Practical information from Dr. Smoke and SmokinLicious® covering grilling, smoking, live-fire cooking, and wood-fired cooking techniques. Browse the articles below or select an article to read the complete guide.
TRADITIONAL FAMILY RECIPES- MAKING A SOUTH AFRICAN CONNECTION
February 10, 2022
If you have been a follower of our blog, you’re likely aware that we often feature a Guest Blogger. It’s great to get other ideas on outdoor cooking, recipes, and tips on anything to...
Outdoor Kitchen- How to Create the Ultimate Version
May 26, 2021
Mike is part of the Content Marketing team and enjoys applying market insights to provide valuable content on all things real estate. Mike's dream home would be mid-century modern style near the water. As days...
SMOKING BOSTON BUTT- 3 METHODS FOR AUTHENTIC BARBECUE FLAVOR
May 22, 2021
This certainly is a clear example of how anyone can produce authentic barbecue on the equipment they have even if it’s not a traditional smoker. 3 Methods of Smoking Boston Butt- It should come as...
SMOKED PEARS PERFECTION!
February 8, 2021
SMOKED PEARS PERFECTION! , pears, everywhere! Why not try your hand with this easy method for smoked pears Depending on where you’re located, you’ll have at least a few varieties of pears to...
BBQ BOX SMOKER- GRILL ALL YEAR
January 5, 2021
We have all been in Tom’s position. We love grilling and smoking but prefer the warmer weather. For those of us in 4 season climates with below zero temperatures in winter and lots of snow,...
SMOKED CHESTNUTS
December 28, 2020
SMOKED CHESTNUTS ON A STOVETOP SMOKER! on where your located, chestnuts may only be available for a short period each year, usually around the holidays. Mostly pan roasted in the oven, why not do something...
SMOKING & GRILLING MISTAKES- 10 THINGS THAT RUIN YOUR EXPERIENCE
December 12, 2020
all had those moments when the food comes off the smoker or grill and we wonder, What went wrong?? Sometimes the event is so bad you want to swear off outdoor cooking for good because...
WOOD ROASTED ONIONS TO DIE FOR!
October 24, 2020
WOOD ROASTED ONIONS TO DIE FOR! e vegetable that is available throughout the year is the onion. Although you're likely accustomed to using this in recipes as an added natural flavor when you wood-fire...
COLD SMOKED CHEESE
October 23, 2020
THE EASY METHOD TO COLD SMOKED CHEESE The cooler season is here and that’s the perfect time to think about cold smoking techniques that bring special flavoring to heat sensitive items. First up for...
HOW TO FLAVOR YOUR PLANT-BASED BURGER!
October 2, 2020
What is a plant-based burger? There is no question that this has become the new rage. Plant-based burgers have been introduced not only to the grocery meat case in over 8000 locations but to thousands...
SMOKEY HUNGARIAN PEPPERS ON THE KETTLE GRILL!
September 30, 2020
love growing Hungarian wax peppers in my garden and then harvesting for recipes and freezing for future recipes. Hungarian wax pepper come in different levels of heat depending on the variety chosen. Mine are...
A SPICE FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT
September 20, 2020
A SPICE FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT: SMOKIN’ DUST® seems to be some legend out there that wood-fired cooking methods are all about the endless hours of tending food and fire that produce taste results that are...
GRILLED PEACH SALAD
September 5, 2020
GRILLED PEACH SALAD- THE PERFECT SALAD! you’ve been a follower of our recipes and techniques for a while, then you’re aware of our preference to grill, smoke, coal cook, and ember fire in-season produce. ...
Wood Nuggets for Cooking
August 29, 2020
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...
GRILLED FAVA BEANS- ODE TO A SMOKY TREAT!
August 15, 2020
ODE TO GRILLED FAVA BEANS 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. ...
DURING STAY AT HOME, DON’T QUARANTINE YOUR TASTE BUDS
June 17, 2020
Stay at Home You’ve committed to a stay at home or in today's lingo- stay-cation. Lists of games to play, tasks to complete, books to read, and movies and shows to see have been compiled. ...
MAKE THE MOST OF PREPARED FOODS DURING AN EMERGENCY
June 10, 2020
Make the Most of Prepared Foods During an Emergency: Bagged Boxed or Canned If you have one or more grills at your home then likely, without even knowing it, you have prepped for emergency situations. ...
SPATCHCOCK SMOKED TURKEY
June 3, 2020
Smoked Spatchcock Turkey Often when faced with cooking a whole turkey, you find the challenge of ensuring every part of the bird is cooked to temperature. This can result in some extra work in ensuring...
HOW LONG DO WOOD CHIPS LAST IN ELECTRIC SMOKERS
June 2, 2020
Without question, electric smokers are by far the easiest smokers to manage as they require no charcoal lighting, no constant checking of the fuel supply, and usually no messy ash pan. These are...
DRY SMOKED MEATS? OUR WAYS TO KEEP MOISTURE & FLAVOR
May 30, 2020
You thought you timed the meat perfectly on your smoker or grill. When it came time to cut it, all you found was a gray, dry former piece of meat staring back at...
TIPS ON INCLUDING THE GRILL IN STAYCATION PLANS
May 27, 2020
Including the Grill in Staycation Plans: The Grill The reports are in and all point to one common theory: people are likely to cancel previous plans to vacation away, especially those considering foreign travel, and...
THE WATER PAN IN SMOKER
May 15, 2020
If you’ve purchased a smoker, you’re likely familiar with the term “water pan”. If, however, you’re more of an LP/Gas Grill person, than this term is likely one that escapes your knowledge. Water pans...
HOW TO USE CHARCOAL WITH WOOD IN COOKING
May 10, 2020
The questions are quite frequent: “Since (the equipment) uses lump charcoal, do you need to add wood for smoke flavor?” “Do wood chips or chunks work best if they are needed or desired?” “Generally,...
WOOD EMBER COOKING!
May 3, 2020
THE GLOW OF WOOD EMBER COOKING! o what exactly is wood ember cooking and why is it suddenly gaining attention as a method of cooking? Well, first, it’s most certainly not a new cooking concept. ...
DOING THE HIBACHI WOOD GRILL WAY!
April 27, 2020
starts their grilling career on this convenient, inexpensive, small piece of equipment. But do we do it correctly? Let’s review the basics. First, this is for grilling over an open fire; it needs high...
SMOKER AIR FLOW IS YOUR TEMPERATURE CONTROL
April 17, 2020
SMOKER AIR FLOW IS YOUR TEMPERATURE CONTROL do you keep a charcoal grill at 200°F? How do you cool down a charcoal grill? Do you keep the vents open all the time? When it comes...
HOW TO KEEP FOOD INTERESTING, PRESERVED & SAFE DURING QUARANTINE
April 8, 2020
You may be one of the unlucky families faced with the task of social distancing or voluntary/involuntary quarantine. Without question, this will test the limits of each family member’s patience, flexibility, and cooperation. Not only...
WHY TWO-ZONE COOKING METHOD LET’S YOU WALK AWAY FROM THE GRILL
March 4, 2020
WHY TWO-ZONE COOKING METHOD LET’S YOU WALK AWAY FROM THE GRILL e all know that the key to easy and successful outdoor cooking is to control the temperature. I also believe that outdoor cooking...
SMOKEY SWEET POTATOES- ADDING A SMOKE COMPONENT
February 12, 2020
We introduced you to smoked potatoes some time ago giving you an easy method of smoking cubed potatoes . Now, we look at sweet potato, a very popular root vegetable that does particularly well...
COOKING ON A CHIMNEY STARTER- COAL FIRED CAULIFLOWER
January 22, 2020
COAL FIRE CAULIFLOWER BY COOKING ON A CHIMNEY STARTER cousin to broccoli, #cauliflower is one of those vegetables that can be eaten raw or cooked and converted to so many different textures. Best yet,...
WHY CHAR-WOOD IS THE BETTER OPTION OVER CHARCOAL
January 8, 2020
WHY CHAR-WOOD IS THE BETTER OPTION OVER CHARCOAL SUMMARY: Binchotan charcoal is made from the Japanese direct fire method of making charcoal with Kiln! Japanese charcoal making has been around for centuries and burns longer...
SMOKED HERBS FLAVORS WITH SMOKED HERB DUST
November 27, 2019
SMOKED HERBS FLAVORS WITH SMOKED HERB DUST make the mistake of thinking fresh herbs are to be used in dishes as, well, fresh only. Although you may have dried your fresh herb harvest before, we...
SMOKED RICOTTA CHEESE VIA A DIY STOVE TOP SMOKER!
November 6, 2019
Smoked Ricotta Cheese - I know not everyone has a dedicated stove top smoker but I do know that we all have a large stock pot handy. I’m going to show you an easy...
EMBER FIRED FRESH ZUCCHINI
September 25, 2019
EMBER FIRED ZUCCHINI How to cook your zucchini on hot coals. I love thick-skinned vegetables that come in season during Summer. They are the perfect items to light a fire and make some hot...
EASTERN ALDER
September 13, 2019
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE- EASTERN ALDER! As we highlight another hardwood from our offerings, we need to start by pointing out that we are referring to Eastern Alder not the better known Western Alder or...
SMOKY-GRILLED POTATO: OUR #1 CROP GETS NEW FLAVOR
September 11, 2019
SMOKY-GRILLED POTATO: OUR #1 CROP GETS A NEW FLAVOR TAKE-As the #1 crop in the world, available all year, potatoes are a favorite for a variety of reasons. Get the nutritional benefit of this...
WHY PEOPLE GRILL?
August 28, 2019
You may not be aware that every year a trade show is held usually in the month of March that is dedicated to all things related to fireplace, stove, heater, barbecue, and outdoor living appliances...
SMOKED BEEF SHANKS- “Over the Top!”
August 8, 2019
OVER THE TOP GRILLED & SMOKED BEEF SHANKS going to make a confession. I rarely select steak to grill anymore. The reason – there are just too many other options that I simply prefer. ...
Charwood Grilled Salmon- Hint of Smoky Flavor
July 18, 2019
Charwood Grilled Salmon Fillets for a Hint of Smoky Flavor By: Chef Calle, Resident Executive Chef Chef Calle here and thanks to SmokinLicious®, I’m going to offer an easy and palate-pleasing method...
CRUSHED AND DICED: A REFERENCE FOR WOOD AS WELL
July 17, 2019
You see the options all the time. Crushed or diced tomatoes? Every chef knows when and why you choose one over the other. Did you know the same concept is true for wood chips? At...
Rhubarb Smoked- TAKING TART TO THE SMOKEY SIDE!
July 3, 2019
Rhubarb Smoked - I will make a confession: I don’t like rhubarb, a spring to early summer perennial vegetable, on its own, likely due to the very tart flavor. I do, however, enjoy this vegetable...
Charcoal Grilled Asparagus
June 27, 2019
Charcoal Grilled Asparagus Guest Blogger Nothing in the vegetable word represents late spring-early summer than fresh local asparagus but the window for fresh local asparagus is a short one. The growing season...
JUST BECAUSE YOUR SMOKING FOOD (THAT IS!) DOESN’T MAKE IT ALL BAD!
June 26, 2019
JUST BECAUSE YOUR SMOKING FOOD (THAT IS!) DOESN’T MAKE IT ALL BAD! , I received a very interesting question regarding the safety of ingesting foods and beverages that have been exposed to smoke vapor using...
THE KITCHEN FIND- STOVE TOP SMOKING
June 13, 2019
THE KITCHEN FIND! STOVE TOP SMOKING.... If you’re like me, over the years you’ve become a collector of various cooking gadgets and equipment to the point where you simply don’t have room for one more...
PRIMARY HEAT SOURCES FOR GRILLING MEAT
June 5, 2019
PRIMARY HEAT SOURCES FOR GRILLING- We grill outdoors frequently yet I bet not many of you know the science behind grilling. What happens to food when we grill? How does food cook to a safe...
GRILLED WATERMELON
May 16, 2019
WOOD FIRED GRILLED WATERMELON BECOMES A STAR You may have seen segments on grilling watermelon before which show slices of watermelon on a standard gas grill. Although I agree that the heat generated...
BARBECUE BASICS- TEMPERATURE AND TIME!
May 8, 2019
It’s time I go there. I’ve fielded way too many questions to ignore it. Now is the perfect time for me to opine on this highly controversial topic: when it's called barbecue. How do you...
FOREST GROWN HARDWOODS
May 3, 2019
FOREST GROWN HARDWOODS It is likely when you have your heart set on some wood-fired cooked foods that you give little attention to the wood that will be required for that cooking event. You may...
Smoked Whiskey Cocktails- Sip ‘Em If You Got ‘Em!
April 24, 2019
Guest blog- Kylee Harris, an events planner and writer. There are over 550 annual barbeque competition events in the United States. Originally constrained to the Southern states, barbeque is now ubiquitous in most parts...
CHERRY SMOKING WOOD- PUT CHERRY ON IT!
April 16, 2019
introduced you first to the details on the ever-popular Sugar Maple hardwood but now let’s talk fruit wood, specifically, the forest grown cherry hardwood. (more…)
Tips for Safe Outdoor Cooking- 6 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY SEASON
April 11, 2019
Tips for Safe Outdoor Cooking- "6 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY SEASON" Everyone seems to be so much happier during the seasons that allow for outdoor cooking and entertaining. Whether it’s a planned cooking...
FIRE SETUP FOR COOKING- TYPES & TIPS
March 27, 2019
We are so lucky to have so many options for cooking our foods, not to mention the option to not cook at all! This got me thinking about the fact that we do rely...
FIRE COOKING- GOING BEYOND!
March 13, 2019
You’ve likely heard this phrase before whether as a child, adult or at intervals of both. “Fire is meant to be respected.” I’m going to go one step further. Fire should not only be...
Smoked Okra by Charcoal, Grill or Stove
February 20, 2019
It’s time to bring a smoky flavor to one of my favorite though limited in availability, vegetables – smoked okra! Known as a super healthy food but one that sometimes confuses people on how to...
SMOKED TURKEY- NOT-SO-SMOKEY!
December 19, 2018
is one of those items that is generally made for a special event – Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year – and not associated with everyday cooking. I’m here to tell you that it’s easy to enjoy...
FOR CERAMIC SMOKERS AND KAMADO GRILLS- “MATCH YOUR COOKER” WOOD MASTER’S GUIDE
October 10, 2018
For those that have followed us for years, you know we are proud that almost from the start of our Company, we were committed to providing a guide for equipment to culinary wood product...
“MUST HAVE” GAS GRILL TOOLS
September 19, 2018
GAS GRILL TOOLS is no question that LP/Gas grills have changed tremendously over the past 10 years and now include some features standard that for many years, were options. Then there...
TOP 10 TIPS FOR GRILLING SAFETY
July 11, 2018
TOP 10 TIPS FOR GRILLING SAFETY We all love the time of year when we can abandon the indoor kitchen and head out to the grill for open air breathing, relaxing, and some great food. ...
Outdoor kitchen location tips
July 3, 2018
Outdoor kitchen location tips Guest Blog – Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens Outdoor Kitchen Location Tips by Phil Zaleon When you are going through the steps of installing an outdoor kitchen, you’ll quickly find that deciding...
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT – APPLIES TO WOOD COOKING
May 30, 2018
‘YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT’ APPLIES TO WOOD COOKING Summary of You Are What you Eat Healthy eating recipes, eat smart with Bark free cooking wood, cooking wood as a food ingredient is a clean...
ELECTRIC SMOKER- HOW TO FROM ELECTRIC SMOKER GUY
May 9, 2018
Electric-Smoker Guy Guest blogger HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST ELECTRIC SMOKER Summary: Tips from the Electric-Smoker Guy about electric smokers, reviews and how to choose the best unit. Read this and his blog to guide...
IT’S A MATTER OF PRIORITY! DON’T PUT US LAST!
December 30, 2016
DON’T PUT CULINARY QUALITY WOOD LAST! ase Notes: A restaurant is preparing to open in a new location and made the decision to invest in an Italian made pizza oven that has an option for...
