Recipe – Cheesy Smoked Garlic Bread
Ingredients
| 6 (or more) whole garlic bulbs |
| 500g plain or baker’s flour |
| 7g instant yeast |
| 1/2 tsp sugar |
| 2 tsp salt |
| 1/2 cup olive oil |
| 3/4 cup finely grated cheddar cheese |
| 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese |
| 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped |
Directions
Step 1 – Soak approximately 2 cups of your preferred wood chips (we recommend apple, cherry or maple chips) for at least 1 hour in water.
Step 2 – Prepare the BBQ grill for indirect cooking over low heat (120°C). Ensure the grills are clean. If you are using a charcoal grill, keep at least half of the charcoal grate clear of briquettes or charcoal as a zone of indirect heat. If you are using a gas BBQ, light a burner on one side of the BBQ only.
Step 3 – Drain the wood chips and add half the chips to your smoker box. Add the smoker box to your BBQ and allow the chips to reach temperature and start to smoke.
Step 4 – Carefully cut the tops or heads off the top of each garlic bulb. Drizzle each bulb with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Step 5 – Once the chips are smoking, place the bulbs of garlic, cut side up, directly onto the grill, away from direct heat and close the BBQ lid. Smoke the garlic for 1 hour.
Step 5 – After 1 hour, top up the smoker box with the remaining wood chips and close the lid.
Step 6 – After an additional 1 hour of smoking, remove the garlic from the BBQ and allow them to cool. Either store as whole garlic bulbs, or squeeze the individual cloves of garlic from the bulbs, in an airtight container or jar, covered in olive oil. The garlic will keep for up to 4 weeks.
Step 7 – To make the garlic bread, add the flour, yeast and sugar to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the salt and stir again to combine. Make a paste with 2 tbsp olive oil and 4 cloves of the smoked garlic. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the garlic olive oil, plus around 350ml of lukewarm water. Stir until the dough starts to come together, then tip out onto a floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes until the dough is soft. Add more flour gradually if the dough is too sticky.
Step 8 – Place the ball of dough into a clean bowl, oiled to prevent sticking, cover with a tea towel and set aside for around 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Step 9 – Grease a round (30cm diameter) or rectangular (25 x 35cm) BBQ safe baking pan liberally with olive oil, place the dough into the pan and stretch to fill the pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dough and then sprinkle with the cheddar and parmesan cheese and most of the parsley, reserving a little to garnish. Cover the pan with a tea towel and allow the dough to rise again for another 30 – 40 minutes.
Step 10 – Heat the BBQ to medium – high heat (180 – 200°C) with two zone heat. Ensure the grills are clean. If you are using a charcoal grill, keep at least half of the charcoal grate clear of briquettes or charcoal as a zone of indirect heat. If you are using a gas BBQ, light a burner on one side of the BBQ only. If you are using a Weber Q, set up the BBQ for indirect cooking with a trivet and convection tray.
Step 11 – Once the BBQ has reached temperature, place the pan into the BBQ, away from direct heat, and close the lid. Cook the bread for around 20 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley to garnish and serve immediately.
