Nordic Ware smoker, good for much more than smoking

I am very fond of a utensil that is not widely seen, and that allows me to achieve results with meats, fish and even vegetables that are an absolute marvel. It is the Nordic Ware smoker, a unique product.

When people think of "smoker" they automatically associate it with smoked salmon. It's fine that it is that way, because we all know that smoking your own salmon becomes a true delight, although I think it's a shame to limit thinking about this utensil so much because precisely what we should do with it is open our minds!

The first thing I must clarify, however, is that the smoked result we will achieve is not the same as the smoked products sold in supermarkets (like smoked salmon or trout). The smoker is not meant to smoke for preservation, but to give a very special smoked flavor. This technique is very common and appreciated in Nordic countries, and it allows you to enhance the flavor of meats, fish, seafood and vegetables, turning them into true delights.

The smoker gives us a lot of versatility. It is true that the function of the smoker is to "smoke" food (in the sense we have just defined); but besides that it allows us to achieve two things that will surely interest you. First, it leaves foods tender, both meats and fish. And second, the smoker has a tray in which you can pour any liquid you wish, such as wine, beer or juice, which gives the food an... incredible flavor!

Having said that, I want to return to giving it a lot of play: the more you use it, the more you realize you can use it for anything. One day you use it to smoke fish as is, another you dare to make the fish in white wine, the third you add some vegetables (and it turns out they come out very curious and tasty -similar to steaming, but with a more aromatic touch!) and finally you use it to cook that Sunday chicken... With spectacular results!

Now you must be wondering how the smoker actually works. Well, it's simple: at the bottom you place some wood chips (chips come with the product, but you can buy different types of wood to get different aromas), and the food to cook on the top tray. You put the smoker on the heat, and as the chips heat up and toast, they release the smoke that will smoke the piece. Since it is sealed tightly, an internal heat is achieved that cooks the food with the steam generated. If you have also added the lower tray with some juice, water, wine or beer, it evaporates and bathes the food, leaving it even more tender and with a really delicious flavor.

I don't want to finish this post without showing you a couple of recipes that might interest you. The first is one we actually published yesterday, smoked salmon. But the one that best conveys what I have just told you is a smoked pork loin recipe that you will find here. Makes you want to smoke, right?