Slow smoked pork shanks over lettuce and homegrown backyard broccoli flowers.
Summer is here! Slow Smoking on the BBQ: Why and How-To!
Every year, as soon as the weather gets nice (which is both subjective, and roughly year round for us in the beautiful Bay Area) my husband Eric fires up our Weber coal BBQ and goes to town! Sometime last year, Eric mastered the art of slow smoking, and we have now found my favorite way to cook food. This really simple technique is a fan favorite in our house, and we'd like to walk you through how it's done. Please note that this is for use on coal BBQ's. If you have a gas BBQ, you can purchase a smoke box for a similar effect. Or better yet, you can purchase a coal BBQ for best taste. :)
We find that since the meat we get in our CSA box is of such incredible taste and quality, that very little is needed to be done prior to smoking it. We really like to have the meat speak for itself. Season ahead of time with a dry rub of your choice. There are a variety of seasoned salts available in the farmstore that are great for this purpose, such as French Herb, Rosemary, and Garlic. We also like a seasoning from Trader Joe's called 21 Seasoning Salute.
In his own words, here's how the Master gets it done :)
Slow Smoking - Why and How-To:
WHY
1) Great INTERNAL Moisture. "Low and Slow" means exterior doesn't burn while bringing internal temp up.
2) Fantastic Color. "Smoke Ring" just inside outer surface.
3) TASTES AMAZING. Rub or marinade permeates COMPLETELY. Because internal moisture is still present, all of the juices add to the flavor, so you really taste the meat.
4) It makes your neighbors insanely jealous, and makes your whole neighborhood smell UH-MAZING!
HOW-TO
In order to achieve good "smoking" conditions, you need two things. WOOD CHIPS and *INDIRECT* heat. The wood is important as it actually creates the smoke. Not all wood is equal, also. I prefer mesquite for chicken and either apple or pecan for pork. (I don't really have a wood preference for smoking beef, yet). I soak several handfuls of wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes and try to use large chunks. I put these directly on the hot coals and replenish them when the smoke dies down.
Equally (if not more) important is the indirect heat. If you put the meat right over the coals, it will cook quickly and unevenly and the results will not be positive. I make sure to keep the meat as far from the heat as I can. I keep this in mind when I lay out the coals. For pork, I use a "two-zone" arrangement with all of the coals only on one side of the BBQ. Then I put a metal pie tin half-full of water on the other side under the meat. The water helps keep the air moist, which in turn keeps the meat moist. The tin also catches the drippings which helps extend the life of the grill. I do the same with quartered chicken.
For whole chickens, I set up the coals in a "Ring of Fire". I dump the coals around the outer edge, adding some new coals to help fill all of the ring. I add the same half-full pie tin to the center and put the bird above it. The ring helps ensure equal heat all around the bird. I also use an open, half full beer can to stand her upright. (Technically, I use a stainless steel facsimile to avoid aluminum and dye, but you get the point.)
Keep the lid covered as much as possible to avoid losing that precious smoke!
For grilling those scrumptious fresh veggies, I tend to put them right over the coals as the meat is coming close to done. The goal is to cook them quickly and efficiently. They have different properties and can handle it.
QUICK NOTES:
1) As always, grass fed/pastured meat cooks faster than corn fed meat. If you expect it to take an hour, assume it will be ready in 45 minutes.
2) Digital thermometers are your friend.
3) Practice often! (And have fun!)
Enjoy! Your lovely farmhands, Alexis and Eric Distad.
Alexis getting down on some smoked pork skin! Believe me, it was incredible!
