Smoke a little Smoke

What is smoke exactly and why does it make food taste so good? This may seem like an obvious question but look below the surface and the process of smoking is a little more complex than you would imagine. First is the smoke itself. Smoke is of course produced by fire, the grayish cloud is made up of various chemicals put off by combustion. Along with the visible gray matter of smoke is also an invisible cloud of hot vapor which plays a very important part in the actual cooking process. The main flavor components of wood are ketones, phenols, aldehydes, and carbolic acids. The hot vapor, not the visible gray matter, carries these aloft and into the meat, infusing it with that smoky taste we all know and love. The heat given off by smoke partially dries the food, making it less likely to decay. As an added bonus, the removal of water makes smoked food higher in concentration of nutrients. Ever wonder why beef jerky has so much protien? The smoking process packs the protien into the a tight space rendering a massive blast of muscle building goodness into every bite of jerky. This compact packaging job done by the smoking process makes jerky and other smoked foods perfect for back packing, hunting, or any outdoor adventure. Then, after the food has dried a bit, chemicals in the smoke condense on the surface of the food, giving it that signature smokey color. Still other chemicals disolve in the liquid content of meat and the fat, and these chemicals pentetrate the surface to flavor the inside of the meat. While flavoring the meat, these chemicals kill off harmful bacteria and micro organisms, this aids in preservation already started by drying the food. Many times fats and oils cause fresh meat to spoil, the phenols in smoke help to prevent this decay by acting as an antioxidant. Remember, not only is smoking superior for creating great flavor, it also helps keep meat freash and perfectly clean, improving the quality of any cut of meat.Just thought it might be helpful for yall to know what is actually taking place the next time you are smoking some superior swine or bowana style bovine.