Process of smoking

Smoking foods is one of the most ancient food preservation processes and is some communities one of the most important. The use of wood smoke to preserve food is nearly as old as open air drying.

At first smoking of food could be considered a side effect due to preservation by drying in the fireplace. Later on, the process was developed and changed and was combined with other processes such as salted dried, and fermented.

Smoking has been mainly used with meat and fish. The main purpose are it imparts desirable flavors and colors to the foods and some of the compound formed during smoking have a preservative effect due to the presence of a number of compounds. 

Depending to the smoking procedure, the moisture drops 10-40%. Compounds present in smoke with bactericidal and antioxidative properties are deposited on and penetrate into the food especially meat. 

Important smoke ingredients include phenols, acids and carbonyl compounds.

Smoking of meat uses the heat of burning wood to cook the meat while adding flavor to the meat through the variety of wood being used. The wood used to generate the smoke should be of the hardwood species. In America, the wood varieties that are used are hickory, mesquite, oak, pecan, alder, maple, apple, cherry and plum.

Curing and smoking of meat are closely interrelated and are often practiced together, that is cured meat is commonly smoked and vice versa.

Meat exposed to temperature s of 165 to 185 degrees will fully cook. The best methods ensure meat in the smoker is fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer and probe into the deepest part of the cut to ensure the heat has reached all the way to the center.
Process of smoking