Smoked meat

Smoked meatis the result of a method of preparingred meat,white meat, andseafoodwhich originated in thePaleolithic Era.Smoking addsflavor, improves the appearance of meat through theMaillard reaction, and when combined withcuringitpreservesthe meat.When meat is cured then cold-smoked, the smoke addsphenolsand other chemicals that have anantimicrobialeffect on the meat.Hot smoking has less impact on preservation and is primarily used for taste and to slow-cook the meat.Interest inbarbecueand smoking is on the rise worldwide.
Generally meat issmokedusinghardwoodorwood pelletsmade from hardwood; softwood is not recommended due to increasedPAHfrom the resin.Wood smoke addsflavor,aroma, and helps withpreservation.There are two types of smoking: cold smoking generally occurs below 90 °F (32 °C) and has more preservative value. Hot smoking generally occurs above 160 °F (71 °C).Most woods areseasonedand not usedgreen.There are many types of wood used for smoking; a partial list includes:
Close to 80% of all fish caught in mostAfrican nationsissmoked.Traditionally the processing and smoking of fish has been done by women.The primary method of smoking ishot smoking, the flavor from hot smoking preferred by local consumers.Traditional smoking methods include using bamboo racks over smoky fires, mud ovens and placing the fish directly on smoldering woods and grasses.Modern methods of smoking include using re-purposedoil drums,brick ovens, andChorkor ovens.
Americanbarbecue's roots start with theNative Americanswhosmoked fishand game to preserve food for leaner times.WhenEuropeansfirst came to North America, they brought with them smoking techniques from Europe andCentral Asiaand combined those with the Native American techniques.American barbecue has distinct regional differences:North CarolinaPiedmont style ispork shoulderwith a vinegar & ketchup-based sauce; Eastern style is the whole hog with vinegar & pepper-based sauce;South Carolinais whole hog or shoulder with a mustard-based sauce;Western TennesseeandMemphisare famous for itsdry rubribs, but wet is also available;Kentuckyis known for theirmutton, pork shoulder and whole hog are also very popular;Kansas Citybarbecue is more about thesauce, often used with smoked pork,lamb,chicken,beefandturkey.Beef ribs,smoked sausage,brisketare the prevalent meats in Texas.
Bacon originated withpetaso, a Roman version of what is now called bacon.Theetymologyof the wordbaconhas four possibilities; theFranceiswordbacon, theAlthochdeutschwordbahho, theOld Low Franconianwordbaken, and theCommon Germanicwordbakkon.John Harris ofCalne, England, was the first to commercialize production of bacon in the 1770s.Bacon is primarilypork, depending on the type; it can come from the belly, back, loin or side.The preparation of bacon varies by type, but most involvecuringand smoking.Some of the types of bacon include American (a.k.a.side bacon or streaky bacon), buckboard (shoulder bacon), Canadian (back bacon), British and Irish (rasher), Australian (middle bacon), Italian (pancetta), Hungarian (szalonna), German (speck), Japanese (beikon), and Slovakian (oravská).Bacon can also be produced from beef, lamb, andwild game.
Country hamis a popular ham originally developed byAmerican Colonistswho took traditional Native American fish smoking practices and used them for pork.Country hams traditionally were made in theAmerican SoutheastfromVirginiatoMissouri.Most country hams are trimmed, wrapped,curedin salt, sugar, pepper and various spices. In modern times, some preparations addnitratesforfood safety.After curing the hams are smoked for at least 12 hours, then hung to dry for 9 to 12 months. Some traditional processes can take years from curing to being ready to consume.
Finnan haddieis acold smokedhaddockthat originated in medieval times in the Scottish village ofFindon.Traditionally the haddock is smoked withgreen woodandpeat.Smoked finnan haddie is the colour ofstraw, newer commercial methods of drying without smoke produce a gold or yellow colour.Until the 1800s when regular rail service was established, finnan haddie remained a local dish, now it can be found in markets worldwide.
Katsuobushiis a keyumamiingredient inJapanese cuisine, with bonito flakes among its many applications.Katsuobushi is made fromskipjack tunathat is washed, quartered smoked withoak, pasania, or castanopsis wood, and cooled repeatedly for a month.Some producers will spray the fish withAspergillus glaucusto promote further drying.After one to 24 months the fish will be katsu (hard) and ready for use. To make bonito flakes it is shaved very thinly using a Katsuobushi grater box.
A type ofkosher-styledelimeat product made by salting and curing beefbrisketwith spices. The brisket is allowed to absorb the flavours over a week, is thenhot smokedto cook through, and finally is steamed to completion. The preparation method may be similar to New Yorkpastrami, but Montreal smoked meat is cured in seasoning with more crackedpeppercornsand savoury flavourings, such ascoriander, garlic, and mustard seeds, and significantly less sugar.
Pastramiis most often made with beefbrisket; it can be made with other cuts of beef.The meat is cured in abrine(most often dry), after drying, it is coated inspicesand smoked.Smoking can be done by either cold smoking or hot smoking.Pastrami evolved from theTurkish Hunswho would tenderize and dry meat under their saddles.Armenianssaw what the Huns had done and createdbasturmathat was spiced and air-dried meat.Romaniansfirst started brining, spicing, and smoking the beef and created what is now called pastrami.WhenRomanian Jewsimmigrated to the United States, Canada, and Great Britain in the late 1800s, they carried that tradition of pastrami with them.The Romanians that immigrated to the United States, mostly settled inNew York Cityarea and developed the classic New York Pastrami.Those that immigrated to Canada mostly settled inMontrealused a different brining technique and spices and called itsmoked meat.Pastrami is still produced inSouthwest Asiaand theMiddle Eastand is calledPastirma, basterma or basturma.While customarily made with beef, in other regions it can be made with lamb,goat,buffalo, andcamel.Corned or salt beefuses a similar brine and spices, but is not smoked.
Zhangcha duckis a dish fromSichuanProvince in southwestern China made from the Chengdu Ma duck.The duck ismarinatedin apickling liquidthen smoked withcamphorand tea leaves.After smoking, the duck isdeep fried, boned and served overrice.
One study has shown an association between the frequency of consumption of smoked foods andintestinal cancer.However, the study was restricted to a small Slovenian population in Hungary, where the local smoke curing process produces levels of contaminants roughly eight times as high as standard processes elsewhere.The use of soft woods is discouraged, as the resins in softwood increases the concentration ofpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) that are known carcinogens.