Smoking and Salt Curing: Salting, Curing And Smoking Your Own Meat

Before refrigeration became commonplace, a variety of techniques were used to extend the shelf life of foods dating back thousands of years. Salting and smoking didn't just preserve foods, but also transformed their taste, texture, and appearance. Today these classic techniques are favored for their unique trans-formative effects in diverse preparations. Smoking, curing and brining are ancient techniques used in preserving food. Today, foods such as hams, corned beef and smoked salmon are salt-cured, brined or smoked primarily for flavor. Cured meats have a characteristic pink color which is caused by the reaction of sodium nitrite, which is added during processing, with the naturally occurring myoglobin protein in the meat.