Smoking, Curing & Drying: The Complete Guide for Meat & Fish

This is exactly what I was looking for, a book on cold smoking rather than just hot smoking on a BBQ. It is an excellent book which fully covers curing, drying and hot and cold smoking. It systematically explains principles, methods, equipment, safety and recipes. It certainly covers hot smoking, but crucially it properly covers curing combined with cold smoking, and curing combined with drying for charcuterie. I highly recommend this book.

One of the best books I have bought so far for barbecue / smoking and definitely the best for curing. To put my views into perspective, I have progressed from plain grilling to a smoker barbecue for low and slow cooking of brisket and pork belly etc, and I have made my own bacon.There were, however, some loose ends in my understanding. E.g. what is the difference between the gammon curing and ham curing process (I knew one was cooked). Why do USA smoked bacon recipes have a two hour hot smoking element and UK recipes have only cold smoking?The book kicks off with a full explanation of the processes involved, and has a flow chart for each of the main techniques, stage by stage, so they can be compared side by side. It really brought all the loose ends together and gave me a solid understanding of what means what, and how to do each process. Everything else is detail.The book is broken down into smoking (hot and cold), drying, and curing (dry and wet). Each of these is then broken down into the main meat groups. The end of the book goes into some recipe ideas, applying the specific techniques presented earlier in the book. So there will be some recipes including smoked bacon which you learned how to make earlier on. I especially liked the recipes for using smoked turkey and goose which I haven't been brave enough to try yet on my smoker.The list of recommended suppliers appendix lists BRITISH suppliers and resource web sites. I am not being Brexit means Brexit here, it is just so refreshing to have a book that is addressed to the customers it is sold to.I get a real feeling of confidence in this book, and I don't get a nagging feeling that something has been brushed over. It is comprehensive and authoritative. It would have got four stars but my copy has started to come apart from the binding to the spine. Probably because I have been reading it in bed to be honest. I am not returning it as I am using it now and this won't be a coffee table item but firmly out at the work face. When it falls apart I will sellotape it back together again.Disclaimer: I did not get a free or discounted book to write this review. I PAID for it out of my own money that I EARNED at work so I am writing it according to how pleased I am with my PURCHASE.Good book. Recommended. Don't read it in bed.

A excellent book, very informative. It lays out the "how's" and the "why's" of preserving food with salt and smoke. Start small and work your way up, the results are worth the time and the extra effort. Now, who's for a bacon butty?

Let’s just say that most of us have quite a lot of time on our hands during COVID lockdown. Some of us take up sewing but I’m a carnivore so I decided to learn how to cure meat. There are a plethora of books out there, the US ones I find irritating because they’re all cups and gallons. This book is seminal, it takes you through everything. It’s fool proof and I am one of Erasmus’ fools! Against every method there is a recipe (some not so good) but the focus is method and safety (personal and food hygiene and eliminating bacteria in the food). Every result has been excellent. I would also recommend River Cottage “Curing and Smoking” by Steven Lamb for a restaurants angle and “Salt Sugar Smoke” by Diana Henry for more sophisticated and nuanced recipes.

Let's do the good bits first. The paper used for this book is very good quality, thick and handsome. The photographs are many and first class. That's all I can truthfully say in the book's favour.The text is repetitive, poorly punctuated and needs a good editing. A double page of print and images renders down to a three-line paragraph of information. The so-called recipes are an embarrassment in their whimsy. Do I really need photographs and text on how to make a sandwich? Is that what I bought the book for?There is no continuity in the meagre instructions and I was back and forth like one of those write-your-own-adventure books. Want to cure bacon? See page X. Want to know the next step? See page J. Or go on two chapters. I half-expected to read, 'Sorry, you've died. Start again!.'The page that follows how to joint a chicken doesn't continue with brining or cooking. It has a super photograph of a kipper instead.There is a smart-looking chart of how long to cure different foods. Problem is, the times given don't match the times in the later instructions. Is it 4-5 hours? Is it a week?The whole book is an allumeuse. It leads you on, never delivers and leaves you confused and frustrated. I regret having bought it.

The clue is in the title; smoking, curing (dry salt and brining) and drying meat and fish.This is the clearest book I've found on this subject. Each method is clearly explained with ingredients and techniques. The nitrate/nitrate/saltpetre/prague powder #1 & #2 debate is demystified.Lots of full colour pictures and simple explanations. Even how to make your own smoker.Originally purchased for an outdoor living fan but now in my cookbook collection.

I bought this book as a gift for a friend who had taken an interest in hot-smoking meat and fish and he was really pleased with it. The book provides an introduction to the techniques and science behind many types of curing, hot and cold smoking. There are also loads of practical recipes which are easy to follow and suit all levels of experience. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking to experiment with a more adventurous and certainly satisfying style of cooking.

This book exceed my expectations, what a delight to give as a gift. It is cleary set out, and instructions are straight forward. Helpful tips on curing, drying and smoking. Highly recommended