Smoking root vegetables is one of the most underrated moves you can make on a grill or smoker this holiday season. Low-and-slow heat turns their natural sugars into something almost candy-like while adding a layer of wood-smoke depth that ovens just can’t touch. Here are the absolute stand-outs you should throw on the grates alongside (or instead of) the usual turkey or prime rib:
- Smoked Beet “Steaks”
Peel large beets, slice into ¾-inch slabs, brine lightly (2% salt water + a splash of vinegar for 30 min), then smoke at 225–250 °F with fruitwood (apple or cherry) for 2–3 hours until fork-tender. Finish with a 2-minute sear or torch. They come out looking like rare beef, tasting earthy-sweet-smoky. Drizzle with horseradish crème fraîche and people lose their minds. - Whole Smoked Carrots (the unicorn vegetable)
Choose fat, uniform carrots (or rainbow if you’re fancy). Peel, toss in oil + salt + a pinch of cinnamon or cumin. Smoke at 250 °F for 1.5–2 hours until they bend but aren’t mushy. Glaze the last 15 minutes with a mix of hot honey + orange zest. They’re basically meat candy. - Smoked Sweet Potato Planks with Miso-Maple Butter
Cut sweets into ½-inch planks or halves, smoke skin-on at 275 °F for about 90 minutes (flip halfway). While hot, hit them with a compound butter made from miso, maple syrup, and smoked paprika. The smoke amplifies that natural marshmallow vibe without cloying sweetness. - Parsnips – the sleeper hit
Treat them like carrots but go heavier on black pepper and fresh thyme in the oil rub. They get almost nutty when smoked 2 hours at 225 °F. Finish with browned butter and flaky salt. Underrated and cheap. - Smoked Celeriac (Celery Root) Wedges
Peel, cut into steak-fry-sized batons, par-boil 5 minutes first (this prevents them staying hard forever), then smoke 2–2.5 hours with hickory or oak. They absorb smoke like a sponge and end up tasting like the love child of potato and bacon. - Turnips or Rutabaga (yes, really)
Cube, toss in duck fat or bacon fat + rosemary, smoke at 250 °F for 90–120 min. The bitterness mellows, the edges caramelize, and you’ll have the one side dish that disappears first.
Pro tips for all of them:
- Keep the temp low (225–275 °F) so sugars caramelize instead of burning.
- Fruitwoods (apple, cherry, peach) are magic with roots; save the mesquite for brisket.
- Spritz with a 50/50 apple juice–apple cider vinegar mix every 45 min for extra bark and tenderness.
- Rest them loosely foiled for 15 min after smoking – the texture improves dramatically.
This year, let the turkey be the side dish. The smoked roots are about to steal the show.
