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    Home » Vegetables

    Published: Dec 31, 2020 · Modified: Mar 2, 2024 by Mads Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Easy Smoked Asparagus

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn everything you need to know about how to make smoked asparagus and take this typically mundane side dish to the next level!

    Whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, an electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional propane grill like a Weber, we've got you covered. 

    Let's Go!

    smoked asparagus smoking on a grill
    Jump to:
    • Smoked Asparagus vs. Grilled Asparagus
    • How to Choose the Asparagus
    • Equipment
    • Best Wood for Asparagus
    • Trimming the Ends
    • Seasoning the Asparagus
    • Best Temperature and Time
    • Using a Vegetable Basket or Pan when Smoking Asparagus
    • Setting up your Smoker for Asparagus
    • Serving Suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe

    Smoked Asparagus vs. Grilled Asparagus

    raw asparagus on a cutting board in front of a smoker

    Let's face it, everybody and their brother has been served a side of "grilled asparagus" at a neighbor or friend's backyard BBQ.

    And while grilled asparagus can be delicious, most often it is served under seasoned, overcooked, limp, and burnt tasting.

    Usually because whoever made it probably kept most of their attention on the burgers and steaks while the poor asparagus wilted away in some 700°F back corner of the grill.

    The great thing about smoking asparagus, besides the enhanced flavors that come from the woodsmoke, is you have a lot more leeway in cooking times before the asparagus gets overcooked because you are cooking it at a lower temperature.

    So it tastes better AND you are less likely to screw it up.

    And you can throw a batch of asparagus on the smoker, grill, or pellet grill right along with your other food, so it couldn't be more convenient.

    The trick is putting it ON the smoker at the right time and temperature, and also taking it OFF at the right time BEFORE it is overcooked, which we will get into more detail below.

    How to Choose the Asparagus

    According to foodtown.com, you should look for asparagus stalks that are firm to the touch, stand up straight, and have a smooth texture.

    Stay away from asparagus that already looks limp or wilted.

    Finally, the tips of the asparagus stalks should be closed and firm, not spreading or soft.

    Equipment

    If you want to use a vegetable basket like the one he uses in the video to keep your asparagus from dive bombing between the grates, check out this one that we like from Amazon.

    Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket
    Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket
    Check Price on Amazon

    Best Wood for Asparagus

    Most likely your main wood choice will be based on whatever protein you are smoking alongside for the asparagus to accompany that day.

    However, smoked asparagus is great to make while your giant hunk of meat is resting, or even if you are making something entirely different for it to accompany on another grill or inside the house.

    So don't limit yourself to just whatever wood you are using to smoke the main course.

    Mesquite and Hickory are two great wood choices that pair wonderfully with asparagus you should consider.

    While the strong flavors from these two woods, particularly mesquite, can overpower many proteins during a long smoke, they work great when doing shorter smokes on vegetables and seafood.

    You can impart A LOT of distinctive smoke flavor in a relatively short period of time.

    Plus the strong favor of asparagus holds up well to the smokiness of both types of woods.

    Mesquite Smoking Wood Chunks by Billy Buckskin Co | Traditional Spicy Flavor | Made from 100% Hardwood | All Natural Mesquite Wood Chunks | 4 lb Box 432 Cu. in
    Mesquite Smoking Wood Chunks by Billy Buckskin Co | Traditional Spicy Flavor | Made from 100% Hardwood | All Natural Mesquite Wood Chunks | 4 lb Box 432 Cu. in
    Check Price on Amazon

    Trimming the Ends

    smoked asparagus in a grill basket on a cutting board

    The woody, fibrous ends of the asparagus need to be snapped off before smoking them.

    You can do this with a knife and cutting board, but there is a much easier and effective way.

    Pro Tip: Hold the fatter end of the asparagus about ¼-1/3 away from the end with two hands and your thumbs pointed together, pressed against the stalk and pointing away from you.

    pointing where to break asparagus before smoking

    Then push your thumbs away from you like you were breaking a small stick or twig.

    about to break asparagus before smoking

    The asparagus will snap in exactly the right place every time, leaving you free from having to guess where to trim the asparagus or leaving too much woody root attached to the end of the stalk for your guests to have to chew through.

    breaking asparagus before smoking

    Lastly, and this is optional but works well on very thick stalks, you can use a peeler to peel the exterior off the asparagus for a more refined presentation.

    broken asparagus on cutting board before smoking

    Seasoning the Asparagus

    You would never serve a beautiful rack of lamb or a prime ribeye steak to a guest without any seasoning, so why do so many people neglect to season their veggies?!

    Make sure to brush on some olive oil to help your seasonings adhere and keep the smoked asparagus moist while cooking.

    brushing oil on asparagus to smoke

    Asparagus NEEDS salt and pepper, at a minimum, no matter how you prepare it.

    seasoning asparagus to smoke

    The next most important is a squeeze of lemon juice, squeezed on after its cooked (a good rule of thumb is that citrus should usually be added to meats and veggies AFTER they cook)

    Add some butter and garlic, or go all out with a Bearnaise or Hollandaise sauce, and now you are truly in business.

    Best Temperature and Time

    What Temperature Should you Smoke Asparagus?

    The great thing about smoking asparagus is you that can really do it at any reasonable cooking temperature between 225-400°F.

    We smoked our asparagus at 275°F.

    But no matter what the asparagus is accompanying on the smoker, whether it's a slow cooking pair of lamb shanks at 225°F, or a roasted chicken or turkey crisping up at 350°F, you can throw the asparagus right on there with it.

    How Long Does it Take to Smoke Asparagus?

    Now, obviously the cooking chamber temperature you set for your protein is going to affect how long the asparagus takes to cook.

    On the low end at 225°F, the asparagus will take about a full hour to cook,

    On the high end if smoking at 350°F, the asparagus should be done cooking after only 10-15 minutes.

    smoked asparagus on a pellet grill

    Your asparagus will eventually fully cook no matter which option you choose. So that leads us to the obvious question of: Which temperature is better?

    All else being equal, the lower temperature will give your asparagus more time to absorb smokey flavor, and you will have a much lower risk of over cooking it due to the time it will take to cook.

    At the higher temperature though, you may get a better crispy exterior on the outside of the asparagus, the asparagus will obviously be done sooner, but you do have the risk if overcooking it if you take your eye off of it for too long.

    In our recipe below, we split the difference and smoked our asparagus right at 275°F for 35-45 minutes.

    Option: Smoke the Asparagus While the Meat is Resting

    One clever option, if you are smoking a larger roast like a lamb shoulder or a fresh ham at a low and slow temperature like 225°F, is to put the asparagus on AFTER you remove the meat from the smoker.

    Large cuts of meat like this generally need about 20 minutes or longer to rest before serving.

    This leaves you with the perfect time to crank the heat up on the smoker above 300° F, add some new wood like mesquite that you may not want to use on your meat, and then throw on the smoked asparagus.

    You can now give the asparagus your full attention while the meat does its thing resting on the counter inside.

    How Can You Tell When Smoked Asparagus is Finished Cooking?

    smoked asparagus in a grill basket

    Perfectly cooked asparagus should be tender but still crisp and definitely not limp.

    Some culinary websites say the asparagus should still be bright green once cooked, however, on a grill or smoker where the asparagus is exposed to woodsmoke and combustible gases like from charcoal, you are likely to lose that bright green color pretty quickly.

    This is ok.

    Honestly, the most accurate way to check your asparagus is to taste test it.  Keep one spear set aside as your tester.

    When you think they are getting close to finishing, take a bite. If it's not done, throw it back on and continue to test this same piece until it tastes just right,

    Quickly remove the asparagus from the cooking chamber when they are done.

    Pro Tip: Keep them spread out on a pan or cutting board, not stacked on top of each other.

    If you stack them on top of each other the ones on the bottom are likely to overcook and start to get limp and soggy.

    Using a Vegetable Basket or Pan when Smoking Asparagus

    asparagus smoking on a grill

    Use a Grill Basket or Grill Mat

    It may be easier to manage the asparagus on a grill or smoker by using a grill basket or grill mat.

    We are particular fans of the ORDORA Portable Grill Basket because it comes with its own handle, making it much easier to manage and move lots of delicate food, even shrimp, scallops, and asparagus around with one quick motion.

    ORDORA Grill Basket, Fish Grill Basket, Rustproof Stainless Steel BBQ Grilling Basket for Meat,Steak, Shrimp, Vegetables, Chops, Heavy Duty Grill Basket Outdoor Grill Accessories
    ORDORA Grill Basket, Fish Grill Basket, Rustproof Stainless Steel BBQ Grilling Basket for Meat, Steak, Shrimp, Vegetables, Chops
    • 3 Custom Divided Sections
    • Food-safe Material, Rustproof 201 Stainless Steel
    • Larger Cooking Surface
    • Portable with Detachable Wooden Handle
    Check Price on Amazon

    Another option is to use a grill mat, which are becoming increasingly popular in many BBQ circles, especially for delicate veggies and small seafood like oysters.

    Our personal favorite is the Grillaholics Mesh Grill Mat.

    Just throw it down on your grill to keep your asparagus all in one place and you can slide it around as needed to make room for other food without having to move each individual piece of food.

    It keeps your grates really clean, and when you are done, you just throw it right in the dishwasher!

    Grillaholics BBQ Mesh Grill Mat - Set of 2 Grill Mats Non Stick - Nonstick Grilling with More Delicious Smoky Flavor - Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty
    Grillaholics BBQ Mesh Grill Mat - Set of 2 Grill Mats Non Stick
    • Grillaholics Grill Mat Mesh allows more air circulation for your food to give it that extra smoky flavor.
    • Dishwasher safe
    Check Price on Amazon

    Pans and Skillets

    If you don't have a vegetable basket, or want to make a sauce while you are smoking your asparagus like a garlic and butter sauce, then a pan is the way to go.

    You can use either a disposable aluminum foil pan, or an oven safe skillet, like this cast iron one from Lodge we love to use that is also rated #1 on Amazon (we think with good reason).

    Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet – Signature Teardrop Handle - Use in the Oven, on the Stove, on the Grill, or Over a Campfire, Black
    Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet – Signature Teardrop Handle - Use in the Oven, on the Stove, on the Grill, or Over a Campfire, Black
    Check Price on Amazon

    Setting up your Smoker for Asparagus

    New to smoking?

    Check out our Complete List of the Best Entry Level Smokers for Beginners Here.

    Like we said, you are most likely setting up your smoker to cook  main dish for the asparagus to accompany, and if so, make sure to follow THOSE instructions for setting up your smoker.

    If, however, you are just in the mood for smoking some asparagus by itself, here are the best instructions for setting up different types of grills and smokers to do just that.

    Vertical or Offset Charcoal Smoker

    Fill your firebox or lower charcoal basin with about a half a chimney's worth of unlit charcoal and create a small hollowed out depression in the center where you can add your lit briquets.

    If your smoker comes with a water pan, like the Weber Smokey Mountain, don't bother with filling it just for some asparagus.

    Light a charcoal chimney about ⅓ way with charcoal and wait about 20 minutes for it to fully ignite.

    Once lit, add the briquets to the center depression you created.

    Keep the dampers about ½ way to ¾ open until the temperature is to about 275-300°F.  Then slowly close them down until you are maintaining a temperature of 325-350°F.

    Add 1 chunk of smoking wood once the smoker is up to temperature and put your asparagus on, preferably in a pan or vegetable grilling basket.

    Electric Smoker

    Plug your electric smoker in and turn the temperature to 325°F.

    While it comes up to temperature, add smoking wood chips, not pellets, to the smoking wood tray.

    Place your asparagus on the rack and close the door.

    Pellet Grill

    Fill the pellet hopper with your choice of smoking wood pellets, preferably mesquite or hickory if you are ONLY cooking asparagus and no other foods.

    Plug in the pellet grill and turn the temperature to 325°F.

    When the pellet grill has come up to temperature, place your asparagus on the grill, preferably in a vegetable grilling basket or pan.

    Never used a pellet grill before?  Read our Ultimate Guide to Pellet Grills to learn why they are so easy and how to set one up for success every time.

    Gas or Charcoal Grill

    On a gas or charcoal grill you will likely need to use a smoker box filled with wood chips, or a pellet tube smoker filled with wood pellets.

    Think you need a fancy smoker to smoke food at home? 

    Think again.

    Great smoked food can be made right on your current gas or charcoal grill.

    Check out our Ultimate Guide to Smoking on a Gas Grill HERE.

    If you are unfamiliar with these gas grill smoking devices mentioned above, no worries, we have you covered!

    Read Everything You Need to Know about Smoker Boxes here, and see a selection of our Favorite Pellet Tube Smokers here.

    In the case of asparagus, we would opt for the smoker box with wood chips since the asparagus will not take long to cook.  Save your pellets for longer smoking foods.

    Set up your gas or charcoal grill for indirect cooking with the burners or a small amount of lit briquets on one side and plan for your asparagus to be on the other side.

    Remember, we are cooking the asparagus INDIRECTLY, like an oven, not DIRECTLY over the burners or coals.

    putting grate on charcoal grill set up for indirect smoking

    Once the temperature of your grill is around 300°F, place your smoker box or pellet tube smoker over the lit burners and once smoke begins coming out, place your meat on the opposite side.

    Continue bringing the temperature up between 325-350°F.

    Serving Suggestions

    While asparagus usually plays a supporting role on the plate, there is no reason it can't shine as a co-star to whatever else you are serving alongside it.

    smoked asparagus on a cutting board

    Your smoked asparagus will undoubtedly stand out on its own even with just some salt, pepper, and  a squeeze of lemon to finish, however there are some additional options if you want to go a little bigger.

    You can follow the recipe below to see how we smoked our asparagus in a pan with butter, garlic, and shallots, or try you own sauce recipe in the same fashion right on the smoker.

    Alternatively, asparagus can be smoked and then drizzled with a balsamic reduction, and white wine cream sauce, or even a fancy Bearnaise or hollandaise.

    Just try to make sure any sauce you add pairs well with whatever protein, starches, or other sauces you are serving as things will undoubtedly mix on the plate.

    📖 Recipe

    asparagus smoking on a pit boss

    Easy Smoked Asparagus

    Mads Martigan
    Asparagus smoked with medium indirect heat on ANY grill or smoker, simply seasoned and served with a squeeze lemon
    Whether you are using a pellet grill like a Traeger, Camp Chef, or Pit Boss, an electric smoker like a Masterbuilt, or just a conventional propane grill like a Weber, we've got you covered. 
    5 from 2 votes
    PRINT PIN SHARE SAVE Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Vegetable
    Cuisine American, Australian, BBQ, Mediterranean, Smoked
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 200 kcal

    Equipment

    • Gas Grill with Smoker Box or Pellet Tube Smoker -OR-
    • Charcoal Grill -OR-
    • Smoker (charcoal, propane, electric, or pellet)
    • Grill Basket or Phat Mat
    • Smoking wood chips, chunks, or pellets, preferably mesquite or hickory

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb Asparagus spears trimmed
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • Kosher Salt to taste
    • Fresh Black Pepper to taste
    • Juice of ¼ Lemon fresh squeezed

    Instructions
     

    Set up the Smoker

    • Preheat the smoker or setup grill for indirect grilling at 275°F.
      a pit boss pellet grill making smoke

    Prepare and Season the Asparagus

    • Wash and trim the woody roots off the bottoms of the asparagus stalks
      1 lb Asparagus spears
      breaking asparagus before smoking
    • Drizzle and toss with Olive Oil and Salt and Pepper and then spread the asparagus evenly in the grill basket
      1 tablespoon Olive Oil, Kosher Salt, Fresh Black Pepper
      seasoning asparagus to smoke

    Smoke the Asparagus

    • Add smoking wood to the grill or smoker once it is at 275°F.
    • Place the grill basket in the smoker, OR on the opposite side of the heat if using a grill so it is cooking indirectly. Close the lid.
      smoking asparagus
    • Rotate and toss the asparagus occasionally with tongs to cook evenly
    • Smoke the asparagus for roughly 35-45 minutes or until tender but still firm
      smoked asparagus in a grill basket

    Remove and Finish

    • When the asparagus is done, remove the asparagus from the smoker or grill.
    • Plate the asparagus and drizzle with some fresh squeezed lemon juice. Do not stack or the bottom spears may overcook.
      Juice of ¼ Lemon
      smoked asparagus on a cutting board
    • Serve immediately.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 200kcal
    Keyword asparagus, asparagus electric smoker, asparagus in a smoker, asparagus on a pellet grill, Camp Chef, electric smoker, grilled vegetables, Masterbuilt, pellet grill, Pit Boss, pit boss asparagus, pit boss smoked asparagus, smoked asparagus, smoked asparagus spears, smoked vegetables, Smoker, traeger, traeger asparagus, traeger smoked asparagus, vegetable
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Mads Martigan

    Mads is the founder of Madbackyard.com and has been a BBQ and Grilling enthusiast for the past 15 years. He loves to write about and make videos on smoking and barbecuing all kinds of great food.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tiffany says

      January 08, 2021 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      We put a pan of these right in the smoker with our steaks. Was delicious!!

    2. Bill says

      March 01, 2021 at 5:24 pm

      5 stars
      Made with some salmon we smoked alongside. Came out great, thanks!

    5 from 2 votes

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    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

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