Learning the basics

No matter how many food smoking courses I host I'm always bowled over by the sheer enthusiasm and gusto of all my guests. That's all fantastic however, I can't help being surprised at people's reactions to how little smoke I actually use to smoke food. There's a common misconception that one has to use lots of smoke to impart a smokey flavour to your food when you smoke it. This isn't the case and anyone who's enjoyed the warmth from a smokey bonfire will attest. You can smell the smoke on your clothes long after the fire has gone.  Wood smoke is a very complex and pungent compound of many different chemicals with lots of flavour and aroma compounds mixed in. 


Wood is essentially cellulose, Hemi-cellulose and Lignin. Cellulose and hemi-cellulose contain sugar monomers and Lignin is a very complex carbon based chemical compound which accounts for between 30% and 40% of the dry weight of wood. When combusted Lignin produces the main flavour and aroma compounds characteristic in hardwood smoke. This combustion process is known as pyrolysis which is basically the chemical decomposition of a substance when heated.

OK, I wouldn't normally go into this much detail on a basic food smoking course, but I do think it's important for those wanting to smoke their own food to know that smoke is a powerful flavouring agent and you don't actually need too much. That's enough about that. Now - lets focus on how this wonderful smoke effects the food we expose to it.

Smoke two pieces of Edam, one in Apple smoke and the other with Oak and the difference is startling. The Oak smoked Edam takes on a wonderful hue with the edges becoming darker while the whole cheese takes on a wonderful golden lustre. The flavour of the Oak smoked cheese is rich and traditional with a deep tannin flavour giving Oak smoke it's familiar flavour. Whereas, the Apple smoke hardly looks like it's touched the cheese. That is until you taste it. Soft and fruity and very milt and yet unmistakably smoked. There is such a contrast between the two it never ceases to amaze me and I've been doing this for quite a few years.
 Apple Smoked Edam
Oak Smoked Edam

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