BBQ Techniques

ProQ Excel 20

There are 2 types of smoking, Hot and Cold. These processes are 2 completely different methods for preparing food. Hot smoking cooks the food, whilst Cold smoking is a part of the process designed to cure food that will, in most cases, be cooked at a later stage. No one can be sure of when it all started, but it was probably discovered, by accident, sometime during the Stone Age. In the case of Hot Smoking, you can imagine a group of hunters bringing meat back to their cave and hanging it above the fire they used for warmth. Cold Smoking/ Curing may have been discovered in this manner... picture freshly caught sea fish, being filleted on site and then left to soak in a rock pool for a few hours, before being returned to the cave where it was hung further away from the fire, possibly nearer to the roof, where the smoke gathered. In both scenarios, man might have been pleased with the resulting flavour (he may even have been given a hearty smack on the back, known as a pat, from the people sharing the meal, to show their approval). He may have also noticed, in the case of the fish, that the food lasted a lot longer, without spoiling. As with most men, he more than likely got impatient, whilst waiting for his meal and ended up by first moving the meat closer to the fire (Barbecuing) and finally, by throwing meat directly onto the fire (Grilling).

Cold Smoking

Cold smoking is used for foods such as Cheese, fish, sausages and vegetables. Most foods will need to be cooked after the cold smoking process, before they can be eaten. This rule does not apply to cheese or in some cases Salmon. For hints and tips, plus step by step instructions on cold smoking salmon and cheese, go to this PAGE.

Cold smoking is a process that not only adds flavour, but also aids in curing certain foods, when used in conjunction with traditional curing methods. Cold smoking is usually done at temperatures below 90°F (32°C). This means that you must keep an eye on the temperature in your smoking chamber, as if it rises above 90°F (32°C), this may cause bacteria in the food to multiply rapidly, making the food unsafe to eat (poisonous). So do not try to cold smoke on a hot summer's day.
For some meats, such as fish or seafood, a brine is used before the food is smoked. A brine is usually a water, salt and sugar solution.

We suggest using the ProQ™ Cold Smoke Generator, which will produce clean, cold smoke for up to 10 hours. If you don't have one yet, please follow the instuctions below:

Get 4 or 5 charcoal briquettes going in a chimney starter, once they have a grey appearance, place them in the fire bowl (you won’t need the charcoal basket for this type of smoking).

Cover the briquettes with wood dust (a cupful should do it), this will allow the wood to smolder, plus reduce the heat given off by the briquettes. Like this, it should produce smoke for about 1 hour.

Place the water pan in its usual position, just above the fire and either fill with water or leave dry, this will depend on the ambient temperature, as you may need cold water to help keep the temperature inside the unit down below 30 °C (85 °F).

Place the food on the cooking racks and put the lid on (do not close the lid vent, it must remain fully open).

With cold smoking, it is important to monitor the temperature inside the unit at all times, we suggest using a digital thermometer for this. Cooking times will vary greatly depending on what food you are cold smoking, for instance, cheese will only take an hour or 2, whereas side of salmon may take 10 – 12 hours. Meat such as ham will take several days.

Grilling

You will only need the base unit and one of the grills.
Get the charcoal going in the charcoal basket, remember, the charcoal is only ready to cook on once it has no more "black bits" visible.
Place the grill on the brackets just inside the lip of the base and away you go!

Roasting

You will need the base, the cooking chamber, the water pan and the lid.
Get the charcoal going in the charcoal basket, remember, the charcoal is only ready to cook on once it has no more "black bits" visible.
Put water in the water pan, you can add beer, wine or some herbs of your choice.
Place the food on the grill, just above the water pan.
Place the lid onto the cooking chamber, sit back and enjoy the party.

Hot Smoking

Set up the unit exactly as if you are going to roast, the only difference is that you will be adding some wood chips, chunks or dust to create smoke at some stage of the process.
The amount and type of wood added will determine the amount and type of smokey flavour, as each variety of wood, imparts a different taste to the food. Be a devil, and don’t be afraid to mix different wood types.

For more detailed "Hot" smoking instructions please see HERE