How to Make Smoked Garlic at Home

Fresh garlic bulbs are trimmed, seasoned with salt, pepper, and your favorite barbecue rub, then drizzled with olive oil and smoked until tender, golden, and deeply flavorful. This smoked garlic is an easy way to add rich, smoky flavor to garlic bread, pasta sauce, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and more.

Garlic is one of the most useful ingredients in the kitchen. It brings bold, savory flavor to salad dressings, soups, roasted vegetables, sauces, marinades, pasta dishes, and grilled meats. Fresh garlic is sharp and pungent, while cooked garlic becomes softer, sweeter, and more mellow. Smoking garlic adds another layer of flavor, giving the cloves a warm, wood-fired taste that works beautifully in both simple and hearty recipes.

If you already enjoy roasted garlic, smoked garlic is a delicious variation to try. The cloves become soft enough to squeeze from the bulb, and the flavor turns rich, buttery, smoky, and slightly sweet. A small amount can transform a dish, and it is easy to prepare with only a few basic ingredients.

Smoked Garlic

Smoking garlic is a simple way to turn a familiar ingredient into something special. The low heat gently softens the garlic while the smoke adds depth and a savory barbecue-style aroma. Once finished, the cloves can be squeezed from the bulb and stirred into sauces, spread over toast, mashed into butter, mixed into potatoes, or used anywhere you want a mellow garlic flavor with a smoky finish.

This smoked garlic recipe is especially convenient because it does not require complicated preparation. You only need whole garlic bulbs, oil, seasoning, a small pan, and a smoker. The garlic smokes slowly at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, then finishes at 225 degrees Fahrenheit until tender and lightly browned.

Recipe Rundown

Prep Time:	5 minutes
Smoke Time:	2 hours
Smoker Temperature:	200°F, then 225°F
Wood Pellets:	Mesquite, hickory, or your preferred pellets

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Garlic Recipe

Big flavor: Smoking brings out the natural sweetness of garlic while adding a savory wood-smoked taste. Salt, pepper, BBQ rub, and olive oil make the flavor even richer.

Easy preparation: This recipe takes only a few minutes to prepare. Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs, season them, drizzle with oil, and let the smoker do the rest.

Versatile use: Smoked garlic can be used in pasta sauce, garlic bread, mashed potatoes, dips, soups, grilled vegetables, compound butter, and many other dishes.

Simple ingredients: You only need whole garlic bulbs, salt, pepper, BBQ rub, and olive oil. These are easy-to-find ingredients that work together without making the recipe complicated.

Great for meal prep: Once smoked, the garlic can be stored in the refrigerator and used throughout the week to add quick flavor to meals.

Equipment Needed To Make This Smoked Garlic With BBQ Rub

• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Aluminum pan, foil pan, or cast iron pan
• Smoker
• Wood pellets, such as mesquite or hickory
• Measuring spoons

Ingredients For Smoked Garlic

• Garlic bulbs
• Salt
• Black pepper
• BBQ rub
• Olive oil

How To Make Fresh Smoked Garlic

Step 1: Preheat the smoker to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the tops off the garlic bulbs. Remove about ½ inch from the top so the individual cloves are exposed.

Step 2: Place the garlic bulbs cut side up in an aluminum pan, foil pan, or cast iron pan. Season the exposed cloves with salt, pepper, and your preferred BBQ rub.

Step 3: Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, making sure the oil reaches the exposed cloves. Transfer the pan to the preheated smoker.

Step 4: Smoke the garlic at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Increase the smoker temperature to 225 degrees Fahrenheit and continue smoking for another hour, or until the cloves are soft and beginning to brown.

When the smoked garlic is tender, remove it from the smoker and let it cool slightly. Gently squeeze each bulb to release the soft cloves. Use them immediately or store them for later.

How To Reheat & Store Smoked Garlic With Barbeque Rub

What Is The Best Way To Store Smoked Garlic?

Store leftover smoked garlic in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let the garlic cool before sealing the container.

How Long Will BBQ Smoked Garlic Last In The Fridge?

When stored properly in an airtight container, smoked garlic with BBQ rub will last in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Can I Freeze Smoked Garlic?

Yes. Place cooled smoked garlic in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating or using.

How Do You Reheat Smoked Garlic With BBQ Rub?

Reheat smoked garlic gently in a cast iron skillet over low heat until warmed through. You can also place it in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Smoked Garlic FAQs

I don’t have olive oil. What can I use instead?

If you do not have olive oil, another cooking oil will work. Canola oil, vegetable oil, or coconut oil can be used as a substitute.

Can I use a different type of smoker?

Yes. You can use a pellet smoker, gas smoker, charcoal smoker, or electric smoker. The most important step is keeping the temperature steady at 200 degrees Fahrenheit at the beginning of the cook.

Do I need to peel the garlic cloves before smoking?

No. Leave the garlic bulbs whole and unpeeled. After smoking, the softened cloves will squeeze out easily from the skins.

Can I use different wood pellets?

Yes. Mesquite, applewood, and hickory are all good options. Use the wood flavor you enjoy most.

Is smoked garlic gluten-free?

This recipe can be gluten-free as long as the BBQ rub you choose is gluten-free.

Do I have to use BBQ rub?

No. The garlic will still taste great with only salt, pepper, and olive oil. BBQ rub adds another layer of seasoning, but it is optional.

Can I make this without a smoker?

Yes. If you do not have a smoker, you can make roasted garlic in the oven. Cut the tops off the garlic bulbs, place them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Try This Smoked Garlic With BBQ Rub

This smoked garlic recipe is simple, flavorful, and useful in many everyday meals. Once you try it, keep a few smoked cloves ready in the refrigerator for sauces, spreads, sides, and quick weeknight cooking.