Do you crave that irresistible smoky flavour but don’t want to light briquettes? Did you know that you don’t need a BBQ or a smoker to enjoy smoky and charred flavours? When it’s raining or too cold outside, or if you live in a building with restrictive regulations, here’s how you can introduce smoky notes into your favourite sauces, dressings, mayonnaise and fondue broths!
Chipotle in adobo sauce
Chipotle in adobo sauce is a canned product that can be found in the Mexican and Tex-Mex aisle of your grocery store, and is made from cured and smoked jalapenos and dressed in a very fragrant, sweet and sour, and spicy sauce. Don’t forget to remove the seeds from the peppers before incorporating them into your favourite sauces and broth recipes for an unbelievable kick!
Smoked paprika
So you’re not a spice lover, but still fond of smoky flavours? Smoked Spanish paprika, also called chili pepper, will be perfect for you. Despite its slightly-threatening glowing colour, this spice is made from dehydrated, smoked and pulverized sweet red pepper: there’s no risk that it will explode your taste buds!
Our BBQ Fondue invites you to discover this unique spice! Here is the recipe.
Liquid smoke
You can find liquid smoke in small bottles in the BBQ sauce aisle of your grocery store, and it has a very potent smoky profile. Use only a few drops at a time to enhance the smoky profile of your sauces and dishes. Feel free to try different brands—not all products are created equal. You’ll eventually find the perfect one for you!
Are you curious to try this product? We recommend our Sugar Shack Fondue!
Charring
In addition to its smoky notes, your BBQ can also partially char your food, and many people can’t resist a little burnt taste! You can expertly burn your food with your oven’s broiler, by placing it on a plate and sliding it onto an oven rack placed near the heating element.
For example, you can carbonise your onion rings before adding them to your sauces and broths, which will develop a very sophisticated warm, bitter side; it is a great touch. But be careful; never leave your oven unattended, always run your range hood and be ready to pounce on your fire alarm if it goes off!
To try out this technique, we suggest our traditional Pho Fondue.
The smoking gun
This is the perfect gadget to imitate the effect of a smokehouse. A smoking gun works on a very simple principle: wood chips (e.g.: maple, mesquite) are ignited and the smoke produced is directed into a tube that leads into an airtight container for the food to be smoked (a simple Ziplock bag will work well.) Fats like sour cream, whole yogurt, butter and oil capture volatile aromas particularly well: smoke them to flavour your homemade sauces!
Several designs are available at various prices, but here’s an example!
