What are Smoked Meats?

People often ask how we smoke our meats and whilst we have some trade secrets, we can give you a little insight.

Smoking meats is a cooking method that uses smoke to flavor, cook, and preserve food. The process involves exposing meat, poultry, fish, or other food items to smoke from burning wood chips, sawdust, or charcoal. The smoke imparts a distinctive flavor, aroma, and color to the food and helps to prevent spoilage by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms.

There are several methods of smoking meat, including hot smoking and cold smoking. Hot smoking is when the food is cooked and smoked at the same time, usually at a temperature between 225°F and 250°F. Cold smoking is when the food is smoke-cured at a temperature below 100°F and is not cooked, but rather preserved by the smoke and the slow release of moisture.

Smoking meats can take several hours to a full day, depending on the type of meat and the desired end result. Different types of wood can be used to add different flavors to the smoke, such as hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry, and oak, among others.

Smoked meats are popular in many cultures and cuisines, including barbecue, jerky, and smoked salmon, and are enjoyed for their unique flavor and tenderness.