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Smoking is the process of flavoring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to the smoke from burning or smoldering plant materials, most often wood. Alternate meanings Seasoning (cast iron; Seasoning (wood; Seasoning (slave Seasoning is the process of imparting or improving Cooking is the process of preparing Food by applying Heat, selecting measuring and combining of ingredients in an ordered procedure for producing safe and edible Food preservation is the process of treating and handling Food in a way that preserves its edibility and nutrition value Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an Smoke is the collection of airborne solid and liquid Particulates and Gases ref> ''Smoke Production and Properties'' - SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Meats and fish are the most common smoked foods, though cheeses, vegetables, and ingredients used to make beverages such as whisky,[1] Rauchbier, and lapsang souchong tea are also smoked. In modern English usage meat most often refers to Animal tissue used as food mostly Skeletal muscle and associated Fat, but it may also refer Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Cheese is a Food made from Milk, usually the milk of cows, Buffalo, Goats or sheep, by coagulation. The term " vegetable " generally means the edible parts of Plants The definition of the word is traditional rather than Scientific, however A drink, or beverage, is a Liquid specifically prepared for Human consumption Whisky (uisge-beatha or whiskey (uisce beatha or fuisce) refers to a broad category of Alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented Smoked beer ( German: Rauchbier) is a type of Beer with a distinctive smoke Flavor, which can be imparted either by using Malted Lapsang souchong is a Black tea originally from the Wuyi region of the Chinese province of Fujian. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market

Pork ribs being smoked.
Pork ribs being smoked.

In Europe, alderwood is the traditional smoking wood, but oak is more often used now, and beech to a lesser extent. Alder is the common name of a Genus of Flowering plants ( Alnus) belonging to the Birch family (Family Betulaceae) The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin For the babyfood see Beech-Nut. Beech ( Fagus) is a genus of ten Species of Deciduous Trees in the In North America, hickory, mesquite, oak, pecan, alder, maple, and fruit-tree woods such as apple, cherry and plum are commonly used for smoking. Trees in the genus Carya (from Ancient Greek κάρυον " Nut " are commonly known as Hickory. Mesquite (from Nahuatl mizquitl) is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in Northern Mexico and the United The Pecan ( Carya illinoinensis, commonly misspelled illinoensis) is a species of Hickory, native to south-central North America Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. This article is about the Cherry berry also classified as fruit for the ornamental tree See Cherry Blossom. A plum or gage is a stone fruit Tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. Other fuels besides wood can also be employed, sometimes with the addition of flavoring ingredients. Chinese tea-smoking uses a mixture of uncooked rice, sugar, and tea, heated at the base of a wok. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market Some North American ham and bacon makers smoke their products over burning corncobs. Ham is the Thigh and Rump of Pork, cut from the Haunch of a Pig or Boar. Bacon is a cut of Meat taken from the sides belly or back of a Pig that has been cured, smoked, or both A corncob is the central core of a Maize (Zea mays ssp mays L Peat is burned to dry and smoke the barley malt used to make whisky and some beers. Peat is an accumulation of partially Decayed Vegetation matter. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Malting is a process applied to Cereal grains in which the grains are made to Germinate by soaking in water and are then quickly halted from germinating further Whisky (uisge-beatha or whiskey (uisce beatha or fuisce) refers to a broad category of Alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea

Historically, farms in the western world included a small building termed the smokehouse where meats could be smoked and stored. This was generally well-separated from other buildings both because of the fire danger and because of the smoke emanations. The buccan is a smoking device used by some Native Americans. prod concern = dictionary material and its already in Wiktionary month = October day = 12 year = 2008 time = 0006 timestamp = 20081012000612 Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States

Contents

Hot smoking and cold smoking

"Hot smoking" is a several-hours-long process that can be used to fully cook meats or fish; barbecue is a form of hot smoking. In modern English usage meat most often refers to Animal tissue used as food mostly Skeletal muscle and associated Fat, but it may also refer Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two barbeque block party Kansas cityjpg|thumb|right|275px|A barbecue on a trailer at a Block party in Kansas City. Generally, hot-smoking involves holding the food directly above the fire, or in an enclosure that is heated by the fire. The cooking temperature in a hot-smoking environment is usually between 180 and 250°F (82 to 121°C). The temperatures reached in hot smoking can kill microbes throughout the food.

"Cold smoking" is an hours- or days-long process in which smoke is passed by food which is held in a separate area from the fire. Generally the food is held at room temperatures (60–80°F/15–25. 5°C) as it is smoked. Since no cooking takes place, the interior texture of the food generally isn't affected; neither are any microbes living within the meat or fish. For this reason, cold-smoking has traditionally frequently been combined with salt-curing, in such foods as Gouda cheese, ham, bacon, and cold-smoked fish like smoked salmon. In Food preparation curing refers to various preservation and Flavoring processes especially of Meat or Fish, by the addition of Gouda (ˈgaʊdə or; from Dutch IPA:, or Goudse kaas kaːs "Cheese from Gouda " is a yellow Cheese made from Ham is the Thigh and Rump of Pork, cut from the Haunch of a Pig or Boar. Bacon is a cut of Meat taken from the sides belly or back of a Pig that has been cured, smoked, or both Smoked salmon is a preparation of Salmon, typically a fillet that has been cured and then hot or cold smoked.

Wood smoke

Hardwoods are made up mostly of three materials: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The term hardwood is used to describe Wood from broad-leaved angiosperm Trees mostly Deciduous, but not necessarily in the case of tropical Cellulose is an Organic compound with the formula, a Polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β(1→4 A hemicellulose can be any of several Heteropolymers (matrix polysaccharides present in almost all plant cell walls along with Cellulose. Lignin or lignen is a complex Chemical compound most commonly derived from Wood and an integral part of the secondary Cell walls of Plants Cellulose and hemicellulose are the basic structural material of the wood cells; lignin acts as a kind of cell-bonding glue. The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known living Organisms It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living and is often called Some softwoods — especially pines and firs — hold significant quantities of resin, which produces a harsh-tasting soot when burned. Softwood is a generic term used in Woodworking and the Lumber industries for Wood from Conifers (needle-bearing trees from the order Pinales This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. Firs ( Abies) are a genus of between 45-55 species of Evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. Resin, not to be confused with Rosin, is a Hydrocarbon Secretion of many Plants particularly coniferous trees. Because of this, these woods are generally not used for smoking.

Cellulose and hemicellulose are aggregate sugar molecules; when burnt, they effectively caramelize, producing sweet, flowery, and fruity aromas. Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Caramelization or caramelisation is the Oxidation of Sugar, a process used extensively in cooking for the resulting nutty flavor and brown color Lignin, a highly complex arrangement of intelocked phenolic molecules, also produces a number of distinctive aromatic elements when burnt, including smoky, spicy, and pungent compounds like guaiacol, phenol, and syringol, and sweeter scents like the vanilla-scented vanillin and clove-like isoeugenol. In Organic chemistry, phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of Chemical compounds consisting of a Hydroxyl group (- Guaiacol is a naturally occurring Organic compound with the formula C6H4(OH(OCH3 Phenol, is a toxic colourless Crystalline Solid with a sweet tarry odor commonly referred to as a "hospital smell" Syringol is a dimethyl ether of Pyrogallol. It is slightly soluble in water Vanilla is a Flavoring derived from Orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. Vanillin, methyl vanillin, or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, is an Organic compound with the molecular formula C8H8O3 This article is about the Spice; for other meanings see Clove (disambiguation. Guaiacol is the phenolic compound most responsible for the "smokey" taste, while syringol is the primary contributor to smokey aroma. (Hui 512) Wood also contains small quantities of proteins, which contribute roasted flavors. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Many of the odor compounds in wood smoke, especially the phenolic compounds, are unstable, dissipating after a few weeks or months.

A number of wood smoke compounds act as preservatives. Phenol and other phenolic compounds in wood smoke are both antioxidants, which slow rancidification of animal fats, and antimicrobials, which slow bacterial growth. An antioxidant is a Molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules Rancidification is the decomposition of Fats Oils and other Lipids by Hydrolysis or Oxidation, or both Other antimicrobials in wood smoke include formaldehyde, acetic acid, and other organic acids, which give wood smoke a low pH — about 2. Formaldehyde is a Chemical compound with the formula H2CO It is the simplest Aldehyde —an organic compound containing a terminal Carbonyl Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is an organic chemical compound, giving Vinegar its sour taste pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. 5. Some of these compounds are toxic to people as well, and may have health effects in the quantities found in cooking applications. The compounds best demonstrated to have long-term health consequences are the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, many of which are known or suspected carcinogens. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( PAH s are Chemical compounds that consist of fused Aromatic rings and do not contain Heteroatoms or The term carcinogen refers to any substance Radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of Cancer or in the fatation of its propagation Hotter wood fires make more PAHs; hot-burning mesquite produces twice as much as cooler-burning hickory. Mesquite (from Nahuatl mizquitl) is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in Northern Mexico and the United Trees in the genus Carya (from Ancient Greek κάρυον " Nut " are commonly known as Hickory.

Since different species of tree have different ratios of components, various types of wood do impart a different flavor to food. Another important factor is the temperature at which the wood burns. High-temperature fires see the flavor molecules broken down further into unpleasant or flavorless compounds. The optimal conditions for smoke flavor are low, smoldering temperatures between 570 and 750 °F (300–400 °C). This is the temperature of the burning wood itself, not of the smoking environment, which sees much lower temperatures. Woods that are high in lignin content tend to burn hot; to keep them smoldering requires restricted oxygen supplies or a high moisture content. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the When smoking using wood chips or chunks, the combustion temperature is often lowered by soaking the pieces in water before placing them on a fire.

Preservation

Salted and smoked (kippered) herring.
Salted and smoked (kippered) herring. A kipper is a whole Herring that has been split from tail to head gutted salted and Cold smoked. Herring are small Oily fish of the genus Clupea found in the shallow temperate waters of the North Atlantic, the Baltic Sea, the North

Smoke is a decent antimicrobial and antioxidant, but smoke alone is insufficient for preserving food in practice. The main problem is that the smoke compounds adhere only to the outer surfaces of the food; smoke doesn't actually penetrate far into meat or fish. In modern times, almost all smoking is carried out for its flavor, not its preservative qualities.

In the past, smoking was a useful preservation tool, in combination with other techniques, most commonly salt-curing or drying. Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Drying is a method of Food preservation that works by removing Water from the food which prevents the growth of Microorganisms and Decay. For some long-smoked foods, the smoking time also served to dry the food. Drying, curing, or other techniques can render the interior of foods inhospitable to bacterial life, while the smoking gives the vulnerable exterior surfaces an extra layer of protection. For oily fish, smoking is especially useful, as its antioxidant properties delay surface fat rancidification. Rancidification is the decomposition of Fats Oils and other Lipids by Hydrolysis or Oxidation, or both (Interior fat isn't as exposed to oxygen, which is what causes rancidity. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the ) Some heavily salted, long-smoked fish can keep without refrigeration for weeks or months. Such heavily-preserved foods usually required a treatment such as boiling in fresh water to make them palatable before eating.

Some smoked foods and drinks

Slices of Pastrami, a smoked and cured beef product.
Slices of Pastrami, a smoked and cured beef product. Pastrami is a popular Delicatessen meat made from lean Red meat, chiefly Brisket.

Other home food preservation methods

References

Notes

  1. ^ McGee p. 767: "Malt whiskies from Scotland's west coast have a unique, smoky flavor that comes from the use of peat fire for drying the malt. "

External links

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