Meat Science

SMOKING

• After curing, the meat is soaked in water at the temperature of 20˚C for about an hour (desalination) and then dried and placed in smoke house.
• Smoking is done in addition to curing.
• The cured products are placed in airtight smoke house with heat and smoke simultaneously applied.
• Hard wood logs and saw dusts are used to generate smoke.
• The kind of wood varies from country to country depending upon the availability and practice.
• Smoking gives the products a characteristic colour and flavour.
• Smoking process extends for 3 days at a temperature of 85°F (29.5°C).
• It retards fat oxidation.
• The reduction of water content as well as the deposition of components has bacteriostatic effects.