History of Smoked Meat

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History of Smoked Meat
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Food was originally smoked as a means to preserve
it. The practice may have started as early as
the stone age and was probably discovered by
accident when food was left out in the sun. The
discovery of fire would have made the smoking of
foods more prevalent. Throughout the centuries,
until the development of refrigeration, smoking
and salting meat for future use was a regular
practice. Here we would like to share some ideas
which can make you a very good Homemade Smoker.
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Pork has always been a popular meat for many
civilizations due to the ease of raising pigs and
preserving the meat. People began raising pigs
about the same time that they established group
settlements. By 600 BC pig breeding was a
thriving industry. Pigs were brought to the New
World by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in the
sixteenth century and soon became a major
commodity here as well. A number of cultures such
as orthodox Jews and Muslims forbid the eating of
pork. This food prohibition dates to ancient
times when Egyptians only ate pork during the
feasts of the gods Osiris.
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Raw Materials
Today, pigs are raised around the world,
primarily in areas of temperate climates and
dense human populations. China and the United
States are the largest producers of pigs. Pig
breeding incorporates a combination of
pen-rearing and pasture feeding. Domesticated
pigs are fed a diet consisting of corn, grains,
roots and fruits. Domestic pigs usually reach
their market weight of 175-240lb (79.4-108.9 kg)
between the ages of 5 and 11 months. At that time
they are taken to the slaughterhouse. The
specific cuts are then treated from the
carcasses. The ham portion, cut from the leg, is
then cured and smoked. Get the chart of Pork
primal cuts below.
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