Don't Roast Your Butternut Squash, Smoke It Instead

Nothing says fall like squash, and butternut is the go-to variety for Thanksgiving and all other autumnal feasts leading up to the holiday. Though we typically only ever consider roasting butternut squash for eating as a side or for making roasted butternut squash soup, Tennessee pitmaster Pat Martin, owner of Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint and Hugh-Baby's BBQ & Burger Shop, told Tasting Table that smoking butternut squash is an overlooked way to enjoy the versatile vegetable. 

He says they are ideal for smoking because the natural sweetness of the squash works so well with the smoky flavor and little bit of char. He adds that aesthetically speaking, smoking a whole butternut squash can also create a dramatic centerpiece for a meatless meal. 

Though we immediately tend to think of succulent, slow cooked meats when it comes to smoking (like beef brisket, pork ribs, and tender pork shoulder), smoking vegetables like butternut squash is an underrated practice that can be a wonderful way to take advantage of the final harvest of the season, when vegetables abound for the last time before winter takes hold, and most people tuck away their outdoor barbecues and smokers until the spring. 

Like all other things smoked, slow and low is the way to go when cooking a whole butternut squash. Similar to roasting, smoking provides indirect dry heat that helps to cook the squash evenly throughout while also allowing enough time for the smoky flavor to infuse it. Martin says you can simply throw your whole butternut squash into your smoker, or for those who like some char directly on the flesh of the squash, you can halve it, coat it in oil, and then place it skin side down on the grill. 

Butternut squash (and any other vegetables you decide to smoke) will cook much faster than meat, so that's another bonus if you have time constraints for meal prep. For softer vegetables that don't generally take too long to cook (think tomatoes or zucchini) consider cold smoking them, which means keeping the temperature between 65 and 80 degrees Farenheit, to keep the texture and crunch but to also get the smoked flavor.

Ways to level up smoked butternut squash include add-ons like feta or burrata cheese, maple syrup, pepitas, or other spices and herbs like paprika and rosemary. Once you've got your tender, sweet, and smoky butternut squash smoked and ready to eat, enjoy it just as you would when cooked any other way. If you need some inspiration, check out these ways to enjoy butternut squash that aren't soup.

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