A SPICE FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT: SMOKIN’ DUST®

There seems to be some legend out there that wood-fired cooking methods are all about the endless hours of tending food and fire that produce taste results that are only granted to a small percentage of committed cooks; nothing could be further from the truth.  Ready for simple methods of wood flavor infusion that do not take stockpiles of wood and equipment so large, you start thinking about adding on to your house?

Wood-fired cooking includes the simplest methods of wood infusion like the current rage with hand-held food smokers or even the stovetop smoker.  Kitchen gadgets that have opened the door to anyone who wants to explore the fragrant and flavorful bounty that awaits all foods and beverages.  One thing that still is evolving is the concept of spices not for your food but for your equipment!

If you’ve read some of our previous articles on wood flavoring you’ll come to understand and appreciate that there is no set rule on wood-fired cooking.  Oh, yes, there is plenty of science when it comes to cooking with fire or as I like to say when you combust to flavor, which is what you are accomplishing with wood for cooking.  I feel more attention should be given to the actual wood products; rather than focusing on the ingredients to the foods being cooked.

Wood is an ingredient

First, wood to us IS an ingredient, one that still needs to be balanced with the other components to bring forth a food memory.  As an ingredient, the easiest by far to manage for wood flavor infusion is sawdust or in our Company’s listing, Smokin’ Dust®.  Compatible with all types of equipment, Smokin’ Dust® literally becomes a ‘spice’ for your equipment.

Thinking of island flavors of pineapple, coconut, and mango for a recipe?  Why not add one or more of those flavorings through the wood product?  Yes, using all-natural flavoring infused into our Smokin’ Dust® is one of the quickest methods of getting the great flavor to a specific regional dish.  With 15 flavor-infused options that are 100% all natural, designed for cooking, and infused in hardwood, as well as 8 natural hardwood flavors, we’ve given new meaning to the word ‘spice’ as ours can now apply to the wood product!  Remember, applewood doesn’t smell or taste anything like an apple.  Use our apple infused product, and you’ll experience hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and the bite of an apple!

Why settle for a run-of-the-mill smoking sawdust product that you don’t know where it comes from?  A softwood, swept from the floor, shoveled from the ground, or worse, taken from under an animal?  Instead, get excited about the flavor opportunities awaiting you and your equipment when you use a smoking sawdust product from a real cooking wood company.  Get excited about the opportunities out there to experiment with, whether for hot smoking, cold smoking, handheld food smoking, stovetop smoking, or even traditional LP and charcoal grilling.  And get ready to experience the world through flavor aroma!

Additional reading:

-TASTE IS AROMA!

-JUST BECAUSE YOUR SMOKING (FOOD THAT IS!) DOESN’T MAKE IT ALL BAD!

-KIWIFRUIT GETS SMOKY

Our products used in this Blog:

Flavored Smokin’ Dust

SMOKE FRESH CORN INDOORS

 

 

Corn is one of those vegetables that has an extended season to allow you to do all kinds of recipes and techniques.  Given that there are times when you frankly don’t have a lot of time to stand over a grill to do whole ears of corn, I’m giving you an easy technique to add smoke flavor using a handheld food smoker.  Then, I’ll give you a recipe for a spicy butter to coat the corn in to bring out the best in this seasonal vegetable.  I’ll also provide some flavoring pairing that works great for other butter topping recipes.  Go visit your favorite corn seller and pick up some fresh corn.

Smoke Fresh Corn Indoors- Easy Corn Prep

I’ve purchased 6 ears of corn and have boiled them in water until tender, which is the most traditional way of cooking corn.  I allow them to cool enough to handle, then using a sharp knife, I stand the ear of corn on its wide end and cut the kernels from the cob into a disposable foil pan.  If you cook the corn and then refrigerate it prior to removing the kernels, know that the kernels will not come off individually but as one long strand.   Don’t worry about reducing these strands as when we add the butter topping, it will break down the kernels.  Next, I’ll be taking the fresh kernels to the smoke using the Breville-PolyScience The Smoking Gun Pro Smoke Infuser which is a cold smoke application anyone can do!

Smoke Fresh Corn Indoors- Cold Smoke Infusion

If you’re familiar with The Smoking Gun™ note that the version I’m using was a collaboration between Breville and PolyScience, the originator of the concept, and designed specifically for commercial use.  It is manufactured from heavier materials and can stand independently while you work the smoke vapor production.

I’ve gathered together my pan of previously cooked corn kernels, the handheld food smoke infuser, SmokinLicious® Minuto® wood chips in size #8, a lighter, a plastic food bag, and a cable tie.  After sliding my corn pan into the plastic bag, I place a pinch or two of the wood chips in the unit’s bowl, extend the smoking tube into the plastic bag, then pinch off the end of the bag around the tube, and lite the chips.

Tasting Notes: You may select any hardwood microchip for the smoking but do note that this infuser produces a lot of smoke vapor.  I tend to recommend using light to medium boldness levels of hardwood: Ash, Maple, Cherry.

After placing the corn pan in the plastic bag and lighting the chips with the handheld food infuser, I synch the bag’s end tightly around the tubing.   This allows me to trap all the smoke vapor in the bag and surround the corn.  Once filled – the bag will expand – I turn off the smoker, remove the tubing, and attach a cable tie to the bag’s end.  I prefer to wait until the smoke vapor has dissipated from the bag.  That’s when I cut the tie and remove the corn tray from the bag.  Time to take this to the kitchen and make a spicy butter for the fresh, smoked corn.

Spicy Butter and More Recipes

Time to share my recipe for a spicy butter that works perfectly with the sweetness of the corn.

First, melt 1-1/2 sticks of butter over medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce, 2 tablespoons Chipotle Chili pepper, 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce.  Whisk together, then remove from heat.  This will be poured directly over the smoked corn and reheated until warmed through.  Serve immediately.

There are so many options for corn that it depends if you want a spicy flavor, sweet, savory, or citrus.  In addition to the spicy butter recipe I provided, here are some other flavor combinations that work just as well:

Truffle Butter: garlic, butter, truffle oil, salt & pepper

Sundried Tomato Butter: butter, chopped sundried tomato, basil, parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan

Siracha Butter: beer, siracha, butter, garlic powder, cilantro, salt, pepper, and oil

No matter what combination you prefer, adding another flavor level through smoke vapor will make this corn season one to remember and enjoy!  Remember with this kitchen Handheld smoke method for fresh corn can be finished quickly without lighting a grill!

SmokinLicious products used in this blog:

Wood Chips- Minuto®

Additional reading:

-KIWIFRUIT GETS SMOKY

-FRESH CORN ON THE COB- GRILLED

-SMOKED MAPLE SYRUP MARINADE

 

 

 

WOOD FIRED GRILLED AVOCADO

Oh, the wonderful, healthy, creamy, flavorful avocado.  With more potassium than a banana and 18 amino acids for daily intake, you can’t go wrong with this single seed fruit.

Did you ever think to grill this fabulous fruit with a little wood to give it even more flavor?  We’ll show you just how easy grilled avocado can be on the gas grill using wood chunks for your smoke infusion.

Grilled Avocado with a Wood Fired Touch

Regardless of the brand of gas grill you have, you can add wood chunks to the grill for wood fired flavor.  My grill has heat shields over the burners so I use that area to add one small wood chunk under the grill grate, directly on the heat shield.  No, you won’t damage your grill, as the wood combusts to ash and basically blows away.

One chunk is all it will take to get great flavor into the avocados.  I keep the burner that the wood chunk is located on set to medium as well as the burner next to that one on medium.  Since I have 4 burners, 2 are on and 2 are off.

Once the grill is to 300° F, this technique will take less than 20 minutes.

Simple Preparation for Wood Fired Grilled Avocado

The only preparation needed for the avocados is to cut them in half and remove the seed.  The avocados are placed flesh side down on the grate only on the side with the burners off.  The heat captured within the grill will spread throughout the grilling area and cook the avocado while adding wood smoke vapor.  Note, it’s important that you don’t attempt to move the avocados for at least 10 minutes otherwise you will find the avocado flesh will stick to the grate and you’ll lose much of the fruit’s flesh.  Wait until some of the fat renders and chars making removal so simple.

Grilled Avocado- Prep To Finish In Less Than 20 Minutes

In less than 20 minutes you will have wonderfully wood flavored, charred flesh avocados ready for your favorite recipes.  Think of using this fruit in smoothies, dips, on salads, as a creamy ingredient for sauces – remember, avocado can be used to substitute the amount of butter used in most recipes.  We will take some of our avocado and make a wood fired guacamole first.  Our recipe will post soon so stay tuned and don’t’ forget to send us your pics of wood fired avocado.

Did you get motivated to fire up the grill with wood?  Send us a comment or your avocado fired pics and don’t forget to subscribe.  Bringing  you fun, innovative tips, techniques and recipes on all wood fired methods for foods, beverages, spices, herbs and so much more.

Be sure to check out:

-The Top 10 Vegetables To Cook In Hot Embers

-HOW TO TURN YOUR LP/GAS GRILL INTO A SMOKER

-STEPPING UP RADISH SALAD WITH A WOOD-FIRED FLARE

Purchase products:

Wood Chunks- Double and Single Filet

 GRILLED PEACH SALAD- THE PERFECT SALAD!

 

If you’ve been a follower of our recipes and techniques for a while, then you’re aware of our preference to grill, smoke, coal cook, and ember fire in-season produce.  Peaches are no exception and with our Grilled Peach Salad, get your taste buds ready for a real treat!

I’ve got my two quarts of fresh peaches and a plan to grill these on the charcoal grill using charwood coals.  Then I’ll use my luscious smoked peaches in a salad that features two additional seasonal ingredients – tomato and shallots.

Get your chimney starter of charwood or charcoal and meet me at the grill for this quick technique and grilled peach salad recipe.

Fire Up the Grill for Grilled Peach Salad

Whenever you use the charcoal grill, it’s always best to get it lit about 30 minutes ahead of cooking.  I’m using a kettle-style grill made by Stôk that has a removable center grate for an assortment of inserts.  I won’t be using any inserts for this cook as my peaches for the grilled peach salad recipe will stay in a disposable foil pan for easy cooking and removal.

Start by placing charcoal or charwood in a chimney starter.  Place a Firestarter in the charcoal area of the grill and place the filled chimney starter over the starter.  Lite the Firestarter and allow to remain in place until all the charwood has ignited and started to reduce to hot coals.  While that’s burning, let’s prepare the peaches.  Be sure you have a couple of wood chunks available to add to the coals when we are ready to grill.  I like to use the single filet wood chunk size from SmokinLicious®.

Tasting Notes: there are differences in charcoal so be sure to use a natural charcoal or charwood product rather than briquets as briquets will produce more heat than you need.

Perfect Peach Bites

With our charcoal grill going, it’s time to start on the peaches.  There are a few ways to remove the skin from peaches including placing them in hot water for a few minutes then removing and placing in a bowl of ice water.  The skins will just peel off.  I’m an old school so I use a sharp paring knife and just remove the skin.

Once the skin is removed, it’s time to cut the peach into bite-size pieces.  You can easily cut around the pit and cut those slices into pieces.  Place all the pieces in a foil pan in an even layer.

Tasting Notes: Try to purchase peaches that have some firmness to them if you don’t plan to grill them right away.  The peaches should have no bruising and have a slight give when touched.  Too soft and those peaches won’t hold their shape when exposed to the grill’s heat.

 

Smoking Process for the Perfect Grilled Peach Salad

With the peaches prepared, time to take them to the grill.  Pour the chimney of hot coals into the grill’s charcoal area and add the wood chunks.  Add the pan of prepared peaches and placed the lid on the grill.  Be sure the outtake vent on the lid is ½ way open.  The intake vent at the charcoal area should be ¼ way open.  Now allow smoking for 15 minutes prior to checking.  Remember, we want to add smoke without reducing the peaches to a puree.

Tasting Notes:  Since peaches contain 89% water, they take in the smoke vapor extremely well.  Keep that in mind when you select both the charcoal and wood.  Remember, oak based charcoal tends to burn hot and has a stronger undertone to fruit.

Final Salad Prep- Grilled Peaches for the perfect salad addition!

While the peaches are absorbing all that great smoke flavor, return to the kitchen and prepare the remaining ingredients for our salad.  You’ll need:

• 1 lb. tomatoes cut into 1/2’” pieces; or if using cherry or grape tomato, halved
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for final drizzle
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• fresh mint leaves torn
• salt and pepper

I start by slicing my tomatoes in half, then add a teaspoon of salt to them while sitting in a colander so I can render some of the water.  While the tomatoes sit, I start slicing the shallot into thin strips.   At this point, you’ll want to check the peaches.  They should be close to or ready to remove from the grill.  I like to place them in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to cool them down for the salad.  While that’s happening, let’s prepare the vinaigrette.

I prefer to mix all the vinaigrette ingredients in a measuring cup so I can easily pour it to the salad right before serving, to keep the tomato and peach from getting too soggy.  Start with the extra virgin olive oil and add the rice vinegar.   Next, the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and fresh pepper.  Whisk it all together and set aside while you combine the salad ingredients.

Tasting Notes: you can substitute cider vinegar for the rice vinegar and any color of tomato will do though I lean toward the reds and purples to give a color contrast from the orange peach.

Smoked peaches go into the serving bowl first, following by the tomatoes, and shallots.  Pour the vinaigrette over the salad within an hour of serving and top with the torn mint leaves.  A perfect balance of sweet, tart, smoky, and refreshing.  An easy method and recipe you can have in 60 minutes.  I love peaches so try our grilled peaches for the perfect salad addition for your next dish to pass!  You will tantalize the guest taste buds!

SmokinLicious® products used in this blog:

Wood Chunks- Single Filet

Charwood

 

 

 

Additional reading:

-PEACHES WOOD FIRED FOR A SMOKY FLAVORFUL GAZPACHO

-WOOD FIRED GRILLED WATERMELON BECOMES A STAR

-WOOD-FIRED APPLES MAKE THE BEST CAKE

A MESSAGE FROM DR. SMOKE on WOOD NUGGETS:

I want to thank everyone for their feedback and comments regarding “One Size Does Not Fit Everything!”  There are so many smokers/grills on the market today, and we’ve always felt that one wood chip size does not fit every piece of equipment! Is the description “wafer”, nuggets, or chip size?? Users of the various equipment always seem to be trying to fit either an oversized piece or an undersized into unit to make it work! Just like when a recipe calls for a Tablespoon, you don’t add a cup. It’s the same concept with wood smoke flavoring of food!

So, after much research and work in the test kitchen, we, at SmokinLicious® will be welcoming new equipment at our facility to manufacture a variety of wood chip sizes. Our packages will begin to distinguish the following new concepts:

• Wood Species
• Sizing of the product
• Fines Fraction
• Bark Particles
• Wetness (moisture) level
• Ash level

Although we have been providing this customization to our wholesale customers for some time, we feel the time is right to make this information available to our internet/home user customers!

The first scheduled product will be the “SmokinLicious® “Wood Nuggets.” This product will consist of wood pieces approximately 30-35 mm by 15 mm, a perfect size when you want to add something other than a “double filet” chunk to the process but need something more than a small chip in order to avoid flare ups over hot coals. The Wood Nugget will have plenty of substance to produce excellent smoke vapor, the most vital element for infusing wood smoke flavor in foods.

This will allow the backyard barbecuer the means to set up the fire with a base hardwood for smoking and add something at the end to match- just like what commercial smokehouses do! Use your base hickory and add cherry nuggets to provide some great red hue to the end product!

At SmokinLicious®, we are constantly refining products and techniques for food smoking, grilling, ember fire and oven cooking.  We will have a classification of products anticipated to be completed by the end of this year. We will introduce this array of wood cooking and smoking products over the internet by Spring 2015!  As always, we welcome your comments and feedback!

Bon Bar B Que,

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Cooking Wood

Facts to Know Before Purchasing Cooking Wood

The Smokinlicious® Wood Guide

 

USING COMPRESSED SAWDUST-WHY NOT DO IT OUR WAY? LET’S COUNT THE REASONS!

I read a lot. It is the nature of a scientist. It doesn’t matter if it’s a plant molecular-biology journal article or a cooking/food magazine that is readily available on any newsstand. I love to read and analyze the content. So, when I came upon Bon Appétit’s “Best of 2016” list (September 2016 issue), I was drawn to #11 on the list: a reference to using compressed sawdust blocks for cooking.

Now, if you follow us on our Blog, Flipboard, or our social media platforms, you know our stand on wood used for cooking: no bark ever, only specific hardwoods known to be free of or minimally contain toxins that can accumulate in the human body, use of heartwood only in our manufacturing process, and moisture-rich products so we can control that variable for the specific cooking technique.

I certainly have knowledge of compressed sawdust products used in the heating industry for standard wood stoves and fireplaces, but I had never come across a reference to using them for cooking aside from the pellets commonly used in pellet-style smoker equipment, products that have been around for years. So why did the red flag come up when this reputable magazine referenced a renewable heat product? Because none of these compressed wood product manufacturers ever referenced using the product to cook with. In fact, most stress the use of caution for the intended use in fireplaces and wood stoves, stressing that the BTU level of the product is much higher than standard firewood or cordwood. But let’s take a look at a number of other factors you should weigh before considering these products for the cooking application.

(more…)

I want to thank everyone for their feedback and comments regarding the “one size does not fit everything”! There are so many smokers/grills on the market today, that we’ve always felt that one cooking wood or cooking wood chip size does not fit every piece of equipment! Is the description “wafer” our chip size?? Users of the various equipment always seem to be trying to fit either an oversized piece or and undersize piece into the unit to make it work! Just like when a recipe calls for a Tablespoon, you don’t add a cup. It’s the same concept with wood flavoring!

So, after much research and work in the test kitchen, we, at SmokinLicious® will be welcoming new equipment at a facility and begin to manufacture more variety with our cooking wood size. Our packages distinguish the following concepts:

Wood Species
Sizing of the product
Fines Fraction
Bark Particles
Wetness (moisture) level
Ash level

Although we have been providing this customization to our wholesale customers, we feel it is time to make this information available to our internet/home user customers!

The first scheduled product will be the “SmokinLicious® “Wood Nugget” This product will consist of pieces of wood approximately 30-35 mm by 15 mm, a perfect size when you want to add something other than a whole chunk to the process but need something more than a small chip in order to avoid flare-ups over the hot coals. The Wood Nugget will have substance and should produce excellent smoke.

This will allow the backyard barbequer the means to set up the fire with a base hardwood for smoking and add something at the end to match, just like the commercial smokehouses! Use your base hickory and add cherry nuggets to provide some great red hue to the end product!

While we a SmokinLicious® will never stop refining products for smoking, grilling, ember fire cooking, and oven cooking, we hope to have the classification of more products completed by the end of this year. We will introduce these over the internet and then the consumer packaged products by Spring 2015! As always, we welcome your comments and feedback!

Bon Bar B Que,

 

Dr. Smoke

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crushed & Diced

What Wood to Use for Smoking

Beyond Pricing: Top Things to Consider When Purchasing Cooking Wood

ODE TO GRILLED FAVA BEANS

 

I love when the ideal weather comes around when at the same time there are so many options for fresh produce either at the Farmer’s Market or local grocery store.  I tend to lean toward my grill and smoker for most of my cooking when the weather turns hot and steamy.

Beans are one of those vegetables that are spectacular on the grill but they get even better when you add a few wood chunks.  I’ll show you how to prepare Fava Beans for the grill and give you my easy, fool-proof technique for incorporating wood chunks for flavor.

Grilled Fava Beans- The Grill Set Up

Before preparing the Fava beans, get the gas grill heated by turning on only half the grills’ burners which will be the side that radiates out the heat and holds the smoker box.  For the smoker box, I’m using a stainless-steel model that has a hinged lid.  I place 3 double filet wood chunks from SmokinLicious® in the box in a combination of woods.   I’m using hickory, white oak and sugar maple to give me a great smoke balance to the beans.  This will ensure I don’t overpower with the smoke vapor.  By placing the smoker box with chunks on the grill grate as it preheats, it will be smoking by the time you have the beans ready.

 Simple Bean Prep for Grilled Fava Beans

There is little to do with the Fava beans before they go on the grill.  Wash them to start to make sure all the dirt and debris is removed.  Pat dry with a paper towel and then move them to the cutting board.  Remove any leaves and cut just the stem end to remove the stem.  Place in a disposable foil pan, spread out evenly, and add roughly 6 tablespoons of butter to the beans, as well as salt and fresh ground pepper.  That’s it.  Leave the bean pods intact as they are going to act like a miniature steamer to cook the beans and ensure they don’t become over smoked.

The Grill Act

With the grill heated and the wood chunks smoking in the smoker box, place the pan of beans on the unlit side of the grill and close the cover.  Check that your grill temperature steadies out at about 375°F.  If lower, simply increase the heat setting on the active burners.  Too high, decrease the heat setting.  Leave the beans untouched for about 30 minutes.  Return to the grill, stir the beans and check the wood chunks.  If the chunks are still emitting smoke, close the grill lid and leave for an additional 10 minutes or so, or until fork tender.  Remove the pan from the grill and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Grilled Fava Beans- Buttery, Smoky Finish

After the beans have cooled enough to be handled, take each pod and push the beans out one end into a bowl.  You may keep the empty pods to use for making broth or for puree in a sauce or smoothie.  These Fava beans are now ready for you to enjoy as is or use in your favorite recipe.   Now, I’m taking my Fava beans and making a dip with goat cheese, lemon and tarragon.

 

 

Purchase products:

Wood Chunks- Double Filet

Additional reading:

-STEPPING UP RADISH SALAD WITH A WOOD-FIRED FLARE

-WOOD GRILLING AVOCADO

-INFUSING WOOD SMOKE INTO BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Guest blog- Kylee Harris on Benefit of Eating Smoked Meat

 

While smoking meat has been known to be a rather controversial cooking method, there may just be some benefits when eating it in moderation as part of a healthy and balanced diet. From being a great source of nutrition to offering a low-fat alternative to other meat cooking methods, smoking your meat may just become your favorite — if it isn’t already! No matter what kind of meat you prefer to smoke, the health benefits that can come along with it can make your favorite smoked meal a regular occurrence.

A Body-Building Source of Protein

Meat is well-known for being a great source of protein for those focused on body-building fitness goals, though smoking it has been known to be hazardous to your health when done in ways that allow harmful carcinogens into the food. However, one study shows that the amount of carcinogens in smoked meat depends on the smoking method used. For instance, some woods, like hickory can allow for fewer carcinogens as opposed to others like beech. For that reason, smoking meat with healthier options (like hickory) can reduce the number of carcinogens and allow you to reap the protein-packed benefits at the same time.

Through less-carcinogenic smoking options, you’ll be able to consume healthier prepared smoked meat, which can provide a great source of protein and energy. This is especially beneficial for people who are looking to stay in shape and build muscle in conjunction with other body-building supplements like Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, or SARMS, which are known to have limited side-effects. Overall, it’s quite possible that smoking your meat (in addition to a healthy diet and exercise regime) may have a huge payoff when it comes to the gym.

A Low-Fat Option

When many think of cooking their favorite meat dish, there’s no doubt that oils, fats, or other unhealthy additives play a part. For instance, frying chicken can involve excess greases.

However, smoking your meat can prove to be a great way to avoid these extra and unnecessary fats, bringing a more guilt-free alternative to the table over sauteeing or pan-frying it. The process of smoking the meat may even be able to reduce the fat that’s in the meat itself, by allowing it to drip out – thus decreasing the total fat content.

A Great Source of Nutrients

One of the greatest things about smoking meat is how it can provide essential nutrients to the body. For example, smoked fish is abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, which are known for lowering blood pressure and slowing down the process of plaque developing in the arteries. Many other smoked meats also provide a high content of iron as well, a vital mineral mainly found in red blood cells that plays a role in immune system function and even treating conditions like anemia.

While smoking your meat can be a flavorful way to cook it, it’s important to know that there may just be some health benefits involved. From being a great source of nutrients to being part of a healthy and balanced diet, smoking your meat with less carcinogenic wood can prove to be quite beneficial to your health.

Related readings:

-3 METHODS OF SMOKING BOSTON BUTT FOR AUTHENTIC BARBECUE FLAVOR

-WHY IS MY BARBECUE MEAT DRY??

-CUTS OF MEAT THAT GRILL & SMOKE WELL & PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE MEAL

-THE SCIENCE OF MEAT COLOR INCLUDING THE INFAMOUS SMOKE RING

A TRIBUTE TO THE AFFORDABLE GRILL- THE LITTLE GRILL THAT COULD!

 

Our Culinary Team was doing a demo at an event in Lake Placid, New York on barbecuing and wood-fired cooking.  We had the usual equipment: a vertical cooker, Komado cooker(BGE), charcoal unit, etc. that the Culinary Crew was demonstrating unusual, fun things to wood-fire infuse!  I had the LP/Gas grill and the $19.99 Wal-Mart® grill with a top lid! Yes, I had a cheap, afffordable grill at this upscale event!

You know what happens during these events – a little competition among the Team Members sets in!  Could my Napoleon portable LP/Gas grill and the Wal-Mart® special out cook the other more expensive equipment!  The secret ingredient to test the boundaries would be steaks!   The Crew were pretty snotty about their equipment and chuckled among themselves about my chances!

First, I pre-soaked some Grande Sapore® chips (cherry was my choice) in red wine (cheap Lambrusco) for about an hour.  Then, I set up the little affordable grill; I’m talking it is only 16 inches in diameter with short legs and a dome top!  I took some hardwood charcoal and reduced each piece to fit the grill! (paper bag smash method). I did not overfill because I only needed to produce some flame. Then, I put the chip mixture over the charcoal, opened the vent on the bottom and on the top lid (Chimney effect), and placed the steaks on the grill!

I set up and preheated the Napoleon under low heat during the prep.  Letting the steaks sit in the little affordable grill allowed for some perfect seasoning to them.  Remember, I didn’t have enough heat/fuel to cook and smoke in the smaller unit!  I left them in the charcoal unit for approximately 3-4 minutes, then I turned up the LP/Gas grill unit to high!  I removed the steaks from the $19.99 grill special and finished them on the hot LP grill!

Yes, I won “Gold” in Lake Placid!! The wine infused taste was awesome!  This just proves that you don’t need expensive equipment to cook great food- you just need good technique and knowledge!  So take advantage of the portable affordable grill that tends to go on sale now and watch for the steak special.  Then prepare for the ultimate in wood-fired cooking!

Bon-Bar-B-Q!

Ingredients:

Small LP/Gas grill (like a Napoleon)

19.99 grill special at Wal-Mart®, BJ’s Wholesale, or other discount box store

SmokinLicious® Grande Sapore® chips (sugar maple to blend sweetness with the wine)

Lambrusco wine (any brand will do)

Steaks, not too thick – about ½” (13mm)

 

Soak or not to soak my wood prior to smoking? Share on X

This is one of the top questions heard when it comes to cooking with wood.  Do you soak the wood chunks or chips before using on the grill or smoker?

I have a definite answer which is do not soak the wood before using in your equipment.

Let us examine why.

Wet or Dry Wood for Smoking?

Water Becomes Steam

Any time water is introduced to a preheated piece of equipment, whether it is an LP/gas grill, electric unit, or charcoal grill, it will affect the temperature of that equipment.  For the LP/gas and electric units, this can be seen in the call for more gas or electric energy to keep the temperature at the preset level.  For the charcoal unit, the water will reduce the heat of the coals and the fire will need to work harder to regain the energy to sustain the target temperature.

Wet Produces Off Flavor

There is an ideal moisture range for hardwood used for cooking, which includes grilling, smoking, direct coal and ember methods.  You will hear the terms “seasoned” and “green”.  “Green” wood refers to fresh cut wood which has not had an opportunity to dry out.  The risks of using this type of wood is it will burn at variant rates, emit more sap, and has the potential to impart bitter and musty flavors.  “Seasoned” woods refer to hardwoods that have dried out naturally.  These will provide for more consistent temperature, provide cleaner flavors, and combust with less creosote build-up.  Just be aware, you do not want firewood!  If you Google seasoned wood, you will read that this is wood left to dry for 9-12 months or more.  Do not leave your wood that long as it will not release any essence that produces the flavor.

Mold Potential

The wetter the wood the more potential there is for mold to develop.  Mold needs 3 conditions:  moist or damp locations to grow, a food source to survive, ideal temperatures usually from 32° to 120°F but love 70-90°F.

It is important that though you will use wood dry on any equipment (unless the equipment manufacturer specifically requests you soak the wood in water) that the wood not be completely dehydrated of all moisture.  We recommend that you cook with wood that is approximately 20-25% moisture level.  This is the main reason why at SmokinLicious®, we take the moisture reading on every order and provide that information to you.  Here is a tip: if you see wood that is packaged in a plastic bag with no air holes, that is completely dry wood and will not provide any flavor or essence of the wood.  It merely becomes a heat source

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Smoking with Maple Wood the Sweetness with surprise you! Share on X

 

 

 

If you checked out our previous article on the Maple tree (“Oh, The Mighty Maple”) then you know that maple is a great addition to cooking with wood whether your hot smoking, grilling or ember cooking.  Time to take a closer look at how this hardwood actually flavors the foods you cook.

Wood contains a variety of complex organic compounds with two that contribute to actual flavor – lignin and cellulose. In short, these compounds are sugars (cellulose is an indigestible carbohydrate).  Here’s the kicker – wood, regardless of species, burns incompletely and unevenly.  It is directly dependent on oxygen as well as the percentage of water it contains – what we call moisture content.  The four stages of combustion actually occur simultaneously which is why you have great variation in temperature of the actual fire.

That being said, woods do have different percentages of lignin and cellulose and so we tend to lean towards certain hardwoods over others for specific cooking techniques.  Tip: Not every hardwood is a good choice for cooking!

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Brining Science for the ultimate meat!

 

BRINING SCIENCE -You’ve likely heard the term brining and might have a general understanding of what is involved when a brine solution is applied to meat, but have you ever understood the simplicity of how brining improves overall quality and flavor?  For all you science geeks, yes we’ve covered the scientific principles here but please don’t lose sight that this process is relatively easy and the little time invested will certainly lead to favorable results for your taste buds!

Let’s equip you with the science behind brining and a guide on producing a successful brine solution for meats, poultry and fish.

All Science Brining- Osmosis and Diffusion

Brine is a salt and water solution used to soak food in, usually meat proteins, to improve the overall quality by a change in the structure of the proteins in the muscle of the brined meat.  There are three primary reasons to brine: texture, flavor, and moisture retention.  To get these results, osmosis must take place.

Osmosis is the movement of a higher concentration of water to a lower concentration of water through a semi-permeable membrane.  To create osmosis, you must start with a solution. The water being solvent (higher percentage of water) and the salt being the solute (lower percentage of salt to the water percentage).

With a balanced solution, brined proteins have an increased level of moisture when compared to non-brined proteins.  Now, know up front, that you certainly could soak a protein in plain water and have it gain moisture but this process would be much slower than if you add salt to the water.  Also, proteins don’t bind to water as effectively during the cooking process which is why salt is introduced when cooking.

Here’s the process of a brine: Salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) and when dissolved into water, it breaks into a positively charged sodium ion and negatively charged chloride ion.  Both these ions will diffuse throughout food flowing from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration.  It takes 100-1,000 times longer for salt to diffuse into food than heat.  The negatively charged ions repel one another creating gaps in the muscle fiber for water to enter the food product.  The food protein will then bind water more tightly which prevents the muscle fibers from shrinking and squeezing water out during the cooking process.

Brining- Three Strategies

There are three recognized methods of brining: Dry Rub Brining, Gradient Brining, and Equilibrium Brining.

Dry Rub Brining:

This is likely the most widely used form of brining as it is fast and easy.  Salt and other dry ingredients like herbs and spices rubbed onto the surface of the meat.  How do you know the percentage of salt?  Start by calculating 1% of the proteins weight.  For example, if you are doing a rack of pork ribs that weigh 3 pounds, the amount of salt used in the dry rub would be 1% of that weight minus the bone weight, which is generally calculated as 40% of the gross weight.  Thus, that 3 pound rack of ribs would be reduced to 1.8 pounds for the calculation of salt at 1%.

Gradient Brining:

This is referred to as a traditional brining method as is includes a 5-10% salt content which after the food is soaked in the brine solution, the surface of brined foods is rinsed under cold water to remove excess sodium from the surface.   Salt is dissolved into water with the amount of salt used determined by the desired brine salinity, again, usually between 5-10% of the weight of the water (desired brine salinity X water weight = salt weight).  As an example, it takes 1,000 grams of water to cover chicken.  If we want 5% salinity, then we would require 50 grams of salt in our brine solution (1,000g X .05 (5%) = 50g salt).

Equilibrium Brining:

This method of bring requires a salt or salinity meter to read the salt content in the brine solution during the brining process.  The goal is to have the parts per million (PPM) on the meter drop to half of its initial reading.  This is the state of equilibrium and brining is complete.  This method requires you to calculate the PPM – 1 parts per million equals 1mg/1,000g.  1g = 1,000mg.  If you desire a 1% salt water solution, dissolve 10g or 10,000mg of salt into 1,000g or 1,000,000mg of water producing a salt content of 10,000PPM.

A Bit of Sweet

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EMBER FIRED ASPARAGUS ON THE HIBACHI

Its Asparagus season and that means you should get the most out of this sensational vegetable while it’s fresh!  Learn how easy it is to ember roast this thick skinned vegetable to bring out the fantastic flavor of this vegetable as a side dish, or used as an ingredient in other recipes like a refreshing dip, soup, or stuffing for meat or fish.

You’ll need:

• Hibachi or other small charcoal equipment
• SmokinLicious® Grande Sapore® Wood Chips in your choice of species
• Fresh asparagus with thick stalks (or store bought is fine)

PREPARING TO EMBER COOK:

Clean the Hibachi or small charcoal grill unit of all previous ash, as well as any leftover wood and charcoal.  Add the SmokinLicious® Grande Sapore® Wood Chips in the base of the Hibachi on the charcoal grates. If not using a Hibachi unit, then place the wood chips in the charcoal area of your small charcoal grill. I like to use Wild Cherry Grande Sapore® Chips to bring a balance to the asparagus’ flavor.  Since I plan to use my roasted asparagus as an ingredient in other recipes, I’m using the chips in their natural state rather than soaking in a flavored liquid but feel free to soak in wine, alcohol, juice or other liquid of your choice.

LIGHTING THE FIRE

After loading the Hibachi or other unit with my Grande Sapore® Cherry Chips, I light the chips using a small kitchen size torch.   I let the chips burn down until I have about 2-3 inches of hot embers to cook with.  I need the layer long enough to accommodate the spears of asparagus and deep enough to ensure the embers encircle most of the spear.  I keep plenty of extra Grande Sapore® Cherry chips on hand to ensure I get the depth and size of the ember bed throughout the cooking process.  This includes maintaining a perimeter of unlit chips around the hot embers.

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We don’t use or sell Apple wood for smoking! Too many potential health risks

We don’t offer any applewood for sale! Here's why. Share on X

Why we Don’t Use or Sell Apple wood for Smoking– Those of you living outside of New York State may be surprised to learn that we are the number two state for apple production behind Washington state. However, we do rank number one for the greatest number of varieties of apples.  Annually, our state produces nearly 30 million bushels of apples.  So, why not use apple wood for smoking of foods?

With an abundance of apple trees, the assumption would be that our number one hardwood offering must be apple.  However, you would be wrong.

Apple Wood for Smoking?  Abundance Comes at a Cost

Just because apple wood is abundant in our state doesn’t mean it should automatically be sold as a cooking wood.  This is without question, a favorite fruit.  When something is at high demand it is protected in order to assure the supply for that demand.  For this reason, growers of apples put their priority into preserving the fruit production. 

Keep in mind, an apple tree may not start producing fruit for the first 8-10 years but it can produce for 50 or more years.  In fact, with careful and frequent pruning, these trees do remain in the orchard bearing fruit if they don’t become infested with a disease or pest.

Good Agricultural Practices

Around the year 2001, the New York apple industry began working on a strategic plan in conjunction with Cornell University to develop what they referred to as an integrated fruit production program.  The purpose of the program was to ensure apples were produced using environmentally friendly processes to include eco-friendly insect, mite, disease, vertebrate and weed pest management.  In other words, this was meant to use more “friendly” pesticide applications and methods.  What didn’t change is the that chemicals were still being used.

The USDA has done extensive study on pesticides and their life on agricultural products (USDA Pesticide Data Program). As a result of the studies, here is a list of the common pesticides found to be present on apples in what is termed residual form.

USDA Findings:

Diphenylamine (DPA)	82.8%
Thiabendazole	81.0%
Pyrimethanil	75.2%
Chlorantraniliprole	41.2%
Acetamiprid	28.7%
Imidacloprid	20.2%
Carbendazim (MBC)	17.3%
Tetrahydrophthalimide (THPI)	16.7%
Methoxyfenozide	15.9%
Fludioxonil	13.4%
Thiacloprid	12.7%
Boscalid	12.7%
Pyraclostrobin	11.8%
Phosmet	9.6%
Azinphos methyl	9.2%
Fenpyroximate	8.5%
Endosulfan II	8.1%

Myclobutanil	8.1%
Diazinon	6.5%
Trifloxystrobin	5.8%
Spinetoram	5.0%
Endosulfan I	4.3%
Etoxazole	3.3%
Pendimethalin	3.3%
Fenpropathrin	2.8%
Fenbuconazole	2.7%
Carbaryl	2.4%
Endosulfan sulfate	1.9%
Flonicamid	1.6%
Chlorpyrifos	1.6%
Cyhalothrin, Total (Cyhalothrin-L + R157836 epimer)	1.1%
Spinosad	0.9%
o-Phenylphenol	0.9%
Imazalil	0.5%
Chlorpropham	0.4%
Difenoconazole	0.3%
Permethrin cis	0.3%
Esfenvalerate+Fenvalerate Total	0.1%
Buprofezin	0.1%
Thiamethoxam	0.1%
Pyriproxyfen	0.1%
Tebuconazole	0.1%
Pronamide	0.1%
Methoxychlor olefin	0.1%
Dicofol p,p’	0.1%
Permethrin trans	0.1%
DCPA	0.1%

The premise for using all these pesticides is the common belief that apples cannot be grown without chemical pesticides. Despite efforts to institute ecofriendly practices, we remain dependent on chemicals.  But here’s the kicker: apples are ranked number 4 out of 12 as a fruit most contaminated by pesticides.  Washing with water doesn’t do enough either. The chemical pesticides can penetrate the skin into the flesh of the apple making every bite a risk.

Apple Wood for Smoking?  In the Fruit, In the Tree

So what does this mean for the actual tree growing the apples?  Spray the tree with chemical pesticides to protect the fruit production and consequently, you compromise the tree for any other purpose including cooking.  Pesticide applications embed into the soil base of the tree, which then enters the root system, and is on the way to the other parts of the tree.  Pesticides can also become air born as they turn into a vapor and travel by airflow (think wind).  The bark of any tree is a great absorber of these air particles.  Once pesticides enter the human body, they are stored in the colon.   Symptoms then progress to stomach pains, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Certainly, toxicity can advance and produce colorectal cancer.  Know that once the chemicals are absorbed into the tree’s roots and nutritional supply center, they are there for life.

As a company, SmokinLicious® just can’t participate in risk to the public’s health.  If we can offer products that are as natural as possible, bark-free to prevent absorption of pollutants captured by the bark, we will do it.

Given there are so many other choices for safe hardwoods free of potential chemical contamination. We opt to dismiss apple wood for smoking even though we are a state in apple abundance.

In conclusion SmokinLicious® makes you an informed consumer through valuable articles like this one.   So leave us a comment and follow us or subscribe for more great recipes, techniques, tips, and the science behind the flavor and fire.  Most importantly, that is SmokinLicious®.

SmokinLicious® Products:

Wood Chunks- Double & Single Filet

Wood Chips- Grande Sapore®, Minuto® & Piccolo®

More related reading on using Apple wood for smoking and other orchard woods see our smoking & Grilling tips and techniques.

Additionally, read more on orchard woods:

-ARE FRUITWOOD TREES LIKE THE APPLE “SNOW WHITE” BIT INTO?

-TO BARK OR NOT

-6 REASONS WHY CEDAR WOOD SHOULD NOT BE YOUR TOP CHOICE FOR COOKING

-THE BALANCE OF WOOD LIGNIN IN BARBECUE

Dr. Smoke- Now you know the reasons we don’t use or sell Apple wood or any other Orchard woods for Smoking, Grilling or Cooking!