Article contributed by Duncan Kingori, bettersmoked.com
Food is not just cooked to be eaten, but to be enjoyed. Several innovative cooking styles and methods have hit the market over the years, allowing restaurants to evolve their menus and hit it big in the industry.
Smoking foods as a method has quickly become popular in adding another dimension to the preparation of meat, fish, and poultry, from food trucks to celebrity chefs. Even though it is a method that has been used since the ancient days, the art and science of smoking foods has evolved over the years.
The art and science of smoking
Smoking, simply put, is a method of slow cooking food over a wood fire. Technically, the process is trusted for adding flavor foods, and better yet, adds a little preservation effect. The process involves the use of woods, which is added to the fire as a way to generate more flavor to the foods.
Type of wood
Choosing the type of wood to use can be a challenge to most people. Ideally, different types of woods introduce different flavors to the food being prepared. The most common types of wood include:
- Hickory – this strong and pungent wood is common for a smoking barbecue. It is, therefore, best for cooking ribs and red meat
- Apple – the applewood introduces a mild flavor that is sweet and fruity. It makes the best wood for preparing ham, poultry or fish.
- Mesquite – the mesquite wood is an oily wood that burns hot and fast. The wood quickly introduces a strong flavor in food, which means you must exercise caution with it. For this reason, it is not best to use it on meat that takes too long to cook, for example, brisket.
- Pecan – this wood is of the hickory family, which means it comes out with a similar flavor.
- Oak – now that the mesquite may not be ideal for large cuts of meat that take too long, the oak is the best alternative. It takes longer to smoke and burn, making it perfect for beef brisket. The best bit is that it has a strong smoke taste of food that is not too overpowering like that of mesquite.
There are many other types of wood you could use. Depending on what flavor you insist on having on your meat, the wood chips can get the job done for you.
Type of smoker
The smoker you use to cook your food also matters. There are several types of smokers you can choose in the market, ranging from gas, electric, and charcoal smokers. The types also differ in shapes and sizes, depending on what your preferences are. As a matter of fact, smoking can even be done on top of a stovetop smoker pan. Luckily, with the best kamado smoker in the market readily available, you do not have to look too far for the perfect smoker.
Types of smoking: Hot vs. cold smoking
Cold smoking – this type of smoking is done in low temperatures. Much as it is considered a cooking style, it is not usually intended to cook the food. Technically, the meat is put in an unheated chamber with smoke coming from a firebox through a chamber. This technique is best achieved with wood dust or pellets because they smolder at low temperatures.
Hot smoking – contrary to cold smoking, hot smoking is done in very high temperatures. The meat is usually held directly above the fire, or in the same space as the wood. This way, as the meat cooks, it smokes. In the end, the hot-smoked meat is drier and firmer than cold-smoked meat. For this reason, you need the mastery of temperature control when hot smoking your foods.
Brining foods
The smoking process mostly leaves foods drier than with other cooking methods. This means that if your meat is to be well-done, inside and out, you need to consider brining them. A brine is a solution of water and salt, where you keep your meats. Depending on how large the cut of your meat is, the strength of your brine will change in concentration. The importance of brining is that it helps with water retention. Technically, when the salt and proteins interact, the muscles get a greater water-holding capacity than before. Pro tip: be careful not to overdo it as the meat can end up getting too salty.
Smoking foods can have very amazing results if done right. Now that you understand all about smoking, you can set up a kamado smoker this summer and give your restaurant patrons something new to enjoy.
