Smoked Pumpkin is so simple to make, yet adds great smoke flavor to this fall favorite. Pumpkin can be smoked on a pellet grill such as a Pit Boss or Traeger, in an electric smoker, or even on a gas grill with a smoker box!
After being smoked, the pumpkin can be used in a number of different recipes, even in a homemade pumpkin pie!
Nothing says fall quite like pumpkin. While typically thought of as a vegetable, pumpkin is actually a fruit, but it can be smoked much like other vegetables.
Just like with Smoked Acorn Squash, we like to smoke the pumpkin in large pieces. It can then be eaten as a side dish or used to make a number of different recipes.
Smoked pumpkin is great in savory recipes like Chicken and Pumpkin Tarts or sweet ones like Smoked Pumpkin Bread or Smoked Pumpkin Pie.
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What Type of Pumpkin to Smoke
When you are choosing a pumpkin for smoking, it's important to choose a pumpkin called a "pie pumpkin" or a "sugar pumpkin."
These are relatively small and the best for eating, as compared to the larger pumpkins that are better suited for carving into Jack-O-Lanterns.
Cutting Pumpkin and Removing Seeds
Using a sharp chef's knife or meat slicing knife like our favorite from Mairico, slice the pumpkin in half.
You want to slice it right down the middle, a little offset from the stem.
This will create two halves that are filled with the seeds and pulp.
Scoop out the insides, including the seeds and pulp, with a large metal spoon.
The sharp edges of the spoon are help scrape the inside of the pumpkin to remove all the strings that are attached to the walls. Repeat with both halves.
You can save the seeds to make Smoked Pumpkin Seeds.
Seasoning the Pumpkin
Use a fork to prick the flesh of the pumpkin. This will allow steam to escape during the cooking process.
Brush the inside walls of each half of the pumpkin with olive oil using a silicone basting brush.
Season lightly with salt.
The salt will help draw out some of the moisture. Even if you plan to use the pumpkin in a dessert, still use the salt.
Best Wood for Smoking Pumpkin
For pumpkin, we prefer to use a fruitwood like apple or a nutty wood like pecan.
In a pellet grill like a Pit Boss or Traeger, we like Bear Mountain Apple Pellets or Knotty Wood Almond Cabernet Wine Blend Pellets.
We often bump up the smoke on a pellet grill by adding a pellet tube smoker or a firebox with charcoal and real wood chunks.
Check out those articles and videos to show you exactly how to set those up.
Electric smokers will use wood chips, which can also be used in a smoker box to smoke on a gas grill or a charcoal grill.
Our favorite way to smoke on charcoal grill is to use wood chunks, which we show step by step in How to Smoke on a Charcoal Grill.
Smoker Time and Temperature
Start your smoker and let it run through the start up process. Then set the temperature to 350°F.
For a reminder on how to start your grill, check out:
- How to Start a Pit Boss
- How to Start a Traeger
- How to Start a ZGrill
- How to Start a Camp Chef
- How to Start a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
Many models of Masterbuilt electric smokers only go up to 275°F.
If this is the case for you, just set it to 275°F and know it will take longer to cook.
Make sure to oil your cooking grates ahead of time to prevent sticking!
Once the smoker is preheated, place the pumpkin halves, skin side down, on the grates of the grill.
You will continue smoking the pumpkin until the flesh is fork tender, which takes about 1 hour at 350°F.
Serving Suggestions
Smoked pumpkin is great served by itself as a side dish, much like you would serve smoked acorn squash.
If you prefer to use the pumpkin in a recipe, it would be great in pumpkin dessert recipes that call for pumpkin puree like pumpkin bread or pumpkin pie.
Simply remove the smoked flesh from the skin and place it in a food processor or blender to puree.
You may want to use a food mill to make the puree smoother if it contains a lot of fibers.
📖 Recipe
Smoked Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 Pie Pumpkin
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
Cutting Pumpkin and Removing Seeds
- Using a sharp knife, slice the pumpkin in half. You want to slice it right down the middle, a little offset from the stem.1 Pie Pumpkin
- Scoop out the insides, including the seeds and pulp, with a large metal spoon.
- Scrape the inside of the pumpkin to remove all the strings that are attached to the walls. Repeat with both halves.
Seasoning the Pumpkin
- Use a fork to prick the flesh of the pumpkin.
- Brush the inside walls of each half of the pumpkin with olive oil using a silicone basting brush.2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Season lightly the inside of each half with salt.½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
Start the Smoker
- Start your smoker and let it run through the start up process. Then set the temperature to 350°F. If your smoker does not go this high, set it to the highest temperature it will go.
- Load the wood pellets, wood chips, or wood chunks into the smoker or grill, depending on what type of grill you are using.
- Light pellet tube smoker or firebox, if using.
- Oil the cooking grates to prevent sticking.
Smoke Pumpkin
- Once the smoker is preheated, place both halves of the pumpkin onto the grates, skin side down.
- Smoke the pumpkin until the flesh is fork tender, which takes about 1 hour at 350°F.
- Carefully remove the pumpkin to a cutting board to cool before eating or using in a recipe.
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