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Creating an airtight chamber allows the rooibos to burn into little embers that release a lot of smoke. The smoke has nowhere to escape to so it’s forced to settle on the nearest surface, which is the cream, thus infusing easily. 

Smoky rooibos no-churn ice cream

Makes about 2L

Ingredients

10 rooibos tea bags 
3 cups whipping cream 
2 cans (385g each) condensed milk
¼  cup full-cream milk 
Seeds of ½ vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla essence)  

For the rooibos syrup 

1 cup caster sugar 
½  cup hot water 
4 rooibos tea bags  

Method

1. Fold a piece of foil in half and mould it into a small bowl shape. Tear open 6 rooibos teabags and empty the contents into the foil bowl. Place this foil bowl into a medium-small stainless-steel bowl. 
2. Pour the cream into a separate bowl with the last 4 teabags (intact) and heat for about 1½ minutes until warm. Stir well to encourage the rooibos to infuse. 
3. Place the two bowls (cream and rooibos) next to each other on a baking tray. 
4. Cover the entire baking tray with two layers of foil, leaving one end open.
5. Light the rooibos on fire with a blowtorch, hovering the flame over the loose-leaf rooibos long enough to ensure it burns properly, creating little embers that produce smoke. Quickly fold the foil closed very tightly, capturing the smoke inside.
6. Set aside for 30 minutes to infuse. Do not open. 
7. Add rooibos syrup ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil for another 10 minutes until reduced and thick. Set aside to cool. 
8. Open the foil chamber and place the smoked cream in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill.
9. Discard the burnt rooibos and teabags submerged in the cream.
10. Add cream to the bowl of a stand mixer.
11. Whisk cream until it reaches stiff peaks, about 45-60 seconds. Take care to not over whip.
12. Add the condensed milk, milk and vanilla, whisk for another 15 seconds until completely combined. 
13. Pour mixture into a 2L freezer-safe container. 
14. Drizzle cooled rooibos syrup over the ice cream and swirl through using a spatula. Place clingfilm straight onto the surface of the ice cream and freeze overnight or until solid. 
15. Scoop balls of ice cream onto cones and serve alongside dessert or enjoy on its own, savouring the beauty of the smoke-infused cream.

Recipe & styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography: Zhann Solomons

Also read: The science of smoking food  

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Let’s crack open the science behind smoke — where wood and heat join forces to create chemical reactions, flavourful magic and that drool-worthy smoky swagger we love so much. 

The rich, complex flavour of smoked food has an appeal that immediately evokes memories of open flames, relaxed cooking and a hint of nostalgia. Smoking has become a popular way to add strong flavours to a range of foods, from tender ribs to smoked cheese and even drinks. Prepare to add some smoke to your food, whether you’re an expert braai chef or an inquisitive home cook. Either way, we’ve got you covered with the components that give your kitchen a smoky touch, the many methods for smoking food as well as the science behind its totally mouthwatering aroma. 

Burn baby, burn: The science of smoking food  

Smoking of food was first used to preserve meat before refrigeration, and has been in use for centuries. Nowadays, smoking is a common method for cooking and giving food that distinct smoky flavour by burning or smouldering materials such as wood to smoke cheese, meat, fish and even vegetables. When we burn something, such as wood, a mixture of small, unburned particles are expelled as smoke. Food smoking is a science that involves the intricate relationship between heat, wood and time. The volatile organic chemicals in wood decompose and release smoke when it burns, producing smoke that is full of microscopic substances including phenols, syringol and guaiacol.

This is how you get that distinctive smoky flavour and scent that cannot be duplicated in an oven. As the smoke wraps the food, these substances seep into it — particularly when the food’s surface is greasy or moist, thus encouraging enhanced smoke absorption. Heat also breaks down fat and connective fibres, which makes food such as meat moist and tender. Additionally, when the Maillard reaction (a chemical process that browns food and intensifies flavour) takes place, the smoky profile gains depth.  

Hot vs cold smoking  

There are various temperatures at which you can smoke food. The ideal method depends on what you are smoking and the desired outcome.  

Cold smoking is the process of adding smoky taste to food at lower temperatures of 20 to 30°C without cooking it, such as with smoked cheese and the infusion of liquids. Turn to page 73 for a smoked rooibos ice cream recipe as an example of cold smoking.  

Most people are familiar with hot smoking, which is the process of cooking food such as meat or vegetables while also smoking it. This version uses temps that are hot enough to both smoke and properly cook the dish without making the meat dry — from 52°C upwards.  

There’s also smoke-roasting, which involves cooking big chunks of meat such as pork leg, beef brisket or lamb ribs slowly over several hours using smoke and indirect fire.  

Food for thought  

Ideal food for smoking: 

Meats: Smoking is a typical practice for chicken, brisket, ribs, pork shoulder and fish such as salmon, hake or yellowtail.
Cheese: A flavourful snack or ingredient in recipes is smoked cheese.
Vegetables: Smoking vegetables such as peppers and onions can provide distinctive flavour characteristics. 

Smoking elements 

Use wood from apple-, peach-, plum- or cherry tree for a mild, fragrant smoke. Each of these trees subtly sweeten meats and vegetables. For a unique twist try tea-smoking with black teas or rooibos. It adds an earthy, fragrant depth of flavour that goes well with tofu, duck and even desserts or cocktails.  

Tips for smoking  

– Although a smoker is a popular way to smoke food, you don’t necessarily need one in order to give your food a smoky flavour. 
– When smoking meat, ensure that the meat is completely defrosted first, as smoking temperatures are not extremely high. 
– Soak wood chips in water before smoking — this adds moisture which results in maximum smoke. 
– To find your preferred flavour combinations, don’t be scared to try out various kinds of wood for smoking. 
– For pit masters and barbecue enthusiasts around the world, a good smoke ring is a badge of honour. The thin layer of still pinkish meat directly beneath the surface of a recently smoked piece of meat is known as the smoke ring. A lot of grillers and barbecue fans believe that the appearance of the ring indicates that the specific cut is flavourful and cooked to perfection. A smoke ring is just a chemical reaction from the smoking method, even though many grill experts like to brag that it indicates perfectly cooked food.  

Smoky flavours 

These ingredients recreate the depth of actual smoke to give meals a rich, smoky flavour without a fire.  

Smoked paprika: A pantry essential, lending warmth and delicate woody undertones to roasted veggies and stews alike. 
Liquid smoke: Made from real condensed smoke water, it’s strong and ideal for marinades or sauces; a few drops go a long way.
Burnt onions and garlic: Adds umami and smokiness and is a more natural approach.  

Ingredients ideal for adding smokiness 

The curing and smoking procedures of these foods naturally add smoky flavours to food.  

Bacon: adds a salty, smoky bite. 
Chorizo: adds smokiness and spice.
Cheese: adds a rich, creamy flavour with a lingering smoky undertone. 

By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Braaied yellowtail with flatbread and sumac onions

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Baste them, braai them, air fry them! Add our round-up of scrumptious skewers to your culinary repertoire.  

Smoky citrus chicken sosaties 

Makes 8-10 

Add some halloumi to the mix. When threading the skewers alternate between the chicken and halloumi.  

Ingredients

4-6 deboned chicken thighs 
Salt and milled pepper
3 Tbsp orange marmalade
Juice (60ml) and zest of 2 limes (lemon juice works well, too)
glug of olive oil
2 tsp crushed garlic & ginger
½ tsp smoked paprika 
2 sprigs each thyme and rosemary, leaves picked  

For serving  

Couscous salad
Pomegranate rubies
Sliced red onion
Mint  

Method

1. Cut chicken into strips and season.
2. Whisk together marmalade, lime juice, olive oil, crushed garlic & ginger, smoked paprika, and herbs.
3. Coat chicken thoroughly and allow to marinate for 1 hour. Thread chicken on bamboo skewers, alternating with fruit.
4. Braai over medium-hot coals for about 20 minutes or air fry for 15-20 minutes, turning and basting regularly with leftover marinade.
5. Place the skewers on a plate with the couscous salad and add a generous squeeze of lime juice.
6. Serve topped with pomegranate rubies, red onion and mint.  

Recipes & styling: Gail Damon 

Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine 

Also read: Cape Malay fish sosaties

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Prepare to get messy with these lip-smacking, finger-licking rib recipe 

Smoky balsamic pork ribs 

Serves: 4

Prep time: 1 hour 30 mins 

Ingredients  

2kg baby back pork ribs or spare ribs

For the sauce  

1 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cups beef stock
¼ cup treacle sugar or honey
200g tomato purée
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and milled pepper

For the slaw  

1 cup each shredded green and red cabbage
2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
120g sugar snap peas
Handful chopped coriander and basil
1 bulb baby fennel, shredded (optional)
Fresh coriander and micro herbs

Method  

1. Combine ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and season. 
2. Place ribs in a large baking dish and add the sauce, coating ribs evenly. (Skip this step if you want to braai the ribs – see below left.) 
3. Cover dish with foil and cook ribs in the oven at 160°C for 50 minutes, rotating ribs halfway through cooking. 
4. Remove ribs and set aside on a plate. Strain sauce into a pot. 
5. Bring sauce to the boil to reduce, stirring often until it resembles a thick glaze (about 10 minutes).
6. Heat a grill pan or braai grill. Add ribs and cook for 15 minutes, turning and brushing with glaze every few minutes until charred and sticky. Transfer ribs to a serving board. 
7. Blanch sugar snap peas in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then plunge into cold water. 
8. Toss cabbage, apple, peas, herbs and fennel in a bowl to combine. 
9. Pour any remaining sauce over ribs, garnish with fresh herbs and serve with slaw on the side.

Smoke machine:

Braai ribs (without sauce coating) for 40 minutes; turning every 15 minutes to get an even char and smoky flavour. Ten minutes before the end of cooking, baste the ribs generously with the sauce.  

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Got a taste for seafood? This lightly smoked mackerel pasta is perfect for lunch or supper. Plus, mackerel is a sustainable fish option from the WWF-SASSI green list!

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 5 min

INGREDIENTS
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
Olive oil, to drizzle
Salt and pepper
1 cup mascarpone
250 g linguine
200 g smoked mackerel
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Wrap the garlic and onion in foil with a drizzle of oil, and season. Roast for 40 minutes.
3. Place the mascarpone, roast garlic and onion in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
4. Boil the pasta in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain.
5. Add the sauce to the pasta. Flake in the mackerel. Cook over high heat for 3 minutes, until heated through.
6. Serve sprinkled with lemon zest and cumin seeds.

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