I
t’s a known fact that smoking food
can make you feel like a prehistoric
superhero—and it doesn’t have to be
intimidating. It’s easier than you’d think ,
but you can’t take shortcuts—you must earn
the fl avor of perfectly smoked food. All you
need is some good meat, a little patience,
and a lot of love. Over the years, I’ve smoked
everything from pork belly and sausages
to fi sh, beets, tomatoes, and cabbage.
I recommend brining or curing your meat a
day in advance and smoking as low and
slow as time allows, so your fi nished dish
is perfectly seasoned and juicy. That fl avor-
packed combo of sweet, sour, and smoky
pairs perfectly with whiskey—American
whiskey to be precise. Bourbon is made
when corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley
are distilled, then aged in charred new oak
barrels. This process creates a sweet, savory,
spicy, sexy whiskey that’s a natural match
for a slab of bacon or a brat. A wise man
once said that there is only one way to
drink whiskey: however you want. And what
better reward after putting in time at the
smoker? Cheers!Bourbon is the star of this
refreshing cocktail, but the
citrus and seltzer cleanse
your palate brilliantly
between bites of barbeque.
The Smokehouse is a great
match for smoky pork belly
or juicy sausages.TRY THIS PAIRING
THE SMOKEHOUSE
GOING
FOR
SMOKE
3 parts Knob Creek® Bourbon
1 part cold smoked fresh
lemon juice or fresh lemon juice
1 part cedar plank roasted
rosemary simple syrup
4 parts seltzer water
Smoked lemon wheel and
rosemary spring for garnishJOHN POIARKOFF
Chef
Westchester, NYIn Paid Partnership withPREPARATION:
If desired, start by cold smoking fresh lemon
juice for 1 minute. Next, on a hot grill, roast
rosemary atop a water soaked cedar plank
for 2 minutes. Grill lemon wheels at the
same time. Combine rosemary and simple
syrup for 10 minutes then strain. Shake all
ingredients minus seltzer and strain over
fresh ice. Add seltzer. Garnish with a lemon
wheel and rosemary.KNOB CREEK® KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY
50% ALC./ VOL. ©2019 KNOB CREEK DISTILLING COMPANY, CLERMONT, K Y.USING WOOD TO SMOKE FOODS
There are two main factors to consider when choosing
wood for your smoker: type and form. Hickory, alder, and
fruit woods, like apple and cherry, have a mild, sweet
fl avor that won’t overwhelm the natural taste of the
meat. Mesquite gives a bolder smoke fl avor. Avoid softer
woods, like pine and cedar, that are high in resin and
can impart unappetizing fl avors. The size and shape
of the wood (chips, sawdust, pellets) aff ect the speed
and length at which they burn. Smaller wood particles
found in sawdust and pellets will burn and smoke faster,
but will not last as long. Larger chips will take longer to
ignite, but will last longer and will have to be changed
less frequently during smoking.