Smokin’

A South African synonymous with smoked barbecue is PJ Vadas. An accomplished chef, PJ has traded fine dining cuisine for the joy of smoked meat. Today, the quality of his smoked meat draws crowds to The Hoghouse Brewing Company in Ndabeni, Cape Town.

“It’s important to get the smoke right,” explains PJ. “It’s the only cooking technique that also acts as an ingredient. Smoke too hard and the meat dries out; too low and it doesn’t cook. The trick is controlling the smoke.” There’s no uniform outcome, however. “Each smoker smokes differently and there are always factors, including the weather. If a wind comes up, it can affect smoking.” We woodsmoke everything using rooikrantz (sustainable, because it’s an alien tree), which produces a rich, sweet flavour, but a hardwood Namibian charcoal is also an option. Some prefer charcoal, not briquettes, because it burns cleanly and slowly and a few smokey chips can be added.