The possible uses of a Barbecue Smokers are very diverse. Besides smocking, grilling and baking, smoking is also possible (depending on the smoker).
Since smoking is becoming more and more popular in this country, I will go into the basics of smoking in this article and explain the most important methods/procedures.
Smoking fish and meat – how it works& Procedure
In the past, smoking was a common method of preserving fish or meat for a long time. The extended shelf life was a huge benefit to people in the days without refrigerators.
During the smoking process, the grilled food is surrounded by warm smoke. This smoke is usually "Smoulder smoke", d.h. Smoke that is produced during the incomplete combustion of dry wood. The smoke is produced in the firebox and can be influenced in taste by special woods. Due to the temperature the fish or meat is moisture is extracted and the grilled food cooked evenly (hot smoking only). The antibacterial effect of the smoke (contained u.a. phenols, aldehydes and various acids) ensures a longer shelf life of the food.
Smoking is an interesting alternative to smocking or grilling. It is especially popular with anglers because it gives the possibility to preserve caught fish for a longer time. Besides fish, smoking can also give meat a completely new flavor. The health impact is also significantly lower compared to grilling.
I started smoking a few years ago and can only recommend it to every smoker owner. In the beginning I was skeptical if I could use the "new" aroma will taste, but in the meantime I like to eat z.B. a self-smoked trout. Trout are very suitable to start smoking (1 hr. at 80 °C). I like to use oak, alder or beech for this purpose. As with everything else, experience, patience and knowledge are required to make smoking a success.
To achieve a certain variety in taste, you can use different types of wood during smoking. For smoking, in addition to the standard woods are also Chestnut or maple woods recommended. With their help, the taste can be individually adjusted to your own taste and the smoked product. Thus, the food can shine with, for example, a strong smoky flavor or a mild fruity flavor.
- charcoal grill made of high quality steel construction
- very stable construction guarantees the highest level of safety
- most diverse preparation methods: smocking, grilling.
- With 2 thermometers for perfect grilling results
- Separate fire chamber (for use as a smoker), Seperate.
Smoking is possible with most smoker models (selection of smokers). But there are also models that are made specifically for this purpose, such as z.B. the El Fuego Smoker Grill AY312 Kiona. This has a "Smoking tower" and is thus perfectly prepared for this purpose. For smokers without a smoke tower it can, z.B. When smoking fish, it can happen that a slight fishy taste is left behind during the next normal smocking process. For the preparation of fish or meat, in addition to smokers, you can also use special smokers.
Cold or hot smoking? Depending on..
Smoking is divided into two types: The Cold smoking and the Hot smoking ( respectively. hot smoking). The difference is in the temperature of the smoke and duration of smoking. The food to be smoked has to be pre-dried for both variants to achieve a good consistency and coloration.
Cold smoking:
- temperature of the smoke about 20 to 26°C and keep the humidity below 80%. The food is only smoked, but not cooked.
- Longer shelf life (at least 2-3 weeks)
- Suitable for: Beef, cooked sausage, ham, bacon, goose breast, liver sausage, salmon and mountain cheese.
- Smoking time: several weeks (thus less suitable for smokers or hobby smokers)
Hot smoking:
- Temperature of the smoke approx 60 to 100°C and keep the humidity below 80%. The food is smoked and cooked (at temperatures above 42°C protein denatures, which promotes cooking).
- Lower shelf life. The food should be consumed on the same day.
- Suitable for: Trout, poultry, pork, lamb, beef, sausages, potatoes and vegetables.
- Smoking time: 20 to 120 minutes -> suitable also for smoker
For foods that need to be preserved for a longer period of time, such as ham or smoked salmon, cold smoking is recommended. Because of the very long smoking times, special smokehouses are recommended for cold smoking (selection of smokehouses). With smokers it is theoretically also possible, but difficult to implement in practice.
Hot smoking is also suitable for normal smokers.
Since fish have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, they dry out very quickly when grilled or hot smoked. Responsible for this are their fats, which have a very low melting point. Therefore, caution is required and temperature fluctuations should be avoided.
The appropriate humidity during smoking can be ensured by a water bowl. This prevents the food from drying out. More information about cold smoking and hot/warm smoking can be found here.
Intensity of the smoke flavor during smoking
The peculiarity of a barbecue smoker grill lies in its structure. This only makes it possible that one can bake and smoke beside the grill also. It consists of a firebox in which the wood is placed for smoking and a smokehouse in which the smoked product is finally placed.
At the smoker everyone can individually regulate how much smoke should flow around the meat or fish. This ultimately also determines the intensity of the smoke flavor. The aroma of the smoked product can be determined with aromatic wood species themselves.
Who prefers an intense and hearty smoke flavor, rather reaches for walnut varieties. A possible choice here could be walnut wood. For higher smoking temperatures, oak wood is particularly suitable, because it can reach very high temperatures during burning. (see also instructions and tips for the typical smoke flavor)
Who wants to deal more exactly with the smoking, I can recommend the book under this article to the heart. Beautiful descriptions with appropriate illustrations.