Beet Hummus is pretty tasty. So it must be even more amazing if the beets are smoked. The challenge I found is that nearly every smoked beet hummus recipe cheated and used smoked paprika. Find out how to make it for real by actually smoking the beets
Never Let Good Smoke Go To Waste
Because of the effort that usually goes into getting my smoker box set up and rolling on my gas grill, I usually try to put the smoke to good use and smoke as many items as possible. In this case, I was smoking a beef brisket and had some space on the racks to smoke beets at the same time.
I’ll usually also do the same with herbs and spices. For example, pour some kosher salt into a fine mesh sieve and place somewhere on the grill. Give it a gentle stir every 15 minutes or so and in about an hour you’ll have some fantastic smoked salt for general purpose use.
Now, back to the beet hummus itself…
Cook The Beets Before Smoking
Beets are very dense and take quite a while to cook thoroughly. At the low temperature at which you typically smoke meat, it’ll take hours to roast beets all the way through. So start them first in the oven as if you were only going to roast them.
The difference here is that you’ll cook them for a shorter amount of time and then finish in the smoke.
I’ve attempted this a few times trying to get the beet hummus recipe just right, and learned that you’ll want to remove the beet skins before you smoke the beets. If you leave the skins on, they’ll crisp up and reattach themselves quite well.
I’ve also found that roasted beets generally cook better if they aren’t peeled beforehand. It’s also quite a bit easier to rub the skins off after they have cooked than trying to peel them beforehand.
Just remember that it will take a beet a bit of time to cool before they can be handled because they retain heat like a brick that’s been in a kiln.
Modify Your Basic Hummus Recipe
- 1.5 Pounds Red Beets About 2 Medium
- 4 Ounces Olive Oil
- 15 Ounces Chickpeas
- 3 Garlic Cloves Crushed
- 2 Tablespoons Tahini
- 1 Lemon
- 1 Tablespoon Chives Chopped
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Roast the beets at 450 degrees, wrapped in foil, until they are easily pierced with a knife
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Once cooled, peel and chop the beets into medium pieces
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Place the beets, olive oil, chickpeas, garlic, tahini and lemon juice in a food processor and run for 45-60 seconds until well blended
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Garnish with chopped chives
