Are you looking to take your barbecue game to the next level? Then you need to add smoking chips to your arsenal. You might have already read my blog post about smoking dust, but what are smoking chips? Smoking chips are small chunks of wood that add a delicious smoky flavour to your meat, fish, or vegetables. They work in a similar way to smoking dust, but are much larger and are use a slightly different cooking method. In this post, I am going to cover everything you need to know about smoking chips, including how to choose the right ones and how to use them for the best results. You can purchase smoking chips in bulk from a wide range of retailers, however, I recommend checking out Eden Products for high-quality, all-natural products. Their smoking chips are available in a range of different woods, and are all sourced from well-manage European forests – you can rely on them for materials which are sustainable and environmentally friendly! Browse their website here. What are Smoking Chips? Smoking chips are small pieces of wood that are used for smoking meat, fish, or vegetables. They are typically made from hardwoods like oak, hickory, or mesquite, but fruitwoods like apple or cherry are also popular. Smoking chips can be used with a variety of smoking devices, including charcoal grills, gas grills, and dedicated smokers. Why Use Smoking Chips? If you class yourself as a renowned pitmaster or someone that is looking to enhance their barbecuing skills, smoking chips are a great way to add flavour to your food. The smoke from the wood chips infuses ingredients with a delicious smoky taste and aroma. The process of smoking also helps to tenderise meat and can add a beautiful colour to your food. Using smoking chips can take your barbecue to the next level, so you can impress your friends and family with your culinary skills! Types of Smoking Chips There are many different types of smoking chips available, each with their own unique flavour profile. Here are some of the most popular: Mesquite Mesquite is a popular wood for smoking beef and other red meats. It has a strong, earthy flavour that can be overpowering if used in large quantities. Hickory Hickory is a versatile wood that can be used with a variety of meats, including pork, beef, and poultry. It has a sweet, smoky flavour that is not too strong. Apple Apple wood is a fruitwood that is great for smoking poultry and pork. It has a mild, sweet aroma that delicately infuses food. Cherry Cherry wood is another fruitwood that is great for smoking poultry and pork. It has a slightly sweet flavour that is similar to apple but with a more intense aroma. Alder Alder wood is a popular choice for smoking fish and seafood. It has a mild, slightly sweet essence that complements seafood. Maple Maple wood is a good choice for smoking pork and poultry. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour that is not overpowering. Oak Oak wood is a versatile wood that can be used with a variety of meats, including beef, pork, and poultry for a subtly smoky flavour. How to Choose the Right Smoking Chips When choosing smoking chips, there are a few things to consider to get the best flavour for your food. Matching the wood with the meat Different woods pair better with certain types of meat. For example, mesquite is great for beef, while fruitwoods like apple and cherry are better for poultry and pork. Consider the flavour profile of the wood and how it will complement the meat you are smoking. You can experiment with different combinations to see which work best for you! Considering the intensity of the smoke Some woods, like mesquite, produce a strong, intense smoke that can be overpowering if used in large quantities. Other woods, like apple and cherry, produce a milder, sweeter smoke that is more subtle. Consider how much smoke you want to impart on your food and choose the wood accordingly. Another way in which you can enhance the flavour is by leaving your foods to smoke for longer, especially if you want intense smokiness. Mixing different woods You can also mix different types of woods to create a unique flavour profile. For example, you could use a combination of hickory and applewood for a sweet and smoky flavour. How to use Smoking Chips Using smoking chips is relatively simple, but there are a few things to keep in mind to get the best results. Soaking or not soaking the chips Some people recommend soaking smoking chips in water before using them to prolong the smoking process. However, this is not necessary and can actually decrease the amount of smoke produced. Dry smoking chips will produce more smoke and a stronger flavour. Placing the chips in the smoker There are different ways to place smoking chips in your smoker, depending on the type of smoker you have. For charcoal grills, you can place the chips directly on top of the hot coals. For gas grills, you can place the chips in a smoker box or wrap them in foil and place them on the grates. In a dedicated smoker, you can place the chips in the designated smoking chamber. Monitoring the temperature It's important to monitor the temperature of your smoker to ensure that the meat is cooked to the appropriate temperature and that the smoking process is going smoothly. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat and keep an eye on the temperature of the smoker to make sure it stays within the desired range. Adding more chips You may need to add more smoking chips during the smoking process to maintain the desired level of smoke. This is especially important for longer smoking sessions. Just be careful not to add too many chips at once, as this can result in too much smoke. Avoiding too much smoke While smoking chips add a delicious flavour to your food, too much smoke can be overpowering and ruin the taste. Avoid using too many chips or smoking for too long and be sure to monitor the temperature of the smoker to ensure that the smoking process is going smoothly. Other Tips for Smoking with Chips
Here are a few additional tips for smoking with chips: Using a smoker box If you're using a gas grill, consider using a smoker box to hold the chips and prevent them from catching fire. This will help to produce a consistent, controlled amount of smoke. Using foil packets Another option for gas grills is to wrap the smoking chips in foil and poke a few holes in the packet to allow the smoke to escape. This is an easy way to add smoke to your food without needing a dedicated smoker box. Pairing smoking chips with rubs and sauces Consider pairing your smoking chips with a complementary rub or sauce to enhance the flavour of your food even further. For example, you could use hickory chips with a spicy barbecue rub for a smoky and spicy flavour. With these tips, you'll be able to create mouth-watering BBQ that will have everyone coming back for seconds! https://edenproductsltd.co.uk/
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If you have ever seen a walnut in its original state, you will know that they have a hard outer shell. When you buy walnuts from the shop, they are already de-shelled, but what happens to the waste? Well, walnut shells are not wasted at all, and are used in a range of industries for a range of purposes. Walnut granules might even be in your home cleaning and beauty products! As a natural product, walnut shells are incredibly environmentally friendly and 100% biodegradable, and for this reason, they are becoming increasingly popular. In this blog post, I have listed the many ways in which walnut shells are used across the globe. Walnut shells are a fantastic by-product of walnut processing, and they can help us get that one step closer to a greener future, and here’s why… Types of Walnut Shell When producing walnut shells, two kinds are used: the standard-grade English walnut shell and the filtration-grade black walnut shell (botanical names: juglans regia and juglans nigra). Many walnut shell wholesalers source and supply these two grades, click here. But why are they so popular? Walnut shells actually have some excellent characteristics! The shell is very durable and robust, with a hardness of 3.5-4.00 on the Mohs scale (mineral hardness), making it an exceptional abrasive. They also perform well in a variety of pH levels and temperature conditions, meaning they can be used in a variety of industries. And most of all, they are reusable, sustainable, and biodegradable, I don’t think I could applaud them enough! Applications:
So how can you use walnut shells?
Who knew walnut shells had so much power! I think it is fascinating, that such a natural and quite ordinary material can be used in numerous industries and applications. Whether you’re wanting to use walnuts in your own production system or would like to purchase a body lotion with a walnut exfoliant, you definitely should! Not only will you be saving money, but you will also be saving our planet. Please feel free to check out my other posts on how we can become more sustainable! edenproductsltd.co.uk/ Did you know that you can enhance the flavour of your foods with something as simple as wood? Well, I didn’t find out till recently either, but I can assure you that it is quite a remarkable thing. Smoking dust is basically wood that is ground up into tiny little shavings, that can accompany your food whilst cooking to produce a smokey flavour. How does it work? To get all technical, wood contains sugar molecules, cellulose and hemicellulose, which when burnt caramelise and produce an aroma of flavours. Different woods provide different flavours, whether that be fruity, sweet, or floral! Many companies supply smoking dust in bulk, in a variety of different woods, click here. But not only does smoking dust add to your tasting experience, it is also a fully sustainable product when sourced appropriately. Forests are the lungs of our planet, and we must harvest and manage our resources correctly! There is no longer a need to find man-made preservatives and artificial ingredients to enhance the flavour of your food. Not only does the production of these substances affect the environment, but they also negatively affect your body too. Smoking dust is an innovative, unique, and healthy idea that you should all try out. You can find many smoking dust variations on the market such as apple wood, oak wood, cherry wood, maple wood, and even whiskey wood, which all create their own distinctive aromas – the list goes on and on. You may find some companies also sell smoking chips; however, these are more appropriate for foods that take a longer time to cook, as they produce smoke slower than smoking dust. If you’re a BBQ enthusiast, smoking dust will be right up your street! Simply add the dust to your smoker, cold smoke generator, or BBQ with your food, and let the dust do its magic. Smoking dust heats up quick and fast and will infuse your foods with so many delicious flavours. You can experiment with the different kinds of woods to make a concoction of aromas, but to help you out I have listed below my favourite combinations. Maple Wood and Pork Maple wood produces a medium-strength smoke that is rich and quite sweet in flavour. It suits a range of meats; however, it works perfectly with pork. We all love a bit of sweetness with our pork, you may even be partial to some apple sauce, so why not infuse your pork with a naturally sweet flavour. Whiskey Wood and Red Meats Whiskey dust is generally robust and heavy in flavour, providing you with a strong whiskey hit. The impactful flavour is best suited to red meats that complement richer aromas very well. Apple Wood and Poultry Apple dust is a soft light wood that creates a subtle fruity and sweet flavour. It goes hand in hand with poultry dishes. Oak Wood and Cheeses Oak wood is one of the most versatile flavours, that produces an all-around smokey flavour. Although still delicious with a range of meats, oak dust compliments cheeses and vegetables very well. So, that’s how you can use smoking dust in your cooking! I hope you have enjoyed this blog post and have been persuaded to go and purchase some smoking dust to start cooking with. Remember, not only does the dust infuse your meats, vegetables, and cheeses with fabulous smokiness, but they are also environmentally friendly and sustainable! They are a perfectly natural product to introduce into your kitchen. edenproductsltd.co.uk/ It has come to my attention that many businesses and e-commerce companies use non-biodegradable and man-made products to package their items. I don’t know about you, but every time I receive a parcel through the door, my item usually arrives in a box that is far too big and is padded with loads of grated cardboard, bubble wrap, or those annoying polystyrene peanuts. Not only are these a nuisance, but these materials are also negatively affecting our environment, as they end up on land-fill and take years to break down. I know some companies have started to produce biodegradable pellets, but why don’t we just move away from that completely and use a sustainable and natural material altogether? Well, I have got the answer… Wood Wool! Wood wool is an all-natural product, made from shredded timber, that almost resembles the look of hay. It is one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable solutions for void fill packaging, and unlike polystyrene which takes about 500 years to decompose, wood wool is 100% bio-degradable and can simply be added to your compost. Numerous companies supply wood wool in bulk, and source their products from only sustainable forestry and areas of the world, click here. With online shopping continuously on the rise, millions, maybe even billions of parcels are sent all over the globe daily. With this ever-increasing demand, we all need to recognise the environmental impact of non-sustainable packaging, and swap to greener alternatives such as wood wool. Why is Wood Wool So Great? Wood wool is used in a variety of industries as it offers key environmental benefits. Not only is it used for void fill packaging, but also stuffing, cushioning, filtration, and even insulation! Wood wool is used as a void filling because of its naturally occurring qualities – wood wool has a low bacterial retention capacity, meaning it will not attract fungus or bacteria, keeping all the nasty stuff away! Plus, even in its natural state, wood wool has superb elasticity and velocity, which helps to protect all of your high-value or delicate items during delivery. Another bonus is that wood wool is aesthetically pleasing and can be used in more commercial packaging, such as hampers! You may have already seen wood wool appearing in the shops, acting like a nest that’s safeguarding bottles of wine or little trinkets in place. As a loose-fill packaging material, it offers a rustic and organic look to any hamper or gift. Whether you’re wanting to create your own hamper at home or are going to purchase a ready-made one, you should keep an eye out for wood wool!
There is no reason for us to not all become greener (I don’t mean that literally) and eco-friendly. I would be surprised if you have an excuse! Materials such as wood wool are now available on the market in abundance and are reasonably cheap too. So along with its cost-effectiveness and long-term sustainability, wood wool is an ideal natural packaging material. I hope you have enjoyed my first-ever blog post! If you are like me and are passionate about the future of our world, stay tuned for more exciting content! https://edenproductsltd.co.uk/ |
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