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    Home » Appetizers and Sides

    Published: May 21, 2022 by Mads Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    How to Make Smoked Garlic

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn everything you need to know about how to make smoked garlic! 

    Smoked garlic is like roasted garlic but even MORE delicious, and super easy to make.

    Whether you've got a gas or charcoal grill, a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill, or even a Masterbuilt electric smoker, we've got you covered!

    smoked garlic on a cutting board

     

    Why Smoked Garlic?

    Smoked garlic is incredibly easy to make and can be made with just a little indirect heat and smoked on literally ANY grill or smoker.

    Once the garlic cloves are smoked you can use them in another recipe like smoked garlic bread or make some delicious smoked garlic tomato and mozzarella canapes!

    Because you can smoke the whole head (or bulb) of garlic without taking out the cloves, it's easy to throw a head of garlic on at the same time you are smoking some cheese or eggs or fish, or anything else you want to pair the garlic with.

    Let's look at how to prepare the smoked garlic.

     

    How to Prepare Garlic for Smoking

    Slice Off the Top, Oil and Season

    First get a nice ripe head (also sometimes called a bulb) of garlic and slice off just the top using a good slicing knife like our favorite from Mairico.

    a sliced head of garlic before smoking

    Next, brush on some olive oil using a good silicone basting brush all over the head of garlic and season it up with plenty of kosher salt and pepper.

    basting olive oil on a head of garlic to smoke

    Don't worry about the smoke point of whatever oil you choose because we are going to smoke the garlic at a very low heat.

    We used regular 100% Olive Oil.

    seasoning a sliced head of garlic to smoke

    You can also get creative and season the smoked head of garlic with a BBQ rub if you want to add some more color and additional flavors.

     

    Use a Grill Basket or Phat Mat

    Depending how many heads of garlic you are smoking, or especially if you are smoking individual cloves, it may be easier to manage a lot of them 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 Portable Grill Basket, Stainless Steel Heavy Duty
    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 PhatMat Non Stick Grill Mat.

    Just throw it down on your grill to keep your smoked garlic 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!

    PhatMat Non Stick Grill Mats Mesh - Set of 2
    • ? GRILL LIKE A BOSS - Our heavy duty mesh design allows your barbeque masterpiece to fully absorb those awesome smoky flavors.
    • ? NO MESS - Never grill on a nasty grill grate again! These bbq mats for grill keeps all your barbecue creations from falling through the grates! Nonstick, easy clean up, reusable, washable and dishwasher safe!
    Check Price on Amazon

     

    Best Wood for Smoking Garlic

    Fruitwoods such as apple and cherry as well as oak will give you a subtle smoke flavor on your smoked garlic.

    Or if you want a more distinctive smoky flavor, try some hickory or mesquite instead.

    Because garlic has so much distinctive flavor on its own, don't worry about overpowering it with a strong flavored wood, so have some fun!

    BEAR MOUNTAIN Premium BBQ WOODS FB99 All-Natural Hardwood Smoky Gourmet Blend BBQ Smoker Pellets for Outdoor Grilling, 40 lbs
    • GOURMET BLEND: Gourmet Blend BBQ pellets add a sweet, smoky flavor to your favorite red meat, poultry, fish, pork, lamb, or vegetable dish
    Check Price on Amazon

     

    Best Times and Temperatures for Smoked Garlic

    Best Temperature to Smoke Garlic

    Because we want to impart a LOT of smokey flavor into the smoked garlic, we want to maximize the time we are smoking it without burning it.

    For this reason we are going to smoke our garlic at only 180°F with INDIRECT heat.

    a pit boss pellet grill set to 180°F

    If using an electric smoker or a pellet grill like a Traeger or Pit Boss, go ahead and put it on the lowest setting possible which is sometimes called the "Smoke" setting.

    If you are using a gas or charcoal grill, will discuss how to set those up for LOW indirect heat below.

     

    How Long Does it Take to Smoke Garlic?

    a head of garlic smoking on a grill

    We found about 2 hours to be the right amount of time to smoke garlic at 180°F.

    If you remove the cloves individually first they will take much less time than smoking the whole bulb if you are crunched for time.

    But after 2 hours at 180°F we had a nice tan coloring n the smoked garlic bulb and the cloves were soft and easy to remove from the bulb and mash or spread

     

    Setting Up a Grill or Smoker for Smoked Garlic

    smoked garlic in a smoker

    New to smoking?

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

    Here are the best instructions for setting up different types of grills and smokers to smoke your garlic.

     

    Smoked Garlic in a Vertical or Offset Charcoal Smoker

    Weber 22-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker, Charcoal Smoker

    Weber Smokey Mountain on Amazon

    Fill your firebox or lower charcoal basin with only about a quarter 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.

    Light a charcoal chimney with only 2 lumps or briquettes of charcoal and wait about 10 minutes for them to fully ignite.

    Once lit, add the 2 lit briquets to the center depression you created.

    Keep the top vents half closed and the bottom dampers about ½ way open until the temperature is in the 160-180°F range.

    Add 1 chunk of smoking wood once the smoker is up to temperature, grease the grill grates, and put your oiled and seasoned garlic bulb on.

    Then slowly close down the top and bottom dampers to only about ¼ open until you are maintaining a temperature of 180°F.

    Want to see a list of our FAVORITE Vertical Smokers for 2022?  Check it out here!

     

    Smoked Garlic in a Propane or Electric Smoker

    Masterbuilt MB20073519 Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker with Broiler, 30 inch, Black
    The Classic Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
    See Masterbuilt Reviews on Amazon

    Propane and electric options are some of the easiest smokers for beginners to start with.

    Debating whether to buy a propane or electric smoker?  Check out our COMPLETE Comparison Guide HERE.

     

    For Propane: Open your gas valve and light the bottom burner. Adjust it down as low as possible without it going out to keep the temperature no higher than 180° F.

    Need a refresher? Check our our Complete Guide to How to Use a Propane Smoker HERE.

    Fill the smoking wood tray with your chosen wood chips and keep the top vent closed about ½ way.

    Oil the trays and place your garlic on the top rack as far as away from the burner as possible.

     

    For Electric: Plug your electric smoker in, open the vents, and turn the temperature to 180° F.

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

    Do not bother to fill the water tray if there is one.

    Oil the trays and place your garlic on the top rack.

    If the electric smoker gets too hot, place a foil pan filled with water on the tray below the garlic to act as a buffer.

    Smoke the garlic for about 2 hours at 180°F.

    Refilling wood chips is one of the major drawbacks, besides tray size, of electric smokers compared to pellet grills like Traegers and Pit Bosses.

    However, we recently found a great solution.

    If you are tired of having to reload fresh wood chips into your electric smoker, especially on longer cooks like pork butt and brisket, then check out this Masterbuilt Automatic Slow Smoker Attachment.

    It basically burns new fresh wood chips at a constant rate, much like how a pellet grill works, freeing you up to do other things while getting your food nice and smokey!

    Masterbuilt Slow Smoker Accessory Attachment
    • Continuous smoke when cold smoking or hot smoking up to 275˚F
    • Ideal for smoking cheese, fish, bacon, and jerky
    • Automatically heats wood chips with the push of a button
    • Continuous wood feed system provides up to 6 hours of continuous smoke without reloading
    Check Price on Amazon

     

    Smoked Garlic on a Pellet Grill

    smoked garlic on a grill

    Fill the pellet hopper with your choice of smoking wood pellets.

    Plug in the pellet grill and turn the temperature to 180°F or the "Smoke" Setting if it has one.  Make sure you have the pellet grill set up for INDIRECT cooking.

    Let the pellet grill run through its start up process. When the pellet grill has come up to temperature, place your garlic on the oiled grill grates, or preferably in a grill basket, or on a Phat Mat, and close the lid.

    Turn and rotate the garlic as needed depending on how even the heating of your pellet grill is.

    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.

    Here is also a list of our Favorite Pellet Grills Priced UNDER $500

     

    Smoked Garlic on a Gas or Charcoal Grill

    Weber 45010001 Spirit II E-310 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill, Black

    Check out this Weber Grill on Amazon

    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 how to use Smoker Boxes here, and see a selection of our Favorite Pellet Tube Smokers here.

    Or check out this handy comparison between smoker boxes and pellet tube smokers if you can't decide which is right for you.

    In the case of smoked garlic, we would opt for the pellet tube smoker on a gas grill since you need about 2 hours of smoke and don't want to have to refill a smoker box 3-4 times.

    If using a charcoal kettle style grill like in the picture below, start with one chunk of smoking wood then add another after an hour if needed.

    Set up your gas or charcoal grill for indirect cooking with only one burner or a very small amount of lit briquets on one side and plan for your smoked garlic to be on the other side.

    Remember, we are smoking the garlic INDIRECTLY, with very little heat.  So light the pellet tube smoker, put one far side burner on LOW on a gas grill, or light only 1 or 2 charcoal briquets placed in a small pile of unlit ones on a charcoal grill with wood chunk on top.

    a charcoal grill set up for indirect smoking

    Once the temperature of your grill is around 160°F, place your smoker box or lit pellet tube smoker over the lit burners or place a chunk of wood on the lit charcoal and once smoke begins coming out, place your garlic on the opposite side on the well oiled grate.

    Continue bringing the temperature up to 180°F and smoke at this temperature for about 2 hours.

    Check out our Favorite Gas Grills priced UNDER $200 Here.

     

    Best Ways to Serve Smoked Garlic

    Carefully remove the smoked garlic from the grill or smoker and set on a plate to cool a little before removing the cloves.

    a clove of smoked garlic on a knife

    Using a knife, carefully remove the smoked garlic cloves.

    As we mentioned earlier, you can spread the smoked garlic directly on some bread with butter or olive oil as an appetizer, spread on your smoked baked potatoes or mix in with some smoked vegetables.

    smoked garlic near a loaf of bread

    Or you can incorporate into another dish all together such as smoked garlic mashed potatoes!

     

    What Other Foods Can I Smoke?

    Looking for some more smoky inspiration?

    Starting up a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

    You've come to right place!

    Check out these other great step by step recipes for your grill, smoker, or pellet grill.

    Pork

    • Traeger Baby Back Ribs
    • Traeger Smoked Pulled Pork
    • Traeger 3-2-1 Pork Ribs
    • Traeger Smoked Pork Loin
    • Traeger Smoked Pork Spare Ribs
    • Pit Boss Pulled Pork
    • Pit Boss Smoked Baby Back Ribs
    • Pit Boss Smoked Pork Loin
    • Pit Boss 3-2-1 Ribs
    • Camp Chef Pulled Pork
    • Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Boston Butt
    • Masterbuilt Baby Back Ribs
    • Pellet Grill Smoked Pork Chops
    • Pellet Grilled Bratwurst
    • Gas Grilled Bratwurst
    • Smoked Fresh Holiday Ham
    • Spiral Sliced Smoked Hot Dogs
    • Smoked Bratwurst with Beer Braised Onions
    • Roasted Pig in Your Backyard

     

    Beef

    • Traeger Smoked Prime Rib
    • Traeger Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream
    • Traeger Smoked Beef Brisket
    • Traeger Smoked Chuck Roast
    • Traeger Smoked Pot Roast
    • Traeger Smoked Beef Short Ribs
    • Pit Boss Beef Brisket
    • Pit Boss Smoked Beef Tenderloin
    • Pit Boss Smoked Prime Rib
    • Pit Boss Smoked Chuck Roast
    • Pit Boss Smoked Beef Ribs
    • Pit Boss Smoked Tri-Tip Roast
    • Camp Chef Smoked Beef Brisket
    • Masterbuilt Smoked Chuck Roast
    • Masterbuilt Beef Brisket
    • Perfect Smoked London Broil
    • Smoked Ribeye Roast
    • Smoked Corned Beef
    • Smoked Ribeye Steaks
    • Smoked Filet Mignon
    • Hot and Fast Pellet Grill Beef Brisket
    • Pellet Grilled Steak
    • Perfect Grilled Hamburgers
    • Smoked Eye of Round Roast Beef
    • Easy Smoked Flank Steak
    • Smoked Tomahawk Steaks
    • Smoked Bottom Round Roast
    • Smoked Sirloin Tip Roast
    • Smoked Rump Roast

     

    Seafood

    • Pit Boss Smoked Salmon
    • Traeger Smoked Salmon
    • Honey Smoked Salmon
    • Smoked Oysters in a Garlic White Wine Sauce
    • Smoked Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
    • Smoked Lobster Tails
    • Easy Smoked Tilapia
    • Perfect Smoked Halibut
    • Smoked Mahi Mahi Fillets
    • Smoked Swordfish Steaks
    • Smoked Crab Legs with Cajun Clarified Butter
    • Smoked Mackerel with Maple Balsamic Glaze
    • Smoked Catfish with Cajun BBQ Rub
    • Smoked Red Snapper with Blackening Rub
    • Smoked Trout
    • Smoked Tuna Steaks

     

     

    Poultry

    • Pit Boss Smoked Whole Chicken
    • Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Thighs
    • Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Breasts
    • Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Legs
    • Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Wings
    • Traeger Smoked Whole Chicken
    • Traeger Smoked Chicken Thighs
    • Traeger Smoked Chicken Breasts
    • Traeger Smoked Chicken Legs
    • Traeger Smoked Chicken Wings
    • Smoked Whole Chicken in Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
    • Smoked Turkey in a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
    • Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • Beer Can Chicken on a Pellet Grill
    • Spatchcocked Chicken on a Pellet Grill
    • Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey Breast
    • Pellet Grill Turkey
    • Easy Smoked Turkey Legs
    • Spatchcock Smoked Turkey on a Pellet Grill
    • Trash Can Turkey - OK, technically not made on a grill or smoker but one of the most fun ways there is to cook a Turkey...at over 700 degrees in only 2 hours! 

     

    Lamb

    • Smoked Leg of Lamb with Guinness Marinade
    • Smoked Lamb Chops with a Balsamic Butter Sauce
    • Smoked Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary or Smoker
    • Smoked and Pulled Lamb Shoulder with a Turkish Spice Rub
    • Smoked Lamb Shanks

     

    Sides and Desserts

    • Masterbuilt Smoked Cheese
    • Smoked Gouda Cheese
    • Smoked Asparagus
    • Easy Smoked Broccoli
    • Smoked Cauliflower
    • Sticky Smoked Sweet Potatoes
    • How to Steam Tamales
    • Smoked Pineapple in a Maple Bourbon Sauce
    • Smoked Carrots with a Honey Balsamic Glaze
    • Pit Boss Smoked Mac and Cheese
    • Smoked Hard Boiled Eggs
    • Smoked Deviled Eggs
    • Smoked Cream Cheese
    • Smoked Cream Cheese Dip with Bacon and Cheddar
    • Smoked Pig Shots
    • Smoked Jalapeno Poppers

     

    📖 Recipe

    smoked garlic on a cutting board

    Smoked Garlic

    Learn how to make smoked garlic following our easy step by step instructions.
    Smoked Garlic can easily be made on any grill, pellet grill, or smoker.
    Whether you've got a Weber kettle, a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill, or even a Masterbuilt electric smoker, we've got you covered!
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 hours hrs
    Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American, Australian, barbecue, BBQ, Holiday, Keto, Mediterranean, Smoked, Vegetarian
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 40 kcal

    Equipment

    • Smoker or Pellet grill -OR-
    • Gas or Charcoal Grill setup for indirect heat
    • Hickory, Mesquite, and/or Apple pellets, woodchips, or chunks
    • Slicing Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Basting brush
    • Pairing Knife

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Whole Head of Garlic
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • Kosher Salt to taste
    • Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste
    • Barbecue Rub Seasoning optional, to taste

    Instructions
     

    Prepare and Season the Garlic

    • Slice off just the top (stem part) of the whole head of garlic exposing the cloves inside.
      1 Whole Head of Garlic
      a sliced head of garlic before smoking
    • Brush on the Olive Oil on the top and all sides of the head of garlic
      1 tablespoon Olive Oil
      basting olive oil on a head of garlic to smoke
    • Sprinkle with Kosher Salt and Pepper on top and all sides. Or, substitute your favorite BBQ rub with salt in it if you wish.
      Kosher Salt, Fresh Cracked Pepper, Barbecue Rub Seasoning
      seasoning a sliced head of garlic to smoke

    Set Up the Grill or Smoker

    • Preheat the smoker, or grill setup for indirect cooking, to 180°F.
      a pit boss pellet grill set to 180°F
    • If using a pellet grill, load the hopper with your chosen pellets, turn on the grill, and set the temperature for 180°F or the "Smoke" setting.
      pouring pellets in a pit boss hopper

    Smoke the Garlic

    • Once the grill or smoker is near its temperature, add your wood chips, wood chunks, or pellets into a pellet tube smoker and place it over the direct heat and close the lid.
    • Once the grill or smoker is up to 180°F and producing smoke, oil the grates with cooking oil well, and place the head of garlic onto the top rack of the smoker, or on the cool side of the grill. Use a grill basket or grill mat if needed.
      smoked garlic on a grill
    • Smoke at 180°F for 2 hours. Rotate the garlic and add more smoking wood as needed.
      smoked garlic in a smoker

    Remove the Smoked Garlic Cloves

    • Carefully remove the smoked garlic bulb from the grill or smoker using BBQ tongs and place somewhere to cool for 5-10 minutes..
      smoked garlic on a cutting board
    • Using a sharp paring knife, remove each of the cloves from the head of garlic
      a clove of smoked garlic on a knife
    • Spread the smoked garlic on potatoes or bread with butter or olive oil or incorporate into another recipe.
      smoked garlic near a loaf of bread

    Nutrition

    Calories: 40kcal
    Keyword bbq, Camp Chef, Keto, keto friendly, ketogenic diet, Masterbuilt, Pit Boss, pit boss roasted garlic, pit boss smoked garlic, smoked garlic, smoked garlic bulb, smoked garlic cloves, smoked garlic head, smoked head of garlic, smoked roasted garlic, traeger, traeger roasted garlic, traeger smoked garlic
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Appetizers and Sides

    • Pit Boss Smoked Macaroni and Cheese in a cast iron skillet
      Smoked Mac and Cheese on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill
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      Smoked Cornbread
    • Smoked Mashed Potatoes in a bowl
      Smoked Mashed Potatoes
    • Smoked pizza on a piece of parchment inside a pellet grill
      How to Make a Smoked Pizza

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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.

    More about me →

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    Thanks for visiting Madbackyard.com!  As outdoor living enthusiasts, we love to mention and link to various products we have used or researched.  Assume those links are affiliate links which means we may earn a small commission if you click and buy.  As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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