Suitsutamine

Suitsutamine is a culinary technique of exposing foods to smoke, typically produced by burning wood or other materials, to preserve and flavor. It can be classified as cold smoking and hot smoking. Cold smoking operates at low temperatures (generally below 30°C/86°F) and does not cook the food, allowing longer flavor development; foods are usually cured beforehand. Hot smoking is performed at higher temperatures (roughly 60–120°C/140–250°F or higher), which cooks the product while imparting smoke flavors, producing ready‑to‑eat items in shorter times. Some methods combine curing and smoking; the result depends on wood type, duration, and temperature.

Wood choice influences flavor and aroma; common woods include oak, hickory, apple, cherry, maple, and alder. Fruitwoods tend to produce milder, sweeter notes, while hardwoods like oak and hickory give stronger profiles. Equipment ranges from small domestic smokers and smoking guns to large commercial smokehouses and pellet grills.

Safety and quality considerations include maintaining sanitary conditions, controlling temperature, and preventing over‑smoking, which can produce acrid flavors or harmful compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Pre‑treatment such as curing with salt or sugar can aid preservation and moisture management. The smoke flavor compounds mainly include phenols, carbonyls, and acids absorbed by the surface.

The applications span fish (notably salmon), pork products (bacon, ham, sausages), beef cuts, poultry, cheeses, and nuts. Regional traditions vary: hot smoking is central to many barbecue cultures; cold smoking features in European and Nordic snack foods.

Etymology and usage: in several languages, including Estonian, suitsutamine refers to the smoking process, both as preservation and flavoring. See also curing, drying, grilling.