How to Smoke Fruit to Preserve It

Smoking fruits such as tomatoes add extra flavor.

Smoked food has an entirely different flavor than fresh food. The smoking process used most commonly on meats and poultry, adds additional aroma and flavors to food. It also removes many of the natural juices. Although less common, smoking can also be used to dry and preserve fruits, especially tomatoes. The process requires at least a few hours of work. However, smoking, preserving and properly storing fruits can extend the life of some fruits up to 18 months.

Things You'll Need

• Wood chips
• Coal
• Grill
• Grill rack
• Tongs
• Bucket
• Matches
• Storage containers or bags
• Food dehydrator (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose a fruit to smoke. You may want to try several types of fruit as not all fruits may handle the smoking process well. Stick with tomatoes or apples for best results. Also choose a wood chip flavor that complements the fruit. Wood chips are sold in many flavors such as hickory, mesquite, apple and cherry.

2. Soak the wood chips in a bucket of water and after approximately one hour of soaking, drain and shake the water off of the wood chips.

3. Prepare your fruit by cutting it in slices or halves and removing any seeds.

4. Fill the grill with coal and start a fire. Once the fire has simmered, add the wood chips over the charcoal and place the grate on the grill.

5. Place the fruit evenly on the grill grate and cover the grill. Cook until the fruit is completely dried out and no juices or water is visible.

6. Remove the fruit with tongs and let the fruit cool down.

7. Use a food dehydrator to remove any excess juices or water from the fruit. This is optional, but may help the fruit to preserve longer. Place the smoked fruit in dry, sealed containers such as airtight bags or vacuum sealed bags, and store in a refrigerator or freezer. On average, smoked fruit lasts approximately six to 12 months in the refrigerator, or 18 months in the freezer.

Tips & Warnings

• Use caution when working with a grill. Use only tongs to touch the fruit and not your hands.

• Examine the preserved fruit before eating, especially if it has been stored for an extended period of time.

References

• Better Homes and Gardens: smoking food
• Virtual Weber Bullet: Smoke-Dried Tomatoes