I've outed myself as someone who likes kitchen gadgets. But this came from something approaching a need...
When I was married (to someone who drove), we'd go off to the local smokery every now and then, and buy what they had. Chicken; duck; fish... The chicken was particularly good...
Then there was a shop in town which sold the same smokery's chicken - it's a bank now. There's another farm shop in town which sells smoked chicken from somewhere else - and I bought some and it was... not good. Rubbery, oversmoked, disappointing.
Just before last birthday, I found about about home smokers; and just after last birthday, I pooled the Amazon gift tokens and bought one. It's about 30cm by 20cm, and accommodates a couple of chops, or breasts of things, or legs of things, comfortably. Larger sizes are available. It makes smoked chicken and duck better than the smokery, because it avoides the post-production vac-packing/chilling/reheating. It will also turn bog-standard sausages into something that tastes artisanal. Before rushing out and buying one though - if you are a sensible person with a smoke alarm you can't readily turn off, not one for you. Unless you have a barbecue or a camping stove you can set up outside.
Just before Christmas, I went to al-Amin in Cambridge (and seriously, I'd advise it if you haven't been and you're local. Good people, good ethics and really near the station. Having said that - worth phoning to see if they're open as that link seems to suggest they're online-only at the moment. Given the care they were taking of their staff a couple of weeks ago, wouldn't be surprised) and bought some almonds for smoking for New Year. Which didn't happen (the smoking, not New Year, obviously...)
I had maple and mesquite smoking chips; you only need a tablespoon for each smoke so they last a long time. I hadn't tried the mesquite; or the smoking of nuts; so why not combine two unknowns. Nuts, tablespoon of olive oil drizzled over, smoke by turning on the gas, and then turning it right down when wisps of smoke emerge from the lid.
Gave it 4 lots x 5 mins smoking, with a stir in between each. End result: maybe a tad oversmoked but delicious with the additional of salt...
Aware I've only posted once this week. Cooking has been going on, but so have other things... Hope you're all OK.
When I was married (to someone who drove), we'd go off to the local smokery every now and then, and buy what they had. Chicken; duck; fish... The chicken was particularly good...
Then there was a shop in town which sold the same smokery's chicken - it's a bank now. There's another farm shop in town which sells smoked chicken from somewhere else - and I bought some and it was... not good. Rubbery, oversmoked, disappointing.
Just before last birthday, I found about about home smokers; and just after last birthday, I pooled the Amazon gift tokens and bought one. It's about 30cm by 20cm, and accommodates a couple of chops, or breasts of things, or legs of things, comfortably. Larger sizes are available. It makes smoked chicken and duck better than the smokery, because it avoides the post-production vac-packing/chilling/reheating. It will also turn bog-standard sausages into something that tastes artisanal. Before rushing out and buying one though - if you are a sensible person with a smoke alarm you can't readily turn off, not one for you. Unless you have a barbecue or a camping stove you can set up outside.
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| Base with room for smoking chips; smaller drip tray; rack; all removable for washing. |
I had maple and mesquite smoking chips; you only need a tablespoon for each smoke so they last a long time. I hadn't tried the mesquite; or the smoking of nuts; so why not combine two unknowns. Nuts, tablespoon of olive oil drizzled over, smoke by turning on the gas, and then turning it right down when wisps of smoke emerge from the lid.
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| 200g almonds on the 18 x 13cm tray I found at John Lewis... |
Gave it 4 lots x 5 mins smoking, with a stir in between each. End result: maybe a tad oversmoked but delicious with the additional of salt...
Aware I've only posted once this week. Cooking has been going on, but so have other things... Hope you're all OK.
Ooh, this fun. (I also love a gadget.) Can’t turn the smoke alarms off, so this would be a test for the extractor fan...
ReplyDeleteOh yes, fun with gadgets. I had a manager once who smoked his own salmon and used to bring it in with cream cheese and crackers. He was a popular guy!
ReplyDelete