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Top tips for barbecue

Andrew Richardson

Smoking is perfect for salmon, but also for a whole range of meats and even cheeses and seasonal fruits.
Smoking is perfect for salmon, but also for a whole range of meats and even cheeses and seasonal fruits.Kristoffer Paulsen

The popularity of low and slow barbecue has skyrocketed over the last few years, and, while tobacco is out, smoking is most definitely in. Backyard smokers are becoming must-have barbecue equipment, and Father's Day is prime time for some smoking action. We asked barbecue fanatic Andrew Richardson (from bbqworkshop.com) to share some how-to tips to get the most from your smoker.

Equipment

Solid-fuelled equipment, such as smokers fuelled by wood, briquettes, or charcoal, is the essential first step. Ignore the spiels about smoking boxes and avoid contraptions that adapt to gas barbecues and supposedly emulate an offset barrel smoker. I've nothing against gas barbecues, they're fantastic for grilling and roasting, but solid fuels can't be beaten for slow and even cooking and are the best way to add smoke.

Weber consistently produces well designed and well built equipment that does the job without too many bells and whistles. In terms of low, slow cooking and smoking, I'm enamoured with the Pit Barrel Cooker, a heavy-gauge enamel-coated steel barrel. The food is hung from the top of the barbecue over the burning embers, which sit on the bottom of the barrel, close to the ground.

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I can hear dads everywhere running to the tool shed muttering, "I could build that myself mate!" Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of fabricating my own stuff, but save yourself the time and the grief of finding out your creation doesn't exactly cook the way you imagined.

Which fuel is best?

There are lots of choices in solid fuels available from brand-name briquettes to charcoal and hardwoods. The briquettes tend to burn at a slightly lower temperature than household charcoal varieties but last a little longer in their cooking time. Depending on the result I want and the type of cooking I'm doing, I use a mixture of two-thirds briquettes and one-third charcoal to achieve a blistering temperature at the beginning of the cooking process and longevity as the heat slowly dissipates.

Types of smoking timbers

Smoking timbers are usually available in two varieties: chips and chunks. Chips give a quick blast of smoke, chunks have a longer, slower release. Common types readily available include hickory, maple, mesquite, apple and cherry. I use hickory 99 per cent of the time because of its gentle flavour. Mesquite can be a bit overpowering, but it's all a matter of taste. Any of the larger barbecue retail chains will carry chips and chunks. Stick to the well-known brands so you can be sure the timber is what it says it is on the pack.

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To soak or not to soak?

Soak! Otherwise the chips will burn away in an instant. When the chips sink to the bottom of the container, they're ready to use. Soak the timber in water for about three to four hours prior to use.

Can I use local timbers for smoking?

I wouldn't. The easily obtainable timbers such as redgum, ironbark and mallee are much more suited to cooking the dish rather than smoking it.

Less is more

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Although hot-smoking meats, fruit and vegetables can add a whole new level of flavour profile to your favourite dish, it's easy to overdo it. Usually a small handful of soaked timber will do the trick.

What can I smoke?

Cheese, cocktails, fish, tomatoes, meat, you name it. Chicken, beef, pork and lamb love smoke. Salmon, tuna, trout and even sardines work well; oilier fish is best. For something a bit sweeter, smoke seasonal fruit, such as nectarine, peach, and apple. My absolute favourite is adding some hickory flavour to pineapple; roasted whole for 30 to 40 minutes, this dessert feeds a crowd, is cheap, and tastes magnificent.

Firelighters, yes or no?

I avoid using firelighters at all costs when lighting my solid fuels. Although many are made of natural products and binders, others are constructed using petroleum products that can add a nasty aftertaste to your much anticipated dish. Readily available dedicated steel canisters filled with briquettes or charcoal, lit using a gas flame, are a better option. Light the fuel outside and, once the fuel has properly caught alight, turn the gas off and leave burning until the top ones appear whitish in colour. They are then ready to pour into your chosen barbecue equipment.

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