The different methods for curing meat with salt goes back thousands of years. Although the methods have been refined over the years the basics are still the same. Dry curing and smoking meat has taught me a lot about the powers of salt. So I did a bit more research about the history and summarized the information below. Methods of …
How To Build a Curing Chamber for Dry-Cured Meat
Over 20 years I have built 5 curing chambers, and advised many people on designs and decisions relating to drying cured meat. I want to share with you the discovery of this fascinating world of dry-cured meats. What you will find below is a comprehensive guide from decades of work building curing chambers for dry-cured meat. This article covers all …
Complete Guide to Tea Wok Smoking Food
When I started smoking food in a wok with tea and wood, it was awesome to try out all kinds of flavor combinations. Because you can do this inside without a smoker, many people can give it a go. Fish fillets turned out amazing, but then I realized there were so many other options available for light smoking. So I …
How To Cold Smoke -The Complete Guide (Meat, Fish, Cheese)
I’ve been learning how to cold smoke for a few decades, I thought it would be hard. It’s not, like everything it’s a process, however, it’s also a craft. For some reason, it’s perceived by people as being really confusing. I’ve read 5 books on cold smoking, so I have diligently gone through and picked out the best practices having …
How Much Does a BBQ Smoker Cost? Charcoal, Electric or Gas
I am always interested in all kinds of smokers and how much they cost. I spend too much time in the BBQ stores, that’s for sure. I’ve been to many BBQ conferences, festivals, and events. I love smokers and the flavors you get from them, with meat but also heaps of dairy and vegetables. The old kettle classics and the …
How To Smoke Salmon – 2 Methods (Quick, Easy or Slow and Subtle)
I started smoking salmon many years ago, I’ve experimented and tested many different ways over the decades, and it can be one of the tastiest basic smoking recipes that I know. Will go through all the ways to smoke salmon, which create awesome results as you will see in the pictures. I will also cover some of my favorite rub …
What are the Easiest Smokers to Use? (Simple Rundown for Beginners)
Here is a handful of easy to use smokers that could suit either the beginner or someone who just wants simplicity and great smoke flavor. I’ve always been curious about the meat smoker technology changes and how it is evolving; there are nearly a dozen different smoker types on the market that you can buy. I get asked a lot …
Easiest Meat to Smoke? (Beginners Guide with Pictures)
Here are some details on what I consider the easiest meat to smoke and some tips so it can be done with ease. Sometimes I want convenience and that awesome smoke flavor. What is the Easiest Meat to Smoke? The internet has a lot of the more complex styles of BBQ smoking like the 10 hour plus brisket journey, I …
How to Cut Paper Thin Slices of Cured Meat (with Pics)
Slicing cured meat wafter thin can be done in many different ways. I have experimented with some techniques and gone all-in with specific knives and a decent deli slicer. So I thought I would share some ideas for different cured meats. The harder or more dry style cured meat like prosciutto or coppa, can be quite a challenge. A sharp …
Charcuterie Board Cured Meat Essentials – Images & Ideas
Using my own experiences of making, ordering, and devouring charcuterie boards across the globe. I’ve also compiled professionally food-styled charcuterie boards with many different ideas to inspire you. Cured meats are an essential part of a classic charcuterie board since this is my passion – I have tried to come up with some unique ideas for you. You will also …
Best Wood Selection for Smoking Meat (Chart with Varieties)
Meat & wood selection can get a bit confusing. There is a huge selection, sometimes I buy it. Most of the time somebody is trimming an apple tree or grapevine and I get ample wood stock. Blind taste tests have highlighted the variations are mainly whether it’s a ‘light’ hardwood or a ‘heavy’ hardwood. However, the internet reviews of woods …
What is the Difference Between Hot Smoking and Cold Smoking?
Smoking meat in general seems to get confusing especially hot and cold smoking. Seeing a lot of artisan smokers and practicing it myself – I thought it would be helpful to clarify the difference. There is one fundamental difference between hot and cold smoking that I will explain in detail. It is to do with temperature. I will attempt to …
How to Cure Meat in a Normal Fridge (Guide & Pictures)
A quick search and it seems no one has given a straight answer about how to create charcuterie in an unmodified fridge. Definitely can be done, and I do it often. So I hope this helps anyone interested. Good things take time they say, it is very true if you want to make your own Charcuterie & cured meat! (but …
Which Salt for Meat Curing? Quick & Dry Curing or Smoking
There is salt and there is curing salt, I hope to help explain which salt is for which application in this post. When I started meat curing and had never heard of Prague powder, pink curing salt, instacure, and many others. Now, I thought it would be useful for others to know what I have learned. It makes bacon taste …
50 Examples – Cured Meats, Charcuterie & Salumi of the World
Here are 50 examples of common and some cured meats you might not of heard of. I could have easily written 100 salami variations, but decided to focus on familiar & interesting unique flavors of the meat curing world! Maybe you want to find something for an epic charcuterie board or just want to learn a bit more about various …
How Much Does a Meat Dry Curing (Charcuterie) Chamber Cost? $0 or Higher
Curing meat at home can be easy, here is a breakdown of the different costs and ideas you can use to cure meat at home for smallgoods like salami, whole muscle cured meats, or charcuterie. I started curing meat a few decades ago, from my experiences, I hope that this quick rundown could give you an indication of what’s possible …
Does Hot Smoking Preserve Meat? (and Some Preserving Ideas)
When I started hot-smoking meat, I did wonder if it had any preserving aspect to it. After exploring all aspects of cold smoking and hot smoking for many years, I’ve been teaching people about cold smoking both on and offline. It seems a lot of people make the assumption that smoking is preserving. However, there is a difference between preserving …
How To Smoke Meat on a Gas Grill – (Pictures & Techniques)
I love my gas BBQ, and over the years I have tried a lot of methods to get the most out of my hot smoking adventures. It’s easy, and I reckon once you get the basics you are going to be hooked! How to Smoke any Meat on a Gas Grill BBQ Because you have a gas BBQ already setup it’s easy! You just need smoke, however, I ‘ve …
Best Cured Meats for Backpacking & Camping
I take cured meats camping and fishing often, I also love the outdoors. I want to help you see why certain cured meats are perfect for your journeys and adventures. What are the Best Cured Meats for Backpacking & Camping? If you want to learn how to make some dry-cured meat in the fridge, please find a link here to …
Equipment for Meat Curing Guide – What You Do & Don’t Need
The equipment for curing and smoking meats can be quite simple, and you may already have what you need. It is a vast category that has evolved into a skill and craft with numerous options that can be done at home. We will break down all the necessary steps, whether you want to dry cure, hot smoke, cold smoke, or make a healthy protein snack that will last for a while, such as jerky (which can be stored in a cardboard box if desired). It’s all cured meat! To start with I …