Home smoking is possible not only for the lucky owners of their own smokehouse. More precisely, you can build such a smokehouse from improvised tools available in almost any kitchen. For this you'll need:
- a pot with a lid and high sides
- a rack that will fit on the bottom of the pot
- wood chips, except from conifers
You can also use all sorts of "smoky" spices to enrich the flavor, for example liquid smoke.
The five most commonly used ingredients in home smoking recipes:
| Product | Calories per 100g | Protein g per 100g | Fats g per 100g | Carbohydrates g per 100g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 398 | 0 | 0 | 99.7 |
| Peppercorns | 255 | 11 | 3.3 | 38.3 |
| Lard | 797 | 2.4 | 89 | 0 |
| Mackerel | 181 | 18.7 | 11.9 | 0 |
| Pepper | 26 | 1.3 | 0 | 7.2 |
Everything listed above works for hot-smoking meat or fish at home. The cookware should have thick walls and a thick bottom. The meat and fish must be marinated in advance in the way described in the chosen recipe. It's best to do this overnight, so the food has time to marinate well.
Spread a handful of chips in an even layer on the bottom of the pot. On top go a few layers of foil, which you should fold so there are little rims along the edges. The fat will drip into it. Next comes the rack; a simple steamer basket will do. The main thing is that its holes be such that the meat doesn't fall through them. Whatever you want to smoke is placed on the rack so that it doesn't touch the walls of the pot or touch the other pieces. That is, there should be space between the pieces of meat.
The pot is covered tightly with a lid. And for reliability it's wrapped in foil so there are no gaps. Everything goes onto the stove for 20-30 minutes. During this time it's better to stay in the kitchen and not leave the stove. As soon as a wisp of haze becomes noticeable, turn off the heat and leave the pot until it cools completely, for an hour or two.
It's worth bearing in mind that this is just one of several ways you can smoke fish and meat at home. The cold-smoking method, however, differs in both complexity and time. And without a smokehouse it may not be an option.