Cold smoking is a technique used to cure food, such as salmon, bacon, and ham, by exposing it to cooled smoke for days or weeks. The process involves salting or brining the food first to preserve it and inhibit bacterial growth. Cold smoked foods require refrigeration and may need to be cooked before consumption. They are used in a variety of dishes and can be flavored in new ways.
Cold smoked foods are foods that have been cured using a cold smoking technique. One of the best-known examples of a cold-smoked food is cold-smoked salmon, or lox, although bacon and ham are often cold-smoked. The cold smoking process produces a flavorful food with a texture that closely resembles raw food, as cold smoking does not actually cook the food. Many grocery and butcher shops sell an assortment of cold-smoked foods, ranging from imported Gouda cheese to local cured meats and seafood.
When foods are cold smoked, they are salted or salted first. The brine helps preserve food while curing and inhibiting the growth of bacteria. After the brine, the food is usually rinsed so it is not overly salted and then hung in a cold smoker, usually for an extended period of time. Unlike hot smoking, which can be accomplished in hours, cold smoking requires days or weeks of slow exposure to cooled smoke.
Temperatures in a cold smoker hover around 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit (21-33 degrees Celsius). Often, aromatic smoke is produced by burning wood in a separate chamber, so that the heat from the combustion does not raise the temperature in the cold smoker. Even the cold smoker can be kept dry, as the humidity can promote the growth of mold and bacteria. The smoke is piped in and allowed to slowly seep into the food. After cold smoking, the color of the food has usually changed slightly and the flavor has levels of complexity resulting from the smoking process.
Because cold smoked foods aren’t actually cooked, many require refrigeration and relatively quick use after curing. The claims for each cold smoked food are different, however, so consumers should always check when purchasing individual cold smoked foods. Many cold smoked foods also need to be cooked before they are safe to eat, as is the case with bacon. Instructions for proper handling should always be printed on the food packaging or delivered orally.
There are many uses for cold smoked foods. Cold-smoked salmon, for example, is often eaten on donuts with cream cheese or tossed with creamy gravies. Cold smoked meats form an important part of the culinary heritage of many regions and are used in a huge assortment of dishes. Enterprising cooks can often find new ways to use cold smoked foods or new combinations of wood and brine to flavor cold smoked foods in a new way.
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