Self-Sufficiency: Home Smoking and Curing

With the invention of the tin can, freeze-drying, supermarkets, and microwaves, you might think that food preserved the old-fashioned way is no longer relevant to modern-day cooks and chefs. But the ancient traditions of smoking and curing food are actually seeing something of a resurgence these days, thanks to a growing back-to-basics movement and a renewed desire for simple, honest food. This book includes information on the origins and history of smoke-curing, the basic smoking process, raw materials, equipment, and storage. Also included are 25 recipes for meat, game, fish, and shellfish. Home Smoking and Curing is a practical guide to retaining the subtle flavors of your favorite foods, from simple smoked salmon to more adventurous ideas like smoked mussels, sausage, and even salt-and-pepper smoked squid. Home smoking and curing meat is all about bringing out the best possible flavors in a healthy, natural way, and savoring it all the more because you prepared it yourself. Preserving food is actually surprisingly simple; all it takes is some basic equipment and a little bit of organization.