At first, people learned how to make fire, and then began to use smoke treatment to preserve food. The result was pleasant to the ancients. Otherwise, such a method of processing meat and fish would never have reached us. Today, smoked products are offered everywhere and are always in ever-increasing demand from customers. Those who have this opportunity have autonomous smokehouses in their yards and at their summer cottages in order to enjoy their own cooked smoked meats more often.
What's the difference?
However, not every ordinary buyer is able to understand, for example, the difference between hot and cold smoked mackerel, standing at the store counter. For ignorant consumers, that one that the other fish are simply smoked. But experts in the smoking industry and the resulting aromatic products notice this difference and can explain it.
Coldly
With cold and hot smoking, the difference, first of all, is in the temperature regime.
Cold is produced at temperature standards: from 18 degrees to 40 degrees. The increase, as well as the decrease in temperature, will be related to which product will be treated with smoke. If it is meat products - the temperature is lower. If fish products - higher. In cold and hot smoking, the difference also lies in the goals that are pursued through such an action. For example, for the cold - the main goal, however, is to preserve the finished product. Therefore, meat, lard or fish undergo the necessary training: salting, drying. Cold smoking contributes to the compaction of the fibers in the texture of the product.
Cold work result
The difference in hot and cold smoked fish will be noticeable in its flesh. Cold - dense flesh, hot - friable flesh. In the process of smoking, you need to monitor the uniform flow of smoke from burnt chips into the chimney and further to the product. And the process, I must say, can be very long. It takes cold smoking sometimes up to several days! But the result is a fragrant and long-lasting product.
Products, the smoking of which this processing option was used, has certain contraindications for use. These products should not be on the menu of people who have any digestive problems. It is logical - because the product is very difficult for the gastrointestinal tract. It usually contains an increased amount of salt.
Hot
Further, considering cold and hot smoking with the difference between them, we will talk about the hot method. This processing method is carried out using elevated temperatures. Hot smoke can reach from 35 degrees to 180 degrees. In fact, the product languishes in its own juice and with the addition of the aroma of smoke. Products subjected to a hot method of such processing are ready after a few hours, or even in an hour and a half. The process takes place most often in a smokehouse, similar to an iron box with a lid. The smaller the gap between the container and the lid, the higher the temperature of the smoke.
The resulting result
The difference between cold and hot smoking in this case is obvious - the product obtained through hot smoke treatment looks very appetizing, saturated with fat (own) and has a delicate juicy consistency. It turns out a delicious and beautiful, fragrant snack, but it is stored very little. Delicious hot smoked delicacies will be stored in the refrigerator for about two days.
How and what to smoke?
For home smoking, chips and sawdust are usually taken. These wood materials are capable of giving off a lot of smoke. But not every tree is suitable for such a mission. The appearance, aroma and taste of smoked meats will be different when using different types of wood.
For example, pine, spruce and other conifers will not make your smoked piece of meat or lard delicious. Wood has a high resin content, which gives strong bitterness during smoke production. All bitterness will fall on the product, and it will become tasteless. In addition, such wood chips, or rather - products that are processed by it, can cause poor health. Birch wood is also bitter and should absolutely not be allowed to smoke.
For smoking pork fat it is better to use alder chips and sawdust. You need to practice the cold method - about 35 degrees. Smoke products within one week a day for three hours.
The fish can be smoked using a sliver of alder and oak. A hot method is most preferred. After an hour, you can already try the finished snack.
Everyone’s favorite chicken will become even tastier and more aromatic if you use alder sliver without other impurities when processing it. You need to cook it in the smokehouse using the hot method. The temperature during processing is approximately one hundred and fifty degrees. After an hour, the smoked chicken will be ready for use.
After smoking, the game also becomes even tastier. It needs to be processed with alder sawdust and sliver (smoke from them). Hot-smoked temperature for game - one hundred or one hundred and twenty degrees for three to four hours.