A seriously smokin’ barbequing class

This summer, we were excited to offer our first ever smoking and barbeque class. This was a new summer class for us and because of its success we quickly followed it up with a second one. Smoking and barbequing takes a certain kind of passion for seasonal cooking and culinary artistry combined with a just a touch of outdoorsy sportsmanship.

Both classes were led by resident instructor and grillin’ extraordinaire Dwane MacIsaac. The class learned how to make homemade sauces like an amazing smoked apple barbeque sauce and a spicy watermelon barbeque sauce, as well as a cherry salsa and smoked apricot compote. All are tasty sides to compliment mouthwatering grilled meats and vegetables.

The class also covered how to tenderize meat with various marinades. We made a basic dry rub for ribeye steak and a dressed up espresso and chili barbeque wet rub for a flank steak. One of the best tips from the class was also one of the simplest - tie a bunch of rosemary sprigs together and use it to brush the meats and vegetables with olive oil or sauce before grilling. A practical application that also infuses a hint of rosemary into the dish.

Dwane also showed the class how to make a simple smoker for those who don’t own one. And, for anyone looking for a late summer adventure, building a backyard smoker may be just the thing. It takes minimal tools and really adds incredible flavour and tenderness to meats, veggies and even fruit like apples and apricots.

While July and August are behind us, summer isn’t over yet so keep on enjoying the warm weather and fire up the barbeque! Check out pictures from the Smoking and Barbequing Class on Facebook and be sure to check out our great lineup of September classes.