(Source: Janet Mullins, Extension Specialist for Nutrition and Health)
Warmer weather means spending more time outdoors; camping, cooking, gardening, hiking, and more. When cooking, smoky flavors are popular and have even found their way into cold foods like ice cream and craft cocktail ice cubes. Smoking meats is a centuries old practice that adds flavor, but also preserves the meat. Smoking vegetables, and even fruits, adds an unexpected flavor surprise. You can use a large outdoor smoker, grill, or small oven appliance to add smoked flavors. Large smokers can be quite expensive and are large, heavy appliances that require outdoor storage. The essential elements of the smoking process are wood chips soaked in a liquid and heated until smoking. The food is placed in the enclosed smoking space where it cooks and absorbs flavor. The heat source can be charcoal, gas, or electric.
There are ways to achieve a smoky flavor that don’t involve a laborious smoking process. A
liquid form of smoke flavoring has been available since the late 19th century. This “short cut” ingredient of condensed smoke is sometimes scorned and often used too liberally. There are “smoking gun” and other small appliances to infuse flavorful smoke into small batches of ingredients. Smoker bags, foil envelopes with wood chips, are available in hickory, mesquite, or even bourbon barrel varieties. The type of wood chips and liquid (like water or cider) help build the flavor profile.
Adding smoky flavors is a calorie free, but labor-intensive effort, so you’ll probably want to smoke in large quantities and then preserve your smoky treasure to use as an ingredient. Try smoked beets on a salad or smoky tomato juice in a soup to create a complex flavor combination. Make it a family affair with an outdoor gathering that feeds a crowd. Getting outside in warmer weather to cook, eat, and play is one of the joys of Summer.
For more information on smoking foods or recipes, contact your Extension Office at (502) 845-2811.
