Name: Cast Iron Smoked Mushrooms
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup wood chips; 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms , trimmed and quartered; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon table salt; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 3 pieces; 3 garlic cloves , minced; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

For smoky, tender, flavorful mushrooms, bring your cast-iron skillet out to the grill. We ensured plenty of smoke flavor by soaking wood chips before wrapping them in foil and setting them on the hot fire. For optimum browning on the mushrooms, we preheated the skillet on the grill as it came up to temperature. After an initial cook to drive off the mushrooms’ natural moisture, we carefully removed the hot skillet from the grill and added butter, garlic, and pepper off the heat; this buttery sauce glazed the smoky shrooms.

Before You Begin

To ensure even cooking, choose uniformly sized mushrooms that are between 1 to 2 inches in diameter. If you choose to wash your mushrooms, blot them dry with paper towels before proceeding. You can use white mushrooms in place of the cremini, if desried. We developed this recipe using hickory wood chips, but you can use whatever chips you prefer.

Instructions

Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4½-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.

FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place. Place 12-inch cast-iron skillet in middle of grill. Cover grill and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Set grate in place; turn all burners to high. Place 12-inch cast-iron skillet in middle of grill. Cover grill and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-high.

Toss mushrooms, oil, and salt in bowl until evenly combined. Carefully transfer mushrooms to preheated skillet. Cover grill and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid, liquid has evaporated, and mushrooms have browned, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove skillet from grill and immediately stir in butter, garlic, and pepper until foaming subsides and mixture is fragrant. If desired, transfer mushrooms to serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.