Smoked Stuffing Recipe for the Kamado Joe or Traeger
If you’re already using your smoker for Thanksgiving turkey, why not make the stuffing on it, too? This smoked stuffing recipe has everything I love about classic homemade stuffing: sourdough bread, onion, celery, and plenty of fresh herbs, with a little smoky flavor from the grill.
I make mine on my Kamado Joe, but you can use a Traeger or another smoker set up for indirect cooking. There’s also an oven option if you’d rather make it indoors!
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A Quick Look At The Recipe
- 🍞 What it is: Homemade sourdough stuffing with onion, celery, fresh herbs, and a light smoky flavor.
- ⏱️ Time: 15 minutes of prep, 5–7 minutes to sauté, and 30 minutes in the smoker.
- 🍽️ Yield: 10 servings.
- 🔥 Smoker setup: 350°F (175°C), indirect heat, in an uncovered 3-quart casserole dish.
- 🌳 Wood: I use oak, but pecan or hickory are other options.
- 👩🍳 Best tip: Gently fold the bread mixture and don’t pack it down in the dish. This helps keep the stuffing from becoming dense.
Why Smoke Stuffing?
What I like about making stuffing this way is that I can cook it separately from the turkey and still give it a little smoky flavor. The herbs and sourdough are still the stars of the dish. And since it cooks in its own casserole dish, it’s easy to bring straight to the Thanksgiving table.
Ingredients for Smoked Stuffing
Sourdough Bread Cubes Dried – By using sourdough bread you’ll add an additional level of flavor. Grab a day-old loaf from the store and cube it yourself or better yet try your hand at making your own sourdough loaf! To make dried bread cubes, simply take the loaf of sourdough bread and cut them into about 3/4 inch pieces. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes at 300° F. You can make your stuffing cubes a day ahead of time or just before making your stuffing.
Chicken Broth – This provides the moisture necessary to make the stuffing light and fluffy. Feel free to substitute turkey broth or vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Red Onion – Red onions have a slightly sweeter profile than yellow onions and add a nice pop of color!
Eggs – Eggs will help bind the stuffing together.
Celery – A few stalks of diced celery are in almost every stuffing recipe so of course we’ll add them here as well.
Butter – To add a rich flavor
Fresh Herbs – These add aromatic flavor to the stuffing! Be sure to use fresh herbs! This recipe calls for sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
Seasoning – For even more flavor, we’ll add celery seed, black pepper, and a little salt!
How to Make Smoked Stuffing
Homemade stuffing may take a bit more effort than grabbing a box from the pantry but the flavor can’t be beat! Here’s how to make smoked stuffing, step by step, whether you’re making Traeger smoked stuffing or using the Kamado Joe like I do.
Step 1
Preheat your smoker to 350° F and prepare it for indirect cooking. I like to use oak for this recipe, however, hickory or pecan would also be excellent choices.
If you’re using the oven, preheat to the same temperature. Please note that you will not have the same smokey flavor if you use the oven.
Spray a 3-Quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
Step 2
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, sage, rosemary, thyme, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the celery begins to soften.
Step 3
In a small mixing bowl, lightly beat the two eggs.
Place the sourdough bread cubes in an extra-large mixing bowl.
Pour the lightly beaten eggs over the top of the bread cubes.
Then add the sautéed veggies and herbs, followed by the chicken broth.
Gently, fold the ingredients until they are fully combined and the bread cubes are nicely coated. Be sure to stir gently as you don’t want to mash your bread!
Step 4
Pour the stuffing mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly being careful not to smash the ingredients flat.
Sprinkle the top with freshly minced parsley.
Step 5
Place in the smoker, uncovered, and cook for 30 minutes!
Remove from the smoker and serve immediately!
How to Tell When Your Smoked Stuffing Is Done
After about 30 minutes in the smoker, check the center of the stuffing. It should be heated through, with no wet egg mixture remaining, and the top should be lightly browned.
Because this recipe contains eggs, check that the center reaches 165°F (74°C) with a food thermometer before serving. If it needs more time, continue cooking and check again.
If the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, loosely cover the dish with foil. The exact cooking time can vary depending on your smoker and the depth of your casserole dish.
Tips & Variations for Smoked Stuffing
- You can use this recipe to make stuffing on a Traeger grill, Kamado Joe, pellet grill, or even in the oven. No changes are necessary, although cooking it in the oven will not provide the same smoke flavor.
- You can use any type of broth. I used chicken but turkey or vegetable broth would work perfectly as well.
- While you do not have to use sourdough bread to make stuffing, it provides the perfect texture. Some bread types are more porous than sourdough and may absorb the broth faster or slower. If you do not use sourdough bread, start with about half of the broth and add a bit more at a time until you reach the right consistency.
- To make your own dried bread cubes, cut a 24-ounce loaf of sourdough bread into 3/4-inch cubes. Spread them evenly without overlapping on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes at 300°F. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days or use them immediately to make your smoked stuffing.
- If you want to make a smoked sausage stuffing recipe, simply brown your favorite sausage in the skillet before cooking your veggies. Then add the veggies and saute until done. Continue with the recipe as written.
Complete your holiday meal
Serve this smoked stuffing alongside your turkey or roast, then round out the table with these recipes:
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce – A smooth, tart sauce you can make the day before.
- Irish Champ Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes with green onions and butter.
- Pumpkin Honey Bun Cake – A pumpkin cake with brown sugar, walnuts, and a sweet glaze to finish the meal.
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Smoked Stuffing Recipe on Kamado Joe
Ingredients
- 8 Cups Dried Sourdough Bread Cubes
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 1 Red Onion diced
- 3 Celery Stalks diced
- 2 Large Eggs
- 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter 1/2 stick
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Sage
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley minced
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Rosemary
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme
- 1 Teaspoon Celery Seed
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 350°F (175°C) and set it up for indirect cooking. I like to use oak wood for this recipe, but pecan or hickory are good options, too. Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced red onion, celery, sage, rosemary, thyme, celery seed, salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 5–7 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the celery begins to soften.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Place the dried sourdough bread cubes in a large mixing bowl and pour the eggs over them. Add the sautéed vegetables and herbs, followed by the chicken broth. Gently fold everything together until the bread is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the bread cubes.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Spread it evenly without pressing the bread down. Sprinkle the freshly minced parsley over the top.
- Place the casserole dish in the smoker, uncovered, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the center reaches 165°F (74°C) on a food thermometer. The top should be lightly browned. Cooking time may vary depending on your smoker.
- Remove the stuffing from the smoker, let it rest for a few minutes, and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
This delicious smoked stuffing recipe pairs perfectly with your favorite turkey or my personal favorite turkey recipe! It’s also a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners! Be sure to check out these other great Thanksgiving side dishes!