Smoked Asparagus Bundles

Slow Smoked Asparagus Bundles with Lemon and Garlic is a recipe made in heaven! Placing these on cedar planks to bring out that classic Pacific Northwest flavors and paired it with another PNW classic – grilled salmon.

Using a cedar plank on just about anything on your grill and smoker (even without any seasoning) just makes everything taste so deliciously earthy.

Traditionally, we reach for the plank for our favorite fish recipes like the grilled stuffed salmon and the lemon rosemary halibut, but why stop there? Grilling or smoking your veggies on a plank infuses a very gentle cedar flavor, yet doesn’t overtake the flavor of the food itself.

🧑‍🍳 Ingredients

📝 Ingredient Notes

Asparagus – Look for fresh stalks that are firm and crisp. If the ends have started to wilt or feel sloppy, go ahead and pass. They really won’t smoke well.

Lemon Juice – You can squeeze your own or buy the juice separately.

Garlic – It takes just a minute to chop this and really complements the flavor of the asparagus.

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Cedar Planks – I used to buy the three packs found at the hardware store, but that got to be REALLY expensive! I since found that buying bulk online is a much more economical alternative. Save a few bucks as you’ll use these a lot in grilling!

Garlic Chopper – When you need to chop just a few cloves, I prefer the choppers with the wheels and the cutting blades. It makes life a lot easier.

Butcher’s Twine – You will find this at your local grocery store in the meat department, the little kitchen section and then just hanging on random hooks throughout the store. We buy ours from Amazon and Walmart and just keep 1-2 of them on hand as we use them more than we realize.

🔪How To Prepare Asparagus

Asparagus requires a good wash since it grows in sandy soil. I like to soak the asparagus spears in a large bowl filled with cold water for a few minutes which will soften the dirt. Then, I give them one final rinse under running water.

With all the dirt removed, pat dry the stalks.

Then, it’s time to trim the asparagus. Bend it near the fibrous extremity, and it will snap right where the woody part ends.

🔥Smoking Instructions

Step One: Set up the grill for indirect heat at about 250°. Start soaking your cedar planks. Even though we are cooking on indirect heat and the risk of it catching fire is small, it is a good habit to have.

Step Two: Grab three or four asparagus stalks to tie together for a single portion. If you have really thin stalks, you may want a few more for a single serving. Tie them tightly using butcher’s twine.

Step Three: In a small bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and black pepper together. Mix well.

Step Four: Place the asparagus bundles in a large Ziploc bag and pour the olive oil mixture into the bag. Carefully work it around so all of the asparagus is evenly covered.

Step Five: Add the wood chips or pellets then place the asparagus bundles on the cedar planks and set them on the grill.

I used pecan, but other strong-flavored woods such as hickory and mesquite would give asparagus a more intense smoky flavor. If you look at my free Wood Pairing Cheat Sheet you’ll find that veggies usually go well with milder wood, but the harder varieties seem to work for smoked asparagus too.

Step Six: Remove the asparagus when they are fork tender and bright green. That should be about the 45-minute mark.

Note: Thinner asparagus shoots will smoke much faster, so check for tenderness early and don’t just rely on the time.

❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use a Ziploc. This is one of my favorite tips. The large bags make marinating and coating foods so much easier than large bowls. Plus, it makes clean-up really easy.

Let the cedar planks soak for 30 – 60 minutes before using them. It helps to minimize any burning.

For a fun twist, use cedar wraps as we did in the Copper River Salmon to hold the asparagus together instead of twine. You will need to cut these down a bit, as you don’t want to wrap the entire stalk. They cut easily with scissors and still give off that earthy, cedar aroma.

To achieve a stronger cedar plank flavor, don’t bundle the asparagus. This will take more planks and more space but you will have a stronger infusion of flavor.

We love the subtle flavor the cedar planks add to the asparagus bundles but they are optional! You can smoke asparagus directly on the grill grates or in a grilling basket if you’d like.

🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

One of the funny things about smoking on the grill is that the smoke flavor will intensify the longer you let it rest, especially with vegetables. If you think you may have leftovers, use a bit less wood for smoking.

Seal leftover smoked asparagus in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.

🍱Meal Prep

Make the marinade ahead of time. It takes just a few minutes to make but stores well in the refrigerator for a few days.

Wash, prep, and bundle up the asparagus bundles. Place in an airtight container up to 24 hours ahead.

Additions and Substitutions

If you like things with a bit of a kick, add some red pepper flakes to the olive oil mixture instead of lemon.

Grated parmesan at the end adds a phenomenal, slightly salty flavor that just works perfectly with smoked asparagus.

Make the asparagus plain and drizzle some fresh lemon juice at the end or serve with cut-up fresh cherry tomatoes for a fresh farmer’s market vibe.

Pull out your favorite seasoning mixes like the Spiceology blends Greek Freak or Garlic and Herb.

🍽️Serving Suggestions

This is a smoky spin on a classic Pacific Northwest dish and it works phenomenally well with smoked salmon, grilled Pacific rockfish, and grilled halibut.

When you are rocking the block party, Grilled Kobe Beef Kebabs or Grilled Chicken Leg Quarters.

It would go amazing with almost any kind of grilled meat. Try it next to grilled ranch steak, or grilled flank steak for a true BBQ feast!

🥕More Smoked Vegetable Recipes

If you loved our smoked asparagus recipe, you might want to try smoking other veggies too. The smoky flavor doesn’t elevate just meat, it works just as well for vegetables.

Smoked corn on the cob and smoked sweet potatoes are some of our summer favorites!

Another side that’s perfect for a BBQ cookout is whole smoked cauliflower. Seasoned with a dry rub and slathered with a garlic and tomato paste mixture, you’ll surely become a fan of cauliflower once you taste this smoked version!

Smoked pumpkin is also excellent on its own or used to make a smoked pumpkin BBQ sauce that works with pretty much anything!

These smoked baked potatoes are another great option and you can offer various topics guests can choose from. Smoked fingerling potatoes are another way to put your smoker to good use.

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