Chef Aaron Scherr
could be on par with Scherr’s Coca-Cola brine for his signature beef brisket. Start small and try out Scherr’s tangy recipe for Smoked Tomato Jam!
Using rubs and properly seasoning meat beforehand makes a huge difference when smoking
Smoked Tomato Jam Makes 1 Litre
As barbecue-forward restaurants line summer menus with smoked meats, veggies, jams and jellies, we asked local chefs what makes smoked foods so special, and some tips and tricks for pulling it off at home. Relatively new to Calgary’s southern barbecue scene, Belle Southern Kitchen + Bar, in Mission, boasts a mouthwatering spread of comfort foods like Cajun-roasted chicken with honey butter, pan bread smothered in smoked garlic butter, and sliced brisket picnic lunches. Executive chef Aaron Scherr says the trick to smoking foods is subtlety. Smoke can easily overpower a dish, and Scherr says it’s critical to choose your wood carefully before cooking. For beginners, he recommends apple or cherry chips, which impart a brighter flavour compared to a more powerful mesquite woodchip.
1 kg Roma tomatoes, diced 3½ Tbs (50 mL) olive or grapeseed oil ¾ cup red onion, finely diced 2 Tbs jalapeno, seeded and finely diced 1 Tbs crushed garlic 1½ Tbs fresh ginger, minced 4 Tbs sugar ¹/³ cup (80 mL) white balsamic vinegar 2 tsp smoked paprika 1 Tbs tomato paste 1 Tbs kosher salt
1. Smoke your tomatoes on a lined tray
at 200º F for about 40 minutes with apple or cherry wood chips (they’re done when edges of the tray get dry and tomatoes are soft to the touch).
2. Add oil to a wide-bottomed pot on
medium heat. Once hot, add onion, jalapeno, garlic and ginger. Sauté until onion starts to caramelize. Adjust heat as needed — don’t burn the garlic!
Chef Joel Smith
Calgary's Booker’s BBQ Grill and Crab Shack executive chef, Joel Smith, argues his ribs are the best in town. One of the city’s longstanding southern barbecue joints, low and slow is the technique at Booker’s, where chefs slow smoke more than 200 pounds of meat per day. Whether you’re using a professional smoker or a barbecue, Smith says all you need to pull off a great smoked dish is patience. “Don’t rush it, with smoking there’s no fast way to do it,” he says. “I think a lot of people are intimidated by smoking, but it’s really easy once you do it a few times. You just have to take your time and do it right.” Get your rib on with Smith’s quick and easy St. Louis Rib Rub!
St. Louis Rib Rub Makes roughly 500 g
paste. Mix well. Add smoked tomatoes and drop heat to a simmer.
100 g paprika 133 g sea salt 26 g ground black pepper 33 g garlic powder 13 g dried thyme 13 g dried oregano 50 g dry mustard
6. Cook down until you get a nice
1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
*Helpful hint: Do all prep ahead of time. If you like a sweeter jam, just add more sugar. Keeps for two weeks in the fridge in a covered container.
*Note: Booker’s recommends spritzing meat with an apple cider water mixture every hour while smoking. Booker’s smoke their ribs for two to three hours.
3. Stir in sugar and vinegar, until sugar is dissolved.
“We like to be a little sneaky,” he says with a laugh. “For example, we’ll use a smoked paprika instead of Spanish paprika. Customers get a little hint of something, but can’t quite figure out what it is right away.”
4. Add smoked paprika and tomato
Scherr says using rubs and properly seasoning meat beforehand makes a huge difference when smoking. It takes a bit of practice, but maybe one day you
consistency. Season with salt.
26 g coriander 3 g whole clove 6 g celery seed 5 g cayenne 22 g cumin 45 g brown sugar 66 g granulated sugar
Wash ribs before seasoning with rib rub.
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