Smoked Foods

[BriTer]

Just gave our grill a once over and looks like our smoker/grill experiments will be on hold for a while. Previous owner welded an extension on the venturi tubes. REALLY hoky looking weld job (stainless) and I see burn marks inside the cover box for that connection. Looks scary. Got a new 'H' burner I never used but that won't help,weld is on the control side
Took a closer look and they are aluminum (refrigeration tube). I now have less faith in the weld than I did lol

[grammafreddy]

Oh no! I was having fun watching you cook!

Is it fixable?

[BriTer]

I'll look around for something that needs a burner(usually free) and switch parts around.

[BriTer]

Our BBQ grill is down and out for the time being ending our smoke experiments for a while and so I started looking at different woods used for smoking foods.
Having come from quite a number of different sources the list is extensive and includes things I would not have considered or just wasn't aware of being new to smoked foods, for example using cane fruit woods like raspberry or blackberry. Before I go any further though, note that I say 'smoked foods' rather than 'smoked meats.' As varied as the woods are that are used to create a desired smoke (and create is precise in definition for some smoker enthuisasts) the list of things that can be smoked is even more so. How about smoked pickled eggs? Or just smoked hard boiled eggs. Preserves! Smoked relishes and mustards? Smoked Chow Chow or ketchup, BBQ sauce? Your very own and unique smoked chipotle! Smoked rice and other grains, your very own brand of smoked tea!
Our neighbors smoked medium cheddar cheese using mesquite, something that usually isn't done considering the mild taste of that cheese and the what can be described as overpowering flavor mesquite imparts to foods. They found the taste not to their liking and gave it to us. It was an end product that might have been discarded by some but holy smoked guacamole!! We used it in dishes like mac and cheese, chile burgers and even in a simple mushroom and cheese omelette. I tell ya, that was the most delicious cheese and mushroom omelette we have ever had.
It may appear that I've gone off on a tangent but I haven't. The reason I've mentioned the different types of food items that can be smoked is simple. What food you smoke may dictate what you use as a smoke source. Furthermore, what smoke you use may also be dictated by what appliance you are using. Look at our simplified example of mesquite smoked cheddar. Way too strong for most tastes but a knock out as an ingredient in other recipes.
Smoked banannas=smoked bananna cake! So now that I have gone completely banannas, on to woods et al...

[BriTer]

Acacia Quite similar to mesquite but not as strong. Because it burns very hot you might want to use it in small amounts or for shorter smoking times.

Alder Lightly flavored, goes well with fish and poultry. Easily found in the northwest, a traditional wood for smoking Salmon. Light in flavor and sweetness, so good for light meat game birds.

Almond Similar to Pecan, nutty and sweet, good for most meats.

Apple Very mild and sweet. Great on poultry and pork. It can turn chicken skin dark brown but I've used it on skinless chicken breasts and they turned out a golden brown. One of the more popular woods for smoking.

Apricot Similar to hickory but sweeter and milder in flavor.

Ash Burns fast, a light and unique flavor.

Bay A touch of cinammon and spice

Birch A flavor very similar to maple but not as hard a wood.

Blackberry Results are similar to fruitwoods but a bit milder and a little less sweeter flavor.

Black Walnut Heavy flavored and an ideal choice to use with other woods. It can give a bitter taste.

Beech A hardwood that has a flavor similar to oak and a variety of other hardwoods. A mild and delicate taste.

Birch has a similar flavor to maple, great with pork and poultry.

Butternut Another strong flavor best used with other woods and can be bitter alone.

Cedar It is said not to use any of the conifers. Don't tell anyone that likes their planked salmon that though!!

Cherry Fruity, sweet and mild, good on just about anything. One of the most popular woods for smoking.

Chestnut Nutty and a touch of sweet.

Chokecherry Bitter, use in small amounts for short period of times.

Corncob Usually used granulated and can be used on it's own or when used in combos with fruitwoods can add a number of distinct tastes. Sweet but can be overpowering if you use too much. This makes it an ideal choice for use with other woods. Great on poultry, fish and small game birds.

Cottonwood A very mild flavor that might get lost on strong flavored foods. One to avoid when green.

Crabapple Can be used instead of apple as it is very similar in flavor.

Crepe myrtle, Crepe, or Banaba bush. Not a lot of info on it other than "don't chance it" but found one reference saying it is good with pork and quail. ummmmmm....?

Crown Royal Yup, THE Crown Royal. Only time I've seen this was from Bradley as bisquettes.

Dried sheep dung I KNOW it isn't wood, I've stepped in some!! Apparently it is used a lot in Iceland for cold smoking fish, lamb, mutton and whale. Apparently the taste is 'unique' and strong flavored.

Eucalyptus I read somewhere that it shouldn't be used as it attracts koala bears : /

Fig Similar to Mulberry in that it is mild and fruity.

Grapefruit A nice mild smokey taste good on most meats.

Grapevines Will give a tart, fruity smoke that can be heavy so you might want to use just a little or with other woods. Best on poultry, red meats or game but suggested not on lamb or fish. Gives lots of smoke

Guava Another that is similar to apple, flowery and fruity.

Hickory Said to add a strong flavor to meats, so be careful when using. I've used it on a variety of meats and wasn't overpowering at all. A very popular smoke wood regardless. Should be seasoned at least 6 months.

Jack Daniels Chips Strong, sweet, tangy and aromatic.

Kiawe Native to Hawaii and similar to mesquite. Added this one just as a point of interest. Unless you live in Hawaii

Lemon Mild with a good flavor and can be used on most meats. A touch of citrus fruitiness.

Lilac Lots of mild, sweet smoke popular for smoked cheese but also good for poultry and pork, seafood and lamb.Light and subtle.

Lime As with lemon, mild with a good flavor and can be used on most meats. A touch of citrus fruitiness.

Manuka or Tea Tree Native to New Zealand and parts of Australia, the sawdust is used for smoking fish.

Maple A sweet and mellow flavor. Great for pretty much anything. Very, very nice!

Mesquite The first wood we and the neighbors experimented with. Probably the strongest flavored smoke so you may not want to use it on foods that have a delicate flavor. It all depends on what you're shooting for.

Mulberry Sweet and similar to apple. Lots of sap, might be best at about 18 months seasoned.

Nectarine Similar to hickory but sweeter and milder.

Oak A strong but not overpowering smoke very popular for just about anything.

Olive Another that is similar to mesquite but considerably milder in taste.

Orange Mild smoky flavor good for pretty much any meats.

Peach Another that is similar to hickory but sweeter and milder.

Pear Similar to apple, sweet and mild.

Persimmon A medium taste that goes great with beef, pork and poultry.

Pecan Doesn't burn hot, similar to hickory but much more delicate and milder. A very nice one for smoking.

Plum Similar to hickory but sweeter and milder.

Pimento I'd love to play with this one but it isn't readily available in our area. Peppery and said to be similar in taste to allspice.

Walnut Can be bitter if used alone. Heavy flavored,might be best mixed with milder flavored woods like pear or apple.

Whiskey Wood from whiskey barrels available from some distillers I'm told. Same goes for...

Wine I really should look into this for availability. Lots of wineries out here.

Smoking foods isn't the sole domain of wood.Try dried pineapple cuttings With oak you might want to try Italian seasoning, Oriental seasoning or your own choice of herbs and/or spices. Tea and camphor leaves are used in some Asian style smoking. There is no end to what can be used. Different cultures around the world have different customs and a lot of what they use are worth looking into. A lot of the woods mentioned are noted as being great for whatever meats but we all know pretty much anything can be smoked.

[BriTer]

For anyone running a Bradley smoker...if you aren't familiar with Fuel Pro on Industrial in Kelowna you might want to check them out. Their variety of 'pucks' is much more extensive than Canadian Tire and price is comparable. Off the top of my head I recall seeing pecan, alder, cherry, apple, mesquite, Jim Beam, Crown Royal... and I think there are a few more. Well worth the visit. They also carry a few of the curing rubs. Lots of Bradley items there and also Coleman etc.

[Bsuds]

Also when they fill your Propane tanks you only pay for the amount they put in not a flat rate like everywhere else.

[BriTer]

'suds, have you tried their Gopher Guts sauce??

[BriTer]

Found this on the BBQ's Galore site. So many captions come to mind but I'm still too busy looking at the pic to think of one.

[Bsuds]

'suds, have you tried their Gopher Guts sauce??

Sounds too much like something Mrs Suds would make!

[strwbrrydvl]

Boy, yer gunna need a bigga barbie-coo!

[BriTer]

"To check for doneness insert the thermometer into the meat at it's thickest point"

[BriTer]

Picked up a small BBQ grill today best suited to camping but until we can find something larger...I can't wait any longer!!!
Picked up some chicken today from OK Poultry Processing and got one sitting in a marinade of Hot Southern/Cajun BBQ sauce diluted with cider vinegar. Lordy that's a tasty BBQ sauce! Should be nicely flavored by the time we smoke it tomorrow. This will be hickory smoked maybe 3 hours at 225F.

Going to apply a rub over and under the skin, my own version of a 8:3:1:1 mix. Where you would normally find 3 tablespoons of kosher salt I've taken it out completely and replaced it with 3 spices. Here it is:

8 tablespoons light brown sugar tightly packed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Hope it works well, first time trying it. Sound good??

[BriTer]

Just found out that free BBQ/Smoker grills are available at a number of the big box stores and supermarkets.
This is an unadvertised offer.
Some of the participating merchants are:
Wal*Mart
Superstore
Rona
Safeway
Cooper's
London Drugs
Saveon
Canadian Tire

For availability I suggest you call before picking them up as the
popularity of this offer is spreading fast.

[Bsuds]

Preferably one without the plastic coating.