Food & Drink 

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How to buy smoked foods

Smoked foods make great presents and they're not just for Christmas, says Sudi Pigott

The one time when smoking is socially, not to mention gastronomically, acceptable is when food has been imparted with the unmistakable flavour of wood fire smoke. Smoking food probably originated in prehistoric times, when a fire was lit under freshly hunted fish or meat to speed up the drying process and ward off flies. The resultant enhanced flavour and improved keeping qualities meant it became customary practice.

During the T’ang dynasty in China AD 618-917 black smoked apricots were an unusual delicacy. The Romans were inordinately fond of smoked cheese, and both the Greeks and Romans were adept at smoking fish. In Medieval Europe smoked herrings were a staple, but it was not until around 1843 that a John Woodger of Northumberland invented a new kind of smoked herring, ‘Newcastle Kipper’, which was split, gutted, lightly salted and smoked overnight. Smoked salmon, meanwhile, is a relatively new arrival on the gastro-scene. It was popularised by Jewish immigrants who set up smokehouses in London’s East End at the end of the nineteenth century.

Almost anything – from quail’s eggs and venison to marlin, scallops and foie gras – can be given the smoke treatment. However it is essential that you start with top quality ingredients, as correct smoking should enhance rather than overwhelm the natural flavour. So if you’re looking for an unusual present, make sure you buy from a reputable smokehouse.

Smoking fish
Opinion among smokers varies as to whether dry-salting or brine-curing is more effective, though a brine is likely to bring greater subtlety of flavour. Historically, most fish smoked in the UK is cold-smoked, which involves exposure to a slow-burning wood fire, while hot-smoking, currently very much in vogue especially for salmon, means the food is smoked at great temperature – above boiling point – and effectively cooked as well as smoked. Generally, hardwoods such as oak, beech or chestnut are best for smoking, while aromatics such as juniper or rosemary are sometimes added for flavour.

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