The flavor of smoked dried tomatoes is wonderful. Toss them in a salad and enjoy. On a pizza, that is. In a broth. Possibilities abound. As sweet as raisins. Temptingly smoky. I don’t need to tell you how delicious jerky is, but smoked jerky takes it to the next level. You’ll never buy dried chipotle chilies again once you’ve made them yourself.
If you can regulate your temps and keep them low, dehydrating items on a grill or a smoker is quite simple. Remember that beef is about 75% water, so drying it out and making jerky can take a long time, and if the temperature is too high, the outside will overcook or burn. Pellet smokers are great for this because they have set-and-forget digital controls and can be set to temperatures below 200F. Drying meat for jerky, tomatoes, and chilis is easy with grills and smokers. Herbs, greens, and fruits do well in indoor electric dehydrators.
Indirect heat is required to dry and smoke meals, hence a two-zone grill arrangement is required. The majority of smokers are made for indirect cooking. A deflector plate is required on kamados, and a mesh grill-topper is useful. For this job, I use the non-stick narrow mesh Frogmats, which can also be cleaned in the dishwasher. If your configuration allows it, you can use both lower and upper grates.
The most difficult aspect is lowering the temperature. You can prop open the lid to enable hot air to escape if necessary. Keep in mind that drying moist items like meat and tomatoes takes a long time at low temperatures, so you’ll use a lot of fuel.
Is it possible to dehydrate food with an electric smoker?
Yes, however as you can see, that isn’t the best option. While it’s worth making beef jerky in a smoker since the smoke enhances the flavor, other items may be better off being dehydrated in the traditional manner.
Is it possible to dehydrate fruit with a smoker?
While a specialised food dehydrator can be used, your smoker can be readily repurposed to remove moisture from fruit. In addition, your smoker will provide a delicious smoky flavor to the fruit that you won’t get with a food dehydrator.
Is a dehydrator the same as a smoker?
What’s the difference between a dehydrator and a smoker? That’s a long and convoluted answer, but in a nutshell, a smoker enhances product flavor and can be utilized as part of a procedure to lengthen shelf life. A dehydrator, on the other hand, eliminates water from food products, reducing their flavor but extending their shelf life by months.
So, let’s take a closer look at dehydrators and smokers. We’ll look at what each gadget does, the benefits and drawbacks of each, and the commonalities between them before deciding which is ideal for your family.
Is it possible to smoke meat and then dehydrate it?
Smoking meat is an alternative to dehydrating it. Smoking is an excellent way for drying fish or imparting a smokey flavor to game meat. When you use a smoker instead of an open fire, you can better control the temperature and volume of smoke.
Preheat the smoker to 150160 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for around 24 hours. The longer the strips take to dry out, the thicker they are cut, so check on them every 12 hours or so.
An electric smoker, like a dehydrator, uses relatively little electricity and doesn’t take up a lot of room. They’re simple to use, and most may simply be set to a temperature and allowed to cook until done. Traditional smokers are non-electric and necessitate near-constant supervision to ensure that the temperature and smoke levels you wish are maintained.
Depending on the smoker model you’re using, you’ll need to change your cooking periods and temperatures. Electric smokers are perfect for jerky because they don’t produce as much smoke and are much easier to manage.
Starting with a smoker and then finishing with a dehydrator is a popular method for smoking and dehydrating game meat. Before being entirely dehydrated, the meat develops a desired smokey flavor by doing so. Simply alter your recipe to account for drying time in each pot if you try this method.
Check out this video from Brad Leone of Bon Appetit for beginners. Although he’s creating beef jerky, the principles and procedure may be used to game meat as well.
If I don’t have a dehydrator, what can I do?
One of the simplest methods to preserve food is to dehydrate it. There are no specific jars, preservatives, or equipment required. It’s not even necessary to purchase a dehydrator. Your oven can dehydrate food exactly in the same length of time, whether it’s a full-sized oven or a toaster oven.
Prepping the foods
The type of food you’re dehydrating determines how you prepare it. Here are some pointers to help you get the best results:
- To keep fruits from browning, soak them for five minutes in a half-and-half mixture of lemon juice and water before drying.
- The bits of food must be the same size and thin to dry evenly and thoroughly.
- The best slices are about 1/4-inch (0.63-centimeter) thick. Use a food mandolin if your knife skills aren’t up to par.
- Dried foods might go rancid if they’re high in fat. It may also burn while drying in the oven. All visible fat should be removed from meats, and lean cuts should be used.
- Place a sheet of wax paper on top of your cookie sheet and arrange your foods on top of that. When you try to take the foods from the sheet, this will prevent a sticky scenario.
- Large chunks of meat can be placed directly on the oven rack, but any extra marinade should be blotted with paper towels so that it does not drop down into the heating element.
Bring the heat
For appropriate dehydration, the temperature of your oven is crucial. If the temperature is too high, your food will scorch or burn. For the best results, keep the oven temperature below 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.3 degrees Celsius). Unfortunately, most ovens don’t have many temperature settings below 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t be concerned. Set your oven to “warm” and you’re good to go. If you have the option, a temperature range of 120F (49C) to 140F (60C) is usually ideal for a wide variety of meals.
You can speed up the drying process by raising the temperature to 150 degrees to 160 degrees F (65 degrees to 70 degrees C) until the surface moisture has gone. Reduce the heat to 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) to 140 degrees F until the foods’ surfaces appear dry (60 degrees C).
Dehydrating for the win
- Hot spots exist in many ovens, causing certain sections to dry faster than others. During the drying process, rotate the pans to ensure that they all dehydrate evenly. This is especially crucial when using a toaster oven, as there is usually no fan to uniformly disperse heat.
- During the drying process, turn the meals over many times to ensure that both sides are evenly dried.
- To allow air to circulate around the items as they dry, space the pans 1.5 inches (2.54 cm) apart.
- The time it takes for food to dry in the oven varies. Expect it to take 6 to 10 hours. Meals that are drier require less time to prepare, whereas foods that are juicier take longer. The dish isn’t completely dry if it’s still sticky or damp.
Is it possible to make beef jerky in a smoker?
This smoked Jerky in an Electric Smoker is a simple method with few ingredients that can be used to make jerky out of nearly any meat. It’s a ready-to-eat, protein-packed go-to snack for hikers, campers, and travelers that’s been marinated overnight in a sweet, salty, and spicy concoction. It requires no additional preparation and can be stored without refrigeration for months.
A convenient remote control, viewing window, and internal light are included with the Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker. You can easily smoke ribs, chicken, turkey, and pork butt with three racks and plenty of space.
Can you use an electric smoker to dry herbs?
Propane Smoker – Similar to electric smokers, but instead of utilizing electricity to generate heat and smoke, they use a gas burner.
Pit masters frequently recommend offset smokers. The firebox is under the primary cooking chamber, on its side.
Smoker Ovens – Smoker ovens are distinguished from other versions by temperature probes and computer controls that make operation easier.
A kettle grill isn’t strictly a smoker, but it can be used in that capacity. However, converting a kettle grill to a smoker requires some tweaking.
With a few modifications, you can smoke on your charcoal or gas grill. Set up a charcoal grill for indirect cooking, which involves placing food adjacent to the fire rather than directly over it. Place the above-mentioned wood chips on the hot coals. Soak the chips in water for an hour, drain, and then toss them over the coals for extra smoke and flavor. I’ve had numerous whole turkeys prepared in this manner, and they were delicious, moist, juicy, and tasty.
If your gas grill lacks a smoker box, soak wood chips for an hour in water, drain, and wrap a cup of chips in heavy-duty foil. Use two pouches of wood chips for a medium-sized barbecue; four pouches for a large grill. Poke holes in the pouches’ tops and lay them beneath the grate and above a burner. Heat the grill on high until the pouches begin to smoke, then reduce to medium, or 350 degrees F. Check your owner’s manual to be sure this method isn’t prohibited by the manufacturer.
Herb stems can also be used to make smoke and taste in your smoker. Before using the herbs, rehydrate them a little if they are dried. Place them in a pan with a lid and add water as needed. Place them in the smoker or grill just before the meat and reduce the temperature slightly. Rosemary, lavender, sage, oregano, and thyme are some of the herbs to utilize. Herbs can also be used as a rub on the outside of the meat, within the cavity of a chicken, turkey, or duck, or in a marinade or brine before the meat is smoked.
Fill two 2-gallon zipper-top plastic bags with 3 cups warm water each to make brine. To each bag, add half of the salt and sugar. Seal the container and shake firmly until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Fill each bag with enough water to cover the pork butts and place one pork butt in each bag.
Prepare smoker according to suggested directions relevant to your brand/type of smoker the next morning, or 8 hours later. Add a few soaking mesquite chips for extra flavor.
Remove the pork butts from the brine and toss them out. Combine all rub ingredients in a medium bowl, except the Lawry’s and lemon pepper, in a medium bowl.
Place each piece of beef on its own baking sheet and thoroughly season with Lawry’s on all sides, tops, and bottoms. Spread the rub on all sides (including the top and bottom) and pat it down to form a shell. Place on the hot smoker with a sprinkle of lemon pepper on top. Cover and smoke for a total of 5-6 hours.
Place the meat on the rack of a big roasting pan once the smoking is finished. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for another 3 hours at 300F.
Remove the foil after three hours and broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the exterior crisps. Keep an eye on the pork butts while they’re under the broiler since the brown sugar rub can quickly burn.
Remove the skin from the oven when it is crisp and let it rest for 10 minutes before shredding.
In a mixing basin, combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda until well combined. Mix in the buttermilk, butter, eggs, and green onion until everything is completely combined. If the mixture is too stiff, add a splash of buttermilk until it is smooth and moist but not runny. Add in about 3/4 of the shredded cheese and thoroughly combine.
In a separate bowl, combine the pulled pork with the grilled/charred chopped peppers until well combined.
Spray the mini loaf pans with nonstick spray and fill 3/4 of the way with cornbread mixture, smoothing up the tops. To settle the mixture and remove any trapped air pockets, tap the pan against the counter a few times.
Start pushing the pulled pork and pepper combination into the cornmeal batter in the center of each loaf until the surrounding batter rises slightly above the stuffing. Add extra shredded cheese to the stuffing mixture until it is even with the cornmeal batter around it.
Is it possible to dry herbs in a smoker?
Add wood chunks to the heat shields on one side of the grill, or to a metal smoker box that can be placed on the heat shields or the grill grate, if you’re using a gas barbecue. If you’re using a charcoal grill, ignite it and let it burn down to just hot coals. To the hot coals, add a piece or two of hardwood chunks or a handful of hardwood chips. Push the hot coals to one side of the grill if feasible. To keep the herbs from catching fire on either grill, utilize a two-zone cooking method.
You can use a handheld food smoker if you don’t have grilling equipment or don’t want to bother lighting up the grill. Place the micro wood chips in the unit’s bowl, the herbs in a storage bag with the smoker unit’s tubing, cinch the bag’s end around the tubing, and fire the chips. For optimum smoke vapor infusion, I like to leave the smoke in the bag.
By placing my herbs in a veggie basket and grilling them on the unlit side of the grill, I was able to smoke them on both my gas and charcoal grills. You’ll see how quickly the herbs lose moisture and begin to dry within the first 5 minutes.
Notes on taste: I’ve found that the handheld food smoker produces the most intense smoke flavor in the herbs. Gas grills, electric smokers, pellet smokers, charcoal grills, and handheld food smokers all have different levels of taste intensity depending on the equipment.
Smoked Cocktails
If you’ve never had smoked cocktails before, you should. Smokme is a great addition to classic drinks like the Old Fashioned and Bloody Mary. There are numerous ways to infuse your cocktails with a slight smoky flavor.
You can smoke the ice, one of the liquids, like as honey, or add smoke to your cocktail shaker with a gadget like the Smoking Gun.
Smoked ketchup and mustard
Consider enhancing the flavor profiles of two of the most popular condiments with a subtle, smokey flavor.
Believe me when I say that doing so will transform them from mediocre to chef-level delectable in no time.
Simply distribute either one to a depth of 1/4″ in an aluminum pan. Cold-smoke condiments in a cold-smoker setup or use the portable smoking method to avoid burning.
The smoked mustard complements any pork product (particularly ham), and the smoked ketchup is fantastic on burgers and fries.
If you like spicy condiments, you can give any hot sauce a great edge by smoking it with either of the recommended condiment-smoking methods!
Smoked Green or Black Olives
Olives are always a favorite at parties, whether you love them or despise them.
Olives are delicious on their own, but after a mild smoke bath, they take on a whole new dimension of flavor.
Of course, you can smoke olives with a handheld smoker, but if you want them to really soak up the smokey taste, put them in a hot smoker. They’ll withstand the heat.
Simply place your green or black olives in a single layer in an aluminum or perforated pan and set your smoker to 200F to 215F. Allow 30 minutes for them to cook and ready your taste buds. Fill them with feta or blue cheese for an extra flavor boost.
To make rotating them easier, you can put them on skewers. Green olives, according to Steven Raichlen, withstand smoky circumstances better than black olives.
Smoked Nuts
Nuts are one of the most popular smoked foods. Pecans, walnuts, and cashews are all delicious after a smoke bath. It’s also simple!
Place nuts in a single layer in a metal pie plate. Preheat the smoker to between 210 and 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow them to smoke for 2 hours before serving over a salad, a vegetable dish, or as tasty snacks.
Smoked Eggs
Forget about the traditional deviled egg. Get a lovely, smokey color on that egg white if you truly want to impress your guests!
Hard-boiled eggs smoke beautifully, and it’s a terrific way to spice up an otherwise boring appetizer.
All you have to do is peel some hard boiled eggs and smoke them at 215F for around 15 minutes to give them a good taste boost.
Smoked Fruit
This should come as no surprise, considering grilled fruit is one of the most delectable party foods.
It’s much better if you smoke the fruit slowly and steadily, because you’ll receive the added smoke flavor as well as the fruit’s inherent sweetness from the heat.
Set a target temperature between 200F and 225F, then cut in half and core or pit your fruit of choice. Allow for roughly 30 minutes of cooking time, and you’ll have a true pitmaster dessert on your hands.
Smoked lemons and limes are a terrific addition to seafood or cocktails. Peaches, apples, and even grape and cherry tomatoes (which are, after all, fruits) can be smoked.
Smoked Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is a crowd-pleasing dish, and if you’re making a batch to go with your pulled pork or brisket, why not throw it in the smoker for added flavor?
You can prepare the dish as usual and then place it in the smoker for 45 minutes. Check out our smoked macaroni and cheese recipe.
Start with milder cheeses such as mozzarella or Monterey Jack, followed by a great, sharp cheddar. The milder cheese will bring out the smokey taste a little more.
Smoked Ice Cream
Ice cream, maybe the most surprising addition to this list, is delicious when properly smoked.
Now, before you go out and get a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, the greatest thing you can do is create your own ice cream from scratch and smoke the milk.
Start by smoking the milk, preferably with a handheld smoker, and utilizing it as the foundation for your custard, which will eventually become your ice cream.
If you don’t want to bother, you can always smoke store-bought ice cream. Just make sure you do it with an ice dish.
Smoked Cheese
This one isn’t quite as controversial as some of the other foods on this list. In fact, you’ve most likely seen smoked cheese on the shelf before.
You might not realize that you can smoke any ordinary hard or semi-hard cheese!
Smoked Salt
All varieties of salt, including Himalayan salt, sea salt, and iodized salt, can be smoked. This basic cooking necessity comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they all taste similar.
This is why smoking salt is a fantastic way to transform this spice into something truly unique. In fact, why not go all out and use smoked salt on anything else that has been smoked?
Hot smoking, cold smoking, and utilizing a handheld smoker all work well depending on how much salt you want to smoke.
To cold smoke the salt for 6 hours, this technique employs a pellet smoker inside a grill.
Smoked Ice
A hand smoker is the ideal tool for smoking ice. In order for this recipe to work, you’ll need to smoke the water and then freeze the ice in an ice cube tray.
To impart a slight smoky flavor to Cognac, Bourbon, or Bloody Marys, use the smoked ice cubes.
Smoked Oil
You’ve definitely noticed smoked oils on the shelves of trendy supermarkets.
Cold smoke virgin olive oil for around 2 hours, stirring every now and then to ensure even distribution of the smoke.
Serve the smoked oil over fish, veggies, or wherever else olive oil would be used.