GRAPE FLATBREAD SWEET & SAVORY

Our Delicious Smoked Grape Flatbread with Brie and a little fresh Rosemary

Smoked Grape Flatbread- Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of Concord Grapes, this recipe completely changes the flavor of this variety of grape to produce a very pleasing outcome. I’ve gone to my own personal grapevines and selected grapes at their peak for a flatbread recipe that is super easy and scrumptious. It all starts with the grapes so go to your own vines, a neighbor’s, a farmer’s market or fresh market, and pick up a quart or two to bring to the grill for wood flavor infusion to make the ultimate in flatbread. Remember, any grape you find will work for this recipe, so go ahead and pick your favorite.

Grape Flatbread- Grape Prep & Wood Infusion

The first steps to our recipe are related to the grapes. I’ve visited my grapevines and selected grapes that our deep purple and firm. Bringing them to the kitchen, I remove them from the vine, ensuring all stems are out, rinse under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. I’ve started my grill by lighting only one burner. To that side, I’ve prepared a metal smoker box with wood chunks. My grill needs to heat up to 250-275°F. While it’s heating, I prepare a sheet pan with a single layer of clean grapes. Then we’re ready to add wood flavor.

Two zone cooking on a grill or smoker is the easiest since the temperature will remain steady and you won’t need to constantly watch the grill. After achieving a 250°F temperature, I place the sheet pan of prepared grapes on the unlit side of the grates. The smoker box of chunks should be releasing a consistent smoke at this stage. Put the lid down and allow the grapes to infuse for about 20 minutes. I then return to the grill and rotate the pan, lid down again, and allow to smoke for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Tasting Notes: There is no rule regarding the type of wood you should use for the smoking. Just be sure it is only hardwood and not a completely dried out piece of wood or you’ll find it will burn up almost immediately. Remember, you want smoke not flames from the wood. Positioning as close to the burner as you can get is best for the placement of the smoker box.

Grape Flatbread- Dough Time

With the grapes smoking on the grill, I’m going to starting the dough for the flatbread.

Taking 2 cups of unbleached bread flour, I add it to a stand mixer bowl with a ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, whisking together. In a measuring cup, I place 1 cup of warm water that is between 110-115°F. I sprinkle into the water 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast and wait 5 minutes for it to bloom. Fitting my stand mixer with a dough hook, I start the mixer on low speed and gradually add in the bloomed water/yeast mixture from the measuring cup. Turning up the speed on the mixer, I continue to knead the dough until it begins to ride up the dough hook, pulling away from sides of the bowl.

Taking a large bowl, I add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom and place some bread flour on a clean work surface to roll the dough out.

Removing the flatbread dough from the mixer bowl, I place the dough on the floured surface and begin to hand knead the dough into a ball. I place the ball of dough into the oiled bowl, rolling the dough in the oil and up the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is nonstick. Place the dough in the bottom of the oiled bowl, cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise until double in size which will take about an hour. Once risen, prepare a sheet pan with two tablespoons of oil, coating the pan’s surface with the oil using your fingers. The oil will ensure the bottom of the flatbread crisps while cooking.

Grape Flatbread- Simple Fresh Ingredients

Punch the dough down and place on the oiled sheet pan, stretching the dough out on the pan until it almost touches the sides. Time for the fresh ingredients. Start by slicing then tearing into pieces Brie cheese, placing over the top of the flatbread dough. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary leaves. Press the smoked grapes into the dough’s surface until all three ingredients cover most every spot of the dough. Cover the dough with a cloth and allow the flatbread to rise a second time for another 20 minutes. Then bake at 400°F until the cheese is bubbly and the bread surface is golden brown. Remember, the grill works great for the flatbread cooking as well and for additional wood-fired flavor, use wood chunks at this stage as well.

Tasting Notes: Feel free to use other seasonal fruits and even vegetables from the wood-fired grill for this recipe. Swap out the herb and cheese based on the main ingredient and you’ll have a versatile recipe for any seasonal food.

What’s your favorite flatbread recipe and featured flatbread item? Leave us a comment to opine and subscribe to get all our postings on tips, techniques and recipes. Bringing innovation to wood fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor. That’s SmokinLicious®.

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Our Delicious Smoked Grape Flatbread with Brie and a little fresh Rosemary

Smoked Grape Flatbread-  Even if you aren’t the biggest fan of Concord Grapes, this recipe completely changes the flavor of this variety of grape to produce a very pleasing outcome.  I’ve gone to my own personal grapevines and selected grapes at their peak for a flatbread recipe that is super easy and scrumptious.  It all starts with the grapes so go to your own vines, a neighbor’s, a farmer’s market or fresh market, and pick up a quart or two to bring to the grill for wood flavor infusion to make the ultimate in flatbread.  Remember, any grape you find will work for this recipe, so go ahead and pick your favorite.

Grape Prep & Wood Infusion

The first steps to our recipe are related to the grapes.  I’ve visited my grapevines and selected grapes that our deep purple and firm.  Bringing them to the kitchen, I remove them from the vine, ensuring all stems are out, rinse under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.  I’ve started my grill by lighting only one burner.  To that side, I’ve prepared a metal smoker box with wood chunks.  My grill needs to heat up to 250-275°F.  While it’s heating, I prepare a sheet pan with a single layer of clean grapes.  Then we’re ready to add wood flavor.

Two zone cooking on a grill or smoker is the easiest since the temperature will remain steady and you won’t need to constantly watch the grill.  After achieving a 250°F temperature, I place the sheet pan of prepared grapes on the unlit side of the grates.  The smoker box of chunks should be releasing a consistent smoke at this stage. Put the lid down and allow the grapes to infuse for about 20 minutes.  I then return to the grill and rotate the pan, lid down again, and allow to smoke for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Tasting Notes: There is no rule regarding the type of wood you should use for the smoking.  Just be sure it is only hardwood and not a completely dried out piece of wood or you’ll find it will burn up almost immediately.  Remember, you want smoke not flames from the wood.  Positioning as close to the burner as you can get is best for the placement of the smoker box.

Dough Time

With the grapes smoking on the grill, I’m going to starting the dough for the flatbread.

Taking 2 cups of unbleached bread flour, I add it to a stand mixer bowl with a ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, whisking together.  In a measuring cup, I place 1 cup of warm water that is between 110-115°F.  I sprinkle into the water 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast and wait 5 minutes for it to bloom.  Fitting my stand mixer with a dough hook, I start the mixer on low speed and gradually add in the bloomed water/yeast mixture from the measuring cup.  Turning up the speed on the mixer, I continue to knead the dough until it begins to ride up the dough hook, pulling away from sides of the bowl.

Taking a large bowl, I add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom and place some bread flour on a clean work surface to roll the dough out.

Removing the flatbread dough from the mixer bowl, I place the dough on the floured surface and begin to hand knead the dough into a ball.  I place the ball of dough into the oiled bowl, rolling the dough in the oil and up the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is nonstick.  Place the dough in the bottom of the oiled bowl, cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise until double in size which will take about an hour.  Once risen, prepare a sheet pan with two tablespoons of oil, coating the pan’s surface with the oil using your fingers.  The oil will ensure the bottom of the flatbread crisps while cooking.

Simple Fresh Ingredients

Punch the dough down and place on the oiled sheet pan, stretching the dough out on the pan until it almost touches the sides.  Time for the fresh ingredients.  Start by slicing then tearing into pieces Brie cheese, placing over the top of the flatbread dough.  Sprinkle with fresh rosemary leaves.  Press the smoked grapes into the dough’s surface until all three ingredients cover most every spot of the dough.  Cover the dough with a cloth and allow the flatbread to rise a second time for another 20 minutes.  Then bake at 400°F until the cheese is bubbly and the bread surface is golden brown.  Remember, the grill works great for the flatbread cooking as well and for additional wood-fired flavor, use wood chunks at this stage as well.

Tasting Notes: Feel free to use other seasonal fruits and even vegetables from the wood-fired grill for this recipe.  Swap out the herb and cheese based on the main ingredient and you’ll have a versatile recipe for any seasonal food.

What’s your favorite flatbread recipe and featured flatbread item?  Leave us a comment to opine and subscribe to get all our postings on tips, techniques and recipes.  Bringing innovation to wood fired cooking with recipes, techniques and the science behind the fire, smoke, and flavor. That’s SmokinLicious®.

Love this post?  Then please share!

 

WILDFIRE SMOKE TAINT IS THE BBQ COOK’S UMAMI

WILDFIRE SMOKE TAINT grapes may add some bold tastes

I came across a fascinating article in Wine Spectator (June 15, 2018) that made me salivate.  The article focused on the wildfires of California, specifically Northern California, in October 2017 that had vineyards struggling with grapes that had not yet been harvested for wine production and were exposed to the fire’s smoke.

Smoke taint.  That is the smoky flavors grapes will pick up from traveling smoke gases and particles
that become airborne with the wind.  Even if a vineyard did not experience the fire directly, it can be affected by the traveling smoke.  That is the key though: a vineyard may or may not contain smoke taint in the grapes.

 

Lab Research

There were many California wineries that sent grape and juice samples to labs for analysis to determine if compounds indicative of smoke exposure existed (probability is said to be 70% with testing).  Specifically, they test for the primary volatile phenols present in smoke.  This research and technique have its base in extensive research done in Australia who experience bushfires more commonly than Californians experience wildfires.

If these volatile phenols are found in the sample, this means the waxy cuticle of the grape skin absorbed the compounds forming glycosides.  At this stage, the phenols are not detectable by smell or taste.  Once the fermentation begins, the acids break down the bond making the phenols volatile again.  Additionally, our own mouths can breakdown remaining glycosides releasing the smoky flavors when the wines are consumed.

 

What to Do

Though there is a risk to white wines, these tend to be less susceptible to smoke taint since most are not fermented on their skins.   Wines fermenting in tanks and barrels during the fires also appear protected by the layer of carbon dioxide that forms.

For those wines found to have the smoke taint, the vineyard is faced with options:

• minimize the skin contact by adjusting the grape press
• use lighter toasted oak barrels for the fermentation
• bottle the tainted wine under a different label
• sell the wine on the bulk market to be blended into an inexpensive wine
• sell the wine to distilleries

 

BBQ Umami

I have another idea!  Along the lines of selling the wine to another user, why not market this to Chefs, cooks, and barbecue enthusiasts who understand and desire those charry undertones.  Think about the sauces, marinades, glazes, and assorted other uses these tainted wines could be used in.

Think about how many people use handheld food smokers to get a smoky undertone to liquids, whether a cocktail, syrup, juice, even water.  With a bottle of this tainted wine, blooming with an ashy component, you have ready-made umami for those of us searching for the perfect ingredient to bring a balanced smoky undertone to a recipe.

Here’s my suggestion: think about contacting one of these vineyards to see if they would be willing to sell you some unmarked bottles.  They wouldn’t have to label them with their pristine brand, just sell it as is to those of us who love that undertone.

Some of the vineyards with tainted wine: The Hess Collection, Jackson Family Wines, Jarvis Wines.

I don’t know about you, but I’m sure going to try to get my hands on at least a couple of bottles of the smoke-tainted wine as my recipes are just waiting for this special ingredient!