Smoked Green Bean Casserole

This smoked green bean casserole takes the classic holiday side dish and kicks it up a notch with country ham, sautéed mushrooms, crispy fried onions, and a homemade gruyere cheese cream sauce – no canned soup in sight! Smoked on the pellet grill, this smoker side dish recipe is creamy, smoky, and absolutely loaded with flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Cooling Time20

Total Time1 20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: green bean casserole on Traeger, pellet grill green bean casserole, smoked green bean casserole

Servings: people

Equipment

pellet grill or smoker and your choice of wood or pellets
1 12" cast iron skillet or grill-safe casserole dish

Ingredients

4 14.5 oz cans green beans very well drained
12 oz smoked country ham diced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced thin
½ large onion sliced thin
2 cloves fresh garlic minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup crispy fried onions

For the Cream Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz gruyere cheese shredded, see notes
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Prep - Butter a large casserole dish or 12" cast iron skillet. Set aside. Heat a pellet grill or smoker to 350℉ with your choice of wood or pellets.
Sauté the country ham - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced country ham, and sauté about 7-8 minutes, or until slightly crispy and the fat has rendered. Transfer the country ham to a bowl, leaving the leftover fond and brown bits in the skillet.
Sauté the mushrooms and onions - Add about 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Then add the sliced mushrooms and onions. Sauté until about 75% done, scraping the brown bits off the bottom as you go. When the mushrooms and onions are almost done, add the minced garlic and continue to cook another 1-2 minutes. Then add the country ham back to the skillet (reserving about ½ cup for the top of the casserole), and mix with the mushrooms and onions. Sauté briefly, and then transfer to a bowl.
Make the cream sauce - In the same skillet, make the cream sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and let it melt. Then add 3 tablespoons of flour, whisking together with the butter to make a blonde roux. Cook the butter and flour for 1-2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock, whisking together and scraping the bottom of the skillet as you go to pick up the fond. Add 1 cup of heavy cream and plenty of fresh cracked black pepper. Let this come to a soft boil, stirring constantly. *The sauce won't come up to its full thickening power until it reaches a soft boil.
Add the cheese to the sauce - When your sauce is at the perfect consistency (it should coat the back of a spoon), turn off the heat. Add about 75% of the shredded gruyere cheese – saving the rest for topping. Whisk the cheese in until fully melted.
Build the casserole - Add the fully drained green beans in an even layer to the bottom of the casserole dish or skillet. Top with the mushroom and country ham mixture, nestling down into the green beans. Pour the cream sauce over top, letting it work down into the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle on the reserved shredded cheese and country ham. Top with a layer of crispy fried onions.
Smoke the casserole - Place your assembled casserole on the grill and let it smoke for 35-45 minutes, or until nice and bubbly.
Rest and serve - Carefully remove the smoked green bean casserole from the grill, and allow to cool for about 20-25 minutes before serving. *The casserole will continue to thicken as it cools, so a full 20 minutes is needed.

Notes

Drain the green beans well – This is the MOST IMPORTANT part of this recipe. If your canned green beans aren’t drained well, then your casserole will be too loose.
For the gruyere - We love this recipe with gruyere, but for a less expensive option, you may substitute white cheddar or gouda cheese.
Hold the salt – Country ham is salty, so you won't need much salt, if any. You can always add salt at the end if you need it, but you can't take it away.
Cooking in the oven - You can bake this in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly, if you prefer. You won’t get that smoky flavor, but it’ll still be delicious.
Make ahead instructions - Assemble the entire casserole (minus the crispy onions on top), cover with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes, add the crispy onions, then smoke as directed. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the cook time.

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