smoked tea

[possum-pie]

Hi all!  Ever try Lapsang Souchong Tea?? It is from China, where they lay the tea leaves in big smokers and smoke them good.  The hot tea tastes like a campfire!!! Twinings makes it, I get it from Wegman's.  I was trying my new smokehouse today testing it for drafts and tweeking the flue, and so I threw a pound of generic bacon strips in, and hung several lipton tea bags in too.  I hope the tea turns out. I'll let you know.   Possum-Pie

 

[nwdave]

Interesting thought.  I don't know about bag teas though.  I prefer loose leaf tea and have a local Oriental store that keeps me well supplied with a variety of quality teas, including Gunpowder in tightly rolled balls, Oolong and White loose leaf teas which are imported from China.  What smoke are you using on the tea?  I would wonder if your experiment might be influenced with the odor coming from the bacon?  Just what I need, another to-do-item.  Since I have the AMNS system, I might try a cold smoke with the White Tea (since it's the mildest flavored tea) and see what results I get.  Perhaps my dehydrator screens would be useful as they're plastic and fine meshed.  Food for thought.

 

[possum-pie]

I tried generic Lipton  teabags.  The kind I use to make iced tea in the summer.  I use applewood The tea didn't seem to pick up the bacon flavor.  If I was going to do it for alot, I would use loose tea, something mild like green tea or a mild black.  If you get a chance buy a box of Lapsang Souchong tea.  It has a strong smoked flavor. I drink it black, no sugar no creamer, don't think that would be good. 

Possum-Pie

 

[duck killer 1]

I just ordered some off of amazon.

 

[possum-pie]

Any hard-core smoke addict will enjoy the Lapsang Souchong tea.  My wife doesn't like it, but I love the stuff.  Like I said, I don't think cream and sweetener would be good, I just sip it black.  Let me know how you like it.

Possum-Pie

 

[nwdave]

Will be checking in with my supplier to see what she's got (little ol' oriental lady who could take your head off if you gave her any sas) on her shelfs.  If I don't buy my teas through her, I'm not really sure what she's saying but the body language is telling me that my life would not be for much longer.  I wouldn't say I'm a hard core tea drinker but I like the various leafs give in flavors.  Always willing to try something new.

 

[possum-pie]

I can't wait to hear how everyone likes it. Please post your experiences!!!

 

[old timer]

Possum pie, so did the lipton bags pick up the smoke flavor? I never would have thought to smoke tea but it is an interesting concept for sure.

 

[possum-pie]

I put them in for just 3 hours, and they did pick up some smoke flavor.  I want to try it again with a milder tea, like a green tea and leave it in for a longer time.  They just were not as strong as I would have liked, but there was a definite smoke flavor.

 

[duck killer 1]

I did get some today, the mother-in-law doesnt like it (always a good idea to try it out on the mom-in-law LOL) so far my brother, sister-in-law, wife and i all love it! i got the twinnings kind in the bags. i bought it off of amazon.com 6 boxes for $18.00. i would buy it again. 

 

[possum-pie]

Glad "most" of you liked it.  In the winter I close my eyes, sip some hot smoked tea, and imagine I am sitting around the campfire!

 

[alblancher]

Never would have thought to smoke tea? 

Just like fresh ground coffee steeped in a pot then strained, loose tea seams to have a more complex taste then bagged tea.  Maybe I like the loose tea more because the leaves aren't chopped up so much and you get a different set of flavors. 

You know I love BBQ but tea time may not be the right time for the smokey taste.

Al

 

[smokermark]

I've never tried Lapsang Souchong Tea. There is a method using Asian rice with oolong tea and sugar in a smoke pack I'm familiar with that I've modified using Basmati rice I've used substituting the tea with a spice blend I use and had good results with. Given what's been mention here, I would be inclined to try the Lapsang Souchong. Sounds tasty!