Smoking (cooking)
Archaeological evidence suggests the smoking of food dates back to the Paleolithic era. Early humans likely used this process to preserve meat and fish for long periods before modern refrigeration existed. Farms in the West historically included a smokehouse, a small building where meats could be smoked and stored. This structure was generally well separated from other buildings due to fire danger and heavy smoke emanations. Until the modern era, smoking was of a more "heavy duty" nature as the main goal was to preserve the food. Large quantities of salt were used in the curing process and smoking times were quite long, sometimes involving days of exposure.
Hardwoods are made up mostly of three materials: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose are the basic structural material of the wood cells; lignin acts as a kind of cell-bonding glue. When burnt, cellulose and hemicellulose effectively caramelize, producing carbonyls which provide most of the color components and sweet, flowery, and fruity aromas. Lignin produces distinctive aromatic elements when burnt including smoky, spicy, and pungent compounds such as guaiacol, phenol, and syringol. Guaiacol is the phenolic compound most responsible for the "smoky" taste while syringol is the primary contributor to smoky aroma. Some softwoods especially pines and firs hold significant quantities of resin which produces a harsh-tasting soot when burned.
Food can be smoked by cold smoking warm smoking or hot smoking. Smokehouse temperatures for cold smoking are typically between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. In this temperature range foods take on a smoked flavor but remain relatively moist. Cold smoking meats should not be attempted at home according to the US National Center for Home Food Preservation. Warm smoking exposes foods to temperatures of 50 to 80 degrees Celsius. Hot smoking cooks foods and simultaneously flavors them with smoke in a controlled environment such as a smoker oven or smokehouse. The temperature range for hot smoking is usually between 120 and 170 degrees Celsius. At smoker temperatures hotter than 190 degrees Celsius foods can shrink excessively buckle or even split.
The main characteristics of the offset smoker are that the cooking chamber is usually cylindrical in shape with a shorter smaller diameter cylinder attached to the bottom of one end for a firebox. A reverse flow offset smoker forces heat and smoke to travel beneath the food before rising and reversing direction to exit through a chimney positioned on the same side as the firebox. The upright drum smoker uses a complete steel drum modified for pseudo-indirect hot smoking with a basket to hold charcoal near the bottom. Vertical water smokers contain a water bowl between the fire and the cooking grates which serves to maintain optimal smoking temperatures and adds humidity to the smoke chamber. Propane smokers generate heat by a gas burner directly under a steel box containing wood or charcoal that provides the smoke.
Regularly consuming smoked meats and fish may increase the risk of several types of cancer. Smoking of food may possibly introduce polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which may lead to an increased risk of some types of cancer though this association is debated. Some compounds found in wood smoke including formaldehyde acetic acid and other organic acids give wood smoke a low pH about 2.5. Some of these compounds are toxic to people as well and may have health effects in the quantities found in cooking applications. Most food scientists cannot recommend cold-smoking methods because of the inherent risks involved in home preparation.
In Europe alder is the traditional smoking wood but oak is more often used now and beech to a lesser extent. In North America hickory mesquite oak pecan alder maple and fruit tree woods such as apple cherry and plum are commonly used for smoking. Chinese tea-smoking uses a mixture of uncooked rice sugar and tea heated at the base of a wok. Peat is burned to dry and smoke the barley malt used to make Scotch whisky and some beers. In New Zealand sawdust from the native manuka tea tree is commonly used for hot-smoking fish. In Iceland dried sheep dung is used to cold-smoke fish lamb mutton and whale.
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Common questions
When did the smoking of food begin according to archaeological evidence?
Archaeological evidence suggests the smoking of food dates back to the Paleolithic era. Early humans likely used this process to preserve meat and fish for long periods before modern refrigeration existed.
What chemical compounds in wood smoke create the smoky taste and aroma?
Guaiacol is the phenolic compound most responsible for the smoky taste while syringol is the primary contributor to smoky aroma. Lignin produces distinctive aromatic elements when burnt including smoky spicy and pungent compounds such as guaiacol phenol and syringol.
How does cold smoking differ from hot smoking in terms of temperature and safety?
Smokehouse temperatures for cold smoking are typically between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius whereas the temperature range for hot smoking is usually between 120 and 170 degrees Celsius. Most food scientists cannot recommend cold-smoking methods because of the inherent risks involved in home preparation.
Which traditional smoking woods are used in Europe compared to North America?
In Europe alder is the traditional smoking wood but oak is more often used now and beech to a lesser extent. In North America hickory mesquite oak pecan alder maple and fruit tree woods such as apple cherry and plum are commonly used for smoking.
Why might regularly consuming smoked meats increase health risks?
Regularly consuming smoked meats and fish may increase the risk of several types of cancer due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons introduced during the process. Some compounds found in wood smoke including formaldehyde acetic acid and other organic acids give wood smoke a low pH about 2.5 and some of these compounds are toxic to people.