Finished smoked banana double bites (combining smoked bananas with chocolate and crushed nuts)

SMOKED BANANA DOUBLE BITES

If you joined us for our series on  a smoking banana , now it’s time to learn just what you can do with this flavorful fruit.  This recipe for Smoked Banana Double Bites makes for a perfect snack, kid loving dessert, or even a sweet party item.  Gather together the following:

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, the finer the better
• 4 oz. slivered almonds, crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4-5 smoked bananas (see our previous series on this process if you missed it)

You’ll also need a saucepan for melting the chocolate or a microwave safe bowl, Popsicle sticks or similar disposable handle for inserting in the banana segments, and a small cake spatula for spreading the chocolate.  I would also keep on hand some hot water in case the chocolate should seize or harden on you.  If that occurs, simply add 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time, mixing well, until you restore the smooth consistency.

Preparing:

It’s important that you get the other ingredients ready prior to melting the chocolate as you want to prevent the chocolate from hardening.  Take your 4 ounces of slivered almonds and add to a storage bag.  I am the old school so I will crush my almonds using a canned good.  You can use a kitchen mallet or rolling pin, whatever is the easiest for you.  Be sure you just crush the almonds – don’t make almond dust or flour!  Then prepare a sheet pan with wax paper and get your popsicle or other wood stick ready for putting the Smoked Banana Double Bites together.  I named this recipe after the average bites it takes to get one of these little flavor explosions into your tummy.

Melt the Chocolate:

Once the other ingredients are at the ready and your sheet pan with wax paper is set, it’s time to melt the semi-sweet chocolate.  You can do this a couple of ways.  In a double boiler which is the preferred method, in a saucepan set to a low temperature, or in a microwave.  Your choice- just be sure you get a consistency that is not too thin or thick so the banana will coat easily.  I add 2 tablespoons of butter to the chocolate to produce a shiny result.  Melt until just smooth being careful not to go beyond that stage or the chocolate will harden.  If you do go too far, simply add 1 teaspoon of hot water to the mix to thin and recover it.

Assembling the Bites:

With the chocolate melted we are now ready for assembly of our Smoked Banana Double Bites!  Taking your Popsicle stick or similar wooden item, insert into the center of a banana segment.  Remember, I had cut my bananas into 2-inch segments when I did the smoking process.  Now dip into the melted chocolate and begin to spread into an even layer using a small cake spatula.  Just get the top and sides coated so they can roll in the next two ingredients.  Again, if your chocolate should seize or harden on you, simply add 1 teaspoon of hot water to bring it back.

With our banana segment covered in chocolate, we are now ready for “the roll”.  First, place some crushed slivered almond on a piece of wax paper.  Then roll the chocolate covered banana into the almonds being careful not to press down.  Just allow the almonds to stick on their own.  Next, a trip to the shredded coconut.  You can put the coconut on a wax sheet as well or leave in a small container that can accommodate the size of your banana.  Let the coconut fill in all the spaces between the almonds then lay on a sheet pan covered with wax paper.  These will need to harden a bit in the refrigerator.

The Yummy, Creamy, Chocolate Finish:

So here we are.  The finale!  After taking our bananas to a smoky place using SmokinLicious® Minuto® Wood Chips for smoking, we gave them a bath in luscious dark chocolate.  Then the roll – into the crushed almond and shredded coconut – 2 fantastic flavor pairings for the banana.  Then off to the sheet pan covered with wax paper to set everything up in the refrigerator.  You just need about 45 minutes of setting time then it’s off to the party, or for a snack or that great dessert.

Don’t forget to put your own spin on this recipe by swapping the dark chocolate for white, the almonds for pistachio or pine nuts.  Always keep the holidays in mind too.  Use pastel dyes for the coconut or white chocolate for a great Easter dessert, green and red dyes for Christmas, and blue for Hanukah.   Make this great, simple recipe your own.  You can even do whole bananas, set them up, and then slice them over ice cream or pound cake with a hint of fresh cream.  Get your imagination going and expand on the great use of the smoked banana.

The Culinary Crew wants you to know …

… that you can add a nice smoky twist to just about any fruit easily by using any hand-held food smoking device.  We’ve found that fruits with more of a dense, semi-porous consistency like bananas, peaches or strawberries do very well in accepting wood smoke vapor and retaining superb smoky flavoring.  Go ahead and give your favorite fruit-based holiday desserts a hint of smoky richness!  You won’t be disappointed!

SmokinLicious® products used:

Wood Chips- Minuto®

For more reading related to

Additional reading:

-BEST GINGERBREAD MEETS THE GRILL

-BANANA’S ULTIMATE SMOKY CREAMY GOODNESS!

Dr. Smoke “you will love this take on bananas”

*Please leave us a comment*

We love this Winter cocktail, because of its smoky twist! Simple ingredients and easy to mix.

WINTER COCKTAIL GETS A BIT SMOKY

As we wait for warmer days, I have a perfect winter cocktail that will make you content as you bear the cold.  Featuring just 4 ingredients, I’m taking a single ingredient and cold smoking it to give a smoky flavor.  We’ll use a handheld food smoker for a quick, easy means of infusing the smoke flavor.

Ingredients and Smoke

#coldsmoking

Our Smoked Winter cocktail has just 4 ingredients:

• cream of coconut
• vanilla vodka
• crème de cocoa
• ice

By using a handheld food smoker, you can make quick time of smoking the cream of coconut needed for our Winter Wonderland cocktail.  I’m making a full batch of drinks to serve about 6 so I’ve placed 6 ounces of cream of coconut, (I like the CocoLopez brand), into a container.  That container is placed inside a plastic bag.  I’m using The Smoking Gun® by Breville which is a stand-alone, easy to control cold smoke appliance.  I simply place the smoking hose into my container, cinch the bag around the hose, lite my Piccolo® wood chips while the food smoker is turned on, and allow the smoke to fill the container.  I then turn off the unit, remove the hose, cinch the bag tight, and allow the smoke to sit for a few minutes to infuse the coconut cream.  That’s it!  Now time to assemble our Winter Wonderland cocktail.

Tasting Notes: Although I elected to smoke the cream of coconut, you can smoke one of the alcohols or even the water to make the ice cubes.  For those looking for a bolder smokiness, feel free to smoke the entire cocktail mixture before serving over ice.

Quick Shake to Yum

After smoking the cream of coconut, it’s time to mix the cocktail.  This is best done in a shaker.  For a single cocktail, fill the shaker with ice, add 1 ounce of the smoked cream of coconut, 1-1/2 ounces of vanilla vodka, and 1-1/2 ounces of crème de Cocoa.  Shake until well chilled and the flavors marry.  Strain into an ice filled glass and serve.

This is one winter cocktail you’ll enjoy sipping as you wait on those warmer days.

The Culinary Crew wants you to know …

… that the hand-held smoker can do “smoky wonders” to just about any of your favorite cocktails or drinks.  Just make sure that you have the right size of smoking wood chips in the unit and don’t overpack the vessel!  Remember, if you choose to enjoy any alcoholic beverage, drink responsibly!

Do you have a favorite smoked cocktail?  Leave us a comment to let us know and subscribe to our channel to get all the tips, techniques, and recipes we bring your way.  Always eager to share our expertise on all things wood fired, that’s SmokinLicious®!

SmokinLicious® products used in this recipe:

Wood Chips- Piccolo®

For more reading related to how we made other winter cocktails and added a twist of Smoke!- #handheldsmoker

Related reading:

-JACK FROST GOES SMOKEY-THE COCKTAIL

-THE SMOKED PEAR BELLINI COCKTAIL

-STRAWBERRIES GET SMOKY FOR AN AQUA FRESCA COCKTAIL

Dr. Smoke- This winter cocktail is fun even in the summer!

SMOKED STRAWBERRY NAPOLEON WITH PROSECCO CREAM

Smoked Strawberry Napoleon

SUMMARY:

Enjoy fresh Strawberries on strawberry shortcake or strawberry napoleon and then increase the flavor with Smoked Strawberries!  The smoking intensifies the Strawberries for this smoked strawberry napoleon!  This will be a must addition to your strawberry napoleon recipes! Also try as a smoked strawberry shortcake!

Take advantage of the short, fresh strawberry season by using your harvest in unique and flavorful recipes.  Up first, this take on strawberry shortcake that is in a league of its own!

INGREDIENT LIST

 Here’s what you’ll need:

• Packaged Won-Ton wrappers
• Frying oil (be sure to use one for high heat)
• 1 quart of smoked strawberries smoked with Minuto® chips (reserve about 6 whole strawberries for garnish)
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• ¾ cup cold Mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup cold heavy cream
• ¼ cup cold Prosecco
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  

PREPARING THE WON-TONS

Frying the Won Tons

In a large skillet, heat 1 cup of high heat oil.  When ready, reduce the heat to medium-high and begin adding won-ton wrappers one at a time without crowding the pan. I usually can fit about 4 at a time. This step will take you a bit to do enough wrappers to ensure you have 3 per Napoleon serving.  I like to cook the entire package of won-ton wrappers as these make excellent snacks either alone or for dipping salsa, guacamole or your favorite dip.  Plus, they make a great sweet snack when sprinkled with cinnamon/sugar or powdered sugar. When cooking the won tons, watch for a tan hue and bubbles to begin on the wrapper. Turn once and remove to a paper towel lined plate about 20 seconds after turning, as the won-ton holds a lot of heat and will continue to cook out of the pan.

PREPARING THE STRAWBERRY FILLING

Placed the quartered smoked strawberries in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the vanilla; toss to coat.  Set aside until we are ready to assemble everything.

PREPARING THE PROSECCO CREAM

Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake until golden about 5-7 minutes.  Set aside.

Combine the mascarpone, heavy cream, the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, ground red pepper, and the prosecco in a medium bowl.  Beat with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.  Be sure not to over beat.  Refrigerate briefly to bind everything.

ASSEMBLING THE NAPOLEON

Assembled Smoked Strawberry Napoleon

Place one cooked won-ton on a serving plate.  Top with a large dollop of Prosecco cream and then cover with smoked strawberries. Repeat this process 2 more times so you have three won-ton layers per plate.  Top with almonds and a whole smoked strawberry on top plus a little extra of your smoked strawberries.

THE ULTIMATE TREAT THAT ISN’T TOO SINFUL!

With the sweetness of the Prosecco cream, the hint of smoke in the strawberries, and that crispy crunch of the won-ton layers, this is a one of kind napoleon that you and your guests won’t soon forget.  Feel free to experiment with different cream fillings and fruits.  I like cannoli cream as well with a hint of cinnamon.  And don’t forget to take picture of your masterpiece and send along to us at SmokinLicious®.

Top with Almond Slivers for an Extra Crunch and Serve!

For audio instructions visit our Instagram account @smokinlicious #smokinliciousmenu

Bon Bar B Que

SmokinLicious® Products for this recipe:

Wood Chips- Minuto®

For more reading related to Smoked Strawberry Napoleon, try these recipes

More recipes you may enjoy:

-SMOKED STRAWBERRY HAND PIE

-STRAWBERRY SEMIFREDDO GETS SMOKY

-STRAWBERRY BELLINI BOTH SWEET & SMOKY

Dr Smoke

All the supplies you need to add a smokey flavor to this wonderful fruit- strawberries for Smoked Strawberries

 HAND HELD SMOKING OF FRESH STRAWBERRY FOR SMOKED STRAWBERRIES

Harvesting fresh strawberries is now in season so why not do something different with this fruit favorite and try your hand at smoking them!  One of the easiest methods for controlling the smoke level to a fruit is to use a hand held food smoker.

It’s the time of year that you see the roadside stands offering locally grown fresh strawberries.

Ingredients

• A hand-held food smoker – we are using the Deni® Hand Held Food Smoker
• SmokinLicious ® Piccolo® Wood Chips in Size #6, #8 or #10 in your choice of wood species
• Fresh strawberries
• A sheet pan or cookie sheet
• A food bag large enough to fit over the sheet pan or plastic wrap
• A lighter or small kitchen torch

HANDHELD FOOD SMOKER PREPARATIONS:

Assemble the handheld food smoker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the SmokinLicious® Wood Products Piccolo® Wood Chips in Size #6, #8 or #10 to the chip bowl of the unit. You will only need a Tablespoon or two on hand.  Be sure to select a wood flavor that will not overpower the strawberry.  My choice is Alder.

PREPARING THE STRAWBERRIES

Gently wash the strawberries and trim the stem head. You may smoke the strawberries whole or in cut pieces, your choice.  Pat dry and lay them out on the sheet pan.

Wrapping the Strawberries

SETTING UP FOR SMOKING

Once the strawberries are on the sheet pan, take a food storage bag or plastic wrap and secure around the sheet pan holding the strawberries.  Leave the end of the bag open or one corner of the plastic wrap open on the pan.  Position the smoking tube of the handheld food smoker under the plastic wrap or in the bag and then seal around the tube.

SETTING UP THE SMOKER IN THE BAG

SMOKING PROCESS

Turn on the handheld food smoker and light the chips.  Immediately, you will see smoke being produced inside the plastic wrap or bag.  Decide how much smoke vapor you want in the bag – though I prefer to fill it right up.  Turn off the handheld food smoker and remove the tube. Then seal the bag with a cable tie or twist tie or secure the plastic wrap to the sheet pan.

I like to wait until I see most of the smoke vapor dissipate from the bag before opening.  Once the smoke infusion is finished, you can begin to use the smoked strawberries in any recipe that calls for this fabulous fruit.  Be sure to check out our recipe postings to give you inspiration including the Smoked Strawberry Napoleon with Prosecco Cream.

Bon-Bar-B-Q!

The finished product after a brief smoking! Add sugar maple smoking wood to provide the sweetness inside of sugar.

SmokinLicious® Products:

Wood Chips- Piccolo®

For more reading related to

More strawberry recipes:

-STRAWBERRY SEMIFREDDO GETS SMOKY

-SMOKED STRAWBERRY HAND PIE

-STRAWBERRY BELLINI BOTH SWEET & SMOKY

Dr. Smoke- “It’s strawberry time, add a new twist to your favorite fruit using sugar maple smoking wood chips for smoked strawberries.”

Serve this smoked simple syrup cocktail up or down, either way a nice smoky tasty bourbon cocktail

OUR BEST SMOKED SIMPLE SYRUP BOURBON COCKTAIL

We’ve always tried to stress that smoking doesn’t necessarily have to involve the entire item but rather you can simply smoke one component.  That’s just what we are doing with our latest smoked cocktail.  We are making a cranberry bourbon cocktail that contains a smoked simple syrup to give this extra flavor and balance.  Pick out your favorite brand of bourbon and let’s make this super easy, yet super flavorful smoked cocktail featuring bourbon and cranberry.

Making and Smoking Simple Syrup

#simplesyrup

Before the simple syrup can be infused with smoke vapor, we need to construct the syrup.

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water.  Add a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary and fresh sage to the pan.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Strain the herbs from the finished syrup and allow to cool before smoking.

With the fresh herb infused simple syrup cooled, it’s time to infuse another layer of flavor using a cold smoke technique.  I’ve added a pinch of Piccolo® wood chips to the bowl of The Smoking Gun™ by Breville.  Using a large plastic bag, I insert my measuring cup of the simple syrup into the bag as well as the hose to the smoking unit.  I turn on the unit and light the wood chips which begins the smoke generation.  After filling the bag with smoke, I turn the unit off and remove the hose, while quickly cinching the bag closed.  I prefer to leave the smoke in the bag until it has naturally dissipated.  I do move the simple syrup around to allow the smoke vapor to penetrate completely thru the syrup.

#handheldsmoker 

Tasting Notes: You can control the level of smoke infusion in two ways – your choice of the hardwood chips for the actual flavor infusion and the amount of time you leave the syrup exposed to the smoke.

Cocktail Time!

#cranberrybourbon

With our herb infused simple syrup cold smoked, it’s time to assemble our cocktail.  Fill a serving glass with ice, add 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon, 2 ounces of 100%, unsweetened cranberry juice, ½ ounce of the smoked simple syrup, and a splash of fresh lemon juice.  Stir until well combined.  Add a fresh rosemary and sage sprig for garnish and serve.

This is a cocktail you can adjust the ingredient levels to change the level of sweetness versus pungency.   When dialed in correctly, the smoke and sweetness levels balance each other for a well-rounded cocktail to enjoy any time of year.

Do you have a favorite smoked cocktail?  Leave us a comment to let us know and subscribe to our channel to get all the tips, techniques, and recipes we bring your way.  Always eager to share our expertise on all things wood fired, that’s SmokinLicious®!

SmokinLicious® products used in this recipe:

Wood Chips- Piccolo®

For more reading related to on smoked simple syrup and our other smoky cocktails

Related reading:

-SMOKY BOURBON CRANBERRY COCKTAIL

-THE SMOKED PEAR BELLINI COCKTAIL

-JACK FROST GOES SMOKEY-THE COCKTAIL

Dr. Smoke – You will enjoy this smoked simple syrup cocktail

We did a smoky whiskey cocktail with a sparkling twist!

SMOKY WHISKEY COCKTAIL FOR THE HEARTY DRINKER

I’m bringing you another smoked cocktail that is deep in flavor and suited for those who like hearty cocktails.  For this cocktail, I’ll be adding even a deeper flavor to the whiskey by cold smoking it with a handheld food smoker.  A rich syrup is made first and then added to our cocktail that can be served hot or cold.  Perfect, either way, to warm you up on cold winter days!

The Syrup

#whiskey

To get our Harvest Smoke & Sparkle cocktail started, we need to make the sweet syrup to balance the boldness of the smoked whiskey.  In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together ½ cup of honey, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground clove and 1 cup of orange juice until it starts to bubble.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

If making individual cocktails, it is important to still make the full batch of cider-honey syrup and take the 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of cider-honey syrup from the batch per cocktail.

Tasting Notes: This is referred to as a harvest sparkle due to the traditional spices associated with the Fall.  Feel free to experiment and adjust these flavors as cardamom and allspice also work well.

The Construction

#Breville #coldsmoking

With the cider-honey syrup made and cooling, it’s time to take your favorite brand of whiskey and cold smoke flavor into it.  I’m using The Smoking Gun® by Breville which is self-standing to make the actual smoking process easy.

After placing the whiskey in a measuring cup, I place the measuring cup in a plastic bag and insert the hose of the smoking appliance into the bag.  I then add a pinch of Piccolo® wood chips to the bowl and turn on the unit while lighting the chips.  Once the smoke fills the bag, I shut off the unit, remove the hose, and cinch the bag closed to allow the smoke to penetrate the whiskey.  It helps to move the whiskey around in the cup to help the smoke molecules to cling to the alcohol.  That’s it!

What is so great about this whiskey cocktail is that is can be served hot or cold.  Today, I’m making the cold version in a large batch to serve many guests.  I start by adding my smoked whiskey and cider-honey syrup to a large pitcher with lots of ice.  Next, I whisk these two ingredients together well.  If making a single cocktail, add an ounce of the smoked whiskey and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the cider-honey syrup to a shaker filled with ice.  I strain into a serving glass and add Prosecco and a garnish of rosemary.  I prefer a bit of ice in the glass for the cold version.

#smokedcocktail #warmcocktails
#hotcocktails

Now, for those that like it hot, simply whisk together the smoked whiskey and cider honey syrup in a saucepan or heat in the microwave for 45 seconds in a mug.  This is one smoked cocktail that will take away any chill in the air!

Do you have a favorite smoked cocktail?  Leave us a comment to let us know and subscribe to our channel to get all the tips, techniques, and recipes we bring your way.  Always eager to share our expertise on all things wood fired, that’s SmokinLicious®!

SmokinLicious Products used in this recipe:

Wood Chips- Piccolo®

For more reading related to this smoky whiskey cocktail

Related reading:

-WINTER COCKTAIL GETS A BIT SMOKY

-JACK FROST GOES SMOKEY-THE COCKTAIL

-SMOKY BOURBON CRANBERRY COCKTAIL

Dr. Smoke in this recipe we did a smoky whiskey and added sparkling wine!

Smoke trapped in the bottle infusing the Smoked Maple Syrup Marinade

  SMOKED MAPLE SYRUP MARINADE

PERFECT FOR YOUR FAVORITE PROTEIN

SUMMARY:

Using the Gourmia™ Mini Smoker with Minuto® cooking wood chips, we infused wood smoke flavor into Maple Syrup for a smoked maple syrup! Use this smoked maple syrup marinade, as glaze recipes for pork roasts or boneless pork roast. Add to your marinade recipes, maple syrup glaze recipes, and handheld food smokers.

A point that I regularly try to drive home is that when it comes to smoking foods and ingredients, it doesn’t have to be the traditional items thought of.  A great example of this is our Dijon Maple Marinade recipe that is especially good with pork.

When you don’t want to smoke the actual protein, think about smoking another ingredient that will be married to the pork.  For me, that was the maple syrup I use in my marinade recipe.  I’ll review for you the cold smoking technique for this and then provide my recipe for this great marinade that can be used on fish, chicken, turkey, pork, and goat.

The Simple Cold Smoke Method

I’m sure you’ve read or seen some type of information for cold smoking cocktails, cheese, salt, and spices.  This technique is easiest when you use one of the many types of handheld food smokers on the market today.

For my method of smoking maple syrup, I’ve selected the Gourmia® Mini Smoker which works best with a very clean, dust-free micro wood chip to produce the smoke for infusion.  This is easily available from SmokinLicious®, offering a variety of sizing to fit your need in 8 hardwood species.  I’ll be using the Minuto® Wood Chip Size #8 for this smoking infusion.

I’ve found the easiest method of smoking and maintaining the maple syrup, is to use a glass container like a wine bottle.  Just be sure that the container is completely clean and dry.

I place about one cup of maple syrup in the glass bottle.  Taking the tubing of the Gourmia® Mini Smoker, I place the end in the glass bottle.  Taking just a finger size pinch or two of the wood chips, I place in the handheld food smoker’s chip bowl and then ignite the wood chips with a lighter while turning the unit’s fan on.  Once the smoke is generated, I turn the unit’s van off and allow the bottle to fill with smoke.  Save a cork as you can use it to plug the bottle allowing for maximum infusion of the smoke.  Be sure to rotate the bottle to allow for the smoke to travel completely within the maple syrup.

The Smoked Maple Syrup Marinade Recipe

Once the maple syrup has been smoked, it’s time to collect the other ingredients and make our marinade.  Using equal parts smoked NYS maple syrup Grade A and Dijon mustard, I add 3 tablespoons of lime juice and fresh ground pepper and whisk until just combined.  Taking a storage bag, I place a 4 lb. boneless pork roast inside, then pour in my Smoked Maple Syrup-Dijon Marinade.  Sealing the bag, I place the bag in the refrigerator for a least 4 hours though I prefer to marinate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325° F.  Place the marinated roast in a roasting pan with rack.  This will take about 75 minutes to reach 145° F internal temperature.  About halfway through the cooking process, I rotate the cooking pan and spoon some of the pan juices back over the roast.  That will give it a beautiful bronze finish.  Remove from the oven and cut into ½” slices.  The Aroma-taste of pure maple joy with a smoky kick!

Bringing you great recipes for all types of food ingredients to grill, ember cook, hot smoke, and cold smoke.  We welcome your suggestions on foods you want to see smoked or charred so leave us a comment.  Don’t forget to subscribe for more great recipes, techniques, tips, and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor.

Purchase products:

Wood Chips- Minuto®

Additional reading:

-NOT JUST ANY MAPLE SYRUP!

-SALT FREE SPICE RUBS- HEALTHY CHOICES

-BBQ SHRIMP INSTANT GRATIFICATION!

-SMOKED HAM ON THE GAS GRILL

Dr. Smoke -Dazzle the taste buds of your friends with this smoked maple syrup marinade recipe

Smoky bourbon cranberry cocktail is a simple but elegant drink for holiday celebrations during the colder months.

SMOKY BOURBON CRANBERRY COCKTAIL

For those of you who love bourbon, we’ve got a special cocktail for the sampling.  This is a rather festive drink containing cranberry.  We add an additional layer of flavor by cold smoking the cranberry cocktail syrup for a unique blend of sweet, tart, and smoky.  Let’s get started on how it’s done.

Making Cranberry Syrup

Our smoked bourbon cranberry cocktail starts with the ingredients for a cocktail syrup.   Similar to traditional simple syrup, this one has a bit more acid in the form of white wine vinegar. You’ll need to gather together:

• 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup of white wine vinegar
• Sugar- 1 cup

You also need a saucepan and heat tolerant spoon.

Start by placing a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the white wine vinegar and the cup of sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Next in, one cup of cranberries, fresh or frozen, though I’m using fresh as they are available at the time of this recipe.  Bring the mixture to a boil stirring constantly.  Once the sugar is dissolved and the cranberries have reduced, remove from the heat and allow to cool in the saucepan.  While the mixture is cooling, let’s prepare the handheld smoker for the smoke vapor infusion.

Cold Smoking is in Your Hand

It’s never been so easy to produce smoked ingredients with the development of the handheld food smoker.  It all began with The Smoking Gun™ which is the unit I will be using today, but know there are many options available to you.   I set up my handheld food smoker with Sugar Maple Minuto® Wood Chips.

Bringing the cooled saucepan to a table, I have a piece of press and seal at the ready, but you can use plastic wrap, a food storage bag, or vacuum bag, anything that will provide a seal.  I seal around the saucepan leaving a small opening to insert the tubing of the food smoker.  Turning the unit’s fan on, I light the wood chips and allow the smoke vapor to fill the saucepan.  Once filled, I release the tubing from the pan and seal the pan completely with the wrap, allowing the smoke to penetrate the cranberry syrup.  The longer the pan stays wrapped, the more smoke flavor the syrup will take on.  Once infused, remove the wrap and prepare to make the cocktail.

Building a Smoky Cocktail

To make the cocktail, place ice in a rock glass.  Add ¼ cup plus a splash of your favorite bourbon.  Add two tablespoons of seltzer and two tablespoons of the cranberry syrup.  Stir and add a tablespoon of fresh cranberries.  It’s now ready to serve!  Smoky Bourbon Cranberry Cocktail – a unique drink for all those bourbon lovers you know.

Purchase products:

Wood Chips- Minuto®

Additional reading:

-ELEVATE YOUR KIWI CAIPIROSKA

-THE SMOKED PEAR BELLINI COCKTAIL

-STRAWBERRIES GET SMOKY FOR AN AQUA FRESCA COCKTAIL

Dr Smoke- “This is a must try drink for the cold holiday celebrations!”

NOT JUST ANY MAPLE SYRUP!

NOT JUST ANY MAPLE SYRUP-A New Flavour Twist- Smoked Maple Syrup

The Gourmia® Mini Smoker or any handheld smoker is the perfect equipment for those who want to infuse smoke flavor into raw and cooked foods, beverages, herbs, and spices.  Using SmokinLicious® Minuto® or Piccolo® Wood Chips ensures maximum flavor infusion from a clean, 100% bark-free hardwood.  Select from 8 hardwood species and combine woods for your own customized flavoring.

We are taking a step on the intense side and preparing to smoke pure New York State maple syrup.  I am using SmokinLicious® Sugar Maple Minuto® Chips in Size 8.  In addition to the smoker and chips, you will need a container to hold the syrup, some plastic wrap and a lighter.  Keep in mind, this smoked syrup is not intended to be used on waffles, pancakes, or french toast due to the intense flavoring.  Get ready, for a fun, quick way to smoked maple syrup!

So simple to do, cold smoke generators let you direct the smoke just where you want.  With the maple syrup placed in a glass bottle, the tubing of the Gourmia® Mini Smoker or any handheld smoker is inserted into the bottle and then sealed with simple plastic wrap.  This ensures that all the smoke vapor produced is contained within the bottle and exposed to the syrup.  You can fill the smoke to the level you want – just a little or right up to the top like we did.  Remove the tubing and tighten the plastic wrap or secure the bottle’s cap, and the flavor infusion begins.

Once the smoke is retained within the bottle, we gentle rotate the bottle, turning the liquid within so that it mixes with the smoke vapor.  Remember, the more smoke in the bottle, the stronger the flavor will be as you mix it in.  You can see how the amber color of the syrup darkens as it is combined with the smoke vapor.  That’s it!

Now, you can take this smoked maple syrup and use it in place of simple syrup for cocktails, add it to marinades and sauces for a balance of flavors that are unique.  We will be using this batch in a special maple glaze for pork (see our recipe blog for our recipe and technique).

Unlock your imagination and get smoking with SmokinLicious® and Gourmia®!

Purchase Products:

Wood Chips- Minuto®

Dr. Smoke- try this simple technique and make NOT JUST ANY MAPLE SYRUP- but Smoked Maple Syrup!!

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BBQ Shrimp Smoked with a Hand Held Smoker- Gourmia® Mini Smoker- Dr. Smoke

BBQ SHRIMP- INSTANT GRATIFICATION!

The Gourmia® Mini Smoker is the perfect equipment for those who want to infuse smoke flavor into raw and cooked foods, beverages, herbs, and spices.  Using SmokinLicious® Minuto® or Piccolo® Wood Chips ensures maximum flavor infusion from a clean, 100% bark-free hardwood.  Select from 8 hardwood species and combine woods for your own customized flavoring.

Minuto® Wood Chips and the Gourmia® unit.

We are going to show the versatility of cold smoke techniques by infusing smoke into some raw shrimp that have been marinated in BBQ sauce.  I’m using SmokinLicious® Sugar Maple Minuto® Chips in Size 8.  In addition to the smoker and chips, you will need to place your marinated shrimp in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or in a food storage bag, and a lighter. Get ready, for a fun, quick way to fabulous smoked BBQ shrimp, in an instant!

Tip-Using a bag and the smoker unit to infuse the flavor

So simple to do, cold smoke generators let you direct the smoke just where you want.  I’ve taken my uncooked shrimp and marinated them overnight in my favorite BBQ sauce.  Any sauce will do whether homemade or store bought.  I set up my Gourmia® Mini Smoker with Size 8 Minuto® Wood chips from SmokinLicious®, inserting the smoker’s tubing directly into my marinade bag.  I seal the bag around the tubing, turn on the smoker, and light the wood chips.  As soon as I see the smoke start to the fill the bag, I turn the smoker off, pull the tubing out, and seal the bag completely.

 You can leave the smoke sealed in the bag until you are ready to cook the shrimp.  Any method of cooking will do – in the pan, baked in the oven, on the grill – whatever your pleasure!  So much flavor you will think you just smoked for hours on a traditional smoker.  Unlock your imagination and get smoking with SmokinLicious® and Gourmia®!

Finished product- Yum! Delicious!

Purchase Products:

Wood Chips- Minuto®

Dr. Smoke

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