Having had a bit of success on the competition bbq circuit, we're often approached by people wanting to get into the craft of smoking various cuts of meat. One of the first pieces of advice we offer is in the area of the smokewood and level of smoke used by novices. With little exception, you can almost guarantee that the first 'error' of someone new to bbq and smoking is that they tend to use too much smoke application on their ribs, chicken, beef and pork. The meat is overwhelmed by the flavour of heavy, concentrated smoke on, and in, the meat they produce. Our response to a new bbq enthusiast is to start over and begin to think of smoke, and the smokewood producing that smoke, as simply one of the many 'ingredients' that go into making truly outstanding barbecue, and not as an overwhelming one-note flavour profile. Just as you wouldn't use a pound of black pepper in a two pound spice recipe for beef, you don't overload the smokewood on a smoked or bbq'd piece of meat. It needs to enhance the flavour, not become the flavour!

To that end, we try to match our smokewood choice and depth of wood smoke application to suit the meat in question. Poultry requires only a hint of smoke, while a pork shoulder can take a heavier application. And the flavours? The woods available are numerous and each offers its own personality. Cherry, apple, hickory, alder, maple, vanilla, Jamaican rum.... all great choices. ("Whoa! Wait a minute, did he say 'vanilla' and 'Jamaican Rum'?"). Yes, in addition to the 'traditional' smokewoods, there are now some amazing and interesting new choices in the area of smokewood 'ingredients' available to the bbq'ing community thanks to our friends at Smokinlicious Gourmet Wood Products. Terry, Donna and their crew have been working for a number of years now in developing smokewoods that open new doors for adventurous and innovative bbq enthusiasts. Who wants a palette of smokewood limited to 5 or 6 choices, when there are exciting options like those offered by Smokinlicious!? Peach, pear, almond, wild cherry, bourbon, rum, vanilla, mango, papaya, orange....... all of these, and other awesome flavours, are available on the Smokinlicious! roster. Imagine the possibilities!!

The Black Pig/Les Noiracochon Team is thrilled and pleased to announce that we've struck a deal with Smokinlicious! to incorporate their products in to all of our smoked charcuterie and bbq recipes. We've made a commitment to explore the age-old arts of charcuterie and barbecue with fresh eyes and fresh ideas, and to that end we've sought out relationships and partnerships with like-minded companies and personnel in related endeavours. Terry and Donna's Smokinlicious! company is at the forefront of the natural and infused smoking wood business, essentially creating products and flavours that simply didn't exist a few short years ago. Their commitment to product development, use of only the best cut--the heartwood-- and dedication to reforesting the trees used in their products, makes Smokinlicious! a company that we are very proud to have as a partner.

Look for amazing new recipes using the Black Pig team's innovative charcuterie and bbq stylings and the awesome Smokinlicious! natural and infused roster of wood products!