Smoked Nachos
By Joe GitterPublished on May 15, 2023
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
2 cups wood chips 2 ears corn, husks and silk removed2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 poblano chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded4 Fresno or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)12 ounces tortilla chips 2 scallions, sliced thinLime wedges
Before You Begin
This recipe was developed for our new book The Outdoor Cook. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium wood chunks for the wood chip packet. You will need a 12-inch cast-iron skillet for this recipe. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
Instructions
- Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4½-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet. If using gas, make sure there are no more than 2 layers of foil on bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour two-thirds evenly over half of grill, then pour remaining coals over other half of grill. Place wood chip packet along 1 side of grill near border between hotter and cooler coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
- Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set cooking grate in place, turn primary burner to medium, and turn other burner(s) to high. Cover and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, 15 to 25 minutes. Leave primary burner on medium and other burner(s) on high.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Brush corn with oil. Grill corn, poblanos, and Fresnos on hotter side of grill (covered if using gas) until corn is charred on all sides and poblanos and Fresnos are well blistered, 5 to 10 minutes. As poblanos and Fresnos finish cooking, transfer to bowl, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and let sit until skins soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer corn to cutting board. Turn all burners to medium (if using gas).
- Cut kernels from corn. Using paper towels, peel away skin from poblanos and Fresnos. Slice poblanos into 1/4-inch-thick strips and thinly slice Fresnos. Combine corn, poblanos, Fresnos, black beans, Monterey Jack, and cheddar in bowl.
- Spread one-quarter of tortilla chips evenly in 12-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with one-quarter of vegetable-cheese mixture. Repeat layering of chips and vegetable-cheese mixture 3 more times. Place skillet on cooler side of grill (if using charcoal), cover, and cook until cheese is melted, 15 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with lime wedges.
for a charcoal grill
for a gas grill
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
2 cups wood chips
2 ears corn, husks and silk removed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded
4 Fresno or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
12 ounces tortilla chips
2 scallions, sliced thin
Lime wedges
Ingredients
2 cups wood chips
2 ears corn, husks and silk removed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded
4 Fresno or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
12 ounces tortilla chips
2 scallions, sliced thin
Lime wedges
Ingredients
2 cups wood chips
2 ears corn, husks and silk removed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 poblano chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded
4 Fresno or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, halved, and seeded
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
12 ounces tortilla chips
2 scallions, sliced thin
Lime wedges
Why This Recipe Works
Using a foil packet of wood chips gives great smoky flavor that an oven broiler could never deliver. You’ll char savory poblano and fruity Fresno chiles until their skins blister and ears of corn until their kernels turn chewy and sweet. To these you’ll add black beans and two kinds of cheese for irresistible gooeyness. The key to creating evenly coated, evenly delicious nachos is layering. When the nachos come off the fire, a squeeze of lime and a scattering of scallions brighten the cheesy, smoky goodness.
Before You Begin
This recipe was developed for our new book The Outdoor Cook. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium wood chunks for the wood chip packet. You will need a 12-inch cast-iron skillet for this recipe. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and/or guacamole.
Instructions
- Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 by 4½-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet. If using gas, make sure there are no more than 2 layers of foil on bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour two-thirds evenly over half of grill, then pour remaining coals over other half of grill. Place wood chip packet along 1 side of grill near border between hotter and cooler coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
- Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set cooking grate in place, turn primary burner to medium, and turn other burner(s) to high. Cover and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, 15 to 25 minutes. Leave primary burner on medium and other burner(s) on high.
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Brush corn with oil. Grill corn, poblanos, and Fresnos on hotter side of grill (covered if using gas) until corn is charred on all sides and poblanos and Fresnos are well blistered, 5 to 10 minutes. As poblanos and Fresnos finish cooking, transfer to bowl, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and let sit until skins soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer corn to cutting board. Turn all burners to medium (if using gas).
- Cut kernels from corn. Using paper towels, peel away skin from poblanos and Fresnos. Slice poblanos into 1/4-inch-thick strips and thinly slice Fresnos. Combine corn, poblanos, Fresnos, black beans, Monterey Jack, and cheddar in bowl.
- Spread one-quarter of tortilla chips evenly in 12-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with one-quarter of vegetable-cheese mixture. Repeat layering of chips and vegetable-cheese mixture 3 more times. Place skillet on cooler side of grill (if using charcoal), cover, and cook until cheese is melted, 15 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with lime wedges.
for a charcoal grill
for a gas grill
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