Steamed and Smoked Artichokes Recipe

This Smoked Artichokes recipe combines tender fresh artichokes with lemon, olive oil, sea salt, and aromatic cherry wood smoke for a unique barbecue side dish. The artichokes are carefully trimmed, soaked in lemon water, gently steamed until tender, and finished over indirect smoke for a subtle sweet-smoky flavour.

The Inspiration

Smoking vegetables is an excellent way to bring additional flavour to ingredients that are usually steamed, boiled, or roasted. Fresh artichokes are particularly well suited to this technique because their layered leaves can capture the aroma of the smoke while the tender centre remains moist.

On License to Grill, Rob Rainford regularly uses outdoor cooking techniques to build flavour in unexpected ingredients, and artichokes are an excellent example. Steaming them first ensures that the dense hearts and layered leaves become tender before they reach the smoker.

The cherry wood chips bring the defining barbecue element. Cherry wood produces a relatively mild, slightly sweet smoke that works especially well with vegetables. Combining soaked and dry wood chips inside a foil packet creates a steady source of smoke without exposing the artichokes directly to intense heat.

Ingredients

6 fresh artichokes
1 large bowl of cold water
Juice of 3 lemons + 6 wedges
2 tablespoon of olive oil (30ml)
1 tablespoon of sea salt
1 cup of Cherry wood chips soaked for 1/2 hour in cold water
2 cups of dry Cherry wood chips

Method

Trim the tough outer leaves from the artichoke until you get to the tender leaves at the center. The colour of these leaves are orange or yellow all the way to the top. Twist the top gently until you can see into the centre of the artichoke. You may need to pull out some of the center leaves to get a good peak. With a teaspoon or a melon baller scrape out all the hairy choke.
As each artichoke is completed, place it in a bowl of cold acidulated water – water with lemon juice and oil. When they are all finished being trimmed, cover the bowl and place in the fridge for 2 hours.
Remove the artichokes from the acidulated water and lightly pat dry. Place them into a steamer and gently steam for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a leaf can be pulled out easily.
Meanwhile, prepare the smoker. Turn one burner to the far side of the grill onto high and heat the barbecue to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100 °C). Leave the other burners off.
Prepare your smoke package. Squeeze out the excess water from the cup of woodchips that have been soaking in water. Place them onto a sheet of tin foil. Mix in the dry wood chips. Fold the foil around the wood to create a small package. Be sure that the package is well sealed on all the ends. With a fork, poke several holes in the package for the smoke to escape and flavour the artichokes. Place the package directly over the high heat on the grill.
Drain and refresh the artichokes under cold running water

Serving Suggestions

Steamed and Smoked Artichokes make an excellent side for grilled chicken, seafood, pork, lamb, or steak. The subtle cherry wood smoke complements barbecue flavours without overpowering the delicate vegetable, while fresh lemon adds acidity and freshness.

For a Mediterranean-inspired meal, serve the artichokes alongside grilled fish, couscous salad, olives, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. A creamy garlic mayonnaise, lemon aioli, or herb-based dipping sauce also pairs beautifully with the tender leaves and smoky artichoke hearts.

For outdoor entertaining, arrange the whole artichokes on a large platter with lemon wedges scattered around them. Their distinctive shape creates an attractive presentation while allowing guests to pull away individual leaves and enjoy them at their own pace.

Final Thoughts

This Steamed and Smoked Artichoke recipe demonstrates how combining simple cooking techniques can create a vegetable side with impressive flavour. Steaming ensures the artichokes become properly tender, while the final smoking stage adds depth without drying them out. The lemon water protects the freshly trimmed vegetables from discoloring and introduces a subtle citrus character.

Find more recipes from License to Grill here!