What Is Smoking Food All About?

It was about three of four years ago that my desire to learn more about smoking food really took off. Many years ago at the food fair I bought what's best described as a shoebox smoker, very primitive but it worked and ever since then I've been keen to discover more about the smoking process and how it all works. If you fancy trying your hand at smoking your own food let me explain the processes involved and how it all fits together.

The origins of smoking were as a way of preserving food in the days before canning and refrigeration and there are three steps in the process. The first of the three steps really is now more about flavor than preserving and that's salting or curing. Flavors are now added to curing salts such as herbs and spices for additional seasoning and the salting process can take place as a dry cure or a wet cure (brine). One caveat to what I've written and that is that there are still areas of the world that rely on these preservation techniques eg Africa and poorer parts of Asia. Here preservation is of the utmost importance.

The second part of the process is weight loss and this is done in an environment of controlled humidity. The weight loss is brought about through the evaporation of moisture from within the tissues and the logic follows that the greater the weight loss, the better the keeping qualities. Why dry something out in a humid environment, surely that's defeating the object? Well in part yes, but by drying out at a known humidity therefore takes the guesswork out of the process and dependent on the food that you are smoking (and its weight) you will be able to predict exactly how long the process is going to take.

The third stage is the actual smoking and during the smoking process tarry deposits from the smoke settle on the food and these deposits are antiseptic in nature so they inhibit the growth of bacteria. The process can be further broken down into hot smoking and cold smoking.

Cold smoking takes place at between 10 and 29?C and ensures that the food remains in a raw state at the end of the smoking process. It's essential that the tight tolerances of temperature are observed because if the temperature gets too high then the food will start to cook and this will change the texture of the food and it could start to disintegrate. This is more relevant in countries where the ambient temperature is quite high where it might not even be possible to get the temperature below 29?C. Food smoked and eaten raw is mainly confined to fish but can include beef.

When hot smoking you are certainly trying to cook the food whilst imparting the smoked flavor and because of this the actual temperature is less important or to put it another way the range is larger. In the case of fish however there is a ceiling temperature of 93?C. Hot smoked fish is usually cold smoked first and then the temperature brought up to what is really a relatively low temperature for hot smoking. Mackerel done this way is absolutely magnificent.

Meat and poultry are smoked at higher temperatures (110 - 120?C) albeit care must be taken again not to exceed these temperatures because meat will easily become dry and frankly unpleasant to eat. Assuming the temperature is kept within range then meat becomes difficult to overcook and smoking can continue for many hours.

Once you have mastered the basics then it really is easy to smoke your own food. Probably the area that will require the most experimentation is the curing because it is quite easy to over-salt food and to be fair it is also a matter of taste.

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What Is a BBQ Chimney Starter?

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Why Should You Use a Charcoal Chimney Starter?

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Why Some Homemade Smoker Plans Are A Fire Risk

Ever since I started to learn about hot smoking food I've wanted to build my own smoker so I've done a lot of research to find the best set of plans available. I've followed many and built what I thought was a decent unit only to find that it didn't work and in some cases they caught fire!

Before I explain what happened and the cause, let me first explain how the principle of a hot smoker and how it works.

The process is effectively passing smoke over food at that is being cooked in the smoke oven in a carefully controlled environment for both temperature and humidity. For a smoker to work there are two things that have to be achieved and they are firstly heat and secondly a flow of smoke. Static smoke is not acceptable, it will make your food taste bitter.

Your choice of heat source can and should provide both heat and smoke and this can range from a naked fire to a gas burner. For the type of smoker that I want to build (low cost and easy) then the heat source will be gas because it's controllable and readily available. My smoke is generated by placing an old frying pan on the burner and adding wood chips - it works admirably.

To ensure that the smoke generated does indeed flow over the meat, you need to create a draft and the draft is created using to vents, one in the base of the smoker to provide air to the burner and one in the top (chimney) of the smoker because hot air rises.

So provided we set up our equipment in this way, we can make a smoker. You can build a smoker in brick but remember my initial criteria - low cost and easy - so this isn't where I wanted to go. There are many plans available on the internet for smoker construction from using old refrigerators to wooden sheds and it was the latter that attracted me.

Wood means basic carpentry skills so with my DIY prowess there maybe a chance. I built my smoker out of wood, a firebox in the bottom (with inlet vent) where I could site my burner and above it the food chamber with a chimney at the top. There are countless plans available showing you how you can make a smoker out of wood, I found what I thought looked like the best set and off I set.

The smoker worked well first time out. The second time I did some smoked mackerel - fantastic! And the third time I went for a longer cookout and tried a pork butt. Four hours into the smoking I went outside to check everything (I had checked regularly previously too) to find the whole unit ablaze including the gas pipe.

I quickly shut off the gas, hosed it down with water and I can only count myself lucky that it wasn't any worse.

Since then I've made my own design. It's still made of wood (because wood looks nice) but I've also used fireproof cladding to the internal walls. It works a treat (as my last one did) but now I can cook to my hearts content safe in the knowledge that the thing isn't going to spontaneously catch fire.

To conclude I just want to offer the benefit of my experience. If you want to build your own smoker by all means take a look at the designs available on the internet because they all have a draft vent top and bottom so in principle they will work. But if you see any design that is made purely out of wood without any fireproof system between the burner and the wood then my advice is steer well clear.

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Why Use A Water Smoker?

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Why Should You Buy a Portable Charcoal Grill?

The great joy of grilling is cooking food outdoors. While the hulking charcoal grill you bought two summers ago will be perfect for a backyard BBQ, if you want to grill on a family camping trip, you'll need something smaller and more portable. This is exactly the function that a portable charcoal grill can fulfill.

I've always been a fan of portable charcoal grills because they allow me to take my BBQ outdoors. I no longer need to be confined to my kitchen or backyard and can cook my choice of meats anywhere I want to. Truly, the taste of food improves with the surroundings; the further I am into wilderness, the more I enjoy the taste of a perfectly grilled steak or tri-tip.

Of course, I'm not naive as to believe that a portable charcoal grill can match a standard grill in power or capabilities. These are meant for outdoor use and portability is their mantra. Consequently, their cooking area is generally smaller, their heat distribution lower. In most cases, however, they get the job done adequately, if not magnificently.

An ideal portable grill should be light weight, small in size, should have foldable legs so as to eliminate the need for a stand or cart. It should have a good ventilation system and a lid to make cooking easier. The design can range from the popular 'kettle' style, to the 'suitcase' style. Design, in fact, is something of a personal preference. Many would choose the 'kettle' style over the 'suitcase' style and vice-versa. It should be like a 'chef's briefcase' which you can lug around wherever you want, set up easily, and grill your meat comfortably. Durability is definitely an issue. It should be strong enough to withstand bumps and tumbles on the road.

Now, it takes a certain amount of skill to operate a portable charcoal grill. Unlike a gas BBQ which can be ignited by pressing a button, charcoal grills require some effort to start. Further, the generally small size and lower heat distribution means that you will have to modify your cooking methods. For novices, a portable charcoal grill is definitely not the best investment, as they will find themselves better served by a gas version.

For more experienced BBQers, however, a portable charcoal grill can be a delight to use. It allows them to take their favorite activity - BBQ - anywhere they want. Eating freshly BBQed meat definitely beats slurping cheap food out of cans cooked over a campfire. It can make the difference between an amazing and a so-so camping trip, picnic, or any other outdoor event.

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Why Your Outdoor Gas Outdoor Grill Needs a Pad

Whether you do your outdoor grilling on a popularly priced gas outdoor grill or a top-of-the-line, stainless steel model, there are some things that won't change - messes. Sparks, spills, grease and flare-ups are a given when grilling in your backyard, whether it involves feeding the family or entertaining a large party. Think about the many times you've had to clean up those messes that came from grease spilling onto the deck. Outdoor living can cause serious damage over time to your deck or patio.

And if you are someone who likes to have parties during the summer, then the likelihood increases that there will be plenty of messes to clean up. For some, it's a small price to pay for the added enjoyment, but why do it when you don't really have to? If you've invested a lot of money or hours in labor building your deck or patio, you want to make sure it's protected from the wear of outdoor grilling. As outdoor rooms become increasingly popular, many decks and patios are getting bigger and more deluxe. The last thing you want to do is ruin that deck or patio. If you spend just a few dollars on a grill pad now, you'll avoid spending thousands of dollars later down the road repairing the damaged outdoor living surface. U.S. homeowners currently spend over $230 billion annually on remodeling and renovation, and a full third of that staggering amount is for outdoor amenities, with decks and patios a priority.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that more than half the 1.8 million new homes built have decks, patios or porches. A grill pad is a lightweight, flexible, fiber-cement deck protector that is so durable it will outlast most grills. It's easily cleaned with a garden hose and "breathes" to keep down the water buildup that can cause stains and even mildew on the expensive surface beneath it. You'll probably want to put one under each of your outdoor heating appliances. This might include grills, turkey fryers, smokers or fire pits. The pads are available in different colors to match most any outdoor decor. Grill pads can be found at the big home improvement stores. So before you fire up the grill this coming summer, go out and grab a grilling pad to put your gas outdoor grill on. It will be one of the smartest investments you can make and will save the headache of pressure washing the deck or patio.

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Article Submitted On: March 04, 2011

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