Every fall, the Amish butcher livestock and smoke meat for winter. Smoke is a natural preservative.
Brining
Before smoking — salt for 7–14 days. Dry cure: 30g per kg meat + sugar and spices. Wet: 100g salt per liter water. Salt draws out moisture.
Cold Smoking (15–25°C)
2–4 weeks. Smoke from smoldering sawdust through a long pipe (to cool). Meat is preserved, not cooked. Result: ham, bacon, sausages. Stores up to 6 months.
Hot Smoking (60–80°C)
4–12 hours. Meat smoked and cooked simultaneously. Result: ribs, chicken, sausages. Stores 1–2 weeks.
Wood
Hickory — strong smoky. Apple — mild, sweet. Cherry — fruity. Oak — medium. Never softwoods (pine, spruce) — resin creates bitterness and toxic smoke.