Just when the ultra-versatile combi-steamer was running out of new applications, along comes a version able to smoke food while cooking it. The US-developed Alto-Shaam Combi Smoker enables in-house production of hot or cold smoked dishes with the aid of a built-in burner box. This is filled with wood chips such as apple, maple, cherry and hickory with a small heating element to make them smoulder. The resultant smoke circulates in the cavity, which otherwise operates like a standard combi with hot air, steam, or both combined. Steam is produced in "boiler-less" fashion by spraying water on to a heat exchanger.
Various smoke intensities can be set. For cold smoked dishes such as salmon fumé and smoked cheese, ice cubes can be used to counter the increased temperature created by the hot smoke and keep the core temperature below 20°C.
The critical issue would appear to be transfer of smoky aroma and flavour transfer to non-smoked foods. Simply rinsing the oven's interior should be sufficient, according to supplier Equip Line, provided that non-smoked products don't come into contact with any smoky moisture. The new ovens are made in three gastronorm sizes - six-, 10- and 14-grid - in electric only.
Available from: Equip Line 01895 272236