DEVILED EGG FEATURING WOOD-FIRED SMOKED BEETS

Wood-fired Smoked Beets before and in the offsetting smoking position on the gas grill with single filet wood chunks!

It likely is not the first pick from the root vegetable options but beets have a lot to offer.  Not only do they offer health benefits that include potentially lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and improving liver function, they are a naturally sweet item that can be added to salads, side dishes, and appetizers.

I’m going to give you a great recipe for a filled egg that is so much more flavorful and healthy than the traditional deviled egg.  Plus, I’m taking it up a notch by wood firing the beets first on the gas grill using wood chunks.  So, get to the store or farmers market and select your favorite beets.  Then fire up the grill for an easy way to up the flavor on beets.

 

Get Them Clean

Root vegetables have heavy skins and tend to be dirty when first picked.  It is important that you do some cleaning to them to ensure they are grill and eating ready.  First, cut off the stem end with the greens.  You can certainly reserve these for adding to salads or a smoothie.  Also, cut off the pointy end and any loose roots.  Now place them under running water and scrub them clean.  Pat them dry and place on a foil-lined, grill-safe pan.  For our recipe, you will only need two beets but I like to do extras to have for adding to other recipes or for just snacking on as is.  Remember, you’ll see 3-4 beet bulbs per bunch when you purchase them in the store.

 

Adding Wood Flavor

Adding wood flavor using the gas grill is simple when you use smoking wood chunks versus wood chips.  First, more flavor will be released into the cooking area using chunks.  Second, there is no need to use any accessory item like a smoker box unless you are opposed to putting the wood pieces on your heat shields.  For a cooking time of about 2 hours, you’ll need roughly three single filet smoker wood chunks from SmokinLicious® or four double filet smoking wood chunks.

Heat the grill first using all burners set to medium.  Once the beets are ready to go on the grill, turn one side of the grill’s burners off.  Place the wood chunks on the lite side of the grill; I place my single filet chunks directly on my heat shield.  Place the grill safe pan with the beets on the unlit side of the grill grate and close the lid.  Let these cook for about 2 hours until a knife inserted in the center passes through easily.  Then remove from the grill and allow to cool just slightly.  Using gloves so you don’t end up with purple stained hands, remove the skin from the beets.

 

Wood Fired Egg Filling for the WOOD-FIRED SMOKED BEETS recipe.

To make our scrumptious and healthy egg filling here are the ingredients you will need in addition to the two wood-fired beets:

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1-1/2 cups fresh parsley leaves
• 1-1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• ⅓ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup chopped prunes
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• ¾ cup chopped pickled beets
• 8 hard-boiled large eggs
• 1 small golden beet, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

Tip: I don’t do a traditional boil to my eggs to make them hard boiled.  Instead, I add an inch of water to a pot and place the eggs in a steamer insert.  Then I place the steamer in the pot with the water, put the lid in place, and steam the eggs for exactly 14 minutes.  Then I quickly remove them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.  You’ll have perfectly hard-boiled eggs without boiling them in water!

In a food processor pulse the parsley, mayonnaise, and mustard until smooth; season with salt and pepper.  Add the chopped, wood-fired red beets, garlic, walnuts, prunes and lemon juice with the mayonnaise mixture until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir in the pickled beets.  Place the mixture into a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag.

Halve the eggs lengthwise removing the yolks.  Cut a 3/4 -inch opening in the pastry bag.  Pipe filling into eggs, mounding slightly.  Top each egg with a golden beet slice, if available.

Serve these up and enjoy the healthy benefits of beets, improved with a little smoky flavor.  Just perfect for a healthy snack, quick appetizer, or as that dish to pass at your next party event. Please try our Deviled Egg Featuring Wood-Fired Smoked Beets recipe.