5 Canadian recipes to celebrate the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut

Special Thanks to Pitmaster Andrew Plaza from Double Aces BBQ for sharing these five uniquely Northern Canadian recipes to help celebrate our August, Barbecue’N Across Canada recipe series. This month, we journey to the vast and rugged Great White North with a menu inspired by the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Our Yoder Smoker is fired up and ready to showcase the rich culinary heritage and bold flavours of Canada’s northernmost regions.

We start with a Yukon-inspired showstopper: Smoked and BBQ-Braised Short Rib Roast. Slow-cooked to tender perfection, it’s kissed with smoke and finished on the grill for that classic charred edge—a nod to the hearty meals needed in Yukon’s wild frontier.

Complementing the roast are Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Carrots and Smoked Stuffed Mushrooms—both Yukon creations that elevate humble vegetables into smoky, savoury delights.

·       Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Carrots – Sweet carrots wrapped in smoky bacon, grilled to a maple syrup finish. They’re savoury, satisfying, and impossible to eat just one.

·       Smoked Stuffed Mushrooms – Earthy mushrooms loaded with creamy cheese and savoury sausage, then smoked to a melty, rich perfection. A campfire classic with an elevated northern twist.

To showcase the Northwest Territories, we’ve got a golden side dish that shines like the region’s mining history: the Gold Mine Potato Casserole. Inspired by Yukon Gold potatoes, sharp cheddar, and a crunchy top, this casserole is rich, warming, and endlessly satisfying.

Finally, from Nunavut’s capital, Iqaluit, we pay tribute with Chef Jodi Robson’s Bannock—a traditional bread that connects us to the land and people of the Arctic. Whether grilled or fried, Bannock is the perfect companion to northern BBQ fare.

This month, we honour the spirit of the North—resilient, bold, and full of flavour. So, grab your cast iron skillet, fire up the smoker, and let the Northern Territories bring some wild, rustic charm to your backyard BBQ.

YUKON INSPIRED SMOKED AND BBQ BRAISED SHORT RIB ROAST

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 x 2.5-3-pound boneless beef short rib roast
• ½ Cup BBQ Sauce - Prairie Smoke and Spice – Blue Ribbin’
• ½ Cup BBQ Sauce – Blues Hog Champions Blend
• ½ Cup BBQ Sauce – Blue Hog Tennessee Red
• ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 4-8 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce (Split between slather and sauce)
• 4 Tbsp Mustard
• 4 Tbsp Butter (sliced)
• 2-4 Tbsp – Kreiser Barbecue SPG+
• 1 Tbsp – Dark Side of the Grill - Mel Toro Beef Rub  
• 1 Tbsp – Smoke’s Cherry Chipotle Rub  

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat your Yoder Smoker to 325°F
2. Generously slather the rib roast with Mustard or Worcestershire Sauce
3. Season with SPG+, Cherry Chipotle, and Mel Toro (in that order)
4. Smoke until bark is set (2hrs)
5. While smoking, combine all the BBQ sauces, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire in a bowl. Set aside.
6. Remove meat from smoker when bark has set, and place into a tinfoil pan, add butter, and pour sauce over. Cover and braise the meat for up to 2.5 hours
7. Remove from pan, coat with sauce, and smoke for another 2-3 mins or until sauce starts to become “tacky”.
8. *Shred or slice before serving*.

NUNAVUT INSPIRED SMOKED BACON WRAPPED CARROTS

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 x 2.5-3-pound boneless beef short rib roast
• 12 carrots - medium size
• 12 slices of bacon (thin)
• 2 Tbsp Kreiser Barbecue – Killer Bee seasoning
• ¼ Cup Maple Syrup

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat smoker to 325°F
2. Clean and peel the carrots.
3. If your carrots are thicker than 1” at the thickest part, parboil them for 3-4 minutes. If they are 1” thick or smaller, you can skip to Step 4.
4. Wrap the bacon tightly around each carrot. Stretch the bacon to cover as much of the surface of the carrot as possible. Tuck the ends underneath.
5. Season each carrot with Killer Bee seasoning.
6. Place the carrots on the grill and smoke for 30 minutes to an hour (until tender).
7. Brush the maple syrup all over the exterior of the bacon-wrapped carrot.
8. Let them smoke for another 20 to 30 minutes.
9. To test for doneness, you want the internal temperature of 195-200°F, or use a toothpick and poke into the carrot to test if they are soft enough.
10. If they are not fully tender, leave them on the smoker and check them every 10 minutes until you reach your desired tenderness. 
11. Enjoy

YUKON INSPIRED SMOKED STUFFED MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS: 

• 16oz Baby Portabella Mushrooms
• ½ Cup Diced Sweet Onion
• Smoke’s – The Standard BBQ Rub
• 8 oz ground pork sausage (Mild Italian)
• 4 oz cream cheese softened
• ½ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese (grated)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the Yoder Smoker to 350°F
2. Clean mushrooms with a damp cloth.
3. Remove the stems (save to chop up for recipe)
4. In a large skillet, brown diced onion and sausage, add BBQ Rub, add in diced mushroom stems and garlic to the sausage mixture, and sauté for a few minutes until mushroom stems are softened and garlic is fragrant.
5. Remove from the heat
6. In a bowl, mix well with a hand mixer the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and panko breadcrumbs
7. Once mixed, add in the meat mixture, stir to combine. 
8. Fill each mushroom cap with a heaping amount of sausage filling, firmly pressing with your hand, and dip into leftover breadcrumbs to form the crust.
9. Place on a baking sheet. Smoke at 350°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
10. Enjoy hot!

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES GOLD MINE POTATO CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 x 32oz Bag of frozen diced hashbrowns (thawed)
• 4 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
• 1 Cup Sour Cream
• 1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
• 1 (10.5-oz.) Can cream of chicken soup
• 4 Green Onions (thinly sliced)
• ¼ Cup Butter (melted)
• 1 Box Ritz Crackers (coarsely crushed) 
• 1 Tbsp Kreiser Barbecue – SPG+
• 1 Tbsp Prairie Smoke and Spice – Tumbleweed All-Purpose Rub
• 1 Tbsp Heath Riles – Garlic Jalapeno Rub

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat smoker to 325°F
2. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
3. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese, cream of chicken soup, salt, garlic powder, SPG+, and the rubs in a large mixing bowl, stirring with a whisk.
4. Fold in the thawed hash brown potatoes
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish, and spread into an even layer.
6. Combine the melted butter and crushed crackers in a medium mixing bowl; stir to coat.
7. Sprinkle the butter-coated crackers evenly over the potato mixture. 
8. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. 
9. Sprinkle reserved green onions and parsley
10. Enjoy

IQALUIT INSPIRED BANNOCK BERRY COMPOTE 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 4 Cups All-Purpose Flour (plus extra for kneading)
• 2 Tbsp Baking Powder
• ½ Cup Canola Oil
• 2 ½ Cups Milk (warm)
• 1 Tbsp Prairie Smoke and Spice –Maple Candy Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp Prairie Smoke and Spice – Sweet and Tangy Seasoning

Full Credit for Recipe – Jodi Robson - Recipe is adapted and inspired from Jodi’s Best Bannock (Jodi Robson), a Canadian cook who is a member of the Okanese First Nation and is of Cree and Nakoda heritage* 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat smoker to 375°F
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, Maple Candy and Sweet and Tangy Seasoning, and salt.
3. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the oil and warm milk into the center.
4. Slowly bring the flour into the liquid with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. 
5. Generously sprinkle additional flour onto the surface, turn the dough out onto the flour, and sprinkle with more flour. knead dough until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball (approximately 5 minutes).
6. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and press out into individual oval shapes about 1-2 inches thick.
7. Dock the surface of the dough with a fork.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Serve warm or cooled with a homemade Compote of Berries mixture

BONUS RECIPE: IQALUIT INSPIRED BERRY COMPOTE 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 500g Mixed Berries (frozen)
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Prairie Smoke and Spice – Maple Candy Seasoning
• 1 Lemon (zested and juiced)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, add mixed berries, lemon zest and juice, Sugar, and Maple Candy Seasoning.
2. Turn to medium-low heat and allow frozen berries to defrost and soften.
3. Stir regularly for 5mins
4. Once softened and starting to thicken, remove from the heat and serve straight away (on previously made Bannock).
5. *Note can turn into a coulis, by putting it into a blender to smooth out*