Beginning a blog with a slightly sexist comment, is usually not a good idea, but we think this one is unlikely to offend, just solicit some agreeable nods and accepting shrugs.
“I don’t know why men like to barbecue so much. Maybe it’s the only thing they can cook, or maybe they’re just closet pyromaniacs!” Women
There’s some kind of special relationship between a man and his barbecue that few women share or empathise with. It’s instinctual and universal; a leftover impulse from the ‘Cave Men Years’, and Pig and Olive are no exception.
We have made our own ‘smoker’, from scratch, working from plans that we found online. Have a look here for yourself if you fancy having a go! Did you know that there’s a whole world out there dedicated to smoking meat? Forums, YouTube videos, websites … we’re in good company!
Enhanced Flavour
Smoked meat is a method of preparing and preserving meat that originates from prehistorical times, where protein-rich food was kept edible for longer before the invention of the domestic refrigerator. Nowadays, the enhanced flavour it creates in the meat is purely for taste.
It’s the aroma that does it!
It is actually the smell that predominates, and it’s probably more of a suggestion to the taste buds, but taste is not altogether absent. The amino acids and sugars within the meat, are broken down by the smoke, and the flavour subtly infuses into the meat. This ancient method once used for killing potentially lethal bacteria is today, a handy string to an adventurous cook’s bow!
Home-Grown
Our meat smoker is gravity-fed, and we mainly smoke our home-reared pork in it. This type of smoker, as the name suggests, uses gravity. The heat source (charcoal) is lit in a compartment off to the side of the unit, and not underneath the cooking space. As the smoker heats up, the natural air movement and draw of the fire swirls the heated air, smoke and flavour though and across the cooking chamber, and then out through the chimney.
Secret Ingredients
We smoke our pork shoulder for between 16 and 24 hours at a very low temperature and we have a section at the bottom of the smoker where we add water, apple tree wood, herbs and other secret ingredients that we couldn’t possible divulge! The result is a succulent, tender and very tasty meat that literally falls apart in your hands. Delicious.
We add apple tree wood and other secret ingredients in here. The flavours infuse into the meat as it is smoked.
This is obviously a very simplified description of the process. If you would like more detailed info, please ask as we’d be more than happy to indulge our inner geeky cave man!
Our pulled pork pizza topping
