This recipe for smoky Traegered snack crackers is the perfect one to whip up today in advance of your New Years celebration. With a few ingredients you have in the pantry and about 30 minutes of your time, you will end up with a delicious array of crackers for snacking and enjoying with friends.
CRACKERS FOR THE WIN
One of my wife’s old bosses used to make crackers around the holiday that used an old family recipe. There was something about putting them in a pickle barrel and rolling them everyday for a week. The process sounded bizarre but I can attest that the result was delicious. These smoky Traegered snack crackers have a similarly addictive taste, but take much less time and effort. And dare I say– they’re even more delicious!
Baking them on the Traeger for about 30 minutes results in crisp crackers with baked-in flavor and just the slightest hint of wood-fired flavor as a result of using the Traeger. You can use any kind of pellet in this cook– but I recommend something like cherry, pecan or apple for the most pleasant and mild flavor. If you wanted a stronger smoke flavor, something like mesquite would really add a punch.
SALTINES AS THE BASE
We started with a box of saltines for this recipe. Each box has four sleeves and we used a sleeve for each flavor of Traegered snack cracker. This will make about 30 crackers of each flavor– so feel free to scale up if you have a bigger gathering ahead of you. Saltines are crisp and neutral but can pick up the flavor of the seasonings and the grill really well.
You could also use a different type of cracker– like a Ritz or Club cracker if you wish– because they also have a pretty neutral base. The procedure is the same– and you will have delicious crackers at the end.
PICK BOLD SEASONINGS
For this recipe, we did two batches of crackers, baked at the same time, with different flavors. Using my Spiceology blends– Garlic Junkie and Smoke Junkie– we ended up with two batches of deliciously seasoned smoky Traegered snack crackers.
For the Garlic Junkie batch, we added finely shredded parmesan cheese (the kind from a shaker bottle) and that added a layer of umami flavor that really complimented the garlic and herb flavors.
For the Smoke Junkie, we left that flavor choice alone, as Smoke Junkie has some really unique flavor (kinda like a BBQ potato chip in a bottle) and went perfectly with these crackers.
BUTTER AS THE BINDER
To make these crackers, you need to melt about ½ a stick (per batch/sleeve) of crackers. Pour the hot melted butter over the crackers in the bowl and toss to distribute the butter. Then add the seasonings, stirring/tossing to coat, and then continue seasoning until the crackers are well coated.
We found that with the Garlic Junkie and parmesan batch, some of the seasonings clumped together in the bottom of the bowl so we scooped that out and distributed it among the crackers on the cookie sheet. This worked well because we ended up with extra crispy bits throughout the batch.
BAKE ON THE TRAEGER
For these smoky Traegered snack crackers, we spread the two batches of crackers on one cookie sheet (split down the middle) and put them in the hot Traeger at 225* for about 30 minutes. The heat was enough to bake in the butter and seasoning while also imparting a great smoky flavor throughout the dish.
Because the crackers are tossed in butter, there’s no need to grease the pan. The smoky Traegered snack crackers will bake perfectly on the sheet and be easy to remove when they’re done.
Allow the crackers to cool on the cookie sheet for about 15 minutes before handling. Then transfer them to a serving bowl and enjoy solo or with spreads, cheese or dips of your choice.
PRIMARY INGREDIENTS
- Saltine crackers
- Butter
- Seasonings of your choice (like my Garlic Junkie and Smoke Junkie rubs)
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
WHY COOKING THESE CRACKERS ON THE TRAEGER WORKS
Using a Traeger to make these smoky Traegered snack crackers is an easy and obvious way to impart some smoky flavor in this easy dish. With the click of a button, you end up with steady, consistent heat and that signature wood-fired flavor from the Traeger. It’s like using an oven– a really well-designed convection oven– in your backyard.
STEP-BY-STEP
- Preheat your Traeger grill to 225* with the Super Smoke feature.
- Unwrap two sleeves of plain Saltines, putting one sleeve in each of two bowls.
- In a small microwave-proof bowl, melt the butter until liquid throughout.
- Pour ½ of the melted butter on each of the bowls of Saltines.
- Using a wooden spoon, gently stir/toss the crackers to distribute the butter.
- Season each bowl of buttered crackers with the seasonings of your choice. Add parmesan if desired.
- Spread crackers evenly on a cookie sheet– they can touch.
- Place the prepared cookie sheet in the grill and bake the crackers for 25-30 minutes, turning once.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the grill and allow the crackers to cool to the touch before handling.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!
ALTERNATE RECIPES/PRODUCT LINKS
Here are some great Traegered dips that would be perfect to serve alongside these crackers:
Products used in this cook:
- Traeger Timberline XL
- Cookie Sheet
- My Spiceology Seasonings: Garlic Junkie and Smoke Junkie
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Smoky Traegered Snack Crackers
Equipment
- Traeger grill
- Bowl and wooden spoon
- Microwave safe bowl
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 2 sleeves Saltine crackers
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup Seasonings of your choice like my Garlic Junkie and Smoke Junkie rubs
- 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat your Traeger grill to 225* with the Super Smoke feature.
- Unwrap two sleeves of plain Saltines, putting one sleeve in each of two bowls.
- In a small microwave-proof bowl, melt the butter until liquid throughout.
- Pour ½ of the melted butter on each of the bowls of Saltines.
- Using a wooden spoon, gently stir/toss the crackers to distribute the butter.
- Season each bowl of buttered crackers with the seasonings of your choice. Add parmesan if desired.
- Spread crackers evenly on a cookie sheet– they can touch.
- Place the prepared cookie sheet in the grill and bake the crackers for 25-30 minutes, turning once.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the grill and allow the crackers to cool to the touch before handling.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!
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