SMOKED FAVA BEANS MAKE THE PERFECT DIP OR CONDIMENT

Our Smoked Fava Beans were smoked in our Tips and Technique blog, now we make a perfect dip!

If you visited our article on smoking fava beans and gave our technique a try, hopefully, you have enough beans leftover to make this recipe.  I thought I would introduce you to a dip that can be used as a condiment to your favorite sandwich – think veggie or animal protein burger, grilled chicken, breakfast bread, or vegetarian.  I’ll be offering the recipe and giving you suggestions on what to serve with it.

Simple Ingredients

Once you have your fava beans smoked, you’ll need about 2 lbs. of the beans, there are some simple ingredients to gather for this recipe.

• 4oz. goat cheese softened
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Chopped fresh tarragon- 1 teaspoon
• Fresh lemon juice- 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest – I prefer fresh
• 2 tablespoons water
• sea salt & fresh ground pepper

You’ll also need a food processor or blender to combine all the ingredients.

Tasting Notes: I prefer a little kick to this recipe so I add 3 or so drops of hot sauce.

Pulsing to Flavor

With a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients except the water.  Pulse only to blend and produce the chunky texture desired.  Be sure to scrape down the sides of the blending container at least once.  With all the ingredients, add the water and mix in by hand; do not process or blend.  Adjust the consistency to the finished mixture by adding water as needed.  Usually, I find 2-3 tablespoons of water is perfect.


Tasting Notes:  if using a blender, be sure you have a pulse control or you could blend this recipe too smooth which will limit its use with certain foods

Multiple Uses

Once you have the consistency you like, transfer the mixture to a serving bowl.  I like to chill this briefly before serving.  If using as a dip, suggested items to accompany the dip include sweet mini peppers, cucumber slices, radish, carrot slices, cherry or grape tomato, baguette, naan, won-ton shells.

This is also great with a firm toasted bread, tomato slice, fresh basil leaves, and poached or fried egg.  Let your imagination go and find more uses for this super flavorful dip and spread.

ODE TO THE GRILLED FAVA BEAN

I love when the ideal weather comes around when at the same time there are so many options for fresh produce either at the Farmer’s Market or local grocery store.  I tend to lean toward my grill and smoker for most of my cooking when the weather turns hot and steamy.

Beans are one of those vegetables that are spectacular on the grill but they get even better when you add a few wood chunks.  I’ll show you how to prepare Fava Beans for the grill and give you my easy, fool-proof technique for incorporating wood chunks for flavor.

 

Grill Set Up

Before preparing the Fava beans, get the gas grill heated by turning on only half the grills’ burners which will be the side that radiates out the heat and holds the smoker box.  For the smoker box, I’m using a stainless-steel model that has a hinged lid.  I place 3 double filet wood chunks from SmokinLicious® in the box in a combination of woods.   I’m using hickory, white oak and sugar maple to give me a great smoke balance to the beans.  This will ensure I don’t overpower with the smoke vapor.  By placing the smoker box with chunks on the grill grate as it preheats, it will be smoking by the time you have the beans ready.

  

Simple Bean Prep

There is little to do with the Fava beans before they go on the grill.  Wash them to start to make sure all the dirt and debris is removed.  Pat dry with a paper towel and then move them to the cutting board.  Remove any leaves and cut just the stem end to remove the stem.  Place in a disposable foil pan, spread out evenly, and add roughly 6 tablespoons of butter to the beans, as well as salt and fresh ground pepper.  That’s it.  Leave the bean pods intact as they are going to act like a miniature steamer to cook the beans and ensure they don’t become over smoked.

 

The Grill Act

With the grill heated and the wood chunks smoking in the smoker box, place the pan of beans on the unlit side of the grill and close the cover.  Check that your grill temperature steadies out at about 375°F.  If lower, simply increase the heat setting on the active burners.  Too high, decrease the heat setting.  Leave the beans untouched for about 30 minutes.  Return to the grill, stir the beans and check the wood chunks.  If the chunks are still emitting smoke, close the grill lid and leave for an additional 10 minutes or so, or until fork tender.  Remove the pan from the grill and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

 

Buttery, Smoky Finish

After the beans have cooled enough to be handled, take each pod and push the beans out one end into a bowl.  You may keep the empty pods to use for making broth or for puree in a sauce or smoothie.  These Fava beans are now ready for you to enjoy as is or use in your favorite recipe.   Now, I’m taking my Fava beans and making a dip with goat cheese, lemon and tarragon.

SALT-FREE DRY RUBBED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

You’ve likely heard about limiting your ingestion of chicken skin which can add unnecessary calories and saturated fat.  On the flip-side, chicken skin also adds to the overall flavor and moisture of chicken.  Here’s the thing: if you limit the amount of chicken skin you ingest, it contains a good amount of unsaturated fat that can be heart healthy, which you may not be benefiting from.

I’m going to give you a dry rub recipe that is salt-free to add in the healthy aspect of this recipe and includes some fat to the skin that will add flavor but also render off.  Purchase chicken drumsticks and prepare the gas grill for this easy technique and super flavorful chicken you’ll want to be sure to make extras of.

 

Grill Set Up 

Before starting the rub recipe, get the gas grill preheated by turning on only half the grills’ burners.  That will be the side that we will add the wood chunks to while the side that remains off will be where the food will be placed.  For the wood chunks, you can either place them directly on the heat shields, on the hot grill grate, or in a smoker box.  Yes, that smoker box that you see advertised for wood chips is going to hold double filet wood chunks from SmokinLicious®.

 

Salt-Free Dry Rub

I’m balancing my salt-free dry rub flavor by incorporating a variety of ingredients:

• Whole allspice
• Ancho Chile pepper
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom
• Curry powder
• Cocoa powder
• Fresh ground pepper

I always like to use a mortar and pestle when I make a rub as I usually have whole pods or seeds that need to be reduced.  Once the rub is reduced to powder, I apply it to the drumsticks.

These I lay on a roasting rack placed in a disposable foil pan.  This will allow the chicken to render without causing a mess to the grill and allow the smoke vapor produced by the wood chunks to rotate around the chicken.

 

A Little Fat Will Do 

After the drumsticks are lined up on the roasting rack, I add a sprinkling of almond oil and 8 tablespoons of butter.  These two items will allow the skin to crisp slightly.  They also provide the moisture on the outside to attract the smoke vapor.  If you want to skip this step, just keep a spray bottle of tepid water ready and you can moisten the chicken skin with a calorie-free alternative.

 

Make a Lot!

After cooking for about 35 minutes, flip each drumstick on the rack and check your wood.  It will likely be black as the wood combusts and renders the flavonoids in the lignin that produce the great flavor.  Close the lid and allow the chicken to cook an additional 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature registers 165°F.  Be sure to make extra so you have a great go-to protein to feed you throughout the week.


What are your favorite ingredients to add to a dry rub?  Leave us a comment and subscribe for more great recipes, techniques, tips, and the science behind the flavor, that’s SmokinLicious®.

OVER THE TOP GRILLED & SMOKED BEEF SHANKS

Grilling our Smoked Beef Shanks on the Gas grill with Double filet wood chunks in our smoker box!

I’m going to make a confession.  I rarely select steak to grill anymore.  The reason – there are just too many other options that I simply prefer.  Like beef riblets, short ribs, and shank.  Oh, the bone-in shank!  That is my favorite.

I’m going to give you a wet rub recipe and a grilling technique you can do on the grill of your choice, though I’ll be picking the easy gas grill.  Get to the butcher and select some premium bone-in beef shanks then visit SmokinLicious® online for some wood chunks.  Then get ready for the best grilled & smoked beef shanks you’ve ever had!

Wet Rub

I tend to lean toward some Asian-inspired ingredients for my rubs, especially those that are a wet rub.  While working on the rub, be sure you’ve started your grill so it will be ready to go when the meat is rubbed.  Remember, we are using a two-zone set up for the grill so burners lit only on one side of the gas grill with the wood chunks placed on the heat shield or in a smoker box placed over the lit burners like I’ve done.  Or, for the charcoal/wood grill, hot coals banked to one side of the grill.

For this wet rub, you’ll need equal parts of the following ingredients:

• Ground ginger
• Whole allspice – about 30
• Garlic powder
• Cinnamon
• Cocoa powder
• Sesame oil
• Worcestershire sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Honey

Start by combining the dry ingredients, followed by the wet and combine with mortar and pestle until a paste is made.  Then coat the beef shanks on both sides and the edges with the wet rub.  I line a disposable foil pan with a roasting rack, then place the shanks on the rack.



Tasting Notes: don’t be afraid to use a store-bought rub and simply add oil and/or garlic/spice pastes.  There is nothing off limits when it comes to producing a rub.

Smoking

Time to open the pre-heated grill and start the cooking of the shanks.  The wood chunks should be smoking well at this point so add the shank pan to the unlit side of the grill.  Leave untouched for at least 40 minutes.  Return to check the internal temperature.  Flip the shanks and rotate the foil pan.  Leave until the meat registers 140-145° F.

Tasting Notes: select the hardwood you like or use a combination of hardwoods like I did with my shanks – maple, hickory and white oak.

Serve It Up

When done, I simply slice against the grain for beautiful, flavorful beef that has a controlled infusion of smoke.  Here’s a tip: be sure you enjoy the marrow in the bones!  It is very rich so if you elect not to eat it when the meat is done, use it with onions and shallots to make a confit, or use it with a rich pasta dish to make the flavor of the richness even more stunning.  Or, combine the marrow with an acidic dish like an arugula salad with lemon and capers.  And don’t forget to save the bones to make our smoked beef broth.  Two zone cooking makes it so easy to control the smoke infusion and produce perfection in any item grilled.

What’s your favorite beef cut to grill and smoke?   Bringing innovation to wood-fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor. That’s SmokinLicious®.

finished beef shanks sliced