Episode 3: Smoke Show
This episode is smokin' hot! We're going to show you how to smoke both cocktail ingredients and entire cocktails at home, using gear that only costs $4 (versus $150+ for the smoking guns typically used at cocktail bars). Plus, we'll compare an oaked cocktail to a non-oaked version and taste some of the best drinks of the 2024 Spring / Summer episodes. What we'll make: Smoked Pineapple Chunks, Smoked Pineapple Shrub, Baker's Bitters, The Coward (un-oaked), Cozumel Campfire, Smokey the Shark
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Damascus Bitters
Citrus Oleo Saccharum
The Juiced Ginger Syrup that you froze after Episode 1
The Macerated Strawberry Syrup that you froze after Episode 1
The Floral Print Bitters that we’re currently steeping
The Oaked Cocktail: The Coward that we oaked in Episode 2
Everything from your Smoking & Barrel Aging Kit (2 tea lights, 8 wooden skewers,
0.25 oz jar of wood chips, matches)
The jar of Spicy Sweet Salt, from the Cocktail & Bitters Ingredients pack
The syrup remaining in your Fabbri Amarena Cherry jar from Episode 2 (optional)
The Baker’s Bitters Ingredients pack, from the Cocktail & Bitters Ingredients pack
(Baker’s Bitters Spice Mix, 1 cinnamon stick, 0.5 vanilla bean)
One empty tea bag, from the Cocktail & Bitters Ingredients pack
The cocktail umbrella, from the Cocktail & Bitters Ingredients pack
The prune, from the Keep in Fridge pack
The 4 oz bottle of champagne vinegar
The 2 oz bottle of rich simple syrup, from the Freeze Until Needed pack
Your mesh drain cover, small funnel, and small mesh strainer
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Your Bitters Steeping Jar (or a 6 oz glass container with a tight lid)
Your Floral Print Bitters bottle and one dasher insert (or a 4 oz bottle, ideally with an eye dropper or dasher)
Your Smoked Pineapple Shrub bottle (or an 8 oz container with a lid)
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Jigger or measuring spoons to measure 0.5 oz, 0.75 oz, 1 oz, 1.5 oz
Mixing glass, shaking tins
Bar spoon, cocktail strainer
Small knife, peeler, cutting board
Citrus juicer, small vessel for citrus juice
A blender
A large pot or steel mixing bowl
A midsize bowl, ideally shallow and wide, that fits under your large pot / mixing bowl alongside the mesh drain cover
A flameproof surface large enough to hold your large pot / mixing bowl
2 coupe glasses, 1 highball glass • Ice (3 trays)
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Tequila – 1.5 oz
Gin–1oz
Darkorfunkyrum–1oz
Lightrum–1oz
High proof bourbon or rye – 3 oz
Suze–1oz
Cocchi Americano Bianco – 1 oz
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Whole pineapple – 1
Limes – 2
Oranges – 1
Lemons – 1
Fresh cilantro – 1 bunch
What you'll need for Episode 3: Smoke Show
SMOKED PINEAPPLE CHUNKS
Slice the bottom 1-1.5” off of a whole pineapple and set the resulting pineapple disk aside.
Trim the remaining pineapple and cut the fruit into 1” chunks.
Fill each skewer with pineapple chunks, leaving 1” of empty space at the pointy end of each skewer.
Stick each loaded skewer into the base of the pineapple, creating a porcupine of pineapple chunks.
Flip your mesh drain cover upside down and use your thumb to create a slight indent in the top surface. Fill the indent with wood chips.
On a flameproof surface, light a tea light and give it a few seconds for the flame to get going.
Carefully place the inverted mesh drain cover over the tea light so that the flame is be- neath the wood chips. Place the pineapple chunk porcupine next to the drain cover.
Wait until smoke begins to emerge from the wood chips, then invert a large pot or mixing bowl over the drain cover and pineapple chunks, sealing them inside the pot or bowl.
Wait a few minutes for the flame to peter out and the smoke to absorb into the pineapple.
Taste a pineapple chunk. If you want more smoke flavor, repeat the above process as needed.
From the grocery store:
Whole pineapple – 1
Limes – 2
Oranges – 1
Lemons – 1
Fresh cilantro – 1 bunch