Smokin' Foods
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-545 -- More Projects »
 |
Smokers are available anywhere grills are sold.
|
|
Barbecue expert Charlie Theros provides tips on cooking up wonderful smoked foods.
- Smoking foods requires a container to hold in the smoke, a source of smoke, and of course, a meat or vegetable to smoke. A smoker can be anything from a hole in the ground to a $2,000 smoker.
A kettle grill can be used to smoke foods. Place the charcoal around the sides of the grill and a pan of water in the center to produce steam (figure A). Soak some wood chips in water for about 15 minutes and throw them on top of the coals to produce fragrant clouds of smoke. Larger pieces of wood can be tossed on without being soaked.Hardwoods such as hickory, oak and apple are typically used for the source of smoke. Smoking developed as a way to turn cuts of meats that didn't come out well when cooked with other methods into tender, flavorful delights.What to smoke is purely a matter of taste and is up to the cook. Anything from nuts to cheese to steaks can be enhanced with a flavorful dose of smoke.
Squash and pecans can also be smoked. Cut a squash in half and place cut side down on the grill (figure B). Place pecans on an aluminum foil tray, toss with one teaspoon of olive oil and put in the smoker.Another option is wood dust, which is available in a variety of flavors. Fashion a small tray with aluminum foil, spread the dust on the tray and wrap into a cylinder, leaving the ends open. These can also be used to add smoke flavoring in the oven. To smoke garlic, cut off the top 1/3 of the bulb, place it on an aluminum-foil tray and smoke for about 90 minutes.Even salt benefits from some time in the smoker. Smoked kosher salt adds a light smoky taste to foods.For best results, keep the internal temperature of a smoker is between 200 and 250 degrees.
Guests Charlie Theros
Co-owner, Rudolphs Bar-B-Que
1933 Lyndale Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612-871-8969
Fax: 612-871-8165
E-mail:
info@rudolphsribs.com
Website:
www.rudolphsribs.com
Also in this Episode
