Olives, like cheese, are an excellent food to smoke.
Whether it be bacon, cheese, or fish, cultures around the world love smoked foods. While items like those mentioned have achieved worldwide recognition, there is a host of foods most would never consider smoking, but nonetheless turn out to be amazing. Case in point: olives. Much like cured bacon, the saltiness of olives seems to lend itself perfectly to deep, smokey flavors. Bursting with flavor and easy to make, there's no reason why smoked olives shouldn't be your next culinary adventure.
Instructions
1. Fill your smoker with charcoal briquettes and soak with lighter fluid. Allow a few minutes for fluid to soak thoroughly.
2. Light the briquettes and allow them to burn until black is no longer showing. In the meantime, soak the wood chips in liquid. You can use water, wine or juice.
3. Scatter the coals in the smoker's coal pan. Reserve some coals for later use. If there is a water pan, fill it with hot water.
4. Remove the wood chips from the solution and spread out on a towel. Lay another towel on top and pat dry. Wood chips should be moist, not wet.
5. When the smoker reaches 150 degrees Fahrenheit, spread the moist wood chips over the coals. Reserve some wood chips for later use.
6. Add the olives, open the air vents, and maintain a temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit by adding moist chips if too hot or adding hot coals if too cold.
7. Smoke the olives for three hours.
Tags: wood chips, degrees Fahrenheit, Reserve some