Smoked Maple Glazed Radishes with Kansas City BBQ Rub
Radishes are usually known for their crisp texture and sharp, peppery bite, but cooking them changes their character completely. Once they soften, that raw bite mellows and the radish becomes much more earthy and mild. Put them in the smoker and you also get something you would never expect from a vegetable most often sliced raw into a salad.
The real payoff here is the contrast between the tender interior and the browned, seasoned surface. Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub gives the radishes a savory barbecue flavor with enough sweetness to encourage caramelization, while the maple glaze adds another layer of sweetness near the end. Apple cider vinegar keeps that glaze from becoming too heavy and gives the finished radishes a little acidity against the maple.
The result is a simple smoked vegetable side with plenty of color, lightly caramelized edges, and a texture that is almost reminiscent of a roasted potato. It works particularly well when you want something different alongside smoked beef, pork, or chicken without adding another heavy side dish to the plate.
Kansas City Maple Smoked Radishes
Glenn Connaughton
4
10 minutes
2 hours 5 minutes
105
Amreican
Side Dish
The goal with these radishes is to get them tender without losing all of their structure. Radishes contain plenty of moisture, so the lower smoker temperature gives them time to soften while the exposed cut surfaces slowly brown. That browning is where a lot of the character in the finished dish develops.
Seasoning the radishes with Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub before they go into the smoker gives the seasoning time to adhere to the olive oil and build color on the surface. The rub also brings a sweet and savory barbecue profile that works well as the peppery character of the raw radishes mellows during cooking.
The maple glaze comes in near the end. Maple syrup can darken quickly, so it does not need the same amount of time in the smoker as the radishes themselves. Apple cider vinegar cuts through some of that sweetness while leaving enough maple behind to form a light glaze.
What you are looking for at the end is a radish that is tender through the center with browned cut surfaces and a lightly caramelized exterior, not one that has cooked until completely soft.
Ingredients
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- 2 bunches radishes, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub
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- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Directions
Preheat the Smoker: Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit with your preferred fruitwood.
- Season the Radishes: Place the trimmed and halved radishes in a bowl. Add the olive oil and Revolution Barbecue Kansas City BBQ Rub, then toss until the radishes are evenly coated.
- Arrange the Radishes: Place the radishes cut-side down on a smoker-safe perforated pan or wire rack, leaving enough room between them for smoke and heat to circulate.
- Smoke the Radishes: Smoke for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the radishes are tender when pierced with a knife and the cut surfaces have developed good browning.
- Make the Maple Glaze: Combine the maple syrup and apple cider vinegar and stir until evenly mixed.
- Glaze the Radishes: During the final 15 minutes of smoking, brush the maple glaze over the radishes. Continue smoking until the glaze has set and the exterior is lightly caramelized.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the radishes from the smoker and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
