Smoking was traditionally a method of preserving meat. It was also a way of taking what would be considered a bad cut of meat and using time, temperature and spices to tease out the magic within those gristly and tough cuts. This slow-cooking technique brings out flavours in a variety of meat cuts, such as pork ribs, chicken and other larger pieces. If done correctly, you will have a moist and delicious entree that will make your mouth water. If done improperly, you can dry out your main-dish meat into leathery jerky.
These tips will help you accomplish a barbecue feat with culinary finesse. Depending on what you are cooking, use wood that has low or high flavour profiles. In India, the wood that is available abundantly is casuarina and mango. At the Smoke Company, I have settled on mango wood as our choice of fuel. It has a light and sweet profile, burns evenly and slowly. Prepare meats ahead of time. Whether using marinades or dry rubs, make sure you treat the meat well ahead of the actual smoking time.
If you’re looking, you ain’t cooking. Meaning, once you put your meat into the smoker, DO NOT open the lid until the time required has passed. Keeping temperatures constant is a critical part of the process. Opening and closing lids brings down temperatures and you will end up with a sub standard product. Be patient.
Smoked Tofu with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce
INGREDIENTS
250 gm firm tofu, 50 gm dry shiitake mushrooms, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tbsp white pepper, a pinch five spice powder, 1 tbsp Chinese toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce, 1 tsp finely chopped garlic, 1 tsp finely chopped ginger, 2 fresh red chillies (sliced lengthwise), 1 cup vegetable stock
1 tbsp cooking oil
METHOD
Combine the soy sauce, chilli powder, five spice, sesame oil and pepper and mix well.
Coat tofu with marinade and leave for two hours. Soak Shiitake mushrooms in water.
Fire up your outdoor BBQ/grill with an even mix of charcoal and wood. Your grill should have a lid that closes over the cooking area. Weber grills are ideal for home smoking. Wait until the charcoal/wood is evenly burning and move all of it to one side of the grill, leaving one half of the grill with nothing underneath to create a smoking area with no direct heat underneath. The temperature evens out at approximately 140 degrees celsius in the cooking area. Place the tofu on the area of the grill with no coal/wood underneath. Brush grill with oil so the tofu does not stick. Reserve marinade.
Close the lid. Smoke for half-an-hour to 45 minutes. Check temperature at frequent intervals, add more charcoal or wood to keep temperature consistent. Transfer tofu to the hot area of the grill and baste with reserved marinade, turning constantly. Do this until the tofu is evenly coated with sauce and perfectly glazed. Drain shiitake mushrooms and chop coarsely.
In a saucepan, heat oil and brown garlic and ginger. Add vegetarian oyster sauce, shiitake mushrooms and stock, reduce to a thick sauce.
Add fresh chillies and pour sauce over smoked tofu. Serve with hot steamed rice.
Smoked BBQ Chicken
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken with skin (1.5 kg and above), 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp fine brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp French mustard or Kasundi, 2 cups The Smoke Company BBQ Sauce or any other.
METHOD
Smear entire chicken including cavity with mustard.
Combine pepper, cumin, coriander, chilli powder, garlic powder, salt and brown sugar to create a dry rub. Mix well and coat chicken evenly. Leave uncovered in the fridge for two to three hours or overnight.
Take chicken out of the fridge, cut down centre to butterfly it.
Fire up your outdoor BBQ/grill with a even mix of charcoal and wood. Wait until the charcoal/wood is evenly burning, move all to one side of the grill, leaving one half with nothing underneath it to create a smoking area. Once the temperature evens out at approximately 140 degrees celsius, place two halves of the chicken, skin side up on the area with no coal/wood underneath.
Close lid. Smoke chicken for approximately one hour per kilogram of chicken used. Check temperature at frequent intervals, add more charcoal or wood to keep temperature consistent.
After the required smoking time has passed, depending on the size and weight of the meat used, open the lid.
Transfer chicken to the hot area and baste with the BBQ sauce, turning constantly. Do this until the chicken is evenly coated with sauce and is perfectly glazed.
Serve hot with extra BBQ sauce on the side, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob.
Char Siu Smoked Pork Spare Ribs
INGREDIENTS
1 whole rack uncut pork spare ribs (approximately 1 kg), 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp Thai roasted chilli paste, 1 tbsp Sambal Oelek chilli paste, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp finely chopped garlic, 1 tsp finely chopped ginger, ½ tsp five spice powder, 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 2 tbsp liquid jaggery/palm sugar/brown sugar
Char Siu Smoked Pork Spare Ribs
METHOD
Stir ingredients into a thick marinade. Remove skin on the rack of ribs. Leave a layer of fat on the rack, approximately ½ inch thick.
Coat spare ribs in the marinade. Cover and keep for 12 hours or overnight.
Fire up the BBQ/grill with an even mix of charcoal and wood. Your grill should close over the cooking area. Wait until the charcoal/wood is evenly burning, move all to one side. Leave one half with nothing underneath to create a smoking area with no direct heat underneath.
Once the temperature evens out (140 degrees) celsius, place rack of ribs, skin side up on the area with no coal/wood underneath.
Reserve marinade.
Close lid. Smoke ribs for two hours or until tender. Check temperature at frequent intervals, add more charcoal or wood. Transfer rack to the hot area of the grill, baste with reserved marinade, turning constantly. Do this until the rack is evenly coated with the sauce, and perfectly glazed.
Serve with your choice of stir fried vegetables, light soy sauce and steamed rice.
— The writer is a Bengaluru-based chef who recently launched his exclusive smoked meat address which is at par with international flavours and cuts.
