Cody Casey
Smoking food is a popular method of cooking, and it can be done using various tools and equipment. One such tool is a hotel pan, which is commonly used in restaurants. A hotel pan can be used to smoke food by placing wood chips or charcoal in the pan and then putting the food in a perforated hotel pan on top. The pan is then covered, and smoke is circulated through the food. This method can be used on a stovetop or outdoors, and the type of wood chips or charcoal used can vary depending on the desired flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pan type | Deep hotel pan |
| Pan size | 6-inch |
| Pan material | Aluminum |
| Pan depth | 4-6 inches |
| Wood type | Japanese woodsmoke logs |
| Wood preparation | Soak wood chips in water, cider vinegar or beer for 20 minutes |
| Charcoal | Yes |
| Food placement | Place food in a perforated pan inside the hotel pan |
| Food type | Salmon, meats, vegetables, fruits |
| Heat source | Gas burner |
| Ventilation | Adequate ventilation required |
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What You'll Learn
Use a 6-inch deep hotel pan with a perforated 2-4 pan and some foil
To smoke in a hotel pan, you can use a 6-inch deep hotel pan with a perforated 2-4 pan and some foil. This method can be used for cold smoking foods like salmon. First, soak your wood chips in water, cider vinegar, or beer for 20 minutes. Then, drain the excess liquid and place the chips in a small pile inside the 6-inch hotel pan.
Take a piece of foil and place a chunk of woodsmoke log on it. Make sure the chunk is at least 1x1 inch and is completely engulfed in flames. Place the foil with the woodsmoke log inside the 6-inch pan. Take your salmon and place it in the perforated pan, then tightly lid it with foil.
Now, here's the tricky part: you need to extinguish the flame right before immediately dropping the perforated pan into place. Be careful not to drop the salmon into the flame and ensure no initial smoke escapes. Leave the setup in an oven or outside for an hour, then check on it and repeat as necessary. Trapping the initial flame-out smoke will allow it to seep into the food.
Alternatively, you can use a stove top to smoke your food. Line up the burner with the wood chips inside the pan. Turn the burner to high, and once you see smoke, turn it down to low. This method can be adapted for an electric stove top by using wood dust instead of wood chips.
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Soak wood chips in water, cider vinegar or beer for 20 minutes
Smoking is an art form, and there are various ways to smoke food, including using a stove, oven, or smoker. One way to smoke food is by using a hotel pan, which works great in a restaurant setting. To smoke in a hotel pan, you'll need a deep hotel pan, a smaller pan for ice and charcoal, and a perforated hotel pan to hold the food. You can use wood chips or wood dust, and it's recommended to soak the wood chips beforehand to infuse them with flavour and moisture to delay their burning.
Soaking wood chips in water, cider vinegar, or beer for 20 minutes is a technique used to enhance the smoking process. By soaking the wood chips, you can infuse them with unique flavours and moisture, which will impact the taste of the smoked food. Water will not add any flavour, but it will delay the burning of the wood chips, producing more smoke. However, liquids like cider vinegar, beer, wine, or fruit juice will infuse their flavours into the wood chips and, by extension, the food being smoked. For example, apple juice will add light and fruity notes, while red wine will add spice notes. The denser the wood chips, the longer and stronger the smoke will be.
When soaking wood chips, you can experiment with different liquids to find the flavour profile you desire. Some people recommend soaking the wood chips overnight and then draining and allowing them to evaporate slightly, resulting in thoroughly damp but not watery wood chips that burn more slowly. This technique is especially useful when scattering wood chips throughout a charcoal basket, as it prevents them from burning up too quickly and maximises smoke production.
It's important to note that the smoking process requires proper ventilation due to the large volume of smoke generated. Additionally, smoking food with a hotel pan setup may require continuous reloading and lighting of the fuel, which can be labour-intensive and may not impart as much flavour as traditional smoking methods. Nevertheless, with the right combination of wood chips, liquids, and smoking techniques, you can create delicious, flavourful smoked dishes.
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Use charcoal and a small woodchip pile
Smoking in a hotel pan with charcoal and a small woodchip pile is a great way to add flavour to your food. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Step 1: Prepare the Charcoal and Wood Chips
Start by laying out a bed of unlit charcoal briquettes in your hotel pan. You can create a "snake" pattern by forming two rows along the outer edge of the pan, or simply lay them out in a way that ensures even heating. If using wood chips, soak them in water or your desired liquid (like beer or apple juice) beforehand to add extra flavour. You can also experiment with different types of wood chips, such as hickory or apple, to pair with your food.
Step 2: Light the Charcoal
Use a chimney or torch to light a batch of charcoal briquettes. You can also use a blowtorch to ignite the charcoal, especially if you're having trouble getting it lit. Once the charcoal is lit, carefully pour or place the lit coals onto the unlit charcoal bed in the hotel pan.
Step 3: Control Oxygen and Smoke
Create a pouch or "burrito" with aluminium foil and place your wood chips inside. Poke holes in the foil to allow smoke to escape and let oxygen in, controlling the burn rate. Place this pouch directly onto the lit coals, or use a combination of lit and unlit coals to control the temperature and smoke intensity.
Step 4: Add Food and Smoke
Place your food on a perforated tray or rack above the coals and wood chips. For fast-cooking foods like burgers or steaks, you can place the wood chip pouch directly below the meat. For slow-cooking meats like ribs or roasts, use indirect heat by placing the charcoal to one side and the wood chip pouch on top. Cover the hotel pan to retain smoke and heat.
Step 5: Monitor and Adjust Temperature
To maintain a stable temperature, use a foil pan with hot water or an experimental liquid placed in the centre of the coals. This will help regulate temperature and add moisture to the smoking environment. If the temperature drops below your desired range (e.g., 225°F to 250°F for smoking), add more lit coals to increase the heat quickly.
Remember, smoking is a form of indirect cooking that usually takes place over several hours at low temperatures. Always practice fire safety and monitor your setup to avoid any potential hazards. Enjoy the delicious, smoky flavours your hotel pan setup will create!
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Smoke on a gas burner, cutting a quarter-sized hole for the vent
Smoking on a gas burner requires good ventilation, such as a direct-vent microwave or hood above the stove. You can use a full or half-size 6"-12" deep hotel pan, with a 2"-4" deep perforated hotel pan and a lid. Place a tinfoil cup in the bottom of the deep hotel pan for your soaked wood chips, and some balled-up tinfoil in the corners to hold up a hotel pan grate.
For this method, you will need to cut a quarter-sized hole in the lid for the vent. You can use a beat-up chafing dish lid, or a 2" full hotel pan for the lid. The vent is important to control the smoke and heat, and to prevent the smoke from escaping into your kitchen.
To start, light your wood chips or smoking fuel of choice in the tinfoil cup. Once they are lit and smoking, place the lid on top, ensuring the vent hole is clear. Place your food in the perforated hotel pan, and place this inside the smoking setup. The perforated hotel pan allows the smoke to circulate around the food.
You can also use a speed rack and a rack bag to contain the smoke and control its circulation. Place your charcoals and wood chips in a pan, with your food in a perforated hotel pan above it. You can also place a sheet tray halfway up to deflect any radiant heat from the coals.
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Use a speed rack and rack bag to smoke fish
Smoking fish is a great way to add flavour and preserve your catch, and it can be done without any special equipment. All you need is a charcoal grill and some aromatic wood chips. If you're looking to smoke fish in a hotel pan, a speed rack and rack bag will come in handy. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use a speed rack and rack bag to smoke fish:
Step 1: Prepare the Fish
Before you start smoking, it's important to brine or soak the fish. Brining adds moisture, enhances texture, and infuses flavour into the fish. Combine water, sugar, and salt to create a brine solution. Place the fish in a non-reactive dish, cover it with the brine, and refrigerate for at least two hours or even overnight for a deeper flavour.
Step 2: Set Up the Speed Rack and Rack Bag
Place some charcoal in a pan, along with your chosen aromatic wood chips. You can use apple wood, alder, pecan, hickory, maple, oak, cherry, or peach woods, depending on your preference. Place the pan on the bottom shelf of the speed rack. The speed rack, also known as a pan or bun rack, is a convenient way to hold and cool multiple pans.
Step 3: Prepare the Fish for Smoking
Once the brine is ready, pat the fish dry and lightly oil it. You can place a sheet tray halfway up the rack to deflect any radiant heat from the coals, but this is optional. Place the fish in a perforated hotel pan and put it on the top shelf of the speed rack, above the pan with charcoal and wood chips. Make sure the fish is skin-side down and covered.
Step 4: Smoke the Fish
Light the charcoal and wood chips using a torch or a blowtorch to ensure a consistent flame. You can also use a regular lighter, but it may not be as effective. The smoke will infuse the fish with flavour, and the heat will cook it. Smoking at higher temperatures (above 145°F) is called hot smoking, resulting in a more pronounced smoky flavour and thoroughly cooked fish. Smoking at lower temperatures (below 86°F) is cold smoking, producing a fresher taste with the fish less cooked.
Step 5: Maintain Temperature and Circulation
To maintain a lower temperature for cold smoking, you can put a pan of ice at the bottom of the rack below the charcoal pan. Be aware that smoke guns require continuous reloading and lighting, and the smoke dissipates quickly without proper circulation. For better circulation and flavour transfer, consider investing in a smoking gun pro or using traditional smoking methods.
Step 6: Store the Smoked Fish
Once the fish is smoked to your desired level, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Tightly wrap the smoked fish in plastic film and store it in an airtight container, such as a zip-top bag, in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for one to two weeks. For longer preservation, consider vacuum sealing and freezing the fish.
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Frequently asked questions
A hotel pan is a deep pan that can be used for smoking food. They are typically made of aluminum and come in various sizes, the most common being 6-inch-deep and 2-inch-deep.
To smoke food in a hotel pan, you will need the following: a hotel pan, a perforated hotel pan that fits inside the first, wood chips, tinfoil, and the food you wish to smoke. First, soak the wood chips in water, cider vinegar, or beer for 20 minutes. Drain the liquid and place the chips in the bottom of the hotel pan. Then, place the perforated hotel pan inside, with the food on top. Make sure the food does not cover the holes in the perforated pan so that the smoke can escape. Finally, wrap the top and sides of the pan tightly with tinfoil to prevent smoke from coming out the sides.
A variety of foods can be smoked in a hotel pan, including meats such as pork, beef, chicken, and fish.
Hotel pans are a cheap and accessible option for smoking food, as they can be purchased online or at a restaurant supply store. They are also versatile and can be used on a stove top or outdoors.
Yes, there are several alternatives to using a hotel pan for smoking. One option is to use a smoker, which can be purchased or homemade. Another option is to use a wok with a wire rack on a stove top, or an electric hot plate to heat wood chips.
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