Smoked Brown Sugar

nolabrew · February 2016

I had an amazing creme brulee last night that was topped with smoked brown sugar from Williams Sonoma. I went to buy some because I can think of a dozen things I'd like to put it on, and it's $18 for 8 oz. That's $2.25 per oz for something that most places give away for free if you buy some coffee, plus a little smoke. Unacceptable to this cheap bastard. My google searches are not revealing much in the way making my own. Anyone have any ideas? Can this even be done on a bge?

Chubbs · February 2016

Sure it can. Cold smoke it so it doesn't melt. Cold smoking the egg shouldn't get over 90 degrees or so. Use an amaze n smoker. Google it or make something similar. No lump just pellets it dust that smokes it.

SmokingPiney · February 2016

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/v5/m2aa5lyyvxq7.jpg

I use an Amaze-N smoker in my Egg for cheese. On a cold day, the temp never moves from the stop while it's smoking.

nolaegghead · February 2016

First of all, being a cheap bastard myself, I empathize with your plight for finding a DIY replacement for William Sonoma $36/lb sugar.

Being an international man of science and mystery, and based on my study of chemistry and smoke, I propose the following. (note: I have not googled this).

Hot smoke it.

I would take sugar (brown, white, turbinado, whatevz) and make a concentrated, saturated solution. Pour that in a baking pan and smoke it around 250F, indirect.

The moisture will help catch the smoke components, gas, etc.

Cook off the moisture, or if you want to get fancy, grow some crystals (however that may "purify" the sugar through crystallization). Whatever you do, grind the resulting product in a spice grinder and you should have sugar with the smoke *inside* and not just on the outside.

Of course I may be completely wrong.

fishlessman · February 2016

nola is close, make a heavey syrup and smoke it slowly to temp, your going to have to stir it alot as it gets hotter. i would make the syrup stove top, chill it and start smoking it from there
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/148932/maple-sugaring-making-granulated-maple-sugar

nolaegghead · February 2016

Right, so we're solving this. Maybe a little more water so it stays cool picking up the smoke on the egg - you don't want to stir it on the egg, the temp will rocket up and you'll be crying like a baby from the wibble bit of smoke in your eyes.

Anyway, divide and conquer. After picking up smoke on the egg or whatever rig you use, go stove-top and do the stir thing like fishlessperson says and that should work.

Please give it a shot Brian and let us know how it works. Hey - you make any smoked beer?

Ozzie_Isaac · February 2016

Wow, sounds like this could get expensive too. Cost of lump, smokewood, sugar, energy for stove, etc.

Ozzie_Isaac · February 2016

I propse adding it to a pork shoulder very heavy. Scrap it off after the cook and grind it up.

Eat the pulled pork.

Carolina Q · February 2016

Apparently the amazin' pellet smoker works well...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229856/attempting-to-smoke-brown-sugar-and-olive-oil-but-cant-figure-out-how-heard-cold-smoking-is-the-way

shtgunal3 · February 2016

@nolaegghead smoked beer? Please tell me more!

nolaegghead · February 2016

@shtgunal3

nolabrew is a very experienced brewer. Wondering if he's done it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoked_beer

nolabrew · February 2016

@shtgunal3 @nolaegghead

I've made several smoked beers. Several smoked stouts and slightly smokey pale ales. My two favorites are a style called a Grodziskie; it's an oak smoked wheat beer that used to be popular in Poland. It tastes like licking the plate setter from your egg, but in a good way. Very smokey and dry and light and almost as sparkling as a champagne. There aren't very many commercial examples of it available, so if you ever see one I suggest you jump on it. My other favorite is a Schlenkerla clone. http://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.html It's a smoked lager and in my opinion one of the best beers in the world. It's like the opposite of the Grodziskie, it's kind of sticky with a heavy smoke flavor and sweetness. If you haven't ever tried one, I highly recommend that you hunt one down, they're available pretty much everywhere. I'm actually planning on brewing another one in a couple of weeks for Scott's party in MS.

Canugghead · February 2016

while you're at it, smoke some paprika too?
edit: and butter!

nolabrew · February 2016

I know a guy who smokes like 5 lbs of paprika a year. I'd definitely be in to some smoked butter. Ooooooooh, smoked cinnamon.

nolabrew · February 2016

SMOKE ALL THE THINGS!

fishlessman · February 2016

had another thought, fill a pan with ice cubes and smoke at 220, then use the water to make the syrup and chill, then follow the maple sugar directions stove top, then make the sugar in the mixer. and then make smoked ice cubes from smoked water for bloodymarys

nolaegghead · February 2016

fishlessman said:

had another thought, fill a pan with ice cubes and smoke at 220, then use the water to make the syrup and chill, then follow the maple sugar directions stove top, then make the sugar in the blender. and then make smoked ice cubes from smoked water for bloodymarys

I like the way you think. Despite being a Northerner.

fishlessman · February 2016

nolaegghead said:

fishlessman said:

had another thought, fill a pan with ice cubes and smoke at 220, then use the water to make the syrup and chill, then follow the maple sugar directions stove top, then make the sugar in the blender. and then make smoked ice cubes from smoked water for bloodymarys

I like the way you think. Despite being a Northerner.

its what happens when you dont have to make the all important decision on which color crocks to wear today

nolaegghead · February 2016

I just wear different colors on each foot, and mix that up daily. No worrying.

blind99 · February 2016

I'm guessing the folks who supply WS mix a little liquid smoke into the brown sugar, mark it up a million percent and laugh their way to the bank.

Otter creek used to make a beer called hickory switch smoked amber ale. It tasted like bottled campfire. I wish they still made it, it was great.

nolabrew · February 2016

@blind99
Otter creek used to make a beer called hickory switch smoked amber ale. It tasted like bottled campfire. I wish they still made it, it was great.

Smoke beers don't seem to be too popular in America. Our local brewery used to make one called Smokey Mary, named after the train that ran from the terminal across the street from the brewery, but stopped a couple of years ago due to bad sales.

fishlessman · February 2016

the pub up here makes a great peat smoked scotch ale and a peat smoked porter, some great beer and they serve it with home made pulled pork sandwiches smoked behind the pub. hard to beat, the sandwiches are big enough for two

blind99 · February 2016

@nolabrew I assume you're a brewer from your handle -- maybe you could make a smoked beer and market it to eggheads. I'm in for a case, for sure!

nolabrew · February 2016

blind99 said:

@nolabrew I assume you're a brewer from your handle -- maybe you could make a smoked beer and market it to eggheads. I'm in for a case, for sure!

For brisket camp last year I made a pale ale that I boiled for 10 hours. I thought it paired really nicely with the smoked foods that were served.

theyolksonyou · February 2016

@nolabrew made some fantastic beers for brisket camp.

chadpsualum · February 2016

Rather than do it indirect, would there be a benefit in trying to 'bubble' the smoke through the syrup/liquid to increase the mass transfer area? You'd want to watch though not to overdo it.

If that makes sense to do, then maybe you can rig up some type apparatus to do this...either use a U Tube or rig up some type of check valve.

shtgunal3 · February 2016

blind99 said:

@nolabrew I assume you're a brewer from your handle -- maybe you could make a smoked beer and market it to eggheads. I'm in for a case, for sure!

Hell I'm in for a case a week.

nolaegghead · February 2016

chadpsualum said:

Rather than do it indirect, would there be a benefit in trying to 'bubble' the smoke through the syrup/liquid to increase the mass transfer area? You'd want to watch though not to overdo it.

If that makes sense to do, then maybe you can rig up some type apparatus to do this...either use a U Tube or rig up some type of check valve.

Here is that apparatus: http://polyscienceculinary.com/products/the-smoking-gun

Smoked Brown Sugar

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