Hickory Wood Smoked Salt Carbonara
Carbonara has always been one of my very favorite things to eat. Growing up in the Bronx, whenever we went out to Italian restaurants, this was pretty much all I wanted to order. There was something about that bowl of pasta with bacon, eggs, cheese, and black pepper that felt rich, simple, and perfect all at the same time.
Years later, when I started working on recipes of my own, I asked my mom how she made carbonara. Without missing a beat, she told me she added heavy cream. I knew that was not exactly right, and it quickly became an inside joke for Vida and me. Any time we could not figure out what a dish needed, the answer became, “add some heavy cream.”
No cream needed here. This version stays closer to the spirit of carbonara, leaning on eggs, cheese, pasta water, bacon fat, and black pepper to build that glossy, rich sauce. The Revolution Barbecue Hickory Wood Smoked Salt brings a subtle smoke character to the pasta itself, giving this classic Italian comfort dish just enough wood-fired personality to make it feel at home in my kitchen.
Smoked Salt Spaghetti Carbonara with Bacon, Pecorino, and Black Pepper
A good carbonara should feel rich without being heavy, creamy without using cream, and bold without needing much more than a few honest ingredients working together. This version keeps that balance, but brings in a little of the smokehouse flavor that has shaped the way I cook today. The Revolution Barbecue Hickory Wood Smoked Salt seasons the pasta water and gives the spaghetti a gentle hickory aroma before it ever hits the sauce.
The flavor lands right where I want it. Salty bacon, sharp pecorino Romano, nutty Parmesan, black pepper, and that silky egg-based sauce all come together with a quiet smoked edge in the background. The sauce should coat the pasta like heavy cream, but it should never taste like heavy cream. That is the magic of carbonara when it is done right.
This is not a barbecue recipe pretending to be Italian food. It is a dish I have loved since childhood, cooked through the lens of who I am now, with just enough smoke to make it personal.
- Author
- Glenn Connaughton
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Servings
- 4
- Category
Dinner
- Cuisine
American
Ingredients
- 6 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons Revolution Barbecue Hickory Wood Smoked Salt
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 8 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 ounce freshly grated pecorino Romano, about 1/3 packed cup, plus more for serving
- 1 ounce freshly grated Parmesan, about 1/3 packed cup
- 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- Reserved pasta cooking water, as needed
Directions
- Heat the Pasta Water: Heat 6 quarts of water in a large pot over high heat. When the water starts to steam, add the Revolution Barbecue Hickory Wood Smoked Salt.
- Prepare the Bacon and Cheese: While the water heats, slice the bacon into 1 x 1/4 inch strips. Finely grate the Parmesan and pecorino Romano, then set aside about 1/4 of the cheese for serving.
- Make the Egg Mixture: Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a medium bowl until no streaks remain. Stir in the bulk of the grated cheese and the black pepper, then set aside.
- Cook the Bacon: Working next to the pasta pot, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp around the edges, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Reserve the Bacon Fat: Remove the pot from the heat. Using a wooden spoon or slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl. Pour the rendered fat into a heatproof measuring cup, then add 3 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat back to the Dutch oven.
- Cook the Spaghetti: Cook the spaghetti in the smoked salt water, stirring occasionally, until 2 minutes shy of the package directions. Just before the pasta is finished, scoop out 1 3/4 cups of pasta cooking water.
- Finish the Pasta in the Pot: Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the Dutch oven and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Drain the spaghetti in a colander, then transfer it to the Dutch oven.
- Reduce the Pasta Water: Cook the pasta, stirring constantly and vigorously, until the spaghetti is al dente and the water has reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Build the Carbonara Sauce: Whisk 1/4 cup of reserved pasta cooking water into the egg and cheese mixture. Very slowly stream the egg mixture into the Dutch oven, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and the eggs thicken into a glossy sauce.
- Adjust the Sauce: Thin the sauce with the remaining reserved pasta cooking water, adding 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream. Taste and season with kosher salt only if needed.
- Serve the Carbonara: Mix in the bacon and divide the pasta among bowls. Top with additional black pepper and the reserved cheese.