Home Smoking and Curing

View other editions of Home Smoking and Curing.
View books by Keith Erlandson.

My review - Rated
Great book but be prepared to buy a shed for all the kit you need!

Good book but... - Rated
Generally I think the book is good, but I was a bit disappointed to find some many of the hot smoking recipes included a requirement to cold smoke as well. If you don’t have the equipment to cold smoke (I don’t) you have to modify the recipes some what.

If you only ever buy one book on this subject, buy this one. - Rated
I have to admit that I have read this book in an earlier edition, many years ago, and it was this book that gave me a lifelong interest in the subject. The new edition is greatly updated and very modern in style and prose, and has to be one of the easiest to read technical books ever written. The knowledge and enthusiasm of Mr. Erlandson are clear for all on every page and I would suggest that there is not one amongst us who could not successfully Smoke at home if we followed his advice! You will learn about the origins of the process, it's evolution through the centuries, pre-salting, brining, humidity, fuel, timing, storage and even how to cook cold Smoked foods in an excellent recipe section.

One step beyond barbecuing - and it works - Rated
When Jane Grigson (Sophie's Mum) mentions and recommends someone else's food preparation book as 'excellent', it is as well to check it out. If you appreciate a level of advice such as 'Do not let your ducks catch fire', when discussing how to smoke fowl, and if you are fed up with 'over the top' recipes for smoking pork which include 'Wild Willie's Number One-derful rub', then you should read this book.

Keith Erlandson is a retired gamekeeper, perhaps best known for his well respected books on training gun dogs. In his leaner years, he supplemented his income by curing and smoking fish and game. He therefore has the benefit of first hand practical experience when constructing smokers - which is sometimes lacking in other guides to smoking food. One such recommends using an old 'fridge for smoking, "but be careful not to get it too hot or the food will taint from the burning plastic!"

Recipes cover hot and cold smoking, curing as preparation for smoking, and what to expect! If you have never tasted hot smoked chicken or turkey, or hot smoked fish, such as cod, haddock or sea bream, then this will be an eye opener. The directions work and the results are superb, even pork sausages taste special when hot smoked, and smoked eggs..... The more difficult cold smoking process is also explained in the sort of detail which allows you to start with confidence. Part travelogue, where he returns to his Scandinavian roots, one gets the comforting feeling that he is demystifying what is a very old fashioned and simple skill. If the price of the book bothers you, check out the price of even chemical smoked chicken.