Toxic wood-smoke

[reshroomED]

Just packing a BBQ/smoker for a few weeks in the Vic high country, which got me thinking.

For years I hot-smoked (mainly) fish over an open fire in the bush, the woods used would have been predominantly eucalypt, beech, and probably acacia.

Was this dangerous (ie would any toxins be transferred to the meat)?

And are there many native woods that would be unsuitable for the smoking of food?

I've got some gourmet wood these days and use a custom smoker, but wonder if I was taking a risk back then.

cheers

ed

[gerbil]

Sounds like you'll have a nice time ED.

Sorry, can't help with the question, but would you mind sharing any tips or any good suggestions for things to smoke?

I was given a smoker the other day as a gift and am looking forward to lots of trials.

So far chillis are top of the list, but also things like prawns and fish.

Interesting idea was smoking tomatoes, then boiling them down to bottle for pasta sauces.

What sort of wood are you using at the moment?

Mountain ash was included with the smoker but i've also got a big bag of it for mushy substrates which will keep me going for a while.

Enjoy your trip!

[reshroomED]

G'day mate.

I'm guessing it's a stainless box, with possibly a metho burner that sit's underneath?

This hot-smokes food, ie cooks and smokes at the same time.

As such I don't know how tomatoes would go (suspect they'd render down), but sounds a pearler for cold-smoking ie fire-box seperated from smoke-box, allowing smoke to cool and 'cure' food.

There's a bit of a knack to cooking with one.

Best bet's to have a few dry runs, to get a feel for the amount of smoke and the temp generated.

I've only tried using the small burners for heat once or twice, and gave up in favour of a shovel-full of coals.

Once you can get your shavings smouldering evenly it's time to experiment.

Meat high in fat seems to benefit well from smoking as it removes the greasiness (eel, murray cod, mutton-bird), but it's all good.

Be adventurous, (smoked eggs are the grouse)

I've got half a coles bag of shavings from an old whiskey cask that had been used to mature port in, that I keep for special occasions.

Hickory, maple, maleleuka, gum, stone-fruit trees, all work well, according to taste..

You'll get an idea of the flavour to be imparted from the smell of the smoke after a bit.

As with most cooking it's a learning curve, you've got to taste and adjust to suit.

Be wary of commercial timbers as many have fire-retardants, bug-proofing etc.

Bags of shavings are readily available and safe.

You can flavour your wood by 'marinating' in wine, honey water, etc.

For that matter many regard it as a standard procedure to marinate any meat for twelve hours or so in a 2:1 solution of salt:sugar (if a fresh egg sinks in the mixture it's too dilute).

Personally I only apply this to "muck-fish" like couta, salmon, etc, (astrong-tasting fish).

ed

[BlackDragon]

Hiya ED, just checked at my local store down the road, they sell sheoak chips/shavings for smokeboxes, so sheoaks should be fine...

Slow cooked/smoked rack of pork ribs... mesquite and hickory.... and your own bbq sauce... dribble....

Bd

[Happy Cadaver]

I used to use bod poo

Edited April 19, 2007 by darcy

[gerbil]

Thanks kindly mate, was a big help.

Yep you are correct, the one i've got is a hot smoker. Will have a little tinker with it eventually and add on a cold smoke chamber. Thanks alot for stating the differences, I was unaware of it.

Makes more sense now of the bit I read about tribal societies smoking fresh meat on green sticks for long term storage, it's an art as you stated, look forward to it.

Good thinking with the herbs darcy, i'm going through a tagetes lucidia phase which would be nice to try.

lightly cheese stuffed smoked jalepenos, ahh i'm dribbling again...

Bit of an addition to the pasta sauce i've been pondering, smoke tomatoes, little bit of garlic, capsicum then after that's done boil down in a pot with some fresh or dried herbs.

You guys have inspired me again

oh and cheers for the wood caution, the material I get at the moment is supplied specifically for smoke houses. Thanks

[spaced]

Something to be enjoyed in moderation. The smoking of foods adds carcinogens much like you'd find in tobacco smoke, and in cultures where these foods are eaten more often, there seems to be a higher incidence of stomach cancers.