How to Make Smoked Butter

Smoked Butter is very simply butter that has been infused with the flavor of wood smoke. Use it like you would plain butter whenever you want to add an earthy, rich depth to any dish.

We love smoked butter for the way it elevates your butter to something special! It can be used literally thousands of ways and it's so easy to make anytime you've got the smoker going.

There are recipes out there with lots of added ingredients like herbs and garlic, and you can certainly add those if you like. The point here is to get the smoke flavor infused into the butter and that's the base. Whatever else you want to add is entirely up to you.

We're using the same method of incorporating the smoke flavor as we do with our Smoked Mac & Cheese (made in one skillet y'all), Smoked Baked Beans and Smoked Sweet Potatoes.

The idea is to expose more of the surface of the butter (or whatever you're smoking) by stirring often. The more you stir and the longer you leave the butter on the smoker, the more intense the flavor will be. Like your smoke flavor to be subtle? Stir 2-3 times and remove it from the smoker after 30 minutes.

If you want a more potent flavor, you'll leave it on longer and stir every 5 minutes or so. Have fun with this and experiment! As long as you keep the heat low on your smoker and your butter doesn't start to brown, you'll be fine.

Ingredients for smoked butter

As mentioned above, we're just smoking the butter itself. So literally the only ingredient is a stick of butter (or two). I usually have salted butter on hand because I prefer the taste, but you can use unsalted butter as well.

Potential add-ins

Get as creative as you like or keep it simple. Try some different flavor profiles according to how you plan to use the butter.

• Garlic
• Thyme
• Black Pepper
• Oregano
• Citrus (add some orange, lemon or lime zest)
• Smoked Paprika
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Rosemary
• Red pepper for a slightly spicy finish

I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

How to Make Smoked Butter

Now we're not going to crank up the smoker just for the butter. When I make it there's something already cooking low and slow. In the photos here, you'll see our Smoked Ham and some St. Louis style ribs in the background.

A small piece of fish for Smoked Fish Dip is something else we like to slip into that empty spot on the smoker. As long as you've got it going take advantage!

1. Cut the butter into pieces so it melts evenly. I usually cut one stick into 3 pieces.
2. Place the butter in a heat-proof skillet. The lid of the smoker will be closed so you want to use something that could go in the oven. I love this little cast iron skillet.
3. Put the skillet on the smoker and allow it to melt with the lid closed.
4. Stir the melted butter every 5-10 minutes. This allows the smoke to infuse the surface of the butter, intensifying the flavor.
5. Make sure the smoker temperature doesn't rise above about 275 degrees. If you're cooking something else low and slow (like Smoked Turkey Tenderloin or Smoked Chicken Thighs) that's where you'll maintain the heat anyway.
6. Leave the butter on and continue stirring for 30 to 60 minutes depending on how powerful you want the smokiness to be.

No, my camera lens doesn't need cleaning! I took this photo just after the lid was opened and there was lots of smoke.

Pam's tips for success

• For best results, use milder flavored wood chips like apple wood.
• Keep a close eye on the temperature of your smoker. Even medium heat is too much for butter.
• The first time you make smoked butter, stop at about 30 minutes and see how you like the flavor. If you want it to be bolder, you can add more time and stir when you make it again.

Storing smoked butter

A great thing about smoked butter is that you can keep it at room temperature if you want to use it all right away or you can refrigerate it. As long as it's in an airtight container, I've successfully kept it for up to two weeks and use a little bit at the time.

When refrigerated, the milk solids will separate, but that's not an issue. Just re-melt it when ready to use and stir to incorporate.

Ways to use smoked butter

Let your imagination go wild here! Can't you just imagine the powerful flavor combination of blackened ribeye steaks and smoked butter? Drizzle it over pan fried sweet potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and onions or, for a double kick of smoky flavor, add it to smoked vegetables.

Literally any way you would use melted butter you can use smoked butter.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on an affiliate link and buy something, we may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra. Click here for our full privacy and disclosure policy. As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQ's

More Recipes for Sauces and Marinades

• Alabama White Sauce
• Saffron Cream Sauce
• Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
• Maple Bourbon Glaze
• Yogurt Sauce for Chicken
• Poblano Cream Sauce
• Georgia Mustard BBQ Sauce

📖 Recipe