Smoked foods are in style. Fish, meats, nuts and even smoked cheeses can be found on grocery store shelves. And at home, more and more Sunday smokers are making their debut by smoking food themselves. But you don’t need to have a state-of-the-art smokehouse and special skills to succeed in a smoking session. Want to give it a try? Here are the basics to know before you get started.
Why smoke foods?
The main reason: taste. Smoking is simply exposing a meat, fish or other food product to smoke so that it gives it a particular flavour. It’s possible to smoke almost everything, from small shrimp to ribs to pork shoulder, not to mention the infamous beef brisket, a smoker classic.
Devices for smoking
The question that’s burning on your lips (or keyboard): Can I smoke with my barbecue? The answer: Yes! You don’t absolutely need a smokehouse to be a successful smoker, and here are a few devices that can do it.
Gas BBQ: It is best to bring a smoke box, a metal container where wood chips are placed, and put it on the barbecue grill to diffuse the smoke. A super-simple method (but let’s face it, not the most effective), is to make a papillote of pierced aluminum foil where you put the chips.
Kamado Joe BBQ: This barbecue is made of thick porcelain and it also works with charcoal. It allows excellent temperature control thanks to a chimney where heat can escape. You will get a taste similar to that of the smokehouse and you can also use it as a traditional barbecue.
Smokehouse: If you are more serious in your approach to smoking, you could opt for a real smokehouse. They come in all ranges and prices. Most smokehouses run on charcoal and wood chips are added to produce smoke. They are often designed in a cylindrical shape and don’t take up a lot of space.
Smoking food on a gas BBQ in 3 steps
- Fill a smoke box or papillote made from pierced aluminum foil with wood chips of your choice. Place it on the barbecue grill.
- Smoke meat, seafood, fish or vegetables with good heat control. The temperature should be maintained at 275°F (135°C) and remain stable throughout cooking. As a gas barbecue is not completely airtight like a smokehouse, try to lift the lid as little as possible during cooking.
- Turn the meat halfway through or move it around the barbecue so that the cooking is equal on all surfaces.
Smoking takes time, and the larger the piece of meat, the longer the cooking will take, even up to a few hours. And as with any cooking technique, it takes practice to become a pro!
Hot smoking vs. cold smoking
It is possible to smoke hot or cold, but at home most devices only allow hot smoking, that is, food cooks and smokes at the same time.
Cold smoking does not cook the meat, strictly speaking; it is the smoke at very low temperature that allows you to preserve the meat without cooking it, as is the case with the smoked salmon that you put on your bagel. However, it is necessary to keep the temperature of the smokehouse very low and to have specialized equipment such as a smoke generator.
Chips that change everything
To change the taste of food, simply vary the wood varietal of the chips that are burned to produce smoke. Thus, apple or cherry wood will impart a sweeter and fruitier flavour, while mesquite or hickory wood will create more pronounced aromas.
Quick tip: liquid smoke
Do you know about liquid smoke? It is an aromatic obtained from the smoke of different wood varieties, infused in water. It is a good option to give a smoky taste to a recipe without even turning on the barbecue. It can be added to salad dressings, marinades or sauces. Go sparingly, though, as a few drops give a lot of taste.
You can try liquid smoke in Jean-Philippe Cyr's tofu skewer recipe.