manufacturers love to dangle the next thing you can't grill without in front of consumers (do we really need a Boss of the Sauce barbecue apron?), making it hard to know which accessories will really enhance your grilling game and which are a waste of money.

Backyard cooks who have added a smoker to their arsenal have a secret weapon in the flavor wars. While most people think of meat when they think of smoking, the benefits of smoking vegetables should not be overlooked. The wood-fired flavor infuses the vegetables, giving them a tasty richness. A smoker will add a new flavor profile to every veggie you cook.

Anyone who has ever lost a skinny vegetable (we're looking at you, sliced onions) to the fire gods while grilling knows how frustrating it can be. To avoid this, many grill masters use aluminum foil to create a barrier between the vegetables and the grill grate. However, there's a more effective, less wasteful, and more eco-friendly option — the grill basket.

Grill baskets are inexpensive grilling tools made of metal with small holes on the bottom and sides. This design is ideal for smoking, as it allows the smoke and heat to reach the food from all angles. Where there's smoke, there's flavor. How vegetables are prepared can completely change their flavor and texture. Think about boiling Brussels sprouts vs. grilling them. The caramelization and charring that happen when vegetables are grilled bring the flavor to a new level, and cooking them in the smoker will enhance their taste even more. 

Using a grill basket will make the job easier by keeping all the food above the flames while they're soaking up all that smokey flavor, rather than plunging into the fire below. No more sliding slippery vegetables onto skewers either: Just pop them in the grill basket and you're good to go. Brushing the vegetables with olive oil before putting them into the grill basket is recommended. Doing this will allow any spices you add to cling better and ensure they don't stick in the basket.

Consider the kind of wood you'll use when smoking vegetables. Just like when smoking meat, the food will take on the flavor of whatever wood you're burning. Whether you're smoking with wood chips or chunks, maple is one type of wood recommended for smoking vegetables, and applewood is also a popular choice among smoking enthusiasts. Both choices impart flavor without overpowering the delicate taste of the vegetables.

Carrots, beets, potatoes, and corn are excellent choices for smoking — they hold up the best to long exposure to heat and absorb smoke well — but any vegetable can be smoked, so have fun with it. Smoking doesn't shorten the cooking time; in fact, it can take from 45 minutes to a few hours to thoroughly cook vegetables in a smoker. Low and slow is the name of the game here, so cutting vegetables into small bite-size pieces will allow you to get them on the table faster.

Besides enjoying them fresh out of the smoker, vegetables can be smoked before being used in recipes to add depth of flavor. You can smoke vegetables used in homemade ratatouille or added to omelets. Plus, smoked peppers and onions are perfect in your favorite homemade Mexican dishes to incorporate that smoky goodness into a meal.