Monday is Labor Day and time for great times out back. Plan your meals and recipes today for a great time. Be sure not to put your grills away until you absolutely have to! There are many good grilling days left this year.
According to Smoky
Welcome to According to Smoky. Here you will find the latest and greatest from C. Clark "Smoky" Hale notable 'baster', author, publisher, television star in both the barbecue and 'the real' world. And yes, he is a real person and not the webmaster!
Smoky will be offering his talents, techniques and secrets discovered over the last 150 years, or so. He will be to the point, pull no punches and if you suffer through the process, you will become a much better outdoor cook, turning out masterpiece meals for friends and family alike.
In this column, Smoky discussing some of the questions you must ask yourself the essence of ‘Smokin’ . . . . . take notes!
So, with no further adieu, we turn the mike to Smoky. You're on Smoky . . . . .
Thanks PC,
OUTDOOR COOKING WITH SMOKY HALE
By: Smoky Hale
 The Essence Of ‘Smokin’
This word "smoking" has generated a lot of confusion and,
even disagreement, among those who play at the grill. Even before
barbecue, there was smoking. Meat and seafood, treated with salt,
nitrites and other ingredients, were exposed to smoke and gentle
heat to further cure the food to prevent bacterial and fungal
grown and, thereby, make is safe to store for future eating.
The Beginning There Was
Curing Or Cold Smoking
Curing meat began, as far as we know, 6000+ years ago in
the Middle East where nitrates, potassium nitrate (salt peter)
and sodium nitrate, occurred naturally in the salt (sodium
chloride) beds left by the evaporating sea water. Nitrates not
only preserved the red color of the meat but also protected
against botulism (clostridium botulinum), a deadly poison which
develops in anaerobic (without air).
The Greek poet/historian, Homer, wrote about curing hams
around 3000 years ago. The Romans learned from the Greeks. In 160
BC, Cato the Elder, clearly described the methods for curing hams
in his treatise, De agri cultura. By the time Europeans reached
the Americas, the lore of curing meat was essential to survival.
Continued on Page 2
Smoky's 5th basic position for really great barbecue'n.
'According to Smoky' is © by C. Clark Hale
who is solely responsible for its content. Comments
should be addresses to cchale@bellsouth.net
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