Besides drying and curing, smoking is one of the oldest methods of preserving meat, sausages and fish. Picking and drying have been increasingly suppressed by other methods in recent decades. The two methods are rarely used today for special products. Smoking is still very popular because of the typical savory taste of the smoked goods. The choice of different smoking ovens for professional use and private household use is correspondingly large.

There are two methods of smoking. These are the cold smoking and the hot smoking. During cold smoking, the products only hang in the cold smoke and absorb the smoke aroma. A well-known example of a cold-smoked product is the Black Forest ham, In hot smoking, the temperature of the smoke and in the smokehouse is high enough to cook the products hanging in the smoke at the same time. Examples include smoked trout and various sausages.

Of the smoker boxon the way to fully equipped smoker

The market offers a whole range of different smoking ovens for the private smoker. Of course, the principle is always the same. The differences are mainly in the size and the materials used for the production. The offer starts with small smoking boxes, in which 1 to 2 medium-sized trout can be smoked lying flat. These boxes are very popular with anglers who want to smoke their catch on the spot on longer fishing trips.
One step higher are the Table Smoke Heaters for home. In these ovens fit several fish simultaneously. The ovens are made of stainless steel and are usually heated with two spirit burners. With these smoker ovens fish can be prepared directly at the table and then served hot and freshly smoked.

The Behr stainless steel table-top oven measures around 44 x 28 cm and offers plenty of space for several larger fish on two stainless steel grates. Two spirit burners provide the necessary heat for cooking the fish. A heavier glass lidcloses the smokehouse and allows a view of the contents.

The next larger smoking ovens are almost exclusively for outdoor use. There is room for up to 2 dozen fish in the smokehouse. The heat for cooking the smoked products is produced in these smokers with gas burners, electric heating coils or simply with a wood fire. Because of the large volume, a corresponding amount of smoke is required, for which a deduction must be present. The large smoking ovens are made of blackened or aluminized sheet steel or stainless steel. The smoked products are on the shelves or can be hung on poles. Hanging has the advantage that the smoke can smoothly pass by on all sides. Incense ovens are practical with a viewing window, through which the progress of the smoking process can be controlled at any time. Visual inspection helps inexperienced beginners in particular to determine the right time to stop smoking.

Smoked flour for every taste

For the perfect smoky taste you need the right one Wood Fuel, Beech wood, processed into fine flour, is the most commonly used smoking flour. Many professional processors add other types of wood to beech flour for certain tastes. The smoke of each species has its own flavor. Juniper is often used for smoked ham. Other wood species such as olive or hickory are rather rare. It is important that the wood flour does not burn with open flame when smoking, but only smolders and slowly glows.

Important for the selection of a suitable smoker for home is the appropriate size for your own needs and the material of the oven. Stainless steel is the optimal material for one smoker , It is easy to clean and lasts a lifetime. If you are the first time to smoke fish and meat, you should make sure that the smokehouse has a lens and, more importantly, that one thermometeris available for the cooking space.