Posted in Homestead Kitchen

My mouth is all set and ready!

Grandma Rosie

  Get Smokin' 

  Barbecue season is upon us, and it's time to drag those barbecues out of our garages and sheds and onto our decks or into our backyards. The desire to grill up some juicy steaks, chicken, hamburgers, or some succulent pork loin is a year round yearning. Nothing tastes better than the flavors of freshly grilled meat or fish.

But this year you're looking for something more, and you're just not sure what it is. For years, you've been making the same barbecued foods, and you're thinking there must be something else out there. Sure, you could always add variety to your barbecue by trying new recipes, different marinades, rubs and mops - but is it enough for you?

 Well, the search is over! Smoking your food will satisfy your desire for something more than your standard grilled fare. And it's easy-people have been smoking foods since the beginning of time. Smoking food over long periods of time yields incredible flavor, and causes even the toughest cuts of meat to just fall apart in your mouth. Everything is always tender and delicious. Haven't you ever been at one of those pit barbecue restaurants and eaten some smoked ribs or a pulled pork sandwich, and said to yourself, "Boy, I wish I could make food like this at home!" Well, you can, and with a smoker and these tips from Allrecipes, you will not believe how much fun and simple it can be...

 The Theory Behind It is Low and Slow

You're probably wondering what gives smoked food its smoky flavor? What causes the smoke and how does it work? In general, "low and slow" cooking does not allow you to damage meat. Because you are smoking the meat at such low temperatures, the meat never has an opportunity to become overdone because you are hardly cooking at its done temperature. In other words, if pork is done at 160 F, it's difficult to overcook it and dry it out when you are smoking at 200 F. In fact, smoking a pork butt (for those insanely delicious pulled pork BBQ sandwiches) can take 18 to 24 hours to get the meat to fall apart, but the meat will neither be dry or overdone. It's really a completely different way of cooking!

 Go Get Your Smoker

There are many types of smokers available on the market, and they range in price from about $40 up to thousands, but they all yield the same results-quality smoked food. For home use, a $40 to $100 smoker will suffice. The main difference between smokers is their storage capacity. There are also different smoking methods. Some smokers are electric, some use water and steam, and still others use charcoal and indirect heat. All yield great results if operated properly.

 Where There's Smoke, There's Flavor

Your smoker creates smoke by smoldering soaked wood chips over its heat source. There are many types of wood chips available on the market, and each type of wood yields a slightly different flavor. Some woods complement certain meats better than others. Here's a sample of the most common woods, the flavors they yield, and the meats they suit best:

  Alder - light, delicate flavor excellent for salmon, chicken and pork

Apple and Cherry- sweet, fruity flavor that's great for poultry, game birds and pork

Hickory - strong, pungent bacon-like flavor used for beef, pork and ham. This is the most popular of flavoring woods

Maple - a sweet, smoky flavor ideal for game meat, poultry and pork

Mesquite - a little sweeter than hickory, but still strong, this wood is great for richly flavored meats such as lamb, beef, and duck

Pecan - a subtle, but rich flavor that complements any turkey or other poultry

In addition to these common woods, there are varieties of exotic woods such as plum, peach, and guava, and still other chips are made from wine and bourbon barrels. The options and flavors are virtually limitless!

Before You Smoke, Brine!

Aside from choosing the right wood flavor for your smoked meat, there's also a simple step called brining. Brine is a strong saltwater solution that is used for meats and fish to prepare them for a long, slow smoke. Meats and fish are soaked in brine before smoking so that they will stay moist during the smoking process. This is important because smoking is done over low temperatures (about 180 F to 250 F) for long periods of time (3 to 20 hours). Brines are generally about a 16:1 ratio of water to salt. In addition, you can flavor brines with sugars, wine, and other herbs and spices for additional flavors. Meat or fish should soak in a brine solution overnight before smoking. Just before you're ready to put the meat in the smoker, remove it from the brine solution, rinse it thoroughly under cold water, and pat dry. Here's a recipe for a basic brine solution:

 Rub It In!

At this point, you can adorn the meat or fish with your favorite rub. As rubs are smoked on the meat or fish, they lose their strength in flavor and heat, so apply liberally. Don't be afraid to experiment with various rubs. The limits of seasoning and smoking are only as small as your imagination.

 Smoke, Smoke, Smoke!

Now that you've brined and seasoned your food, set your smoker according to the manufacturer's directions, sit back, and wait for that mouth-watering meat to be done. The beauty of smoking food is that it is both easy and delicious, and the smoker does most of the work for you. Grilled meat is always delicious and smoking only makes it better. Below you will find some great recipes to help you get started.

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