Get grilling with Woodsmith

You may have noticed a new category in our BBQ shop. For the optimum flavour and texture, we’ve curated our slow smoking range to include cuts that have been carefully butchered, ready for cooking in low and slow conditions. Take our BBQ Marinated Flat Brisket for example — cook this overnight in beer, finish on the BBQ and end up with perfectly tender meat that pulls apart and melts in your mouth.

But there’s something unique in the slow smoking range that we can’t wait for you to try. Sourced from our friends at Woodsmith in Somerset, our 380g bag of Woodchips are ideal for adding a smoky flavour to your meat that is unapparelled to anything created in the kitchen.

How do they work?

Don’t be fooled that wood smoking is something only BBQ fanatics can try. You don’t need lots of fancy equipment to cook using wood, simply something to contain the fire and an element of airflow (most BBQs will do). Using our woodchips is a great way of learning how to smoke your meat and isn’t overly-complex. Here’s how they work:

1. Soak a handful or two in water for 20-30 minutes before you start cooking (we recommend experimenting with the amount of chips you use at first. Start cautiously, you can always add more if it doesn’t smoke enough).

2. Once your BBQ is ready to cook on, drain the chips and shake off any excess water.

3. Scatter evenly over the BBQ and let them start to smoke.

4. Once smoking, you have about 15 minutes until the smoke dies out (which makes them ideal for quick grilling).

What does it do?

When you burn woodchips, lots of small chemical reactions take place that cause sugars in the wood to caramelise and release a sweet aroma and distinct smokiness. Cooking your meat over the grill will allow the smoke to infuse into the meat and gives a unique flavour.

Our Woodchips come from Applewood which releases a mild smoky flavour and sweet fruitiness. It’s a great firewood for beginners as it burns hot but doesn’t give off too much flame. Much like wine, certain types of wood pair well with certain types of meat. For example, Applewood particularly lends itself to poultry and seafood.

How are they sourced?

Like us, Woodsmith source their wood from West Country farmers from orchards and woodlands that are properly maintained and cared for. They have full traceability over their wood and unlike most supermarket wood, Woodsmith do not add any chemicals to their chips which makes for a better cooking experience and flavour.

Woodsmith season and dry all their wood so it’s in ideal condition to smoke with. By using this process, the wood combusts quicker and reaches optimum cooking temperature faster.