The Theory behind It is Low and Slow

You're probably wondering what gives smoked food its smoky flavor? What causes the smoke and how does it work? In general, "low and slow" cooking does not allow you to damage meat. Because you are smoking the meat at such low temperatures, the meat never has an opportunity to become overdone because you are hardly cooking at its done temperature. In other words, if pork is done at 160 F, it's difficult to overcook it and dry it out when you are smoking at 200 F. In fact, smoking a pork butt (for those insanely delicious pulled pork BBQ sandwiches) can take 18 to 24 hours to get the meat to fall apart, but the meat will neither be dry or overdone. It's really a completely different way of cooking!

Go Get Your Smoker

There are many types of smokers available on the market, and they range in price from about £90 up to thousands, but they all yield the same results-quality smoked food. For home use, a £90 - £200 smoker will suffice. The main difference between smokers is their storage capacity. There are also different smoking methods. Some smokers are electric, some use water and steam, and still others use charcoal and indirect heat. All yield great results if operated properly.

Where there's Smoke, There's Flavor

Your smoker creates smoke by smoldering soaked wood chips over its heat source. There are many types of wood chips available on the market, and each type of wood yields a slightly different flavor. Some woods complement certain meats better than others. Here's a sample of the most common woods, the flavors they yield, and the meats they suit best:

• Alder - light, delicate flavor excellent for salmon, chicken and pork

• Apple and Cherry- sweet, fruity flavor that's great for poultry, game birds and pork

• Hickory - strong, pungent bacon-like flavor used for beef, pork and ham. This is the most popular of flavoring woods

• Maple - a sweet, smoky flavor ideal for game meat, poultry and pork

• Mesquite - a little sweeter than hickory, but still strong, this wood is great for richly flavored meats such as lamb, beef, and duck

• Pecan - a subtle, but rich flavor that complements any turkey or other poultry

In addition to these common woods, there are varieties of exotic woods such as plum, peach, and guava, and still other chips are made from wine and bourbon barrels. The options and flavors are virtually limitless!