At a glance
Cut the top off whole garlic bulbs, drizzle with olive oil, and smoke them at 225°F to 250°F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the cloves are soft and golden. Squeeze them out and use them right away. Keep any leftovers in the fridge and use within 4 days, or freeze them.
Smoked garlic is one of the easiest things you can make while the smoker is running for something else. The cloves turn soft, sweet and spreadable like roasted garlic, with a gentle smoky edge. It lifts mash, butter, mayonnaise, dressings and sauces, and costs almost nothing to make.
Smoked garlic versus roasted garlic
The method is close to oven roasting, just slower and at a lower temperature. That slower cook gives the smoke time to work into the cloves. The result is milder and sweeter than raw garlic, with no harsh bite.
Which wood to use
Apple and cherry give a light, sweet smoke that suits garlic well. Hickory and oak are stronger and work if you want the smoke to come through in a dish like garlic butter for steak.
Recipe
Smoked Garlic
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 2 hr
- Total
- 2 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 6 bulbs
- Smoker 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C)
- About 1 1/2 to 2 hours
Ingredients
- 6 whole heads of garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)
Equipment
- Smoker
- Small foil tray or cast iron pan
Method
- Peel away the loose papery outer skin from each bulb, leaving the cloves joined.
- Slice about 1/4 inch (6 mm) off the top of each bulb to expose the cloves.
- Set the bulbs cut side up in a small foil tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and thyme.
- Heat the smoker to 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C) with apple, cherry or hickory.
- Smoke for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the cloves are golden, soft all the way through and easy to squeeze out.
- Cool, then squeeze out the cloves and use straight away, or store as described below.
Notes
- Never store smoked garlic in oil at room temperature. Keep it in the fridge and use within 4 days, or freeze it.
- For a stronger smoke flavor, smoke the bulbs at the lower temperature for longer.
How to use smoked garlic
- Smoked garlic butter: mash the cloves into softened butter with salt and parsley for steaks and bread.
- Smoked garlic mayo or aioli: stir the mashed cloves into mayonnaise with lemon juice.
- Mashed potatoes: fold in a whole bulb of cloves.
- Dressings and marinades: whisk into vinaigrettes or the marinade for grilled pork blade steaks.
Storing smoked garlic safely
Garlic stored in oil is a known risk for botulism, because the bacteria can grow in low oxygen conditions at room temperature. The standard food safety advice for homemade garlic in oil applies here: keep it in the fridge and use it within 4 days, or freeze it. Never leave a jar of garlic in oil on the counter.
The easiest way to keep smoked garlic is to squeeze out the cloves, mash them, and freeze them in small portions in an ice cube tray. They keep well in the freezer for about 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
How long does smoked garlic last?
Up to 4 days in the fridge, or about 3 months in the freezer. Do not store it in oil at room temperature.
Can I smoke peeled garlic cloves?
Yes. Toss them in oil in a small foil tray and smoke them for about an hour, stirring once. They dry out faster than whole bulbs, so keep an eye on them.
Can I cold smoke garlic?
Yes. Cold smoked whole bulbs keep their raw texture and store like normal garlic, but it needs a cold smoke generator and takes many hours.