This Lasagna-Cooking Method Adds So Much Flavor (With No Ingredients Added) - Tasting Table

"Well, you can ditch the oven for the smoker to create a lasagna with infinitely more flavor. So, instead of purchasing nuanced ingredients to bring depth to your next lasagna recipe, swap cooking methods. As the name implies, smokers impart a smokiness into whatever you put into them, offering a low and slow cooking method that maximizes flavor infusion. Plus, you also get tasting notes from whichever type of wood you use to create the smoke."

"You'll assemble the lasagna according to a traditional recipe while you bring your smoker up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the lasagna uncovered in the smoker for an hour. Similar to checking the doneness of meat, you'll know when the lasagna is ready when it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Considering you have a smoker, a meat thermometer is a staple tool you probably already have on hand."

"Be sure to let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes to redistribute all the tasty juices that have bubbled to the top while cooking. While the lower temperature of the smoker infuses a delicious smokiness into lasagna as it cooks, it doesn't do a good job of getting that crispy browned cheese topping."

"So, if you want to put a little more effort into your smoked lasagna, start the cooking process at a low 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Then you can increase the temperature to a much hotter 375 degrees for 45 minutes, covering the lasagna with foil to seal in all the moisture."

Lasagna can be made with a smoker instead of an oven to add smokiness and wood-based tasting notes. The lasagna is assembled like a traditional recipe, then placed uncovered in a smoker heated to about 300°F for roughly one hour. Doneness is checked by measuring internal temperature, aiming for 165°F. After cooking, the lasagna rests at least 15 minutes so juices redistribute. Because smoking at lower temperatures may not brown the cheese topping well, an optional method starts at 200°F for 10 minutes, then raises heat to 375°F for about 45 minutes while covering with foil to retain moisture.

Read at Tasting Table