Introduction
When thinking of smoked food, most people inevitably smell the seductive scent of smoked eel or smoked ham. However, these delicious delicacies are just a small selection from the huge range of everything that tastes delicious as a smoked product.
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You can often find smoked cheese, even vegetables, eggs or fruit can be refined with the fine smoky taste. This applies in particular to individual teas. Even whiskey and beer are made in various ways from smoked malt. In the meantime, air-dried meat and sausage products are also very popular because many of us are reluctant to do without the characteristic smoky taste.
Nowadays, the smoking processes and the ingredients have changed a lot: They are adapted to modern needs, the changing technical standards, and the significantly refined taste of our time.
Smoking in the past - a small historical outline
Smoking has been around since the fire was known. All advanced cultures used the aromatic scents that were created by burning and later by smoking. In the beginning, however, one appreciated the pleasant smell, which ensured a significantly better climate in the dwellings.
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| Smoke fragrances have been used in a variety of ways for hundreds of years. |
The ceremonial meaning of smoke is also known. The ancient Egyptians in particular used the rising scents to appease, honor the gods, or simply take them for themselves. The Celts, and even the Stone Age people, had altars on which they burned herbs and made the smoke rise to the sky. Incense burners are still used in Catholic Masses today.
The ancient Greeks and the Chinese, on the other hand, quickly recognized the healing effects of the smell of smoke and tried to use it to defeat a variety of diseases. The Indians also had knowledge of this kind. It was believed that a healthy mind could also alleviate physical ailments. The inhaled smell of smoke should help.
Smoking food in earlier times
The smoking of food was probably a coincidence. In the past, animal skins were hung in front of the caves, which served as protection against the cold. However, they quickly became brittle and hard and the meat still adhered to it. When people took advantage of the fire - mostly inside the caves - they realized that the remains of the meat tasted delicious and also lasted much longer.
Conservation by smoke began to take hold more and more. Another possibility was salting, but the salt had its heyday in the Middle Ages and was also very expensive - especially for the inhabitants of regions far from the coast.
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| A fire pit in the room probably caused accidental smoking |
In the houses of our ancestors from ancient times, there was usually only one room, in the middle of which was the fireplace. There was an opening in the roof to at least partially let the smoke escape.
The rest of it spread inside and settled on all objects there and also pulled into the lungs of the residents. People hung up the food close to the fire. This measure primarily served to protect them from animals, but also had the effect that meat and fish kept for a significantly longer time because they were moved by the smoke. Preservation was urgently needed because mostly a large animal had been killed that had to serve as food for a longer period. This was equally true for successful fishing operations. In this way, the food remained edible even in the barren winter months.
The process of smoking - a little expertise
When smoking, the salted foods are exposed to the smoke from fires. As a result, they lose up to 40 percent of liquid without drying out. To keep the smoked food as juicy as possible, people tend to use fatty pieces, for which the eel is the best example.
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| Almost all foods are suitable for smoking |
However, lean fish, low-calorie meat, and even fruit and vegetables are also suitable for smoking, provided they are not exposed to excessive heat for too long. During the smoking process, the higher temperatures also result in a cooking process which is designed to vary in strength depending on the duration and the heat selected.
Nowadays, thanks to good cooling methods, the aspect of preservation plays a minor role, unlike our ancestors. In the meantime, the typical, very popular taste and the beautiful color that results from smoking are more important.
Different types of smoking
In principle, depending on the temperature used, a distinction must be made between cold, warm, and hot smoking. The original form is the so-called hall smoking. It was created from the process of people from earlier centuries and takes up a lot of time on the one hand and on the other hand a special space that private individuals hardly have access to.
As with the first beginnings of smoking, the food is exposed to the smoke over a mostly smoldering fire. The room has open connections to the outside, which regulates the temperature almost automatically due to the seasons. Such smoked meals usually take a very long time to achieve the desired effect: the process can take several months.
The smoking process is completed significantly faster with cold smoking, it only lasts a few hours or a maximum of a few days. The temperature is 15 to 20 degrees; this means that the food is particularly long-lasting, such as ham, cervelat, and mettwurst. Only hardwoods are used because they do not burn so quickly. The beech wood is very popular; the original Black Forest ham, on the other hand, is smoked over fir wood.
Cold smoking takes place in a special smokehouse. The smoke draws in from a separate oven and flows evenly around the food. Many an old farmhouse has such a device directly under the roof.
The temperatures during hot smoking are significantly higher. They are between 50 and 80 degrees. The heat is generated by a separate, i.e. additional, heat source in the smokehouse. Large companies now achieve the cooking process in many cases through gas firing; smoking takes place through smoke blown into the chamber from the outside. Thanks to the high temperatures, the entire process is completed within a few hours. However, the products can be kept for a few days without any further measures.
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| By smoking, sausages are not only made tastier but also more durable. |
If the heat is 80 degrees and more, it is called roasting. The loss of liquid is significantly higher than with other smoking processes. But the smoke taste is much more intense. Hot smoking is mainly suitable for fatty fish such as eel, sprats, or halibut, as well as for hunting sausage and ham.
In hot smoking, the temperatures are between 25 and 50 degrees. The process itself is similar to hot smoking but takes a little longer. It is mostly used for cooked sausages.
Another method of smoking arises from rubbing smoke. The operators of such systems achieve a temperature between 300 and 400 degrees, namely through a metal wheel that rubs against a log. The smoke often comes from an external device. This entire process offers clear advantages:
The smoke, whether external or internal, is rarely hotter than 350 degrees in contrast to the other methods, which reach up to 850 degrees. This is much gentler, especially for sensitive foods. Besides, such systems work largely emission-free.
Smoker box, smoking cabinet & Co - large selection for all needs
Certainly, the opportunities to buy smoked food are huge. And the quality of these products is excellent thanks to our strict laws. But smoking yourself is something else. Whether you only want to indulge in this pleasure once in a while, and then only to a small extent, or whether you smoke regular and maybe even larger quantities of fish, meat, or other delicacies - there is a suitable accessory for everyone. The main element of this basic equipment is housing.
The advantage of all smoked bones over conventional grills is that the food is not directly above the embers. Rather, the heat for cooking is achieved inside the oven, while the smoke is generated by the smoking agents used. With the combination of grilling and smoking, the advantages of both types of preparation can be excellently combined. However, the disadvantages do not apply. So it is not necessary to turn the smoke over and over again because the cooking process takes place in such a way that heat flows all around it.
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| With a smoke generator, you can turn every grill into a smokehouse |
A complete smokehouse is probably available to very few people. They were bricked and had to have an adequate supply of fresh air. In poorly functioning smokers, there were various occasions when the food burned or pollutants were formed. However, this is not to be feared with modern systems and devices for at home.
The smoking Oven - ideal for the rather rare smoking
The simplest solution for home use is an incense burner. You can also make it yourself, for example from a large barrel, but the effort involved is rarely in a healthy relationship to the comparatively low prices and the solid execution of the finished tonnes. The transportable from Thüros is an example. It is characterized by its low weight and the possibility to enlarge it with a simple control element before use. This smoked barrel is ideally suited for anglers or for those whose storage space is limited.
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| A grill thermometer is used to measure the temperature inside the oven. |
Anyone who decides to build their own, for which there are numerous instructions on the Internet, should not do without a special smoking thermometer so that the temperatures inside the barrel always remain at the desired level. Two classics come from Thueros and Maverick.
Other small appliances - for smoking in between
Small and mobile smoking devices are ideal for campers and anglers. They require very little space, but can therefore only refine small quantities by smoking. They are available with an electrically operated stove or a heating coil, but heating with gas and coal is also possible. However, it should be borne in mind that these small devices, like all other than the smoking cabinets, are only suitable for hot smoking - ideal for freshly caught fish.
The temperature can be set up to 200 degrees. This high heat tolerates trout and mackerel for up to 20 minutes, while carp take almost an hour to finish and smell good. Herring takes just as long, but the heat should be there at 80 to 90 degrees.
The smoker - the clever alternative
The smoker, also called a smoker, is a little bigger and a little more comfortable. It has a fireproof housing, a bowl for the chips or the smoked flour as well as grids and usually also hooks to put on or hang up meat or fish. The required temperature is achieved using gas, coal, wood, or electricity. The outer shape varies from round to square. And the sizes are also very different. Even handy table smoking stoves for low needs are commercially available. There are also smokers with very considerable dimensions and a slightly nostalgic look, as the Smokey Fun devices prove.
The smoking cabinet - for larger needs
Incense cabinets usually have the size of a standing refrigerator and are therefore only suitable for households in which the device can take up a permanent place. If you want to smoke not only fish but also or predominantly meat and sausage, you cannot avoid a smoking cabinet. Because the smaller smoking devices are only suitable for hot smoking, so ideal for fish, but not for sausage and meat. These products must be smoked cold. And you can choose between cold, hot, and warm smoking in the modern smoking cabinets.
With the smoking cabinets from Thüros, the market leader in smoking, you can even stream and steam - an additional variant that nobody should underestimate.
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| A smoking cabinet is suitable for both cold and hot smoking. |
When cold smoking in the smoking cabinet, it should be noted that the low temperatures are particularly gentle, but that the time taken can take up to six weeks. The smoked goods can be kept for about half a year. The smallest offer space for 20 trout or the corresponding amount of sausage or meat.
Smoking cabinets are available in different versions. The exterior is usually made of stainless steel, which is not only easy to care for, but also leaves all possibilities for smoking.
Grilling and smoking together - a smart variant
With a special smoking attachment, the conventional garden grill can be turned into a smoking oven. The Thüros model is made of stainless steel and has the well-known chimney draft technology, with which the charcoal heats up quickly and which also offers the best options for precise temperature control.
This variant has only become established in recent years. It is well known that people today love to grill. Almost everyone is enthusiastic about adding the delicious aroma of smoke to the food to be grilled without much effort and almost in passing.
Useful and important accessories - so that nothing is missing when smoking
Most of the smoking devices on the market already include grate and fish hooks. However, if this is not the case, you will need these additional items.
While commercially available S-hooks are sufficient for smaller fish, you have to attach heavy specimens to special incense hooks. They are inserted through the mouth and hold on to the backbone. This way, you can be sure that the fish will not fall or tear during smoking.
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| Incense hooks from Thüros are ideally suited for use in smokers or incense burners. |
For ham, on the other hand, a line is enough to run through the part. The same applies to sausages, which are usually hung up at the end. Smaller pieces of meat, on the other hand, work best on a grate that is almost always present in the devices.
Logs - the most original way of smoking
If you want to use complete logs when smoking, you must make sure that they are natural. Anything else would harm taste and, last but not least, health.
This also means that the woods are not cut with the chainsaw. When using them, lubricating oil is always necessary, which can be transferred to the wood and thus ultimately to the smoking material. So: Only use wood whose origin you know about! And never use the tree bark! This could lead to unpleasant sootiness.
The individual types of wood - which taste from which tree?
Beechwood is the classic smoking accessory. It gives the incense a spicy but balanced note. This variant can mainly be found in eel and other fish species. But it is also suitable for almost all other dishes that depend on race and class.
Oak smells almost more intense: it exudes an intense and almost bitter aroma; it is ideal for smoking hearty meat. Ashwood, on the other hand, is suitable for a rather delicate nuance and spreads a noble fragrance; it is therefore widely used when smoking tender meat or fruit and vegetables. Alder wood has a much stronger effect on the smoked products. It also gives the fish a particularly beautiful golden color. If you prefer a little fruity, you should use pear or applewood. The latter smells fruity and mild, while the pear scent appears rather mild and full-bodied. It is precisely this component that makes these types of wood seem suitable not only for smoking fruit. Rather, the contrast to strong or tart meats and fish can be very delicious and tasty. After all, who doesn't know the distinctive contrasts that the chefs often use?
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| Smoking chips provide a fine smoke aroma on the grill. |
A tip: mix different woods together! You may not like the aroma so created, but only by testing can you find out the special preferences of each individual. And ultimately, incense is always a natural product that can be excellently combined with others of its kind.
Smoked flour and other products - a question of application
Smoked flour is basically suitable for the private sector, especially since the devices used there already have a special container for it. It can be bought in different quantities in stores. With all finished products, you can be sure that they comply with all health guidelines, which are particularly strict in this country and are subject to frequent controls. No manufacturer can afford to violate this.
By using smoking flour, smoking at home becomes very easy. It consists of heavily shredded and ground woods, mainly the producers use hard hardwood varieties such as beech, oak, alder, and birch. Softwoods are mainly used by the producers of Black Forest ham because this gives the product its very special aroma. And finally, it is the Black Forest that is famous for its coniferous forests.
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| Smoked flour is the first choice when it comes to cold smoking fish or meat. |
Smoked flour or fine shavings are ideal if they are to be used for hot smoking. In a kettle grill, in a wok and of course, in every smoking device, they quickly develop their full, fragrant effect.
A relatively new alternative to chips, flour, and whole logs are chips, pellets, and chunks. The chips are small pieces of wood that can almost be seen as a waste product of the logs. Chunks, on the other hand, have a diameter of about two to four centimeters. And pellets, which are also known from modern heating systems, consist of wood flour, which is pressed into small bars.
When using these materials, it is important to soak them in water for about 30 minutes beforehand. Chunks and pellets are then placed directly into the embers, while the chips should be packed in aluminum foil, which is pierced several times. With all three variants, excellent smoking results can be achieved, and with little effort.
Smoke flour & Co. only serve to develop smoke. The necessary warmth still has to come from other means, preferably with small chips. In the second phase of smoking, these aids are only used, here for regulating the temperature. In the third phase, they serve to generate smoke and thus develop their actual effect.
Tips for the purchase of the smoked goods - best success almost guaranteed
As with all other food and drink preparations, it is very important when smoking that you only use absolutely fresh products. This can be seen from various criteria.
Fish must have red gills and clear eyes. The mucous membrane should be transparent and the product must smell like sea or lake - never fish.
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| Smoked salmon fillet on the grill |
Meat must never have a greasy coating and the fat must be white. If it had a yellowish color, the animal was already old when slaughtered, which harms the quality of the meat. Then, despite the greatest efforts, it does not remain juicy and tender. Veal is light pink, beef and lamb are intensely pink to red. Pork, on the other hand, should look slightly pink and the dark red color of the wild is unmistakable anyway.
Fruits and vegetables must not look brown at the gate and have no brown spots. Crunchy fresh varieties are also characterized by the fact that the leaves of vegetables are never limp.
Proper preparation of the smoking product - for complete enjoyment
Whether fish or meat - the smoked goods must be salted beforehand. This gives it exactly the right consistency, which is essential for later smoking. Unfortunately, this procedure is quite time-consuming but very rewarding.
If you want to make a good and suitable lake, you will probably like to try a little. Here is a tip that has proven itself overall: For every 10 liters of water, there are 500 grams of salt, three medium-sized onions, five cloves of garlic (depending on the taste and type of smoked product), 20 grams of juniper berries, as many peppercorns and ten bay leaves. In this lake, you put up to 20 medium-sized fish (or the corresponding amount of meat) and let everything go well for about 12 hours. The salt should not be enriched with iodine. Important for every lake: The liquid must be high enough in the container so that the entire incense is completely covered.
If you cannot or do not want to take this long waiting time, use significantly more salt, and as much as you can dissolve in the water. If you want to try this for a long time, use the following trick: You put a raw potato in the jar. When it floats on the surface, it indicates that the solution is saturated, so it cannot absorb any more salt. With this powerful lake, a soak time of up to two hours is sufficient.
Nevertheless: Perhaps, despite everything, this somewhat lengthy procedure is still too cumbersome. Then you can also use dry salting. Many sausage and ham manufacturers do this too. For this, the smoked goods are rubbed with coarse sea salt (because of the better taste) and the belly height of fish is filled with onions and juniper berries. A mixture of all is used for meat, with which it is generously coated. After all, the products should still rest for up to three hours so that the spices can soak in and the taste unfolds fully.
Small but important subtleties - (hopefully) helpful tips
However you prepare the incense, some additional information cannot hurt.
If you listen to friends of smoking, you will learn a lot with time that you would like to try out yourself. But that can also lead to failures because the tastes are so different. Nevertheless, if you don't dare, you don't win.
Our tips below have largely proven their worth, which means that the vast majority of smokers will find them great.
For example, many friends of smoking are thrilled to put sprigs of rosemary on the food and then put them together with them in the oven. A clove of garlic can also develop a wonderful aroma, which is particularly pleasant when it comes to pork and beef.
But who says that only meat and fish are suitable for smoking? Just try various vegetables or even sweet desserts! The preparation is very easy.
In most cases, it is enough to prepare vegetables as usual and then cook them in the smoker. It automatically gets the popular smoke taste. Almost all varieties are suitable for this species, strong as well as tender.
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| Cheese can also be cold-smoked quickly and easily on the grill |
So far you only know asparagus with hollandaise sauce, which underlines the fine character of the stalks? Then you should put the vegetables on the grate of the smoker and give it a fine aroma. Fruit woods are ideal as a fumigant because they develop a fruity fragrance.
In principle, however, mainly those types of vegetables are suitable for smoking that have a strong taste anyway, such as peppers or Brussels sprouts. But also the simple potato, which is known to be available in many variants on the market, gains completely new taste aspects through smoking. So how about a mix of many different varieties? Prepared later as a salad or as a casserole?
Even a rather simple dessert can gain a lot of taste with the additional smoking. Try it out! Anyone who exposes a simple custard to the smoke of applewood will be thrilled. This also applies to a caramel cream that can be smoked over wood with a strong aroma.
Smoke flavors - smoke taste without much effort
And if you want it to go really quickly, but the wonderful smoky taste should still come into play, then smoke flavors are used. They are also suitable for those who are not yet sure whether they like smoking. However, most of them quickly realize that their own smoking facility is definitely worthwhile.
Smoke aroma arises from condensed and purified smoke. It is comparable to that which is also used in the usual smoking processes. If it is used by the food manufacturers, it must appear in the list of ingredients under the name Rauch. You are bound by strict guidelines concerning the water content of the wood, the temperature, and the air supply.
Such smoke flavors are also available for private use, in solid form, mostly as powder, and liquid. This last variant is also called liquid smoke or liquid smoke. It gives all dishes the wonderful taste of freshly smoked. Smoke flavors are particularly popular when sprinkled on steaks or other products for the grill.
Another variant with a similar effect is the use of smoked salt. This hickory salt or smoked salt goes best with dishes that are good for a ham-like taste.
Smoking salt is created by smoking mostly coarse sea salt, which is subjected to this process for several days. The smoke condensate is deposited on the salt, which gives it its distinctive taste.
With us, the smoked salt has not yet gained popularity as in the USA, where it is an integral part of the kitchen. However, if you are afraid of the lengthy smoking process, but do not want to do without the smoky taste, you have the choice between Fleur de Sel Chardonnay, Viking salt, hickory salt, and Salish salt. The individual varieties differed in taste, which is due to the type of wood used.
Conclusion
Ready smoked food from the trade is a delicious delicacy. Fish, meat, etc. taste even better if you have smoked them yourself. Sure, the effort is not exactly small, but it is definitely worth it. And if it shouldn't be a complete smokehouse, to begin with, a converted wok will do it first, which with some accessories becomes a smoker.
But the stylish and professional accessories are quite inexpensive. Once you get a taste of it, you will enjoy the robust and elegant devices. This is all the more so because your own friends like to remember the delicacies in your house.
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