Smokinlicious Culinary Quality Wood Blocks- DrSmoke

 DON’T PUT CULINARY QUALITY WOOD LAST!

Case Notes: A restaurant is preparing to open in a new location and made the decision to invest in an Italian made pizza oven that has an option for wood-fired cooking.  This equipment would take 6 months to manufacture and deliver to the USA, which gave the owners time to complete renovations on their new building in preparation for the free-standing oven’s installation.  During that time, menu development and plating options were reviewed and decided upon.

The one planning need that was left to the last minute – locating the supplier for the cooking hardwood and determining appropriate sizing for the new equipment!  WHY???

It always surprises me that restaurateurs are willing to spend $50,000 and up for commercial equipment that does a specific function or technique, yet they don’t spend the time before that purchase ensuring they can obtain the quality accessory needs to get every benefit from that investment.

Here’s the best part: often these equipment lines tote that they can do all sorts of functions including wood-fired cooking techniques.  The truth – they aren’t really promoting that function of their equipment line!  They simply want to sell you the equipment and have you use standard fuel options like electric and gas.  How did I come to this conclusion?  By the content of the user’s manual.

Many do not reference:

• size of wood product needed for the equipment
• how to light the product
• how much of the product to use
• where to locate a supplier of the cooking wood
• pictorials of the steps to do the technique
• provide a troubleshooting guide.

Do you really want to spend $50,000, $60,000, $100,000 and be left to fend for yourself with that investment?

Take the appropriate steps when considering additions to or replacements in your equipment line.  Research not only the equipment but what is needed to do the smoke infusion technique with that equipment.  Yes, wood chips are readily available even though there is a high level of variation between products.  But other products are not so easy to find like wood pieces larger than wood chips but smaller than split firewood logs.

In addition, wood-fired techniques can also require additional “tools” to be available in the kitchen that may not have been standard inventory before.

Such things as:

• fire retardant gloves
• fire grade tools like long-handled tongs and a wood poker
• a MAP canister/torch for lighting the fire
• an infrared thermometer for reading temperatures within the cooking chamber
• an ash receptacle.

Prioritize the needs of a wood-fired equipment addition by first reviewing the best option in equipment for your business’ need and second, assessing all the requirements of the wood to be successful in bringing this technique to your kitchen!

Dr. Smoke- only manufacturers Culinary Quality wood- Nothing else!!

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Flipboard, Google+, Reddit, Medium, Blogger, BuzzFeed

Smokinlicious® wood Blocks are perfect for a J&R Equipment

A PERFECT MARRIAGE FOR J&R EQUIPMENT

One key factor that is often not considered when the decision is made to purchase commercial-grade equipment like J&R Equipment is the cooking wood product that the unit derives its flavor from. Don’t be fooled by the statement that “any wood will be fine”, as there IS a difference! In fact, only hardwood should be used as a cooking wood, never softwoods, but even some hardwoods are not ideal for wood-fired cooking and flavor. Some bark is toxic, other woods are too high in resin, and others don’t possess a balance of flavonoids to make them pleasant to the palate.

You take the time to research equipment before making that purchase, isn’t it time you give the same consideration to the cooking wood product you need?

Our video featured here highlights the study, testing, and care we take to ensure a perfect marriage of cooking wood to equipment. Get the full potential from your J&R Equipment investment by using only hardwoods DESIGNED for cooking! Be informed, don’t hesitate to ask questions, and find the best source for the investment you’ve made and will continue to make. Remember, the success you pine for in your menu is directly dependent on the skills of both your kitchen staff AND equipment.

DON’T COOK WITH TRASH!

I’m always eager to learn how customers find us and what past experiences they have with other wood suppliers but I sure wasn’t prepared for the recent comment I received from a customer in the South.  Here’s what he had to say: “My big box store brand fruitwood smelled like a burning trash dumpster on my last smoke”! Hey, don’t cook with trash!

Seriously, I don’t make these things up!

Don’t cook with trash blog is about how the recycling community is not putting their products in pretty bags and selling it as cooking wood!

It got me thinking about the risks people take when shopping for wood products for a grill, smoker, smoker box, smoke tube, cold smoke generator, charcoal cooker, kamado,  or other equipment.  Now, I know we all have choices and some of us elect to educate ourselves to make the best choice for our family based on that information.  Just like fruits and vegetables listed as organic, there are other criteria to factor into the decision to purchase non-organic over organic with the primary one being COST.  The same is true for hormone-free meats and poultry, or free-range products.  We try to educate ourselves on the difference, health risks, and cost parameter than we proceed with our purchase choice.

But how do you make the same educated choice on wood for cooking when there isn’t comparative information?

So, let me try to at least provide some comparative information from our product standpoint, as well as give you a checklist to use when making your next purchase.

Ponder These Questions

• Is the wood harvested in the USA?
• Is the product 100% hardwood? (You should never cook with softwoods or press woods as they can produce the increased potential for toxins to the food)
• Where do the woods come from? Are the pieces simply waste from another manufacturing process? (Think cabinets, flooring, furniture)
• Is the product 100% of the species listed on the bag or does it just say “hardwood”?
• Who is the manufacturer of the product?
• Is the name on the bag simply the distributor or do they actually make the product?
• What part of the tree is used to produce the product? All parts, outer cores, center cut?
• Is any process applied to the wood? Heat treatment, air drying, kiln dry, fumigation, pesticide?
• Does the product register moisture above 10%? If not, isn’t that simply “firewood”?
• It’s wood so what assurance do you have that it’s clean, bug-free, chemical free, and safe for cooking?

So why did our customer have such a bad experience with the box store wood purchase? Likely, the wood contained all parts of the tree with no assurance which exact parts were in the bag of wood he purchased.  You could end up with all outer core and bark!  If a hardwood mixture was purchased, he may not have had woods that were considered ideal for cooking and that would have altered performance and taste outcome as well.  But the biggest variable is moisture.  If the wood was kiln dried or “seasoned” it would have depleted all water content making it an ideal choice for the fireplace, not necessarily the cooking equipment.  It’s so hard to control the temperature of a fire when the wood is excessively dry and contains bark as these variables lead to variation in combustion which means hotter temperatures, more sparks, and less flavor.

Next time you’re in the market for some wood product for cooking, take a bit of time to check the packaging or look at all the information on a website.  Then ask yourself: do I want to eat anything cooked over this or will I simply be putting it in the trash?

Dr. Smoke, Don’t cook with trash and only purchase your cooking wood from a NON-recycler of wood products.

Smoker wood storage summer or as the winter months approach, you should pop some holes in the box to circulated the air!

Smoker wood storage for chips or chunks Share on X

SmokinLicious® has the luxury of manufacturing every wood product we offer for sale.  That means, our moisture rich wood is ready to use immediately.  We certainly are not firewood as we work only with the heartwood of the hardwood trees and need proper storage to maintain our clean, fresh state.  Plus, we want you to have a pleasant outcome to smoking your foods which is a direct result of the moisture level.

It’s Serious Business- Smoker Wood Storage!

We take wood storage seriously!  Which is why when you purchase our products, you’ll receive a card educating you on the best storage containers and conditions.  Simply put, any container that encourages air flow is ideal.  We have found that some plastic containers can actual cause mold spores which is why materials made from wood, cardboard or metal are preferred.  If you should encounter wood that has begun to develop evidence of mold, you may follow these steps to sanitize the wood for cooking:

1. Dilute 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water (or 1.5 ounces of white vinegar to 3 gallons of water). Be sure the wood is completely submerged in the vinegar mixture.

2. Let the wood soak in the solution for a minimum of 2 minutes.

3. Remove the wood from the vinegar mixture and allow to air dry.

4. Store the wood as recommended above.

Prevent Sunburn

Just like your skin, wood can get too much sun and become sunburned, especially given we are bark-free product.  It is best to select a location for storage that is away from direct sunlight.  A cool, dry location is ideal.  If you select a garage or basement area, be sure you don’t place any cardboard container directly on the cement surface or moisture will be drawn in through the carton to the wood and could result in appearance and aroma changes.  If you do see the outside of the wood turn a bit gray, that likely is the result of some sun exposure.

Temperature and Humidity for Smoker Wood Storage

As a last point, keep temperature and humidity in mind when you select a storage location.  Since our hardwoods are native to New York State, they are accustom to certain conditions including 4 seasons.  Wood can be stressed especially when traveling in a truck to your location.  Be sure to follow our directive sticker on the carton advising to get the carton open immediately upon delivery.  Air is crucial to your wood remaining in the great condition it is in when we packaged it.

For those wanting to know if refrigeration is an option, our study shows refrigeration certainly doesn’t hurt the wood but you do need to rotate any unused wood periodically to prevent mold potential.  Freezing the wood is not suggested.  When you plan to use the wood for wood-fired cooking, be sure to remove the wood from a cold location and allow to come to room temperature in order to prevent a lengthy time waiting for combustion to take hold which is what produces smoke vapor.

More Related reading on smoker More

• As Fall & Winter Approach
• How Seasons & Equilibrium Moisture Content Affect Wood Storage
• Smoker Lab Report on Moisture & Storage of Wood

Products

• Wood Chunks- Double & Single Filet
• Wood Chips- Minuto & Piccolo

Dr. Smoke- Smoker Wood Storage is an important part of your grilling practices! Follow our advice to get the most out of your wood purchase

SmokinLicious does a cooking wood rescue for commercial enterprises that is based on our cooking wood expertise, allowing for maximum equipment efficiency resulting in superb taste and color results!

Did you ever have the experience of buying something that you were really excited about only to get it home and realize that you didn’t have a clue how to even begin to operate it?

Well, a similar event happened with a national restaurant franchise that we were called in to assist. Here’s how it played out.

(more…)

(2015) CONGRATULATIONS, to all those who purchased the Deni® Hand Held Smoker from QVC® this past weekend (Item #K41876). Dr Smoke™ and the Team at SmokinLicious® enjoyed collaborating with Deni® in the development of this product and the wood chips we designed specifically for this unit!

Please refer to www.qvc.com for their video demonstration of the product and YouTube®. See for yourself how much smoke is produced from our special chips!  SmokinLicious® hopes you have a chance to try this unit and enjoy the great smoky taste that it produces to a variety of foods and beverages.

Practice with the sample packets included with the unit, then purchase the 3-pack to master the process of generating great flavoring. Please check back to our site in July when we release this product in all species we produce. Imagine a nice smoked White fish with “Ash” (a Mediterranean style wood), prepare some hamburgers with Red or White Oak (either pre- or post grilling/cooking), and then enjoy Salmon with our “alder” while you bake this in the conventional oven!

All this coming soon at Smokinlicious.com!

An Update

In 2015, SmokinLicious® had a great time working with two companies: Deni® and QVC®.   The project involved producing a specialty micro wood chip for the Deni® Hand Held Food Smoker offered exclusively on QVC®.

Today, we are looking at the behind-the-scenes steps that brought this concept to life.

And So It Begins…

The work began with a phone call.  The Team connected with the Deni® brand had started to tool their hand held food smoker.  Now, they needed wood chip product to package with the unit for their upcoming launch on QVC®.

The SmokinLicious® Team sprang into action.  First, we tested various chip sizes to find the ideal for the chip screen built into the unit.  Second, we selected the top 2 selling hardwoods for packaging with the unit.  The third step was the most interesting.   We had to arrange for the packaged chips to deliver to the equipment manufacturer located on the other side of the world.  Plus, the finished packaging of wood chips and smoker unit had to come back to the USA for the QVC® release date!

Why This Project Was So Much Fun!

We love getting the chance to work side-by-side with a company!  The synergy to see the original concept air on television is amazing.  Plus, we get satisfaction knowing quality equipment was paired with a quality wood.

Learn why SmokinLicious® is the perfect partner for your concept and bring it to life!

In Harvest Recipe for September: Smoked Fingerling Potatoes

As a new feature to our blog and recipe section, we will be highlighting a seasonal product in a smoking or natural wood-fired grilled recipe, to help you take advantage of the wonderful seasonal offerings we have for fruits and vegetables. For the most part, we will be following the harvest schedule in the Northeast but may occasionally make reference to a different region’s harvest schedule.  This feature will help introduce you to all the flavorful charms and tasty benefits of smoking freshly harvested foods!

For September, we our highlighting potatoes! One of my favorite variety of potatoes is Fingerlings. Feel free to modify the recipe below for smoked fingerling potatoes to your preferred ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. fingerling potatoes*, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch lengths

1/4 cup olive oil

½ lb. thick sliced pancetta*, cut into 1/3-inch cubes, cooked

salt and fresh ground pepper

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup finely chopped dill or 2-1/2 Tablespoons of prepared dill

* may substitute any variety of potato and regular bacon for the pancetta

Wood Recommendations:

Wild Cherry and Ash hardwoods (cherry for a tart flavor and Ash for its moisture infusion)

Tear a large piece of foil to make a pouch or use a disposable cake foil pan. If using a disposable pan, also cut a foil sheet that covers the pan.

Place the pre-cut fingerling potatoes, cooked pancetta, sliced onion, and dill in the foil pan or pouch. Add salt and fresh pepper to preference. Toss all ingredients together then drizzle the 1/4 cup of olive oil over the ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Place foil pan or pouch on pre-lite charcoal grill, with woods placed directly under the mixture. Allow to cook/smoke until potatoes become tender (about 2-1/2 hours at 200 degrees). Serve your smoked fingerling potatoes warm.

Second Test Kitchen Results

The Smokinlicious®Test Kitchen conducted an additional test using the Technique® Cast Iron Skillet and Smoker which many of you purchased from QVC as the Special of the Day. This time, we used our flavor-infused wood product called the Woodscuit ® on the stovetop.

What We Cooked: Boneless Pork Tenderloin

How We Cooked: on the stovetop using medium-low heat on the gas range

What Wood We Used: Bourbon Flavored Woodscuit ® – 3 pieces

Length of Cook Time: 2-1/2 hours

Findings: Again, as our previous test cooks have demonstrated, the Technique® Cast Iron Skillet and Smoker provides for a very moist product. This time, we lined our drip pan in foil to decrease the amount of elbow-grease needed to clean up. Since our Woodscuit ® product has a moisture content of ~45 percent, these wood pieces did not display the charred look like the woods used in the previous test cooks (both the Wood Chips and Smokin’ Dust® were black by the end of the cooking time). However, once the tenderloin was finished, our panel of tasters did not find any significant smoke flavor to the end product. For those pieces that had been more to the center of the cast iron skillet, the tasters noted slightly more smoke flavor but overall, there was no distinguishable smoke flavor infused in the food.

Currently, our Test Kitchen has found that the Wood Chips used on the stovetop, provide for the greatest flavor infusion of the wood used. As always, we will continue to test this cast iron skillet with a plan to see if adding water to the smoke pan with the wood product, helps to keep the flavor infusion going.

Stay tuned!

Fingerling Potatoes are Next

Dr. Smoke- Cast iron skillet cooking and smoking is easy, affordable & offers great flavor results! When using the Technique® Cast Iron Skillet, coupled our quality cooking wood, you can’t go wrong!

For more reading on the Technique® Cast Iron Skillet & Smoker and how you can do stove top smoking from your own kitchen, check out these articles:

A Guide to Cooking the Perfect Steak

Infusing Wood Flavor to Brussels Sprouts Using a Cast Iron Skillet

The Kitchen Find – Easy, Convenient & Affordable Stove Top Smoking!

Beechwood Hardwood

Smokinlicious® is pleased to announce that we have added an eighth hardwood species to our product line.  Beech is now available in wood chips, double and single filet wood chunk, wood blocks and heartwood logs for purchase!

(more…)

Thanks for the question regarding Mango wood.  Although limited in the

areas they can grow (India, Florida, Caribbean, Hawaii, etc.), Mango wood

is very popular for upper end wood products like bowls, vases, and even

some furniture.  However, you are correct.  Mango wood contains a sap

that is located at the base of the stem, branches, and trunk. As a result,

a recommendation is made never to burn mango wood as it emits a smoke

that is full of potent irritants.  Plus, Mango trees are highly

suseptible to a number of diseases and pest infestations,

including the fruit fly, black twig borer, sooty mold, and

southern green stink bug to name a few. Pesticide application

is generally necessary to maintain the health of these trees.

Because of the chemical application, Mango wood does not make

for good BBQ!

Stick to forest producing products for the safest woods for BBQ!

Use Smokinlicious® Mango Smokin' Dust®  instead!


Follow us on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest, YouTube, Flipboard, Google+, Reddit, Medium, Blogger, BuzzFeed

Log truck from the forest under New York State Wood Regulations

In 2009, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation made regulations on the movement of wood, specifically, firewood.  The goal? To stop people from traveling into the state with firewood that could bring unwanted bugs and disease.

Why Should You Be  Concerned?

So, why the big concern?  Firstly, because wood may be hiding the eggs, larvae, spores, adults, or even seeds of invasive threats.  Think bugs that love to eat wood and kill our spectacular mountain ranges!

Secondly, some of these pests can kill an entire woodland area quickly.  Think the Emerald Ash Borer bug!

Almost every native New York tree species is susceptible to attack by one or more exotic pests. Some of these insects and diseases are already known to be in parts of New York.  How do they get here? By hitching a ride from out-of-state travelers who bring their own firewood.

What Lurks Within Different Woods?

(more…)

Our Smokinlicious Wood Chunk Bag

Smokinlicious® Wood Chunk Bag

At Smokinlicious®, we are very pleased to announce the arrival of our new retail Wood Chunk bag in Canada! 

A BAG IS A BAG RIGHT?- WRONG!

You may ask yourself, “What’s all the fuss over a bag.  A bag is a bag, right?!”  Well, not really, especially when it comes to giving customers what they want and expect from clean, bark-free wood.  A lot of time, effort and consumer input went into the design and make-up of our wood chunk bags.  Not only do they protect and preserve our forested all hardwood wood chunks perfectly, they allow cooks and smokers to enjoy the rewards of wood fired, smoked food. 

The bag compliments our commitment to provide you with dust-free wood with the right amount of moisture for smoke vapor.  We know all too well that it’s the vapor that deliciously flavors food with a smoky touch! 

GOOD SIZE & DURABLE

Measuring 20 inches high by 9 inches wide, our durable paper bags have an open mesh window.  The open window allows air flow for the chunks to “breathe.”  This is a key and “one of a kind”example of the Smokinlicious® pledge to bring you only the best wood product for cooking and smoking.  Each bag is top stitched, allowing for easy opening and reuse while not shying from max protection.  Like our Wood Chips, you will now find our specialty cuts of alder, ash, hickory, red oak, sugar maple, white oak, or wild cherry.

ONLY AVAILABLE IN CANADA

For now Our Bagged Wood chunks are available at select Canadian stores in our new paper packaging. Available in our “Double Filet“, “Single Filet“, and “Natural Grilling” specialty cuts, our wood chunks all come with the moisture level reading recorded right on the package! No more guessing about the moisture of the wood! Look for this product and all our exceptional products at a Canadian retailer near you. Or check our website for the nearest distributor.

Our table for the moisture and storage of wood and how best to use this in cooking to your advantage

If you love to cook then you likely know that most dried herbs and spices never go bad if stored properly.  You could say the same for smoking woods.  Like a spice, smoking wood loses its flavor essence as it dries out. Lose the moisture and the wood becomes only a fire stick, producing heat.  This results in the opposite of what you want when trying to add flavor from the wood.

Proper Storage is Key

We know that storage of wood in a cool, dry location will preserve the moisture level in the wood. Why?  Wood loves to adjust to temperature and humidity to find balance.  But how cool or warm does that location have to be?  Is there an ideal temperature?  Let’s find out by doing a simple experiment.

Time to Experiment!

How do we get started with our experiment.  Wet and dry are all dependent on moisture.  Fluctuate temperature and you will change moisture.

Using identical pieces of hardwood – same species, moisture level and size – one piece was placed in the refrigerator with a temperature between 40-42°F.  The other piece was placed in the freezer with a temperature of 30°F.  Using a timetable of three weeks, we took moisture readings each week.  Let’s see how the hardwood did:

                                          Freezer                       Refrigerator

Starting Level                     27.1%                         30.8%   Moisture

Week One                             18.8%                         30.3%

            Two                            18.6%                         30.0%

            Three                         16.9%                         29.8%

Holy icicle!  There are some major results here.  First, log in the freezer lost nearly 50 percent of its moisture in just 3 weeks!  Second, refrigerating smoking wood appears to stabilize it.  If you want to make the wood happy, refrigerate it.

Lessons Learned?

1. Wood likes cooler temperatures in the range of 45°F.
2. Wood doesn’t mind a dark storage area.
3. Freezer temperatures cause the free water in the wood to evaporate quickly.
4. Wood likes as much space as it can get.
5. Don’t store in plastic unless you want mold!

There you have it!  If your cooking and smoking with food, regardless if you’re using wood chips, wood chunks, logs or smoking dust, the popular question of how to store smoking woods rests with a cool location, no direct sunlight and avoidance of plastic storage.

Just one more reason SmokinLicious® products are the best!

CURRENT DAY UPDATE

It seems that moisture and wood storage remain a hot topic.  As more people invest in vacuum sealer devices for their food products, they question whether these are a good alternative for wood storage.

The short answer is, no.  Let’s take a look at the reasons why.

Vacuum Sealing Wood is Not a Good Idea!

The purpose of vacuum sealing foods is to remove all the air or oxygen.  Oxygen is what mold and bacteria thrive on. When using feezer bags, foods don’t show freezer burn which extend their life in the freezer.  For refrigerated foods that are vacuum sealed, you’ll find an extended life as well.  The question is, will the extended life transfer to wood stored in a vacuum sealed bag?

To answer this question, you need to understand what oxygen does.  First, wood needs air.  By removing all the air in a vacuum bag, stress results on wood fibers.  Deprive wood of air and you have a greater risk for developing specific molds that thrive in oxygen low environments.  Second, the plastic bag increases the risk for mold on the wood.  Wood likes cooler temperatures but it does NOT like to be wrapped in plastic.

In the end, it is best to find a cool, dark location that has airflow for your wood.  Keep it away from plastic and from porous materials like a concrete floor. Once the wood has air, space, cool temperature and darkness, it will thrive.  Happy wood means flavorful foods!

More Related reading on the Moisture & Storage of Wood, check out these articles:

Wet or Dry Wood for Smoking- Does It Matter?

Cooking Wood- What You Should Know

Dr. Smoke- Follow our guidelines on the moisture & storage of wood to keep your products fresh and producing tasty delights!

Smokinlicious is busy developing some new products for the Backyard Barbecuer and or for competition teams!

The “Q” Can.

We tested this last year at various events and it worked great to carry the charcoal chimney starter, fire starters, lighters, and other items that would be flammable in transit or just next to the “Barbie”!  Plus when the event is over and it’s time to clean out the cooker, the Q can becomes an ash can! Perfect for delivering “hot” ashes to the collection barrel or off the deck! Once the ashes are cooled and emptied, simply put everything back in for transit or storage.

We have left room on the other side of the can for a teams “logo” or Name of the Backyard Barbecuer! It’s a Great gift idea!

Wood storage box

We have developed a “wood” storage box.  Hold approximately 1 cubic foot of chunks or chips.  The box is made of wood with a strong rope handle and can be sprayed or dunked in water to rehydrate the wood prior to use!  Box comes with a wood cover.  In order to maintain proper air circulation we have spaced the boards for proper air flow

These items will be available on line soon!

Follow us on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest, YouTube, Flipboard, Google+, Reddit, Medium, Blogger, BuzzFeed

Join Dr Smoke and the Culinary crew as we visit teams that competed in the Jack Daniels competition! Dr Smoke discusses Barbecue, smoking wood chunks and chips, how teams qualified for the competion!  Overall just a great time during the competition.

Follow us on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pintrest, YouTube, Flipboard, Google+, Reddit, Medium, Blogger, BuzzFeed