Sides

Sides are usually an afterthought, which is a shame, because the smoker is already running and you’ve got four hours of unused rack space going to waste. Beans, mac and cheese, twice-baked potatoes — almost anything that benefits from low, steady heat can ride alongside whatever’s actually the main event.

That said, not everything belongs in there. Delicate vegetables and anything that needs a hard sear at the end are better off finishing on the grill or in the oven, where you have real control over the last few minutes. The smoker is good at holding something at 225°F for a while, not getting something crispy right now.

Timing is the actual skill here, more than any recipe. A pan of beans can go in whenever there’s room and come out whenever it’s ready, with a wide window on both ends. Mac and cheese is less patient — it wants to go in with enough time left to pick up smoke without drying out, which usually means the last ninety minutes to two hours of a longer cook.

If a side comes out too dry, more liquid and a shorter ride next time. That’s almost always the whole fix.

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