Great British Food Christmas 2024

The Art of Smoking Create the ultimate sandwiches with theseDIY recipes from JenGoss and Scott Davis SMOK I NG 101 Hot smoking is when you expose food to smoke and heat simultaneously in a controlled environment, so it both cooks and smokes the food. Hot smoking uses temperatures ranging from 82°Cto 90°C(180°Fto 194°F) to allow the food to absorb the smoky flavours while it is being cooked. It is typically a quicker process than cold smoking. Before you smoke meat and fish you need to brine it and generally, we would use a wet brine before hot smoking. For the most basic hot smoke, you will need: Baking tray: a sturdy rectangular baking tray will work best. A roasting tin or cheap paella pan will also do the trick. Cooling rack: choose a cooling rack that fits neatly into the baking tray. Strong foil: go for extra thick/heavy duty aluminium foil if you can. The stronger, the better. Heat source: gas hob or enclosed barbecue. Meat thermometer: for hot smoking meat (as you are cooking it at the same time), you’ll want a reliable meat thermometer that accurately gauges the temperature of the meat as it cooks. Alternatively—for smoking enthusiasts—you can invest in a hot smoker. Cold smoking is a food preservation and flavouring method where food is exposed to smoke without heat. Unlike hot smoking, which cooks the food as it smokes, cold smoking occurs at temperatures between 10°Cand 25°C (50°Fand 77°F) which allows the food to absorb the smoky flavours without being cooked. The temperature is in the danger zone for bacteria to multiply, so only cured or brined products should be cold smoked. This is not the case for vegetables, fruit, dairy and nuts because they are not high-risk foods. For the most basic cold smoke, you will need: Cold smoker: a smoker can be any container that can maintain low temperatures and proper airflow, but it will require a ‘generator’ to create the smoke. We both use a ProQ smoker which costs around £120, but you can have a go at building one or repurposing an old fridge or even a cardboard box. Smoke generator: this is a small metal tray with a metal ‘coil’ that you put wood chippings and dust into. The heat from a tea light in the front corner causes the wood dust to smoke. We would recommend buying one of these as it’s a useful piece of kit and not too expensive (approx.£30) Both hot and cold smoking use the following: Wood (chunks, chips or dust): a local carpenter will often sell untreated hardwood chippings or bags of wood dust. Or you can order from online smoker retailers, such as ProQ Smokers in the UK. The size and type of wood you need will depend on what you are smoking. Tea leaves: Lapsang Souchong is our favourite black tea for adding bold flavours to smoked dishes. You can also use green tea, which adds a delicate fragrant flavour, or herbal tea, which infuses your smoked food with floral notes. Uncooked rice: this helps control temperature and prevents everything from burning too harshly. The ratio of rice to wood is 1:1. Add a handful of tea for extra flavour. Findoutmore... For further information on how to smoke food safely, as well as other delicious recipes, refer to Do Smoke: A modern guide to cooking and curing by Jen Goss & Scott Davis, published by Do Books. 37 greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com FEATURE | XXXX RECI PES | BBQ