Smoking Artichokes (What To Know)

Smoked artichoke is a dish that is rapidly gaining popularity. More and more people are searching high and low for the ultimate recipe or even guide! 

These savory vegan treats are an incredibly healthy and tasty way to incorporate more veggies into your meal. And it’s a great opportunity to experiment with some new flavors too!

So, what’s important to know about smoked artichokes? To start, you need to understand that there are many techniques you can use to smoke artichokes — ultimately, your appliance will determine the final outcome, flavor, and cooking times. We will take you through two methods you can use: hot smoking and cold smoking.

Today, we will teach you everything you need to know about smoking artichokes. We’ve also included a broad list of tips and tricks that will help you get the best possible results that you can!

What Are Smoked Artichokes?

Smoked artichokes are exactly what they sound like — artichokes (or part of an artichoke) that have been infused with smoke.

We know: it’s not an extremely popular or even well-known dish. But you would be surprised to learn how popular it is actually becoming!

Now, there are a couple of ways that people smoke their artichokes.

The first decision you will have to make is which part of the artichoke you want to smoke. We recommend just smoking the entire thing! It reduces unnecessary food wastage.

Then, you also have to think about what equipment you have to work with. Ideally, that would be an actual smoker. But, as we’ve mentioned, there are a couple of different ways you can still smoke without this tool.

And finally, consider the flavor of smoke your want to infuse. You don’t have to think about this too much. But if you want to experiment with different flavor combinations, it could be a fun way to do so.

You can choose different types of smoking wood and even different sizes. All of these tiny changes will ultimately make a big difference in the final flavor of the veggies.

Making smoked artichokes is very easy and a wonderful way to bring forward their naturally meaty textures and umami flavors — all while being completely vegan!

Benefits Of Smoking Artichokes

There are plenty of benefits to smoking artichokes. Honestly, the only downside to the process is that it does take a while to do if you are using the cold smoking method (hot smoking is very quick). But neither of these is very labor-intensive!

Smoked artichokes are delicious. It is a great way to bring forward their meaty flavors. And, of course, that makes it a great alternative to smoked meat. They aren’t very high in protein, but the flavor is there.

Then, it’s also a unique way to prepare these underrated veggies. Usually, people roast or steam them. But we feel it’s a big missed opportunity to get very creative.

Smoking artichokes (and different foods in general) will allow you to play around with different flavors and combinations. You can develop your palette, all while getting a nutritious, hearty meal.

And finally, as we have mentioned, it isn’t a very hands-on process. They are easy to make and perfect for a lazy weekend. Hot smoking is a very quick method you can use, while cold smoking can do its thing for a couple of hours.

How To Smoke Artichokes

So, if you aren’t convinced to make these already, you will have to try them! We can all but guarantee that you’ll fall in love with them immediately! And don’t forget to check out some different ways you can serve them below.

Hot Smoking Method

First, we will take a look at an easy hot-smoking method. As with most smoked items, people have many different opinions on the correct technique to follow.

Today, we will show you how we like to make ours. If you feel like tweaking the recipe a bit, feel free to do so. At the end of the day, as long as it is safely cooked and tastes good to you, there is no wrong way to do it!

Ingredients

• 4 large artichokes
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sea salt flakes
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Prepare The Artichokes

First, cut off the sharp tips from the outer leaves of your artichoke. You can use a pair of scissors or a sharp paring knife.

Then, remove most of the stem, leaving only half an inch.

2. Boil The Artichokes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling rapidly, add the prepared artichokes. Allow them to cook for 5 minutes.

Then, remove them from the hot water and plunge them into water filled with ice. That will help stop the cooking process.

3. Prepare The Smoker

Prepare your smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Heat your smoker on high indirect heat of around 350ºF (180ºC).

You should also try to get the smoker filled with thick solid smoke before starting to cook the artichokes.

Again, follow your manufacturer’s instructions on how to prepare your appliance.

4. Season The Artichokes

Remove the veggies from the ice water. Then, pat them dry completely. Brush each artichoke with some olive oil and lemon juice.

Finally, season your artichokes with salt and pepper. You can also add some dried garlic granules if you’d like.

5. Smoke The Artichokes

Place the seasoned artichokes inside a smoking pan. Then, add them to your heated smoker and leave them to cook for 15-20 minutes.

They will start turning brown, and their flesh will be completely tender. Remove the artichokes and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Cold Smoking Method

Cold smoking is a more time-consuming process, but more people prefer it when it comes to infusing items with a smoky flavor without cooking them a ton.

It is also the best method to use for wood smoking. We recommend using something like hickory wood. Pecan wood is another great option. For artichokes, any wood that has a stronger flavor does great.

Again, you can adjust the recipe according to your needs — there really isn’t much that can go wrong during cold smoking. At the most, you could accidentally use too high of heat and overcook the artichokes.

Ingredients

• 4 large artichokes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sea salt flakes

Instructions

1. Prepare The Artichokes

When using the cold smoking method, we prefer cutting the artichokes in half — this helps the smoky flavors infuse much better and more evenly. If you use whole artichokes, it will take forever!

You can still cut away most of the artichoke stem and trim the sharp tips of the outer leaves.

Once prepared, season the artichoke halves with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare The Cold Smoker

Again, use your manufacturer’s instructions for preparing your smoker. This time, you should get it ready for cold smoking.

3. Cold Smoke The Artichokes

Place the artichokes on the smoker rack and allow them to smoke for at least 2-3 hours. Depending on the exact temperature you use, this timeframe may vary slightly.

Tips And Tricks For Smoking Artichokes

• Before smoking the artichokes, make sure that you have picked the freshest ones possible. They should have a dusty gray-green color with some brown splotches over the leaves. Do not pick purple artichokes as these are very old.
• We recommend that you keep the seasonings to a minimum for smoked artichokes. After all, the main reason you are smoking them is to get a smoky flavor! So, if you add a bunch of spices, aromatics, and herbs, you may lose that completely.
• You can tell when your artichokes are done cooking since a middle leaf should pull away effortlessly. On average, artichokes don’t take a long time to cook (about 30 minutes on average). So, when the recommended time is up, immediately check the doneness.
• Smaller artichokes will take less time to cook — larger artichokes will take more time. If you have an undercooked artichoke, it will be very tough and have a stringy texture. Overcooked artichokes are often very mushy, water-logged, and even slimy.
• If you are serving these smoked artichokes on their own, add mayonnaise, lemon herb aioli, or garlic butter to it — any super-creamy, dairy-based dressing does well. Cheese is another great accompaniment!

How To Store Smoked Artichokes

It’s highly unlikely that you will have any leftover smoked artichokes. But, if you do, the best way to store them is inside an airtight container or resealable bag. Make sure that you remove as much air as you possibly can if using a bag.

Then, place the smoked artichokes inside the fridge, away from any raw produce.

Your artichokes will be fine to eat for the next two days, but artichokes are very perishable, so it’s best to eat them the next day.

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