If you’re using your smoker exclusively for the standard pit staples such as ribs, pork shoulder, and brisket, you are missing out on an infinite world of delicious opportunities.
Obviously, proteins like seafood, chicken, lamb, and, even alligator can take on an entirely new dynamic range when you add the element of smoke and an awesome rub and/or mop sauce but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re taking the time and care to smoke the entree, you might as well bring some vegetables to the party. Corn, squash, asparagus, and Brussel sprouts are just a few that come to mind when I think of grilled and smoked side items. Of course, what backyard BBQ would be complete without some low and slow-smoked baked beans? The options are endless, really.
If you think the course options end there, you are unfortunately mistaken. Some of the best desserts I’ve ever tasted didn’t come from an oven or the freezer. Instead, they were kissed with flame or infused with smoke. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, just throw some pineapple chunks on the grates next time you fire up the grill. Peaches, in particular, pair extremely well with a variety of woods and the combination of smoke and heat brings the already succulent fruit into an entirely new dimension of flavor. Smoked/grilled peaches with vanilla bean ice cream is an unparalleled summer treat.
But wait… There’s more
While there may be a handful of foods that should never go near a smoker, I’m convinced that the proper combination of smoke, temperature, seasoning, and moisture can amplify the delectability of nearly any meal. There is one area, however, that we haven’t touched on and that is beverages. Now, I gave up the consumption of adult beverages years ago but prior to that, I spent 20+ years in the restaurant business. Two staples any good bartender always has on hand are a speed bottle opener and a full bottle of simple syrup.
The latter of which may be simple but it doesn’t have to be boring.
What is simple syrup?
Simple syrup is an additive used to bring sweetness to beverages. While commonly used in cocktails, simple syrup is also great to have around to add some nectarous flavor to coffees, teas, and even seltzer water. You can even use simple syrup in a variety of culinary applications when you need a quick dose of liquid sweetness.
As the name implies, this beverage enhancer is simple to make. It consists of only two ingredients and can be assembled in a matter of minutes. Simple syrup is made from a combination of regular table sugar and water. You can use whatever ratio you prefer to get the desired sweetness and density you’re looking for but the two most commonly used simple syrup recipes use a 1:1 ratio or a 2:1 ratio. 1:1 is what you generally find behind the bar for adding to cocktails and can often be found with additives such as mint extract or other natural flavors for specific types of drinks. The 2:1 ratio simple syrup uses two parts sugar, one part water and is much thicker and obviously much sweeter than the 1:1 mixture and is seen less often in standard recipes.
What does simple syrup have to do with smoking stuff? Glad you asked. On its own, white table sugar is very sweet but has little other culinary dynamics. However, add some heat from say a torch and you suddenly get a brown, sticky, roasted confection that is complex and shares many similarities with the tastes and textures of good BBQ. So, what if we added smoke directly to the simple syrup.
That’s exactly what I did…
Smoking simple syrup brings an entirely new dimension to a relatively flat sweetener and there are countless ways that you can create unique flavor profiles for any and every use case you can imagine. Today, we’re keeping it “simple” with a basic 1:1 simple syrup that’s getting smoked with oak wood pellets on the Traeger Pro 34. To bring some more flavor to the party, I decided to add some real vanilla beans to the syrup while it smoked.
Smoking the simple syrup is almost as simple as the syrup itself. You’ll start by getting your smoker going at 180 degrees or somewhere in that neighborhood. This is a relatively quick smoke and since smoke contains a lot of water-soluble compounds, you’ll want to keep the heat below 200 degrees so as not to over smoke the liquid. While your smoker is getting up to temp, let’s assemble the ingredients.
First, you’ll need a large pan. Something in the 9×13 range is perfect. I prefer to use standard disposable foil pans like the ones I use for panning up pork. They can be used multiple times for applications like this. The reason we’re using a pan is that we want the most surface area we can offer up for the smoke to penetrate. Two hours on the smoker in a 9×13 pan will render a well-balanced smoke flavor that doesn’t overpower the flavor of the vanilla.
Next, you’ll need sugar and water. For this smoke, I used a 1:1 ratio and wanted to make enough to fill the nice decorative bottle. So, I went with two cups of water and two cups of sugar. The four cups of ingredients will leave you with roughly three cups of simple syrup once the sugar dissolves. Add the sugar and water to the pan and give it a little stir. You don’t have to worry about dissolving the sugar at this point. The smoker will take care of that for you.
Set your pan aside and grab a whole vanilla bean. I’m using the approximate equivalent of two teaspoons of vanilla extract. That’s roughly a four(4) inch piece of vanilla bean. Cut off the desired amount and put the rest back in the jar or a tightly sealed container. With a sharp knife, carefully split the vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape the inside of the bean to get all those tasty bits out but don’t scrape too hard. You don’t want to end up with a lot of woody scrap floating around your syrup. Throw the vanilla bean paste AND the exterior of the bean into the pan with the sugar water. Give it one more gentle stir and then you can head to the smoker.
Smoke your syrup for two hours to obtain a moderate smokey flavor. Stir the mixture every thirty minutes with a whisk to ensure the sugar dissolves entirely. For a smokier flavor, add 15-30 minutes to your smoke time but be sure to check every 15 minutes so you don’t overdo it. Once the desired flavor is achieved, remove it from the smoker and allow the simple syrup to cool for fifteen minutes. Once cool, strain your simple syrup through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and then pour it into a glass bottle. Add the vanilla bean pods to the bottle and top with a lid or pour spout. Toss the bottle in the fridge overnight or enjoy it right away in your favorite beverage or dessert.
Variations
Of course, you can always just smoke the syrup without any additives but you can also experiment with a variety of flavors to fit your needs and taste. For this recipe, you can substitute a cup and a half of freshly chopped mint leaves or just mint extract if you desire. Other popular simple syrups are flavored with almond extract, orange peel, or even rosemary. The options are quite literally endless. Hope you enjoy this simple yet versatile twist on simple syrup. ENJOY!
Smoked Vanilla Simple Syrup
Ingredients
Instructions
How to make smoked vanilla simple syrup
-
Set your smoker to 180 degrees
Which wood you use is entirely up to you. I went with oak to get a true smokey flavor without any additional sweetness. If you want something with more flavor, cherry would go well with the vanilla beans. -
Add sugar and water
Mix sugar and water with a 1:1 ratio and gently mix. -
Add Vanilla bean
Split a whole vanilla bean and scrape the bean paste with your knife blade. Use a 2" piece of the bean for every cup of water. Add the paste and the bean pod to the pan and stir with a wish. -
Smoke the syrup
Smoke the syrup for two hours, whisking every thirty minutes. For a smokier flavor, add 30 minutes to your smoke time and check for the desired flavor. -
Cool and strain
Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Pour the syrup into a bottle and add the bean pods. Place a lid or pour spout on the bottle and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!
Serving Size 1 tsp
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 6kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Carbohydrate 1g1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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