Smoked Cauliflower Head (NOMA)

[Oozzy]

So I follow the restaurant NOMA on Instagram and he posted this amazing looking smoked cauliflower head and I would like to try to replicate it and wanted to know if anyone had any experience with this. I know he basted it with BBQ sauce and I am guessing smoked at 225 degrees. Any insight would be helpful.​​​​​​​

[jfmorris]

I am almost certain I saw someone post a picture of smoked cauliflower on here last year, but cannot find the post. Go for it, and let us know how it works out! Somehow I don't think smoke will penetrate into a veggie like this, but the BBQ sauce as a glaze will certainly pick up smoke and give it some flavor when you cut it up.

[Oozzy]

I am going to give it a try this weekend as long as the weather holds up.

[Henrik]

Yes, it turns out great on the grill. I prefer smoking the whole head at once. I haven't brushed it with bbq sauce, but it takes 1-1.5 hours to smoke it at 350° F (175° C). If you go lower, then of course it takes longer. I like having thick natural yoghurt (greek) as a dipping sauce, with a drizzle or two of honey in it. That cool sweet sauce goes great with the warm cauliflower bouquets. Check for doneness with a classic potato 'needle'/pin. It shouldn't go too soft, you still want just a bit of structure.

[Oozzy]

I am going to give it try at 225 and have my GF make a yogurt based dipping sauce.

[Henrik]

Cool. Let us know how it turned out!

[Willard]

Yum!

[Attjack]

I like grilling cauliflower steaks. I might have to smoke one along with you. I'm thinking Worcestershire should help give it a meaty flavor. You could do rub if you didn't want a sweet BBQ sauce. 225 and then taking it to a nicely probe tender state makes sense to me.

[Willard]

That’s what I was going to say. Grilled kale!

[Attjack]

Gentlemen, gentlemen, grilled kale AND cauliflower would have been overkill.

[Mr. Bones]

Loves me some collie flowers, so I gotta try smokin some up.

Previous attempts were exasperatin, but now I see I was approachin th whole dang shebang, wrong-wise...

(It kept on cloggin th screen in my pipe, so I done gave up, long time back...)

[Attjack]

Here's a recipe that smokes the cauliflower at 300f for a couple of hours.

https://kitchenlaughter.com/smoked-cauliflower-on-the-big-green-egg/

[jfmorris]

Attjack I may do the same thing this weekend, or I may just direct grill both on Grillgrates at 350 on the kettle, versus indirect smoking. My wife is on a "Jim needs to eat healthier and stay away from so much beef and pork" kick this week, so if I cook chicken, fish and veggies for a while it will make her happier and me supposedly healthier.

[Attjack]

Good strategy, jfmorris. She's going to be impressed with the cauliflower.

[Willard]

Whoda thunk cooking cauliflower for 2 hours?

[IowaGirl]

Another thing to consider is to par-cook the cauliflower by steaming it to a crisp-tender stage. Then put on the grill to get some color, smoke, and the last bit of cooking. You probably won't get a super dark look as in the first photo, but it shortens the grill time so might fit in better with other grilled food that cooks fairly quick.

DH isn't fond of cauliflower, but he likes cabbage, so I've done this with cabbage. Steam wedges/slabs (my preference) or the whole thing until softened but still firm, drizzle with olive oil or butter, add seasonings, and grill until lightly browned on the outside.

[jfmorris]

That fits with how I've been grilling artichokes recently. I boil them like I normally would, then cool. Split down the middle, scoop the fuzzy stuff out, then drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and onto the grill they go. Actually learned that technique from someone else's post here I think.

[Attjack]

I hollow out the cauliflower and stuff it. Smoked one with a corned beef style brisket for St Paddy's and cracked a Guinness then proceeded to pour a touch out for Mr. Bones. Everyone loved the food and they didn't complain about the whiskey or beer either.

[Mr. Bones]

Attjack I'm honoured that ya thought of me!
Appreciate it, Amigo!

[LA Pork Butt]

I’ve done a few, but now roast them cut up.

[Keiferr]

A local Italian restaurant has roasted cauliflower that's amazing. Using large florets the use a very light batter with parmesan cheese and butter and garlic, then oven roast it. Been wanting to try it at home on the smoker.

[Attjack]

Yeah, roasted cauliflower is no joke. My GF will bake bacon then roast cauliflower and broccoli in the grease and combine it all with some parmesan reggiano. It's damn good.

[Mr. Bones]

My GF will bake bacon then roast cauliflower and broccoli in the grease...<snip>

Dang, Son!!!!!

Now, that Do sound Guuudddd!

Course, yall know my upbrangin, fer th most part...we'd ate th North end of a Southbound mule, if it was cooked all up in bacon grease, an we had some gravy, an biscuits...

Gotta try me some smoke roasted 'baco-flower, though!

Thanks fer th inspiration, Brother!

[FireMan]

Is that a green Joe? Fantastic color.

[Willard]

I’m diggin’ that new avatar 😊

[Mudkat]

Nice catch FireMan I've never seen or heard of a SJG before.

[Attjack]

So I picked up my cauliflower and chicken today. Hopefully I can smoke them tomorrow.

[Oozzy]

So my journey begins! I filled the cauliflower head with about 8 oz of "Shwifty Sauce" from a local condiment place, and will use a local BBQ Sauce to baste every half hour after the first hour and a half. I am also smoking a chuckie, so no I am not loading up the WSM for just a cauliflower head

[Attjack]

Mine came out really well. I did a spicy jerk cauliflower. I also smoked a chicken, sauteed some asparagus in butter and garlic, and made coconut rice.

[JimLinebarger]

That's a nice meal!

[Troutman]

I like the little skull guy...does he ward off evil food demons??

[Attjack]

He keeps me company.

[Attjack]

Here's what I used for my Jerk seasoning on the cauliflower. I covered the cauliflower with Worcestershire and avocado oil then with the jerk.