Smoked Cheesy Brie Artichoke Dip | Easy Appetizer

Cheesy brie artichoke dip.  Easy, delicious appetizer perfect for any occasion.   Served best on toasted crostini or sliced sourdough baguette.  

Ingredients:

16 oz brie

6 oz parmesan

5 oz spinach

3 artichokes

3 cloves garlic

1 lemon, zested

1 whole lemon, juiced

3-4 c water

1-3 habanero peppers or other spicy pepper (optional)

Tools needed:

Cutting board

Sharp chef’s knife

Sharp turning knife

Large mixing bowl

Casserole baking dish

Zester

Spoon

Smoker (I have an offset smoker)

Charcoal

Wood

How to make it:

Removing the leaves and turning the artichoke heart with a turning knife.  

Fill a large mixing bowl with water and squeeze lemon juice from 1 lemon into the water. Artichokes oxidize really quickly, the lemon water is there to help. As you peel and turn the artichoke, periodically dunk it into the lemon water. Store the trimmed artichokes in the water while trimming the other artichokes/making the rest of the dip.

The stem can be cut where the green meets the whiter part.

Peel the leaves from the artichoke until you reach the whiter part. The greener part of the artichoke is the tougher part, softer where it is whiter. Since I’m rough chopping the edible part of the artichoke, I trim the stem right where the green meets the whiter part. Cut the artichoke in half, scrape out the hairy (choke) part with a spoon. Rough chop the artichoke. Place into a mixing bowl.

I like mine spicy, so I added 3 rough chopped habaneros to the mix. You can sprinkle chopped peppers on the top as well as I showed in the video recipe.

Hollow out the artichoke removing the choke with a spoon.  The purple leaves will most likely be cut out too if they are too woody to eat.

To the bowl with the artichoke, add the spinach and half the parmesan cheese. Grate the cloves of garlic into the bowl and zest the lemon. Carefully cut the rind off the brie wheel(s) with a sharp knife. Be careful not to cut too much into the softer cheese part of the brie. Cut the brie into 2 inch rough cubes. Add to the bowl.

With clean hands, mix and squeeze the ingredients together until they are combined. Below is a picture of what it looks like.

Combined cheesy artichoke dip ready to be smoked/baked.

Place the artichoke dip into a casserole baking dish and top with the remainder of the parmesan cheese. Preheat the smoker. Place brie dip in the refrigerator if desired. I run my smoker around 275 F using lump charcoal for the heat and oak wood splits for flavor.

Cheesy brie artichoke on smoker grates.  

Smoke the brie artichoke dip for 30-45 minutes. It will be slightly bubbly and melted through when ready. Try not to heat the brie too much as it has a tendency to split easily. When ready, use a torch to brown the parmesan cheese on top or place under the broiler in your oven.

If you don’t have a smoker and want to make this dip, heat the oven to 350 F and bake for 15-20 minutes or until melted and slightly bubbly. Brown under the broiler on your oven.

Serve immediately with sliced sourdough baguette or toasted crostini. This is perfect for an appetizer for a larger group of people. Try this grilled t-bone steak as the main course.

Enjoy!

Logan