Smoked Creamed Corn with Cream Cheese and Sweet Butter
There's nothing quite like a rich, buttery bowl of creamed corn, especially when it gets a little extra love from the smoker. This Cherry Wood Smoked Creamed Corn takes a classic Southern favorite and transforms it into a creamy, wood-fired side dish that's perfect for backyard BBQs, holiday dinners, and family gatherings.
The magic starts with sweet corn, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and plenty of butter. As everything slowly melts together in the smoker, the corn absorbs a delicate hint of cherry wood smoke while the sauce develops an incredibly rich, velvety texture. It's sweet, savory, and smoky without letting any single flavor overpower the others.
Cooking creamed corn in an offset smoker is surprisingly simple. A cast-iron skillet or smoker-safe pan holds everything together while the indirect heat gently cooks the corn and thickens the cream sauce. Stirring occasionally keeps everything smooth and helps distribute that subtle wood-fired flavor throughout the dish.
Whether you're serving smoked turkey breast for Thanksgiving, slicing up a perfectly cooked brisket, or pulling pork straight off the pit, this creamed corn belongs on the plate. It's comfort food with a BBQ twist, and it's the kind of side dish that disappears before the main course.
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, optional for thickening
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your offset smoker to 250°F using cherry wood. Maintain a clean-burning fire to produce a mild, sweet smoke.
- Place the sweet corn in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or smoker-safe aluminum-free baking pan.
- Add the cubed cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, whole milk, butter, Parmesan cheese, sugar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Place the uncovered skillet inside the smoker and cook for 30 minutes, allowing the cream cheese and butter to soften.
- Stir everything thoroughly until the cream cheese and butter are fully incorporated into the cream sauce.