August 2020


Smokinlicious® Grande Sapore-larger smoker wood chips are crushed to preserve the great moisture level to be released during the cooking process.

Smokinlicious® Grande Sapore-larger smoker wood chips or woood nuggets are crushed to preserve the great moisture level to be released during the cooking process.

A MESSAGE FROM DR. SMOKE on WOOD NUGGETS:

I want to thank everyone for their feedback and comments regarding “One Size Does Not Fit Everything!” There are so many smokers/grills on the market today, and we’ve always felt that one wood chip size does not fit every piece of equipment! Is the description “wafer”, nuggets, or chip size?? Users of the various equipment always seem to be trying to fit either an oversized piece or an undersized into unit to make it work! Just like when a recipe calls for a Tablespoon, you don’t add a cup. It’s the same concept with wood smoke flavoring of food!

So, after much research and work in the test kitchen, we, at SmokinLicious® will be welcoming new equipment at our facility to manufacture a variety of wood chip sizes. Our packages will begin to distinguish the following new concepts:

  • Wood Species
  • Sizing of the product
  • Fines Fraction
  • Bark Particles
  • Wetness (moisture) level
  • Ash level

Although we have been providing this customization to our wholesale customers for some time, we feel the time is right to make this information available to our internet/home user customers!

The first scheduled product will be the “SmokinLicious® “Wood Nuggets.” This product will consist of wood pieces approximately 30-35 mm by 15 mm, a perfect size when you want to add something other than a “double filet” chunk to the process but need something more than a small chip in order to avoid flare ups over hot coals. The Wood Nugget will have plenty of substance to produce excellent smoke vapor, the most vital element for infusing wood smoke flavor in foods.

This will allow the backyard barbecuer the means to set up the fire with a base hardwood for smoking and add something at the end to match- just like what commercial smokehouses do! Use your base hickory and add cherry nuggets to provide some great red hue to the end product!

At SmokinLicious®, we are constantly refining products and techniques for food smoking, grilling, ember fire and oven cooking. We will have a classification of products anticipated to be completed by the end of this year. We will introduce this array of wood cooking and smoking products over the internet by Spring 2015! As always, we welcome your comments and feedback!

Bon Bar B Que,

Dr. Smoke- Our nuggets is a cross-over cooking & smoking wood product.

Dr. Smoke- Our wood Nuggets offer the same superb Smokinlicious® flavor quality when your smoker or grill needs something bigger than chips but less that chunks.

For more related reading on this subject, check out these articles-

For more reading on cooking and smoking wood, check out these article:

Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Cooking Wood

Facts to Know Before Purchasing Cooking Wood

The Smokinlicious® Wood Guide

 

SmokinLicious® Log burns cleaner than Compressed Sawdust

SmokinLicious® Log burns cleaner than Compressed Sawdust

USING COMPRESSED SAWDUST-WHY NOT DO IT OUR WAY? LET’S COUNT THE REASONS!

I read a lot. It is the nature of a scientist. It doesn’t matter if it’s a plant molecular-biology journal article or a cooking/food magazine that is readily available on any newsstand. I love to read and analyze the content. So, when I came upon Bon Appétit’s “Best of 2016” list (September 2016 issue), I was drawn to #11 on the list: a reference to using compressed sawdust blocks for cooking.

Now, if you follow us on our Blog, Flipboard, or our social media platforms, you know our stand on wood used for cooking: no bark ever, only specific hardwoods known to be free of or minimally contain toxins that can accumulate in the human body, use of heartwood only in our manufacturing process, and moisture-rich products so we can control that variable for the specific cooking technique.

I certainly have knowledge of compressed sawdust products used in the heating industry for standard wood stoves and fireplaces, but I had never come across a reference to using them for cooking aside from the pellets commonly used in pellet-style smoker equipment, products that have been around for years. So why did the red flag come up when this reputable magazine referenced a renewable heat product? Because none of these compressed wood product manufacturers ever referenced using the product to cook with. In fact, most stress the use of caution for the intended use in fireplaces and wood stoves, stressing that the BTU level of the product is much higher than standard firewood or cordwood. But let’s take a look at a number of other factors you should weigh before considering these products for the cooking application.

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I want to thank everyone for their feedback and comments regarding the “one size does not fit everything”! There are so many smokers/grills on the market today, that we’ve always felt that one cooking wood or cooking wood chip size does not fit every piece of equipment! Is the description “wafer” our chip size?? Users of the various equipment always seem to be trying to fit either an oversized piece or and undersize piece into the unit to make it work! Just like when a recipe calls for a Tablespoon, you don’t add a cup. It’s the same concept with wood flavoring!

So, after much research and work in the test kitchen, we, at SmokinLicious® will be welcoming new equipment at a facility and begin to manufacture more variety with our cooking wood size. Our packages distinguish the following concepts:

Wood Species
Sizing of the product
Fines Fraction
Bark Particles
Wetness (moisture) level
Ash level

Although we have been providing this customization to our wholesale customers, we feel it is time to make this information available to our internet/home user customers!

The first scheduled product will be the “SmokinLicious® “Wood Nugget” This product will consist of pieces of wood approximately 30-35 mm by 15 mm, a perfect size when you want to add something other than a whole chunk to the process but need something more than a small chip in order to avoid flare-ups over the hot coals. The Wood Nugget will have substance and should produce excellent smoke.

This will allow the backyard barbequer the means to set up the fire with a base hardwood for smoking and add something at the end to match, just like the commercial smokehouses! Use your base hickory and add cherry nuggets to provide some great red hue to the end product!

While we a SmokinLicious® will never stop refining products for smoking, grilling, ember fire cooking, and oven cooking, we hope to have the classification of more products completed by the end of this year. We will introduce these over the internet and then the consumer packaged products by Spring 2015! As always, we welcome your comments and feedback!

Bon Bar B Que,

 

Dr. Smoke

Dr. Smoke- We make a variety of cooking wood chip sizes to accommodate the wide range of wood-fired grills and smokers.

Dr. Smoke- We make a variety of cooking wood size to accommodate the wide range of wood-fired grills and smokers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Related reading on the subject of specialized cooking wood size.

More Related reading on the topic of specialized cooking wood size, here’s a list for you:

Crushed & Diced

What Wood to Use for Smoking

Beyond Pricing: Top Things to Consider When Purchasing Cooking Wood

Fresh Fava Beans with Butter ready to become Grilled Fava Bean with a smoky flare!

Fresh Fava Beans with Butter ready to become Grilled Fava Bean with a smoky flare!

ODE TO GRILLED FAVA BEANS

listen to our blog

 

I love when the ideal weather comes around when at the same time there are so many options for fresh produce either at the Farmer’s Market or local grocery store. I tend to lean toward my grill and smoker for most of my cooking when the weather turns hot and steamy.

Beans are one of those vegetables that are spectacular on the grill but they get even better when you add a few wood chunks. I’ll show you how to prepare Fava Beans for the grill and give you my easy, fool-proof technique for incorporating wood chunks for flavor.

Grilled Fava Beans- The Grill Set Up

Before preparing the Fava beans, get the gas grill heated by turning on only half the grills’ burners which will be the side that radiates out the heat and holds the smoker box. For the smoker box, I’m using a stainless-steel model that has a hinged lid. I place 3 double filet wood chunks from SmokinLicious® in the box in a combination of woods. I’m using hickory, white oak and sugar maple to give me a great smoke balance to the beans. This will ensure I don’t overpower with the smoke vapor. By placing the smoker box with chunks on the grill grate as it preheats, it will be smoking by the time you have the beans ready.

Simple Bean Prep for Grilled Fava Beans

There is little to do with the Fava beans before they go on the grill. Wash them to start to make sure all the dirt and debris is removed. Pat dry with a paper towel and then move them to the cutting board. Remove any leaves and cut just the stem end to remove the stem. Place in a disposable foil pan, spread out evenly, and add roughly 6 tablespoons of butter to the beans, as well as salt and fresh ground pepper. That’s it. Leave the bean pods intact as they are going to act like a miniature steamer to cook the beans and ensure they don’t become over smoked.

The Grill Act

With the grill heated and the wood chunks smoking in the smoker box, place the pan of beans on the unlit side of the grill and close the cover. Check that your grill temperature steadies out at about 375°F. If lower, simply increase the heat setting on the active burners. Too high, decrease the heat setting. Leave the beans untouched for about 30 minutes. Return to the grill, stir the beans and check the wood chunks. If the chunks are still emitting smoke, close the grill lid and leave for an additional 10 minutes or so, or until fork tender. Remove the pan from the grill and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Grilled Fava Beans- Buttery, Smoky Finish

finished Fava beans with the smoky appearance to the outside podsAfter the beans have cooled enough to be handled, take each pod and push the beans out one end into a bowl. You may keep the empty pods to use for making broth or for puree in a sauce or smoothie. These Fava beans are now ready for you to enjoy as is or use in your favorite recipe. Now, I’m taking my Fava beans and making a dip with goat cheese, lemon and tarragon.

 

 

Purchase products:

Wood Chunks- Double Filet

More Related reading on "What Wood for Smoking" and other great smoking and grilling tips and techniques

More Related reading on “What Wood for Smoking” and other great smoking and grilling tips and techniques

Additional reading:

-STEPPING UP RADISH SALAD WITH A WOOD-FIRED FLARE

-WOOD GRILLING AVOCADO

-INFUSING WOOD SMOKE INTO BRUSSELS SPROUTS

You Can take your fresh Fava Beans and put them on the Grill with wood chunks to do a "Grilled Fava Beans" for your favorite dip or condiment!

You Can take your fresh Fava Beans and put them on the Grill with wood chunks to do a “Grilled Fava Beans” for your favorite dip or condiment!

Picture of beef cut with rosemary is a perfect picture for Kylee Harris's guest blog benefits of eating smoked meat

Benefits of eating smoked meat by Kylee Harris is a great read for our subscribers!

Guest blog- Kylee Harris on Benefit of Eating Smoked Meat

Listen to the audio of this blog

 

While smoking meat has been known to be a rather controversial cooking method, there may just be some benefits when eating it in moderation as part of a healthy and balanced diet. From being a great source of nutrition to offering a low-fat alternative to other meat cooking methods, smoking your meat may just become your favorite — if it isn’t already! No matter what kind of meat you prefer to smoke, the health benefits that can come along with it can make your favorite smoked meal a regular occurrence.

A Body-Building Source of Protein

Meat is well-known for being a great source of protein for those focused on body-building fitness goals, though smoking it has been known to be hazardous to your health when done in ways that allow harmful carcinogens into the food. However, one study shows that the amount of carcinogens in smoked meat depends on the smoking method used. For instance, some woods, like hickory can allow for fewer carcinogens as opposed to others like beech. For that reason, smoking meat with healthier options (like hickory) can reduce the number of carcinogens and allow you to reap the protein-packed benefits at the same time.

Through less-carcinogenic smoking options, you’ll be able to consume healthier prepared smoked meat, which can provide a great source of protein and energy. This is especially beneficial for people who are looking to stay in shape and build muscle in conjunction with other body-building supplements like Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, or SARMS, which are known to have limited side-effects. Overall, it’s quite possible that smoking your meat (in addition to a healthy diet and exercise regime) may have a huge payoff when it comes to the gym.

A Low-Fat Option

When many think of cooking their favorite meat dish, there’s no doubt that oils, fats, or other unhealthy additives play a part. For instance, frying chicken can involve excess greases.

However, smoking your meat can prove to be a great way to avoid these extra and unnecessary fats, bringing a more guilt-free alternative to the table over sauteeing or pan-frying it. The process of smoking the meat may even be able to reduce the fat that’s in the meat itself, by allowing it to drip out – thus decreasing the total fat content.

A Great Source of Nutrients

One of the greatest things about smoking meat is how it can provide essential nutrients to the body. For example, smoked fish is abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, which are known for lowering blood pressure and slowing down the process of plaque developing in the arteries. Many other smoked meats also provide a high content of iron as well, a vital mineral mainly found in red blood cells that plays a role in immune system function and even treating conditions like anemia.

While smoking your meat can be a flavorful way to cook it, it’s important to know that there may just be some health benefits involved. From being a great source of nutrients to being part of a healthy and balanced diet, smoking your meat with less carcinogenic wood can prove to be quite beneficial to your health.

More related reading on benefits of eating smoked meat see our smoking & Grilling tips and technique see our directory on previous blogs!

More related reading on benefits of eating smoked meat see our smoking & Grilling tips and technique see our directory on previous blogs!

Related readings:

-3 METHODS OF SMOKING BOSTON BUTT FOR AUTHENTIC BARBECUE FLAVOR

-WHY IS MY BARBECUE MEAT DRY??

-CUTS OF MEAT THAT GRILL & SMOKE WELL & PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE MEAL

-THE SCIENCE OF MEAT COLOR INCLUDING THE INFAMOUS SMOKE RING

Dr. Smoke-Kylee Harris's Benefits of eating Smoked meat is full of great information.

Dr. Smoke-Kylee Harris’s Benefits of Eating Smoked meat is full of great information.