|
|
Smoke makes many foods taste betterClassic smoking is actually slow-cooking at low temperatures, often in combination with a salt brine. This ancient method of preserving food is still used in many parts of the world, but in our lucky space on the globe these days we smoke food over a hot fire for flavor and texture not necessarily to keep it longer. Although foods can be cold-smoked, hot-smoking is quicker and assures moister food. Hot smoking--especially if the food is brined first--imparts a delicious flavor and aroma and it is easy to do. Any variety of prepared sausages can be smoked. Vegetables such as corn, okra, tomatoes, chiles and eggplant achieve intensely complex flavors when smoked. Of course, there is nothing quite so good as home-smoked fish unless it is home-smoked pork chops. Smoking at home can be done in an electric smoker, or using a stovetop wok, or in a kettle-style barbecue. Electric smoker: This is really a metal box with racks, a drip pan, a heating coil and a small pan to hold the wood-smoking chips sitting directly on the electric element. This method works well for all kinds of meats, fish and vegetables. Wok smoker: Here the food is cooked quickly at relatively high temperatures. You can do this in your own wok if it has a lid. Make a drip pan by using an aluminum foil pie pan or the bottom of a springform cake or pizza pan, aluminum foil and a small cooling or grilling rack. (See below.) How to do it: Place 1/3 cup dry wood smoking chips directly into bottom of a foil-lined wok. The drip pan comes next, followed by the rack. Cover the wok tightly with aluminum foil so that when fired up no smoke escapes. Then cover with the lid. Heat over medium-high heat. The chips will smolder for about 15 minutes. This is good for foods that cook quickly: fish fillets, oysters, nuts and other small, quick-cooking foods. Kettle style BBQ: In an outdoor covered barbecue smoking can be sustained for 1 to 1 1/2 hours so the method is good for whole fish, small game birds, sausages and vegetables. (See below.) How to do it: Make a fire of charcoal briquets then push them to the side of the grill and place a drip pan in the center. Place soaked, drained wood-smoking chips on top of the hot briquets, adding more as needed when the smoke begins to thin. (2 cups of chips will give you 30 minutes of smoking), and you may need extra charcoal. This method is best for large pieces of meat, chicken, game. Smoked Almonds These can be made using any of the three methods. Serve as snacks or in salads, chop to flavor cheeses or in dips. Be careful with the timing as over smoking will give a burnt, not a smoked flavor. Place whole unskinned almonds on a sheet of aluminum foil that has been pierced with holes to let the smoke circulate around the nuts. Stove-top: Smoke for 15 minutes. Electric smoker: Smoke for 1 hour Barbecue smoker: Smoke for 30 minutes. Smoked Trout Smoked fish is a delicious appetizer served with crackers, or make a spread, combining the flaked fish with a little cream cheese or sour cream. It is delicious in a green salad with red onions. 2 cups water
Mix together water, sugar, salt and pepper, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Put the trout in a glass or ceramic baking dish and pour the brine over them. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 10 hours. Remove fish from brine and place on the rack of an electric smoker or on the grill rack of a barbecue. Electric smoker: 4 hours, 2 pans of dry wood-smoking chips. Barbecue smoker: 1 hour, 4 cups soaked and drained wood-smoking chips. Smoked Chicken Apple Sauce Sausages work well with any of the three smoking methods. With the electric smoker, the sausages become golden brown and firm, less so using the other two methods, but in all cases the flavor is delicious. No brining or precooking is necessary. Eat as is or add to scrambled eggs, pasta, bean soups, lentils. 4 chicken apple sausages
Barbecue smoker: Smoke 15 minutes. Smoked Salsa This spicy, smoky salsa can be made using either the electric smoker or the barbecue method. The tomatoes and chiles retain their shape, but the skin splits for easy peeling, and the corn remains moist and tender. Serve with barbecued meats, grilled fish, or simply with chips. 2 tomatoes
Place tomatoes, corn and chiles on the rack of an electric smoker or rack of a grill made from a wok. Electric smoker: Smoke 1 hour using 1 panful of dry wood-smoking chips. Barbecue smoker: Smoke 1 hour using 4 cups soaked and drained wood-smoking chips, beginning with 2 cups and adding second 2 cups after 30 minutes. Remove the vegetables. Peel tomatoes and coarsely chop them. Peel, seed and mince the chiles. Using a sharp knife, slice the corn kernels cutting close to the cob. Place all of the vegetables in a bowl and add the cilantro. Season with salt, if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Sure does beat a bonfire and a long stick. 7/7/08 Date: 6/30/08
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2012. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
|
