As promised, we have a bacon ice cream recipe that will have you craving this as your new favorite flavor. To complete this recipe, be sure to visit our posting on making your own smoked bacon which by itself, is super easy using the grill of your choice.
Then save just 1-1/2 cups of the bacon for the ice cream recipe and enjoy the rest in recipes or just crisped up. Though I warn you, you’ll want to reserve more for making additional ice cream. This creamy, salty flavor with just a hint of rum that will remind you of praline or brittle. Get out your ice cream maker – you’ll need at least a quart size one – and your smoked bacon and let’s make the most memorable ice cream flavor ever.
Make the Creamy Base
After smoking the 3-pound pork belly, I reserve about 6 slices and dice the bacon to produce 1-1/2 cups of micro cubes. Here’s where you can decide how you want the final ice cream to be. If you prefer a less sweet version, then be sure to crisp up the bacon slices before dicing and these will be added as is to the finish ice cream as it comes out of the ice cream maker. If you want a sweeter, more praline type of finish, then you’ll proceed to our directive on making the sugar caramel base that the diced bacon will be added to.
#cream
First, we need an ice cream base so collect salted butter, vanilla, dark brown sugar and dark rum. To start, melt 3 tablespoons of salted butter in a heavy saucepan. Add ¾ cup dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ¼ cup dark rum stirring for about 2 minutes to combine. Whisk in 3 cups of cold, heavy whipping cream to the mixture and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Get 6 large egg yolks separated into a bowl as we will begin the tempering process of the eggs to produce a rich ice cream base.
#eggs
With the 6 egg yolks placed in a bowl, begin whisking them until pale yellow in color. Tempering eggs means you are slowly adding a hot liquid to eggs in a slow stream and constantly whisking in order to prevent the eggs from scrambling. I prefer to pour the hot cream mixture from the saucepan to a large measuring cup in order to have a spout for controlling the amount of liquid added to the whisked eggs. Once the cream mixture is completely added to the egg yolks, place the combination back into a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. You’ll know it is ready when the mixture coats the spatula and you can run your finger thru the coated cream and it doesn’t run back. Remove from the heat.
#strainer
Once the egg-cream mixture has been thickened and removed from the heat, it’s time to remove any solids. Start by getting a large bowl full of ice and a second smaller bowl to place on top of the ice bowl. Using a sieve, pour the egg-cream mixture into the sieve that has been placed over the smaller bowl. I like to pour the egg-cream mixture from the saucepan to a spouted pitcher to make accuracy of the pour. Once the mixture has passed through the sieve, you’ll see some solids collected. Those can be discarded. Refrigerate this mixture for a least 2 hours. We’re now ready to start working on the bacon filling.
Sweet or Savory Filling
Here’s the point in our recipe where you need to make a decision. If you want a sweeter smoked bacon ice cream, then proceed with this step to make a bacon praline. If you prefer a more subtle sweetness, then simply crisp up your bacon before dicing and that can be added as is to the ice cream maker.
#praline #baconpraline
For the praline, start by lining a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Place 1 cup of granulated sugar in a heavy saucepan and pour ¼ cup of water over the sugar – do not stir! Turn the heat to medium-low and bring the sugar-water mixture to a boil. Continue to boil the mixture until it turns amber in color which takes about 15 minutes. Add the 1-1/2 cups of diced smoked bacon and stir quickly. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture onto the parchment-lined sheet pan to cool. Be sure to smooth the mixture into a thin layer. Once set, break the praline into large chunks, then process in a food processor until coarse crumbs result.
While you were making that luscious bacon praline, our ice cream base was cooling in the refrigerator getting ready for the ice cream maker. You’ll need a least a quart size ice cream maker for the finish to our recipe. This is where you follow the directions for your specific ice cream maker.
#icecreammixture
While the ice cream maker is running, pour in the cooled ice cream into the maker. My maker takes 25 minutes to produce the ice cream consistency. Just a few minutes before the ice cream is ready, I add the smoked bacon praline or if your using only the bacon, the diced smoked bacon pieces. Just mix for a few turns then turn off the maker and immediately pour the mixture into a freezer safe container. Place the container into the freezer preferable overnight before scooping out and enjoying this creamy, salty combination. Remember, this only becomes the best smoked bacon ice cream when you make your own smoked bacon.
#icecream #icecreammaker
A creamy, rich ice cream with a twist you’ll find becomes a favorite flavor fast.
What’s your favorite recipe featuring homemade smoked bacon? Leave us a comment to opine and subscribe to get all our postings on tips, techniques and recipes. Bringing innovation to wood fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor. That’s SmokinLicious®.
I know – hot cross buns are traditionally enjoyed during lent and holy Easter weekend. The basic recipe dates to the 12th century and is known as a sweet dough ball. Did you know that pretty much any recipe can be made on a grill or smoker, including hot cross buns?
I’m going to take a traditional hot cross bun recipe and make it using the grill with wood chunks for added flavor and the cooking. Don’t worry that this is a recipe that involves yeast. You don’t have to know everything about bread making to make this recipe work. You can add the dried fruit of your choice to customize the flavors as well as selecting the hardwood you like best.
Let’s get started so you can enjoy the SmokinLicious® version of Hot Cross Buns Wood Fired any time of year!
Yeast Makes Dough
#activedryyeast
These buns start with yeast blooming. We are using active-dry yeast in our dough which means it must be re-activated in water. Start by pouring water that is between 105° and 155°F into a large bowl and sprinkle 2-1/4 teaspoons of active-dry yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar over the water. Stir the mixture to dissolve the ingredients and let stand until foamy which will take about 10 minutes. Then add ½ cup sugar minus 1 tablespoon, 1 cup of warm milk, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ cup of softened butter. Mix well then add 3 cups of all-purpose flour. Beat with the paddle attachment of a mixer until smooth and elastic.
After beating the initial dry ingredients, it’s time to add the eggs. Do this step by adding one egg at a time for a total of 3 eggs. Once the eggs are mixed in, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 cup of dried fruit of your choice such as currants, raisins, chopped apricots, and/or candied citrus. I’m including currants in my dough. Once mixed well, add 3 cups of additional flour ½ cup at a time, until a soft dough emerges. Next, it will be time to turn the dough out on a work surface.
Tasting Notes:
These are traditionally a drier sweet dough. That means you want to use dry fruit items in order to prevent the dough from becoming too moist. Feel free to expand on the options for the fruit and use combinations that are pleasing to your palate.
Patience Is Key
#portioningdough
After adding all the ingredients to our hot cross bun dough, it’s time to turn the dough out and begin to proof also known as rising of the dough. Start by turning the mixed dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, then form into a circle. Grease a large bowl and place the rounded dough into the greased bowl, turning the dough once to ensure it is coated with the grease on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until double in volume. This will take about 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Once the dough has proofed and doubled in size, it’s time to punch it down. This is a step that releases some of the gas bubbles that have formed by the yeast during the rising time. Once the dough has the gas released, cover it with a bowl on a dry surface and let stand for 10 minutes. After that time, divide the dough in half and then quarters. For each quarter, cut into six equal pieces. Roll each dough portion into a ball and place on a greased sheet pan, spacing 1-1/2 inches apart. This is a good time to start the grill by lighting only half the burners and placing a smoker box with wood chunks on the hot side. We’ll be aiming for a grill temperature of 375°F.
Grill-Baking with Hardwood
#gasgrill #woodchunks
With our grill lit using a two-zone cooking method and wood chunks of maple, white oak, and cherry in the smoker box on the hot side of the grill, it’s time to finish off the hot cross bun dough. After spacing the dough balls on a sheet pan, I allowed them to rise for about 30 minutes. Using the white of one large egg and a teaspoon of water mixed together, I brush each of the 24 dough balls with the egg wash. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a cross in the top of each roll no more than ½ inch deep. Place one sheet pan of rolls on the unlit side of the grill and cook until golden brown which takes about 25-30 minutes. I like to rotate my sheet pan ½ way through the cooking time for more even coloring to the rolls. When finished, transfer the grilled rolls to cooling racks.
Tasting Notes:
I’m using a ½ sheet pan for my cooking but note that standard cookie sheets will work well. If using the ½ sheet pan, your grill area may not be large enough to accommodate the pan while closing the lid completely. I simply grill with the lid partially open, adjust my temperature control knobs to ensure the 375°F remains stable.
While the buns are cooking on the grill, you can prepare the icing that will go on top of the finish buns. Start by mixing together 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1-1/2 tablespoons of milk. You can adjust the thickness of the finished icing by adding drops of milk if you want it thinner. Just be sure that when you add this to a pastry bag, you will be able to push it out in a steady stream and don’t find that it pours out on its own.
Tasting Notes:
Here’s my tip for filling a pastry bag. Tip-I like to use the disposable bags for icings. Click To Tweet I simply roll down the bag about half-way to form a cuff. I place the pointed side of the pastry bag into the opening of a roll of paper towels. This allows me to scrap every bit of icing from the bowl without worrying about the pastrybag. I leave the filled pastry bag in the roll until the buns are cool enough for applying the icing.
The Perfect Sweet Dough Treat with a Kick of Wood Flavor
#hotcrossbuns
After making our hot cross bun dough from scratch, allowing the dough to proof, then dividing into our individual buns. We baked these on the gas grill set up two-zone method: a hot side that we added three hardwood chunks to using a smoker box on the grill grate. The buns were placed on the unlit side of the grill and baked at 375°F for approximately 30 minutes, rotating the pan just one time. Once cooled, we added lemon icing crosses to each bun. We do this by working with twelve buns at a time, lining them up on the sheet pan tightly to each other. Using the pastry bag of icing, I place a steady stream of icing vertically on each bun, then do the same horizontally for each row, forming a cross. Allow the icing to set and then serve.
Although hot cross buns are associated with a specific time of the year, SmokinLicious® feels these are a sweet dough treat to be enjoyed any time of the year. And, they are best when made on outdoor equipment that can include natural hardwood for unbelievable flavor.
What’s your favorite dried fruit to add to hot cross buns? Comment to let us know. Bringing innovation to wood fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor. That’s SmokinLicious®.
Can you use a grill to bake?
You certainly can! Anything baked in an oven can be baked on a grill. Any kind of grill, gas, charcoal or electric can be used. Have fun with the versatility of your grill by baking cakes, pies, turn-overs, muffins and hot cross buns.
To kick up the flavor threshold, including a bit of cooking wood will complement grill baking and give you and your guests a splendid hardwood-fired taste! Be sure to follow the temperature instructions of the recipe.
Nuestro romero infusionado pierna de res ahumada- como rico después asándola.
Romero infusionado pierna de res ahumada
Estoy aquí con otra receta para las piernas de res que aprovecha las hierbas de temporada con una técnica de ahumar simple que se puede hacer en su parrilla de gas o carbón. Voy a cocinar mis piernas de res en la parrilla de gas usando mi método de cocción favorito de dos zonas. Por supuesto, quiero un poco de sabor de madera en estas piernas así que voy a usar trozos de madera de cerezo en una caja de metal para ahumado.
Condimento simple para romero infusionado pierna de res ahumada
El romero se considera uno de los maridajes de sabor ideal para la carne de res. Similar a la salvia, contiene más notas de pino y florales y es más dulce que otras hierbas. Encontrará muchas variedades que tienen alguna variación en el sabor tradicional del romero. Estos son algunos de los sabores característicos: limón-pino, clavo y nuez moscada.
La carne de res es predominantemente un sabor salado con algo de dulzura. Si el animal es alimentado con hierba que el sabor de la carne será mucho más lleno.
He colocado una rejilla en una sartén de papel de aluminio desechable, he añadido algunas ramitas de romero de mi jardín a la rejilla y luego apliqué un chorrito de aceite de aguacate, sal y pimienta a las piernas en un lado, colocando el lado sazonado en la rejilla. Luego repito el aceite, la sal y la pimienta en el otro lado y aplico algunas ramitas de romero arriba. ¡Eso es todo! Estos ya están listos para la parrilla.
Notas de degustación: Otras hierbas de temporada que son perfectas para usar en lugar de romero incluyen: menta, perejil, eneldo. Aunque utilicé aceite de aguacate, ya que no está asando a la parrilla sobre el calor directo, puede usar otros aceites como oliva, almendra, nuez, coco, sésamo, etc.
Ahumar en la parrilla de gas
Preparo mi parrilla LP/Gas encendiendo solo la mitad de los quemadores. Puse estos quemadores en fuego medio para empezar. Pongo mi caja de metal que contiene dos trozos de madera de cerezo SmokinLicious® en los quemadores calientes, justo debajo de la rejilla de la parrilla. Permito que esto se caliente y empiece a ahumar. La captura de calor radiante en la parrilla cocinará mis piernas de res sin que exponiéndoles al calor directo. Cuando estoy listo para asar a la parrilla, compruebo la lectura de temperatura para entre 300-325 grados Fahrenheit para cocinar, como para mí, este es el nivel de calor que ablanda mis piernas de res a donde me gustan. Si la temperatura se lee más alto, sólo bajo los quemadores ligeramente.
Dejo las piernas de res intactos durante unos 35 a 40 minutos, durante este momento tendré que cambiar los trozos de madera carbonizada por algunas frescas en la caja de metal. Ahí es cuando le doy una vuelta a la carne. Sólo una vuelta es todo lo que necesita. Me gusta sacar mi carne de la parrilla a unos 135 grados Fahrenheit para que cuando llegue a la mesa, sea a un medio-raro perfecto. También prefiero cortar la carne de res del hueso y servir el hueso de médula con un poco de pan tostado que también se puede hacer en la parrilla que simplemente he frotado con un poco de diente de ajo fresco o tomate ahumado. Tan simple pero tan inolvidable en sabor. El mejor romero infusionado pierna de res en menos de 75 minutos.
Notas de degustación: Si utiliza una parrilla de carbón, siga utilizando una configuración de cocción de dos zonas que signifique carbón en un solo lado de la parrilla. Asegúrese de cocinar sólo con carbón caliente, sin llamas.
¿Cuál es su carne favorita cortada a la parrilla y ahumar? Aportando innovación a la cocina de madera con recetas, técnicas y la ciencia detrás del fuego, el humo y el sabor. Eso es SmokinLicious®.
Dr. Smoke- “¡Pruebe nuestra omero infusionado pierna de res ahumada!
Para mas lecturas, pruebe nuestra romero infusionado pierna de res ahumada
I purchased several heads of broccoli recently and decided to smoke them using one of my favorite short cut methods for smoke vapor infusion. My Nordic Ware Kettle Stove Top Smoker allows me to get the flavor level I like in about 20 minutes using only my stove for fuel.
Once I have my broccoli smoked, I’m going to produce a smoked broccoli pesto that is perfect for so many foods and purposes. This is super easy and doesn’t take a lot of time to make and it keeps well in the refrigerator.
#chefbertandtom
Easy Smoking Technique
Here are the steps I used for smoking in the Nordic Ware unit but you can adapt these to pretty much any stovetop unit.
#smokedbroccoli
I’ve placed the unit on the largest burner of my stove top, added about ¼ cup of Minuto® Wood Chips #4 from SmokinLicious® in the base pan, topped with the drip pan, and then added the food tray with the broccoli cut into florets. Total time to smoke and tenderize the broccoli will be about 20 minutes. Usually a medium-high heat setting generates about 275°F of heat for the cooking process just target to be in the 275-300°F range. With the broccoli smoked, it’s time to make the pesto. In addition to the smoked broccoli, there are 6 additional ingredients: salt, pepper, basil leaves, olive oil, lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese.
Tasting Notes: You can use any method of smoking the broccoli based on the equipment you have available but if you do want to try a stove top method without having to purchase a ready-made unit, try our method using a standard 2-quart stockpot.
A Quick Process to Pesto
#pesto
Pesto is one of those items that is simple to make but so many people will buy ready-made from the store. You’ll get a much fresher taste quality when you produce your own.
Start by getting a large capacity food processor with a standard blade. Place the smoked broccoli florets in the processor bowl, followed by a ¼ cup grated Parmesan, ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, 3 tablespoons olive oil, juice from ½ a lemon, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Process all the ingredients until smooth. You likely will need to add a bit more olive oil to reach the right consistency for your taste. Remember, this is going to produce about 2 cups of pesto so start with a lighter amount of oil as this ingredient can be added later when you decide how you’re planning to use the pesto. For me, I’ll be starting with a simple pesto noodle that I intended to add some sliced pork to.
Tasting Notes: Each food processor is different so start on pulse and then work to maintain the motor on for a smooth result. Feel free to drizzle additional olive oil into the mixture while the processor is running, just do so in drips rather than a stream amount.
Think Endless Uses
There are so many uses for our smoked broccoli pesto! I’ll be adding ¼ of my 2-cup pesto production to some hot egg noodles that will act as a bed to lay some Asian marinated pork in.
Here are some other uses to consider: use in rice, pastas that have ridges for the pesto to cling to, on a sandwich, or use as a topping for chicken, fish, and pork. I’m sure you’ll come up with other great uses as well. The batch you make from the single head of broccoli will last for about 7-10 days if stored in the refrigerator. If you can store in glass, it will likely last longer. With broccoli readily available most of the year, this is a treat to be enjoyed anytime!
What are the health benefits of pesto?
Pesto is very good for you. The basic ingredients of basil, lemon juice and olive oil are rich in antioxidants and Vitamins A & C. The emphasis on broccoli boosts the healthy quotient of this pesto recipe to an even higher level. Adding the smoky touch to broccoli provides a distinctive flavor.
#smokinlicious #pesto
What’s your favorite pesto recipe? Leave us a comment to opine and subscribe to get all our postings on tips, techniques and recipes. Bringing innovation to wood fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor. That’s SmokinLicious®.
