Woodfire Carbonara: A Bold Twist on a Classic Italian Favorite!
If you've ever thought, "This carbonara is great, but what if it had a little more pizzazz?" then buckle up, because today we’re taking a smoky detour through Italy.
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This smoked carbonara recipe doesn’t just respect the traditions of Italian cooking—it gives them a bear hug, whispers "trust me," and tosses in some rich, flavorful smoke for an unforgettable dish.
Woodfire Carbonara
Equipment
- Smoker or Ninja Woodfire Grill
- Pasta pot
- Frying Pan
- Microplane or fine grater
- Pepper grinder
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz guanciale cut into thick lardons
- ¼ lb Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated
- 3 eggs 2 whole, 1 yolk
- ½ lb spaghetti use a bronze-cut
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns toasted and ground
- Salt to taste you probably won't need it
Instructions
- Fill your Woodfire with pellets and set it to Smoker, and the Cold Smoke setting, and 1 hour. If you don't have that available just do the lowest temp it will let you. Cold smoke the guanciale whole before you cut it into lardons and Parmigiano-Reggiano for 1 hour.
- Toast the peppercorns in a pan over medium heat until aromatic and they start to pop. Let them cool and then either crush with pan, or put them in a grinder.
- Cut your guanciale into lardons, or cubes.
- Bring pasta water to a boil, season with salt, and cook spaghetti until al dente, about 10 minutes.
- When you drop your pasta add your guanciale to a pan over medium heat. Cook until the fat has rendered but don't let it get too crispy. This should be able to be done in the time it takes the pasta to cook.
- Whisk eggs, cheese, and ground pepper (to taste) in a bowl to form a sauce.
- Grab your past out of the water with tongs and then transfer directly into the egg mixture, stirring quickly to create a creamy sauce.
- Add guanciale and the rendered fat and mix well. Adjust with reserved pasta water if needed.
- Plate, top with extra cheese, and enjoy immediately!
Video
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?Mention @DadGotThis or tag #DadGotThis!Why Smoked Carbonara is a Game-Changer
Carbonara is already one of the best pasta dishes out there. Creamy, rich, and packed with umami from eggs, cheese, and guanciale, it's the epitome of simple ingredients coming together in perfect harmony. But by adding a touch of smoke, we elevate it to a whole new level. The subtle smokiness infused into the guanciale and Parmigiano-Reggiano adds depth, complexity, and a little bit of that "I can't quite put my finger on it, but this is amazing" factor.
The Magic of Smoked Guanciale & Cheese
For this recipe, we go the extra mile by cold-smoking our guanciale and Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you’re unfamiliar, guanciale is a cured Italian pork jowl that is packed with fat—exactly what we need to build a silky, luxurious sauce. Cold smoking allows the fat to absorb the smoke without rendering it down too quickly, so you get all that flavor without sacrificing the texture. The cheese, on the other hand, takes on a beautifully subtle smokiness that makes every bite of this pasta even more indulgent.
The Secret to Perfect Carbonara
This recipe may sound simple, but carbonara is one of those dishes that’s easy to mess up if you're not paying attention. Here are a few pro tips to get it just right:
- Use quality ingredients. A proper carbonara relies on a few key components: guanciale, eggs, cheese, and pasta. The better your ingredients, the better your dish. Stasio’s Italian Deli in Orlando is the perfect place to find authentic Italian staples.
- Don’t scramble the eggs. The residual heat from the pasta should cook your sauce just enough to make it creamy without turning it into scrambled eggs. Work quickly and keep stirring.
- Use bronze-cut pasta. If you've never paid attention to the texture of your spaghetti before, now's the time. Bronze-cut pasta has a rougher surface that holds onto sauce beautifully, ensuring every bite is coated in creamy, smoky goodness.
The Verdict: A Pasta Worthy of Flannley Tucci
Inspired by Roosevelt’s flannel, Flannley Tucci, this dish is as rich in flavor as it is in dad jokes. The combination of smoked guanciale, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, and silky egg-based sauce makes for a truly next-level carbonara experience. And let’s be honest—who doesn’t love an excuse to fire up the smoker and play around with new flavors?
So, if you're ready to take your pasta game to the next level, give this smoked carbonara a try. Whether you're an Italian cuisine purist or someone who loves experimenting in the kitchen, one thing’s for sure—this dish is chef’s kissperfection. Just be sure to eat it right away because carbonara waits for no one.
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