Get your seasonings smokin’
The more time you spend with your smoker, the more you realize its potential to add flavor to other foods. Too often, we focus just on meats, when the reality is that smoke can enhance virtually any component of a dish.
Danielle Bennett, a noted barbecue authority, cookbook author and television personality, keeps a supply of smoked garlic on hand.
“It’s one of those things that you wouldn’t necessarily think of but is a huge game changer because it’s tasty, easy to make, and there are just so many recipes that require garlic,” Bennett said. “You can really smoke anything, and there’s a good chance your recipe will benefit from it.”
Smoked garlic is great in an aioli for a burger or sandwich spread, or chopped and added to any dish.
To smoke garlic, use whole bulbs — the bigger the better. Cut off the top third of the bulb, exposing the cloves, and paint those with a layer of olive oil.
Get your smoker going to about 200 degrees with your preferred wood, add the garlic and cook for about two hours. The exposed garlic will take on a brownish color and soften to the point that it is squeezable and easily removed from the shell.
Smoked garlic takes on a much sweeter flavor than raw garlic. You can freeze or refrigerate it for weeks, and it will keep the softness and smoky flavor.
But to Bennett’s point, all sorts of ingredients could benefit from some time in a smoky bath of flavor. Here are some of my favorites:
Black pepper
Smoke whole black peppercorns and then grind them as needed to season meat or anything else where you want a hint of smoke. Grinding will release those smoke aromas, and I still can smell the smoke in a huge batch I smoked more than a year ago.
Butter
Yes, this one is a little weird, but it works. Place butter in an aluminum pan before putting it in the smoker because unless you are smoking at a really cold level, sticks of butter will melt. But it will firm up again in the refrigerator. My favorite use for smoked butter is to jazz up basic toast or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Chiles
Those bags of dried ancho chiles and other varieties at the grocery store need only about an hour in smoker to get a little smoky razzle-dazzle. Toss them in a blender and add a little moisture to turn your finishing sauce, marinade or house salsa into the star of the show.
Nuts
The fat and oils embedded in nuts allows the smoke to stick like elementary school paste to construction paper. Go ahead, indulge and eat a few handfuls while they are hot before using them for whatever other food project is on your radar, from pecan pie to cocktail hour.
Salt
Smoked kosher and sea salts are a regular ingredient in my kitchen, and I use them for anything that doesn’t fall under the realm of baked goods or sweets. The salt will take on a brownish texture if cooked at too high of a temperature, but it’s coarse enough that it won’t melt under the elements like a snowman.
Place salt on a pan and smoke it for about two hours, stirring occasionally. The scent and taste will stay with it for months.