8 Thanksgiving Side Dishes You Can Make on the Grill (and Free Up Your Oven)
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THANKSGIVING, OUTDOORS
8 Thanksgiving Side Dishes You Can Make on the Grill (and Free Up Your Oven)
On Thanksgiving Day, the oven is the most contested real estate in the house. Move the sides outside. These eight Thanksgiving side dishes cook beautifully on a grill or smoker, pick up a whisper of wood smoke, and leave the oven free for pies β one of them is probably already out there handling the turkey.
The Outdoor Side-Dish Playbook
Match temperatures. Most of these sides cook happily at 325β350Β°F β the same range as a smoking turkey β so they can share the cooker in the last hour. Casseroles go in foil pans or cast iron, which hold heat and travel straight to the table.
Sequence by staying power. Start dense, slow dishes (sweet potatoes, scalloped potatoes) first. Quick vegetables (green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots) go on in the final 30 minutes so they stay bright.
Keep a probe thermometer handy and trust temperatures over timers. Wind and cold November air can stretch cook times β start sides a little earlier than you think you need to.
01 / THE CLASSICS, SMOKED
Casseroles That Love the Smoker
Smoked Green Bean Casserole. Assemble the classic β green beans, creamy mushroom sauce, crispy fried onions β in a foil pan and give it 45 minutes of light smoke at 325Β°F. The fried onions pick up the smoke and become the best bite on the plate.
Smoked Mac and Cheese. Yes, it is a Thanksgiving side now. Sturdy elbow pasta in a sharp cheddar sauce, topped with buttered breadcrumbs, smoked over applewood until bubbling at the edges. Cook it alongside the turkey and watch it disappear first.
Smoked Scalloped Potatoes. Thin-sliced potatoes layered with cream, garlic, and Gruyère in a cast-iron skillet. An hour at 350°F and the top turns golden while the edges caramelize. Almost entirely hands-off.
02 / SWEET & EARTHY
Sweet Potatoes, Two Ways
Whole Smoked Sweet Potatoes. Rub whole sweet potatoes with oil and coarse salt and smoke at 325Β°F for about an hour, until a skewer slides through with no resistance. Split, fluff, and finish with butter, a pinch of cinnamon, and flaky salt. The skin crisps; the inside goes almost custardy.
Maple-Glazed Sweet Potato Planks. Thick planks brushed with maple syrup, melted butter, and a pinch of cayenne. Grill over direct heat 4β5 minutes per side until caramelized with charred edges β the marshmallow-free sweet potato for people who like a little edge.
03 / FROM THE GRATES
Vegetables With Char
Charred Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. Halved sprouts in a cast-iron skillet or grill basket with chopped bacon and a drizzle of maple near the end. High heat, 20β25 minutes, and the bitter edge cooks right out of them.
Honey-Glazed Grilled Carrots. Whole carrots parboiled for 5 minutes at home, then grilled and glazed with honey, butter, and thyme. They come off glossy and tender-crisp β a bright spot on a beige plate.
Grilled Cornbread in Cast Iron. Pour batter into a preheated, buttered cast-iron skillet right on the grill and bake with the lid down, 20β25 minutes. Crackly crust, smoky crumb, and it serves straight from the pan.
THE GAME PLAN
Thanksgiving Day, Outside
Morning: assemble casseroles in foil pans, parboil the carrots, halve the sprouts. Everything waits in the fridge on sheet trays.
Last 90 minutes: scalloped potatoes and sweet potatoes go on first. At the one-hour mark, add the green bean casserole and mac and cheese. Final 30: sprouts, carrots, and cornbread while the turkey rests.
The turkey gets a co-star instead of a traffic jam. With a good grill, a cast-iron skillet, and a few foil pans from the outdoor kitchen shelf, Thanksgiving moves outside β and the oven is finally just for pie.