Discover the irresistible allure of smoked cauliflower, a culinary delight that combines the delicate flavor of cauliflower with the rich smokiness of slow cooking. Elevate your taste buds to new heights with this unique and healthy dish that is sure to leave you craving for more.
Smoked Cauliflower
If you’ve never tried smoked cauliflower before, you have to give it a try! The cauliflower is marinated for several hours before it is tossed on the Traeger to soak up all that smoky flavor. Once the cauliflower is on the pellet smoker, it cooks over indirect heat for a couple of hours until it is tender and slightly charred on the outside. This is a great dish for those veggie lovers at your next cookout. It gives BBQ vibes on a whole new level, so forget about the boring grilled veggies and pull out this recipe for smoked cauliflower next time you need a dish to impress! Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable, so cook it up as a main dish or serve it as a flavorful side dish with some of your other favorite recipes.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (try BBQ sauce or blue cheese dressing), and you’re sure to have a winner on your hands! You’ll find a list of key ingredients for both marinade versions below. Feel free to pick your preference! If you like spicy foods, I definitely recommend that you go for the buffalo marinade. The soy sauce option is great if a traditional marinade with a much more mild flavor is more of your style. Either way, the smoky cauliflower turns out amazing!
Before cooking cauliflower, you should clean it properly. You can soak it in a bath of salt water or vinegar water for 30 minutes before rinsing it off. This will help to remove trapped dirt and bugs.
Make sure to cook your smoked cauliflower until it’s nice and tender. If it’s tough, it means that it’s undercooked. You can also avoid this completely by pre-cooking it by steaming it in the microwave until tender. Just be careful not to steam it for too long. Otherwise, it will fall apart on the grill.
Smoking the cauliflower is a start! It will soak up all of the wonderful flavors from your pellet grill. The added marinade works wonders too — and remember that it will be even more flavorful the longer you let it sit in the marinade before smoking. You can prepare this dish up to 24 hours ahead of time — which is actually the perfect amount of time to let it marinate.
If you smoke the cauliflower ahead of time and need to reheat it before serving, you can air fry it for 8-10 minutes at 360°F or reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm. You can also reheat in a pellet smoker, oven, or grill at 350°F for about 20-30 minutes until warm throughout.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will keep for 3-5 days. Make sure that it has cooled completely before you store it.
This Traeger smoked cauliflower recipe is a unique and flavorful option for barbecuing. With minimal prep work required, all that’s left to do is have a little patience as the smoker works its magic. If you are looking for new ways to serve vegetables at your BBQ, this should be at the top of your list!
Why This Recipe Works
– Smoking the cauliflower gives it a delicious smoky flavor that adds a unique twist to this vegetable dish.
– Marinating the cauliflower for several hours helps to infuse it with even more flavor and enhances its taste.
– The marinade options provided, buffalo and soy sauce, offer different flavor profiles to suit your preferences.
– Serving the smoked cauliflower as a main dish or side dish allows for versatility in how you enjoy it.
– Pre-cooking the cauliflower before smoking ensures that it will be tender and not tough or undercooked.
– Reheating options are provided in case you make the dish ahead of time and need to warm it up before serving.
– The recipe can be easily adjusted to accommodate different dietary preferences or restrictions.
Ingredients
– 1 head of cauliflower
– For Buffalo Marinade:
– 1/4 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce
– 1/4 cup olive oil
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1 teaspoon onion powder
– Salt and pepper to taste
– For Soy Sauce Marinade:
– 1/4 cup soy sauce
– 1/4 cup olive oil
– 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1 teaspoon onion powder
– Optional: additional toppings such as blue cheese dressing or grated parmesan cheese
How To Make It
To make this smoked cauliflower recipe, start by trimming the leaves off a whole head of cauliflower. If you prefer a more tender result, you can steam the cauliflower in the microwave or in a double boiler for 5-10 minutes.
Next, place the cauliflower in a sealable bag and add your choice of marinade ingredients. You can choose between a buffalo marinade, which includes Frank’s RedHot sauce, or a soy sauce-based marinade with garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, and smoked paprika. Shake the bag to coat the cauliflower evenly and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Preheat your smoker or pellet grill using your preferred wood pellets or chips to achieve a smoky flavor. Place the marinated cauliflower directly on the grill grates and smoke at 225°F for 2-3 hours.
Once cooked, the cauliflower should be fork-tender and slightly charred on the outside. You can slice it into steaks and serve with your favorite dipping sauces like BBQ sauce or blue cheese dressing.
If you want to reheat leftovers before serving, you can air fry them for 8-10 minutes at 360°F or reheat them in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm. Alternatively, you can reheat them in an oven or pellet smoker at 350°F for about 20-30 minutes.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
This smoked cauliflower recipe is great as a main dish or as a flavorful side dish alongside your other favorite recipes. It’s perfect for BBQs and cookouts, especially if you’re looking for unique vegetarian options.
Tips For Success
Tips For Success:
1. Properly clean the cauliflower before cooking by soaking it in a bath of salt water or vinegar water for 30 minutes. This helps to remove any trapped dirt and bugs.
2. Cook the smoked cauliflower until it is nice and tender. If it is tough, it means that it is undercooked. To avoid this, pre-cook the cauliflower by steaming it in the microwave until tender.
3. The longer you let the cauliflower marinate in the marinade before smoking, the more flavorful it will be. It is recommended to marinate for at least 2 hours, but ideally for 24 hours.
4. If you need to reheat the smoked cauliflower before serving, you can air fry it for 8-10 minutes at 360°F or reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm. Alternatively, you can reheat in a pellet smoker or oven at 350°F for about 20-30 minutes.
5. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Make sure that the cauliflower has cooled completely before storing.
6. If you prefer a more tender result, steam the whole cauliflower head in the microwave or double boiler before smoking it on the grill.
7. Feel free to get creative with your marinade and try different flavor combinations. Lemon juice and zest, balsamic and basil, or hot honey sauce are all tasty options.
8. You can also smoke other vegetables alongside the cauliflower, such as squash, peppers, mushrooms, and corn on the cob.
9. Experiment with different toppings to enhance the flavor of your smoked cauliflower. Blue cheese dressing and crumbles, grated parmesan cheese, or ranch dressing are all delicious choices.
In conclusion, smoked cauliflower is a delicious and innovative dish that offers a unique twist to traditional vegetable preparations. Its smoky flavor adds depth to the cauliflower’s natural sweetness, making it a versatile and satisfying choice for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Whether grilled, roasted or barbecued, smoked cauliflower has the potential to elevate any meal with its rich and enticing taste profile.
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