[Sca-cooks] period smoke houses?

[Lorenz Wieland]

Phil Troy/ G. Tacitus Adamantius wrote:
> Also sprach Decker, Terry D.:
>> I've never encountered an operating smoke house that was anywhere
>> near 55 degrees.
>>
>> Smoke houses are designed for "cold smoking."  The temperature of
>> the heat source is normally around 180-200 degrees F and the meat is
>> left to smoke until it reaches an internal termperature of around
>> 160 degrees F.  The smoke coats the meat rather than is absorbed by
>> the meat.  Heat kills the bacteria, cooks and dehydrates the meat
>> (especially the outer layer).  Smoke builds a crust.
>
> Huh. You sure about that? One of the reasons you couldn't, until
> recently, import real prosciutto di Parma into the U.S. was that it
> was raw. Same for (I think it is) Westphalian ham and a number of
> others. Serrano, etc.; I don't recall if the laws have changed or if
> the stuff is irradiated now. I can't see Smithfield ham having the
> soft translucency it has if it is cooked...

I've seen the term "cold smoking" used both ways.  U.S. barbecuers often use
the term to refer to cooking meats (usually pork or beef) over smoke at over
100 degrees farenheit.  This results in cooked, smoked meat.

In other contexts, cold smoking means drying and smoking meat at under 90
degrees farenheit.  This results in preserved smoked meat that isn't cooked,
like Smithfield ham, nova salmon, and proscuitto, as you correctly point
out.

Epicurious goes with the second definition:

"Smoke-curing is generally done in one of two ways. The cold-smoking method
(which can take up to a month, depending on the food) smokes the food at
between 70° to 90°F. Hot-smoking partially or totally cooks the food by
treating it at temperatures ranging from 100° to 190°F."

Another article on this here: http://www.ochef.com/26.htm

-Lorenz