Various salts from around the world smoked many hours (2-3 days)
Black peppercorns smoked many hours (2-3 days)
Hot Hungarian paprika, fresh
Fresh dried Sonoran Chiletepins
Instructions
Blend all in a coffee grinder. Be sure to wear an N95 mask. If you wash hands and/or touch your face, you may go temporarily blind for a few hours and have a rash. Have REAL honey by the sink. This is the only cure for the burn of the chile. The dust will get everywhere so clean the kitchen well.
Notes
This is a VERY expensive spice. Been making it for years, giving it away, and using it in all my cooking. At some point, friends and family started calling saying “I need more Meara Spice!” – hence the name. Obvious uses are meats and marinades, but I love it on green beans, or with honey over goat cheese, and more. Use it daily on all dishes to build up your spice palate/tolerance. It works! Google up the ChileTepin. Arizona’s only native chile. Just be careful – it is the Mother of all chiles. I like it because it has a smoky flavor that you actually get to taste first. Not like other chiles that are all about shock value. But then…
Smokey fish dip snack. I’ll put the story in the notes so you can skip right to the recipe!
Scale
Ingredients
6 small fillets of Whitefish (Freshwater preferred such as walleye but cod, hoke or pollack)
Liquid smoke, dash
Cream Cheese, 12 oz
1 tbsp butter
1 shallot, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
Lemon juice
Worcestershire
Mayo or Miracle Whip
Meara Spice
Crackers or Pringles for serving
Instructions
Marinate fish with a dash of Meara Spice and Liquid smoke 1 hour. Pat dry and leave open on rack in fridge 1 hour (you want to see a “glaze” shine on the fish). Smoke for 1 hour using Cherrywood or Fruit wood 1-2 hours or until almost too done – not flaky and ready to eat, but more dry.
While smoking, dice up the shallot in a bowl and add a tbsp each of lemon juice, worcestershire, 1 tab of butter, and garlic. Microwave 1 minute.
Break up fish when done – checking for bones. Add to the bowl of onion mix and add mayo and cream cheese.
Blend all ingredients with a hand blender and add some ingredients as needed for the taste and consistency you like. Should end up more flaky fish consistency rather than cream cheese.
Serve with Pringles or crackers.
Notes
There’s a place in Northern MI that makes this which is the original inspiration. We were on our way to get ice cream, stopped at a corner store, and sampled this. Bought it on the spot. We never went for ice cream after we devoured the fish pate right there in the store. If you can get kids to pick a fish dip over ice cream, you know its good!
An alternative to the red posole, this is a favorite of guests at the Annual Smoker Party. Just something I sort of created one day with leftover pork and eventually wrote down.
Scale
Ingredients
2 small pork loins (you know those little pre-marinated kind at the store)
1 onion
2 tbsp garlic
Meara spice (lots)
1 large can (family size) white hominy *Yellow is ok, but stronger tasting
1 large can diced green chiles
2 tabs butter
1 bag frozen petite golden and white corn
1/2 C white wine or light beer
Pinto beans
Chicken broth or Caldo de Pollo w/water
Fresh cilantro
Crema Mexicana Sour cream for serving
Instructions
Coat Dutch oven with evoo on med-high heat and roast meat all sides.
Add onion, garlic, broth, spice and simmer for 1-2 hours on low-med heat.
When ready, pull apart/shred meat and add twice drained hominy and non-drained green chiles, beans, butter, wine. Add water if needed and continue to simmer.
10 minutes prior to serving raise the heat and add the frozen corn.
When serving, add a pinch of cilantro and a spoonful of the sour cream (its more runny than regular but creamier tasting).
Notes
Warm tortillas or cornbread are a good addition too. Surprisingly filling “soup”.
A smoked spicy sweet snack that is undeniably delish!
Scale
Ingredients
Huge Pork Butt or Shoulder (+8lbs)
1 C Sugar
1C Honey (good quality)
8 tbsp salt
3 C water
1.5 C Soy sauce
For Serving
Colemans dry mustard
Sesame seeds
Instructions
Cut all fat from pork and break apart. You should have pieces about the size and shape as a small potato.
Combine all but serving ingredients and marinate the pork tightly in fridge overnight.
Smoke in smoker for 2 hours at 280, OR Place on oven rack with foil liner to catch drippings in oven and roast for 1.2 hrs at 360. DO NOT BASTE OR COVER.
Allow to cool.
Slice very thin and set on serving tray. In one small dish, mix coleman’s with a tiny bit of water to form mustard consistency. In other dish, fill with sesame seeds (ok to roast).
To eat, dip pork very lightly into mustard, then seeds and place entirely in mouth for a flavor explosion!
Notes
This took me many years to 1) Obtain recipe from Scot and 2) Perfect in my smoker. Most people have never heard of it. For some, the mustard is too spicy. But everyone who has ever tried this LOVES it at first bite!
A staple of the smoker party! Best served with original Pringles and French Onion Dip.
Ingredients
Salmon (thawed). Skin on preferred.
Meara Spice
Liquid Smoke
Kosher Salt
Instructions
In a bowl large enough for the salmon you purchase, mix all ingredients and top off with warm water. Let sit for 15 minutes. Remove salmon and sit on rack open to air. Pat with paper towel and let stand for 15 minutes, or until you see a fine clear glaze over it. Smoke for 30 minutes.
Notes
The reason for the liquid smoke in addition to smoking is due to it cooking too quickly to absorb enough smoke. I like to add more spices as it smokes. Again, this goes wonderfully with french onion dip and Pringles as an appetizer.
