Preservatives
Almost all smoked products use sodium nitrate or nitrite as preservative agents. These additives mainly help prevent the proliferation of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, responsible for botulism. This bacteria tends to thrive in environments with low temperatures and low levels of oxygen, which is the case inside smokers. Although botulism is extremely rare, the use of sodium nitrite is mandatory as it is a possibly fatal poisoning. However, well-refrigerated foods that experience temperatures above 150 degrees may not require this additive as bacteria do not survive in this environment.
In the human body, sodium nitrite can form nitrosamines. This formation only occurs under certain conditions, including strongly acidic conditions, such as that inside our stomach. Nitrosamides can be harmful to our body. To find out more, read nitrite and sodium nitrate.
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Smoking smoke is made up of particles that give a unique and delicious flavor to the product, but also contain possibly harmful particles, such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), which are formed by the combustion of all types of organic material, which in this case Smoked meat is generally made up of different types of wood and, in some cases, other compounds such as herbs and spices to create the desired flavor. Both PAHs and their derivatives are associated with an increased incidence of cancer in animals, but it is still uncertain whether the same effect occurs in humans. However, the ingestion of these compounds is not necessarily associated with food, as the various types of PAH are also released, for example, when burning fossil fuels, such as petroleum derivatives, so exposure to these components is critical in large cities. In fact, every burning of organic material is an emitter of these particles.
Sources of PAHs in food
- Food cooked on a barbecue;
- Pizza baked in a wood-fired oven;
- Meats prepared at high temperatures in the oven, frying pan or griddle;
- Any cooking process directly over fire;
- Smoked foods;
- High temperature frying.
PAHs are extremely lipophilic, that is, they are a substance that has an affinity for lipids (such as fats), therefore they can be absorbed in the soil, plants, in our breath and even through the skin.
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Português do Brasil
Hello my friend, I need a tip, see if you can help me: on 7/3/21 I made a batch of smoked Calabrian sausages, it took 3 hours of smoke and then a little more until it reached 72 degrees internally for cooking. Then I let it cool and at the end of the day I put it in the fridge, where it is until now. Is this conservation correct or is another procedure ideal? Can I leave it on a baking tray in the fridge or better wrap it in plastic film? My intention is to sell it, how long can I consider it to have a safe shelf life?
Hi Layrton. Regarding cooling, immediately after smoking, immerse it in ice water to speed it up, wait for it to dry and pack it in a vacuum or with two wraps of PVC film, removing as much air as possible. Precise expiration date is complicated as it depends on the recipe – percentage of salt, seasonings, curing salt, water, etc. – but, in general, it should last around 90 days in the refrigerator. See the validity of similar products in the markets, it is a good reference to estimate the validity.
Good morning, mixed wood sawdust is suitable for smoking?
If you are confident that they only cut wood that is compatible with smoking and without any type of chemical treatment, such as varnish or paint, then yes you can.
Good afternoon!
Tar brandy has a strong flavor, both due to its alcohol content and the vegetable tar itself, used in its composition. This striking flavor is similar to that of smoke.
Has anyone here used this brandy in any recipe?
I started smoking chickens at home. What is really bothering me (and I think the neighbors too) is the smoke that is produced. Eyes burn all the time. Am I doing something wrong or is this normal?
Hi Fatima. The smoke is like that, it will burn your eyes and the smell will always be strong. What you can do is try to channel the smoke output so that it is directed to a location that does not disturb the neighborhood. Metal or masonry ducts can conduct smoke just like a fireplace or barbecue.
I made a device that I'm calling a smoked roaster, the fire compartment has 2 spaces, one for charcoal heat and the other for wood smoke. hygiene time decontamination of the environment then we put the meat in the roaster and only then we add the wood...the time varies between 2 hours for chicken and 4 hours for ribs...I saw your tip to use wine increasing the acidity...also your suggestion that I add sweet gives an exotic flavor…hug
Does this apply to smoked almonds too? Should we choose to buy traditional almonds then? Thanks
Yes, it applies to any naturally smoked product.
Allow me to make a comment on the text about smoked foods.
Right at the beginning of the text it is mentioned:
“Almost all smoked products use sodium nitrate or nitrite…”
It seems to me that there is an inaccuracy or at least a lack of clarity in the phrase and in its context, I have been smoking foods at home for a long time and have never used “nitrites or nitrates”, I understand that these products are added to meats and charcuterie in general as hams, salami and sausages, as preservatives, and are therefore not characteristic of smoked products.
In fact, it seems to me that it is exactly the opposite, with the use of smoking techniques, the amount of nitrites and nitrates added to food, even processed food, can be much lower than in unsmoked sausages, as smoke helps preserve the food.
I suggest a change in the text including the word “industrialized” in the sentence above, as industrialized smoked products often contain nitrates that can be harmful to health.
Hi George. Sodium nitrite is really only mandatory in commercial products. There is no regulation for products intended for personal consumption. The use of sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate in smoked products is recommended because a rare but very serious pathogen, the bacterium clostridium botulinum, proliferates in anaerobic environments such as smoking ovens. In this case, the protective action of smoke is not enough to prevent proliferation. In heat, active cells are destroyed, but spores that are already present are only inactivated at temperatures above 100ºC. Acidity (pH ≤ 4.6) and sodium nitrite are the most efficient barriers in preventing proliferation.
Thanks for the answer Eduardo, I didn't know about the risk of botulism in smoked foods! Do you think smoking at home is a risk? that we should always store homemade smoked meats in the refrigerator or cook them before consumption?
Hi Jorge, I think you can smoke at home, no problem. Botulism is extremely rare. There are those who spend their lives doing and consuming without any protection and will never be infected, but it is an existing risk. What I recommend is acidifying the meat with, for example, a little wine. The acidity already creates additional protection. Rubbing wine on the meat before smoking is a protective barrier and also adds flavor. I would also use a little curing salt, just the minimum established limit, but if you want a more natural product, acidification alone will help with protection. Storing it in the refrigerator after it is ready is recommended, low temperatures inhibit most pathogens and greatly extend the product's shelf life. Each protective barrier you add will be an additional guarantee. Hugs!
I bought sausage with cassava once and it was super good, I would like to know the cooking point and whether the cassava would keep for the same amount of time as the sausage.
Hi Marco, the cassava needs to be cooked “al dente”, that is, a little hard in the middle, as it will be cooked when the sausage is cooked on the barbecue. Cook in salted water (15g of salt per liter of water). Once cooked, chop into approximately 1cm cubes and freeze. Add the frozen pieces when you finish working the dough, just to mix without giving the cassava time to defrost. Bag immediately afterwards. I don't know for sure about the validity, I think it reduces it a little.
“Meat prepared at high temperature in the oven, frying pan or griddle;
Any cooking process directly over fire;”
I don’t understand if it’s also harmful in an electric oven and why…
Any burning of material will generate smoke. The electric oven itself does not because the resistance only generates heat, but the toasted bread does because the wheat, sugar or any other ingredient has been burned. Some materials generate less smoke and others more, for example, a gas oven generates little smoke because the gas burns very cleanly, but if something inside burns it will generate smoke.
Thank you in advance for clearing my doubts…
Thank you very much, from the bottom of my heart!
Feel free to ask and I'll respond to the best of my knowledge.
As fellow Wesley asked; So, after smoking, for example, a piece of meat with just salt and natural seasonings and after smoking, keeping it in the refrigerator for daily consumption, IT WON'T HURT ME???
Each product has an expiration date. Products with a high salt concentration last for years without preservatives and without refrigeration, as is the case with Parma ham. Salamis last for months. It all depends on the salt concentration and the smoking/curing/drying time of each product. There is no single rule that applies to all products.
You know that some home smokers generally don't reach 50 degrees/c, right?
Do you have a problem with this fact?
Yes, there is a problem, because it is only above 70 degrees that almost all contaminants are eliminated, at this temperature it will never reach that and pathogens can survive. In this case, I recommend smoking it until it reaches the desired flavor and then roasting it in the oven until the inside of the meat reaches 73ºC. This way you get the smoke and the safety of the most intense heat.
or cook sous vide before smoking…
It is necessary to ensure that the meat cooked using the sous vide method reaches 73°C, knowing that the process takes longer.
I do not know how to do this.
I think a chemist could help by presenting a reagent that changes color at the ideal temperature and that can be packaged with the meat.
I would really like to know about such a reagent as a thermal indicator!
Tiago, skewer or probe thermometers are generally used and can be stuck into the meat to check the internal temperature.
You know that many Americans roast their meats with sweet and sour sauces, right?
I'm of Lebanese descent...lol, and I really like sweet and sour foods.
I would like to know if I can season meat or salami with salt and brown sugar to smoke them?
William, yes you can. I also really like bittersweet. You can leave the meat marinating in a sweet and sour seasoning for about 2 days, then smoke and roast or cure/dry. It will be excellent.
So, if I smoke a piece of meat, for example just in salt for days, won't it hurt me?
All smoked products are exposed to chemical compounds that may be associated with a higher incidence of cancer, so excessive and prolonged consumption could very possibly be harmful. Excessive salt is also bad. If you respect the expiration dates and eat moderately, it probably won't hurt.
Hello, taking into account the consumption of natural products without preservatives, could you please inform me if I make a smoked product (bacon, loin and/or sausage), do not use any type of preservative (nitrite and nitrate) only natural seasoning and after When smoking, I freeze them. Is this procedure safe or not? I thank the attention! Att Wesley
Yes, it's safe. Table salt is already a great preservative and smoking also helps with conservation. Products that undergo drying are more risky, such as salami, coppa, etc. Products that are prepared and frozen or consumed immediately are less of a concern.