ABOUT WOOD SMOKE FLAVOUR
Using wood smoke to flavour your food is just like using any other natural ingredient. But these flavours evoke the unique taste of wood fired and flavoured dishes and an ancient cooking art which cannot be replicated with any other substance.
Choosing a wood depends on the food you are cooking. The depth of smoke flavour does vary across the various hardwoods and fruitwoods used in food smoking, from the more subtle tones of beech to a full blast of mesquite. Creating recipes, blending woods, going for a big smoky hit or just a hint of woody tones is all part of the food smoking adventure.
We’ll help you pair your recipe with just the right wood. Listed below are our woods according to strength and which foods they will complement.
SHOP WOODSLIGHT SMOKE
Choose a lighter smoke wood flavour for delicately flavoured foods such as trout, seafood, white meats, fruits and vegetables.
Our lighter smoking woods include Beech, Alder, Almond, Orange, Pear and Plum
MEDIUM SMOKE FLAVOUR
Select a wood with a medium, mellow smoke flavour for chicken, fish, pork, cheese and vegetables or tone down the smoke strength for stronger flavoured foods such as lamb and beef.
Choose from Apple, Apricot, Cherry and Maple for wonderfully mellow aromatic smoke flavour.
STRONG SMOKE FLAVOUR
Match a heavy smoke flavour to robust flavoured foods such as beef, lamb, game and oily fish such as salmon and mackerel. Or if you like your food really smoky, these are the flavours for you.
Choose from oak, cabernet oak, chestnut, whisky oak, hickory, mesquite and juniper.
1. COMPLEMENT Choose a wood to match the flavour strength of your food. Aim to complement rather than overpower to harmoniously blend with the natural flavour of your food.
2. LESS IS MORE Avoid over smoking. All you need is a handful of smoking chips or a couple of wood chunks and, as smoke flavour is most readily absorbed during the first part of the cooking process, don’t be tempted to add more throughout.
3. PROTECT Place your chips in a stainless steel smoker box or a foil pouch which can be placed directly on your heat source to protect and prolong smoke flavour.
4. SOAK TO PROTECT If adding wood chips directly to white hot coals, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes. This will prevent the wood from igniting before it can release its smoky flavours.
5. KEEP DRY Store woods in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Reseal bags after use. When using dust for cold smoking zap for a minute in the microwave before using if the dust has absorbed moisture.
6. KEEP IT PURE Always use pure hardwood or fruitwood smoking woods. You can use your own wood supplies, but make sure the wood is seasoned and avoid resinous softwoods, treated or engineered cut-offs which may be contaminated with oil,
7. EXPERIMENT Create your own bespoke wood blend, add whole crushed spices, dried citrus peel, tea or fragrant rice to wood chips for a more complex smoke flavour.
8. QUICK SMOKE For a super quick hot smoke effect, just spinkle chips onto your heat source in an open BBQ to lace steaks, burgers. grilled cheeses or vegetable with smokiness.