The Process of Smoking Meat

The two main reasons for smoking meat are to preserve it and to add flavor. Smoking has been used for preservation purposes since the traditional times (Franklin, n.p) In the former, smoke contains natural preservatives that prevent the actions of microbes and slow fat oxidation. Secondly, when meat is smoked, the wood breaks down into compounds whose smell is like caramel and coats the meat dark from outside.

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When one is using wood, they have to light up the materials in the grill. The materials have to burn down until they are producing no flames. This way, the meet can be placed directly above the coals or aside indirectly for slow smoking. The coals must be added throughout the cooking process to keep the temperatures between 210 degree and 230 degrees during the smoking process to prevent the bursting and maintain the nutrients (Slaughter, 2020).

In the process of preparing the meat that has a large-cap of fat, a person is advised to trim it in a bid to create a more bark or crust on the surface of the meat. The amount of trimming is depended on the amount of meat one is to smoke and how they would prefer it smoked. When one prefers to season the meat, it has to be kept simple so that the flavor of the smoke together with the meat shine through. Kosher salt, black pepper, and a 16-mesh cafe grind that almost the same granular sizes and can mix the two evenly can be used. Additionally, the seasoning can accompany garlic or onion powder.

In a bid to make seasoning easier, one can mix the rub ingredients in a plastic shaker with a lid that can be adjusted. The rub can then be sprinkled onto the meat directly from the shaker. Before the application of the rub, an emulsifier like mustard or hot sauce can be added to aid in sticking the rub to form a bark (Tahir, 2). The slather is not meant to affect the flavor of the meat. Therefore, the more a person applies it, the more likely the bark might flake off as the meat shrinks during the smoking.

It should be noted that during the seasoning, one has to get the meat tacky and not wet. Therefore, they have to rub the presentation side of the meat last. The above will help avoid messing up the meat's appearance when it is being flipped over to season the other side. Before one begins to smoke the meat, they have to bring it to room temperature. It is important because it will ensure that the meat cooks evenly from the inside and can reach the right internal temperature by the end of the cooking process.

Depending on the size of the meat to be smoked, it should be left to rest for at least a minimum of half an hour to a maximum of two hours before one begins to smoke. It is also important that the time for smoking the meat be considered (Seman et al, n.p). However, the length of time is determined by the heat of the grill, the type of meat being smoked, and the size of the meat cut.

Smoking requires a well-controlled temperature within the range of 200 and 220 degrees and an internal temperature of 145 degrees to 165 degrees (Riches, n.p). However, for a tender barbecue, a higher temperature of at least 180 degrees is required. After enough time for cooking, the temperature must be kept low to give enough time for the heat to sink in the meat and to tenderize the meat naturally. Slowly cooking the meat breaks down the natural connecting fibers to become tender and change into gelatin.

References

Franklin, Aaron. "What Is Meat Smoking? Learn How to Smoke Meat and Make Texas-Style BBQ Smoked Meats - 2020." MasterClass, 2 July 2019, www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-meat-smoking-learn-how-to-smoke-meat-and-make-texas-style-bbq-smoked-meats.Riches, Derrick. BBQ Smoking 101: Low and Slow Is the Way to Go. 10 Apr. 2020, HYPERLINK "http://www.thespruceeats.com/smoking-meat-low-and-slow-331486" www.thespruceeats.com/smoking-meat-low-and-slow-331486.

Seman, Dennis L., et al. "Meat Science Lexicon." Meat and Muscle Biology 2.3 (2018). https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/mmb/article/id/9036/print/Slaughter, Sam. "How to Smoke Meat: Everything You Need to Know." The Manual, The Manual, 10 June 2020, www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/how-to-smoke-meat/.Tahir, Muh, and Wahyu Caesarendra. "Performance of Smokehouse Designed for Smoking Fish with the Indirect Method." Processes 8.2 (2020): pp 2-11. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9717/8/2/204/pdf