Ricky M Gribling - Smoking food

F or the most part youll be able to substitute smoked foods directly into your favorite recipes without any problems. Keep in mind, however, that hot smoking cooks food. If temperatures are high in your smoker, meat will emerge partially or fully cooked and you may have to make alterations in your recipes.

Another factor to remember is the salt content of meats that have been cured. You may wish to eliminate other sources of salt from a recipe, or even soak or simmer your cured meat to reduce its salt content.

Marinated meats can also influence the flavor of your recipes. Marinades impart a spicy flavoring to meats which, in turn, can be transferred to whatever dish youre preparing. Its seldom a big problem but should be considered if the subtle flavor of some celebrated dish might be ruined by the wrong spice seeping from your meat during cooking.

Some recipes tend to subdue the smoke flavoring youve worked so hard to produce. Either its diminished by cooking or masked by the strong flavor of other ingredients. You can sometimes compensate for such problems by longer smoking times. You may have to produce a smoked product with a stronger flavoring than you like, just so the smoke taste will survive a particular recipe.

This section includes some easy recipes using smoked food.

SMOKED FISH CHOWDER

pound bacon or salt
pork, diced
2 cups smoked fish,
diced
4 medium potatoes,
peeled and sliced
2 onions, chopped fine
3 cups boiling water
2 cups milk
teaspoon salt
teaspoon pepper
3 Pilot crackers

Fry bacon or pork in cast-iron skillet until it becomes crisp, then remove it and set it on paper towels. Add smoked fish, potatoes, onions and cover with boiling water. Simmer for thirty minutes, or until potatoes are cooked. Add milk and heat for ten minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, float halved Pilot crackers on top.

SEAFOOD SALAD

7 ounces smoked fish
1 can (6 oz.) crab meat
1 can (6 oz.) shrimp
2 tablespoons French dressing
1 cup celery, diced
cup mayonnaise
cup cucumber slices
3 tablespoons radishes, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste

Flake fish and crab meat. Remove black line from shrimp, then mix with fish and crab meat. Stir in French dressing, and allow to soak for fifteen to thirty minutes. Add remaining ingredients, toss lightly. Serve over lettuce.

SMOKED CREAM OF SALMON SOUP

2 cups smoked salmon
2 quarts milk
2 slices onion
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt

Rub salmon through a coarse sieve. Heat the milk and onion to scalding, then remove onion. Melt the butter, blend in the flour, pepper, and salt. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly. Add salmon and cook until smoothed and thickened.

BAKED STUFFED SHRIMP

24 medium-large raw shrimp, shelled & deveined, with tails on
cup vegetable oil
cup butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup finely chopped onion
cup soft breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
teaspoon dried thyme leaves
teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
Chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges

Curl each shrimp and secure with wooden picks. Preheat oven to 350F. (175C.). In a shallow baking dish combine oil, -cup butter or margarine, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Heat oil mixture 6 minutes. Melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine in a small skillet. Add onion and breadcrumbs. Saute over low heat 5 minutes. Let cool. Add sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme and tarragon; stir to combine. Place 1 heaping teaspoon stuffing on the center of each curled shrimp. Carefully arrange stuffed shrimp in a single layer in the heated oil. Baste with some of the oil mixture. Cover and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until shrimp is almost tender. Take shrimp from oven and place in a preheated smoker. Smoke 15 minutes. Remove wooden picks. Garnish by sprinkling parsley over shrimp. Serve hot with lemon wedges. Makes 6 servings.

SMOKED OYSTER STEW

1 quart smoked oysters Liquid from oysters
1 quart milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Dash onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Strain oyster liquid into pan; heat but dont boil. Heat milk in double boiler, then stir in hot oyster liquid. Add butter, seasoning, and oysters. Heat and serve.

SMOKED OYSTER STUFFING

1 quart smoked oysters Liquid from oysters
1 loaf toasted bread, cubed
cup milk
cup melted butter Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten

Heat and skim oyster liquid, then pour over bread. Add milk, butter, seasoning, and egg, and mix thoroughly. Carefully stir in oysters, taking care not to break them. Stuff loosely in your favorite poultry.

SMOKED TURTLE SOUP

1 cups cold smoked turtle meat
teaspoon mace
1 bay leaf
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 quarts beef stock
1 hard-boiled egg white, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
cup sherry

Add turtle, mace, bay leaf, Tabasco, and lemon juice to beef stock. Simmer until meat becomes tender. Remove bay leaf and mace; add egg white, salt, and pepper. Pour in sherry after removing soup from stove.

SMOKED FISH PATTIES

2 cups smoked fish, chopped fine
2 cups cracker crumbs
cup milk
1 egg, well beaten
Pinch salt
Pinch pepper
Cooking oil

Combine all ingredients except cooking oil and form into patties. Heat enough oil to cover bottom of a skillet. Fry patties until golden brown.

SMOKED CRABMEAT (OR FISH) SPREAD

8 oz. smoked crabmeat (or boneless fish)
1 (8 oz.) pckg. cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
teaspoon salt
teaspoon sweet paprika
teaspoon garlic powder
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash Worcestershire
Sauce

Combine smoked crabmeat (or fish) with cream cheese in a medium bowl, stirring gently with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled, with crackers, toast triangles, or fresh bread. Makes about 2 cups.

SMOKED-SALMON CROQUETTES

2 cups flaked smoked salmon
1 cups cold mashed potatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon minced onion
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cup dry breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil
About 1 cups cheese sauce
Chopped fresh leaf parsley to garnish