The smoking process can take from several hours to several days, depending on the portion size. Despite the supposed complexity, the process of cold smoking under the power of everyone: you can smoke with your own hands as in the yard of a private house, and in a city apartment.
Cold smoking technology
The principle of cold processing of products is a continuous supply of cold smoke in a container with suspended semi-finished products. It is necessary to monitor that, so that the smoke comes evenly throughout the smoking period. The duration of smoking depends on the size of the piece. Very large pieces can be smoked up 7 days. Before smoking, the meat is specially treated with salt, depending on the recipe.
Smoke, entering the food compartment, should not exceed a temperature of 25 ° C. Therefore, in order to cool it is driven through a 1.5-3-meter chimney. In accordance, the distance between the smoke source and the container with the semi-finished products serves as a chimney.
A feature of cold smoking is the low temperature, achieved by a long chimney
Cold smoking involves shrinking food, while the fat is stored, and taste improves. Under the action of low-temperature smoke, the product is impregnated with resinous substances, acetic and formic acid, phenols and some derivatives of aldehydes, which are the products of soot.
Cold smoking with your own hands
To learn how to smoke food at home, you need to start with the manufacture of smokehouses. In the first place, you need to choose a place. The site on own bypass will be ideally suited, remote from the house and other buildings.
We build a smokehouse from a barrel
The basis of a low-budget smokehouse will be a barrel (box, any capacity) of any material (except plastic) with the bottom removed. The condition of the barrel does not matter.
Then a hole is dug in the ground (firebox) depth 40 cm and a diameter of about 50 cm. An iron sheet is placed on the bottom, the walls can be reinforced with bricks if desired, - this will ensure uniform decay of chips, branches, sawdust.
At a distance of three meters dig another hole of the same depth. The diameter should be slightly smaller than the barrel.
Both pits are connected by a shallow trench-chimney (close 30 cm in depth and width), which is covered with metal plates or sheets and covered with a layer of earth. The second hole is covered with a prepared barrel, to the bottom of which a metal lattice is firmly attached. The grate is needed to accommodate the filter material during smoking. This material can be wet straw, scattered in a thin layer, or soaked rare burlap. in addition, the grate will not allow a conscious piece of meat to fall into the chimney.
In the upper part of the chamber metal rods or pipes are fixed in rows. Thick metal hooks are placed on them (10 mm) stainless steel for hanging meat. The finished smokehouse is covered with any available material (metal sheet, wooden shield or burlap).
To seal the base of the barrel is covered with earth and compacted.
The basic elements are ready!
At the stage of preparation of products for smoking
Before you start smoking meat products with your own hands, they are subjected to brine. There are many recipes for salting at home, but there is no fundamental difference for smoking. The simplest recipe of the ambassador will approach: let's start with that, that fish, pieces of meat and lard, the bird is covered with coarse salt and left on 3-5 days (for frozen fish this period is extended) at room temperature.
Stage of salting fish
Then over 4-10 hours of products soaked, periodically rinsing thoroughly in running water.
After salting the fish should be thoroughly washed in running water
After, as excess salt is removed, the products are wiped with a clean cloth and hung for a day to dry in a cool room. During the summer season, you need to protect the meat from flies. The dried meat is ready, you can start the smoking process.
Useful properties of smoked fish and the reverse side of the coin
Finally, the process itself
After, how the smokehouse was built, and the meat is prepared, you can start smoking directly at home with your own hands.
In the first pit (firebox) a metal sheet is placed on the bottom. A fire of prepared firewood is lit on it. Rotten firewood is placed on the formed coals. At the same time under the barrel on the bottom of the pit loosely spread the soaked hay the day before, and semi-finished products are hung on hooks. For more smoke, smoldering chunks are covered with sawdust.
Resin conifers are not used as branches for the furnace. Fruit trees are ideal for smoking, vine, heather, which can always be found in the yard. Especially good juniper. Because each host has his own special recipe, any options are possible. Because fire is not important, and smoke, prefer not dried or rotten branches.
Wet hay is a must. This material serves as a filter, smoke cooler, and also gives a special unique aroma of smoked meat. It is worth noting, that dried hay or green grass are not suitable in any case (there is a risk, that the hay will ignite, and the grass will soak the food with bitterness).
It is important to maintain a constant temperature and intensity of smoke and smoldering in the furnace throughout the process. Because a round-the-clock vigil is too tiring, it is not necessary to smoke in house conditions independently.
Importantly: you have to try, that the smoke was light - this is due to incomplete combustion of wood with free access of oxygen. No need to fan the flames!
The main indicator of the optimal concentration of smoke is a clear review of the product.
To give the finished product a special flavor or taste, fragrant herbs are placed on the hay in the smoking chamber: thyme, or thyme - for lard and brisket, prunes or laurel - for birds, red peppers are suitable for meat, lovage, black pepper. Different products have their own recipes. Yet, smoked, cooked at home, always different from meat, prepared industrially.
Smokehouse in the apartment
For those, who is deprived of the opportunity to build a smokehouse in a private house with their own hands, there is a chance to get a mini-lamp for apartment use. An ordinary pan is suitable for these purposes. A hole with a diameter is drilled in the lid 10 mm, then the fitting is inserted into it and fixed firmly. A tube about two meters long is connected to the fitting.
In both handles goosenecks also drill holes for bolts (10 mm). Paronite gaskets are cut under the cover with the appropriate diameter.
A sheet should be inserted into the caterpillar, while its side edges must be at a distance 2 cm from the walls of the caterpillar. The sheet is attached to the stand. in addition, you will need a stainless steel grid to teach the products.
The principle of operation of the smokehouse in the apartment
- The bottom of the pan is covered with sawdust and chips from apricot or cherry
- A stand with a sheet is placed on top, which serves to collect dripping juice and fat
- Pieces of semi-finished products are placed on the lattice, prepared according to the recipe
paronite gaskets are inserted, the cover is tightly screwed on - The smokehouse is put on the smallest fire
- In the lid of a plastic bottle, filled with water, a hole is made under the tube, connected to the fitting. The tube is immersed in water. Another smoke pipe is brought there, the other end of which is displayed in the open window of the house.
This design works due to high atmospheric pressure, the temperature inside does not exceed 100 ° C, and it takes no more than an hour to prepare a delicacy at home.
Making delicacies with your own hands is not only delicious and profitable. It is also an opportunity to come up with and create new dishes and recipes.
Smoked, prepared with their own hands at home, significantly different from industrial not only more delicate taste, aroma, juiciness, but also at a higher price. It, apparently, a powerful incentive to make smoked delicacies at home with your own hands.
AND, finally, video, describes in detail the preparation and process of cold smoking: