Hot Smoking

Hot smoking - exposes the foods to smoke and heat in a controlled environment. Although foods that have been hot smoked are often reheated or cooked, they are typically safe to eat without further cooking. Hams and ham hocks are fully cooked once they are properly smoked.
Hot smoking occurs within the range of 74°C/165°F to 85°C/185°F. Within this temperature range, foods are fully cooked, moist, and flavorful. If the smoker is allowed to get hotter than 85°C/185°F, the foods will shrink excessively, buckle, or even split. Smoking at high temperatures also reduces yield, as both moisture and fat are "cooked" away.
"Cold smoking" Ia the process of imparting a smoke flavour to food without cooking it. The smoke also helps to preserve the food as it contains anti-septic qualities. Cold smoking can be used to flavour pork chops, beef steaks, chicken breasts, salmon and scallops. Cold smoking can be a relitively short process, just long enough to impart a touch of flavour, or it can take a day or so in the case of fine smoked salmon. It must be remembered that cold smoking is not a cooking process and meats like pork, beef and chicken will require further cooking before they are safe to eat.

| Coldsmoking | Hot Smoking | The Smoking Process | Wood Smoke Flavour | Preservation |