When you have a stovetop smoker, or a smoker donabe (ibushi gin), smoked labneh needs to be excessive in your record of issues to make. Labneh is made just by straining yogurt. The ensuing consistency is wealthy, creamy and exquisite. Wonderful by itself, you may also incorporate herbs, spices, or different substances. I do know the variety of you with a stovetop smoker might be slim, however I love experimenting with mine, all the time making an attempt to give you extra methods to make use of it, particularly now that we now have a gasoline vary once more. A good distance of claiming, if you wish to mess around together with your smoker extra, I see you. I exploit mine for all kinds of issues – nuts, cheeses, tofu, greens, and on and on. So I’ll attempt to put up extra as I’m utilizing it.
Smoked Labneh: The Inspiration
Smoked labneh has been on my record of issues to make for a while now. Late final yr we made just a few journeys to San Francisco to verify we have been able to make the transfer again from LA. I’d stroll by means of the Presidio to lunch at Dalida, partly, as a result of I really like their home made pita scenario – known as Breaking Bread. The pita comes with a trio of spreads (hummus, muhammara, smoked yogurt), some pickles and olives. The smoked yogurt is a show-stopper – wealthy, creamy, luxe. The server wasn’t certain the way it was ready however I began enthusiastic about the way to method it as soon as I may get my smoker unpacked. I already make home made labneh repeatedly, so it wouldn’t be an excessive amount of of a leap. Flash ahead, and I’ve made smoked labneh various instances within the weeks since!Â
The Method
I’ve been utilizing a cold-smoke method and it really works properly. It’s the place you retain the yogurt chilly however flood the world round it with smoke. Each smoker is barely completely different, so that you would possibly have to tweak your method, however this offers you the overall concept of how to consider it. You’ll be able to see in my diagram beneath how issues are layered within the smoker. Beginning on the backside: a chunk of foil, wooden chips, the grate, a bowl of ice and a few water, the shallow container of labneh, the lid finally goes on above that.
You’ll be able to see the aluminum foil sitting on the underside of the smoker topped with wooden chips. The foil makes for straightforward cleanup. 
Under, a stainless-steel bowl of ice and a few water sits on high of a grate, which retains the bowl from having direct contact with warmth or the wooden chips. The labneh sits within the ice, preserving the yogurt cool by means of the smoking course of.
Alternate method: There’s additionally a technique for smoking Labneh within the NOPI cookbook, however I haven’t tried it but. The labneh is fashioned right into a puck form and positioned on a chunk of parchment paper contained in the smoker – no ice. In addition they use completely different aromatics for smoking (oolong tea, caraway seeds, pink peppercorn, and so forth). I think the most important distinction can be texturally, with the parchment model dropping extra moisture and presumably taking up extra taste as a result of extra floor space is uncovered? Excited to take this model for a spin as effectively.
Video: How To Make Smoked Labneh
How Lengthy Ought to I Smoke the Labneh?
Each smoker has its personal quirks and personalities. My recommendation right here is to take good notes. You need a good, spherical, stability of smoky notes. Goal for the candy spot between too delicate and too sturdy acrid (yikes). Each time I exploit the smoker I make be aware of: what I’m smoking, what kind of wooden chips / herbs, and so forth., and the way lengthy. Then be aware how I’d improve or lower the time sooner or later. Good notes are key to getting an excellent working relationship together with your smoker. Twenty minutes appears to be the candy spot right here for the labneh utilizing applewood chips. The same timeframe labored effectively for this smoked chocolate mousse.
What if I don’t Have a Stovetop Smoker?
Right here’s what my smoker seems like, I loooove it (not sponsored). If I didn’t have my Ibushi Gin (donabe smoker) one other technique to get smoky taste into the labneh may be to make use of a smoked salt. I’d grind it finely with a mortar and pestle and go from there. I’ve by no means actually appreciated liquid smoke, in order that wouldn’t be my transfer, however that doesn’t imply you couldn’t experiment a bit as yet one more method. There may very effectively be higher liquid smokes available on the market in comparison with the final time I performed round with it.
Smoked Labneh: Serving Concepts
- Drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with purple gomashio (pictured above), together with candied nuts with rose water, seeded flatbread, and diverse cookies.
- Rather than the poblano yogurt on this mushroom tartine.
- Rather than the ricotta on this roasted mushroom sandwich.
- Rather than the inexperienced chile yogurt on this sourdough galette.
- Rolled into 1-inch balls, rolled in spices, herbs, and/or seeds, and saved, refrigerated, in a jar topped off with olive oil.
Extra Yogurt Recipes
- Home made Labneh
- Frozen Yogurt
- Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl
- Mast-o-Khiar Yogurt
- Recent Mint Chip Frozen Yogurt
Extra Methods to Use Stovetop Smoker
Proceed studying Smoked Labneh on 101 Cookbooks
