Mastering the Craft of Smoking Food

This book covers a wide spectrum of food smoking, from cold smoking uncooked cured foods like bacon, ham, cheese and sausage to warm and hot smoking things like kippers, poultry and ribs. It is designed with the beginner in mind, and assumes small, one-day smoking projects. For example, rather than smoke a whole ham, Mr. Anderson suggests using smaller, more manageable cuts to reduce time and handling problems. Most of the advice given is very good, however a couple of the author's assumptions left me scratching my head and wondering if he doesn't suffer from a diminished sense of taste or smell. For example, Mr. Anderson asserts that all hardwood smoke tastes more or less identical and that describing various woods as strong or mild, sweet or fruity is just so much marketing hype. He also implies that it is impossible to taste the difference between real maple syrup and artificial maple flavoring when used as an ingredient in smoking. Having used a variety of woods and real and artificial flavors in recipes over the years, I can definitely say (to quote Vincent Price) I can tell the difference. Can't you?Also covered is a small section on selecting commercial smoking equipment and a comparison of various fuels these units operate on. The author then spends several pages (too many, in my opinion) giving detailed instructions and photos showing how he built two different models of home made smoker. His designs are clever in a Dr. Seuss-like way, but use far more space and materials than the average home user is likely to want to invest - or be allowed to invest by concerned family members and upset neighbors.The recipe portion of the book is good and worth the price of the title.All-in-all, this is a reasonable addition to the library of someone interested in smoking foods. Just don't take it all as gospel or use it as a primer. You may end up relying on some misinformation.

I keep this book on my Kindle Fire and Kindle Touch. There are color photos so sometimes I want to see them in color on the Fire but it works fine on both. I use the highlight feature to mark my favorite chapters for quick future reference.I've made lots of beef jerky and canadian bacon based on this book. I generally follow the advice precisely first, from the cut of meat to the type of preservative and spices. Then I adjust based on what I like for the next batch. I just write everything I do in a log book and reference the sections I followed in the book for next time. Wild West Jerky my son and I love (we make it pretty spicy) and my youngest loves the California jerky. Being from California, I'm not sure why it's named this, but it is more of a sweet and not spicy variety.The canadian bacon has been awesome - worth the two+ weeks to make it. The hardest thing was figuring out where to get the nitrites need for some of these recipes. Amazon does not sell them. I finally located everything one could possibly need for curing/processing meat in one place at the butcher and packer supply company online.

Warren Anderson has written a great book, almost obsessive in its detail. The recipes are terrific; in the years I've owned and gifted this book, I've made many of them, and modified others. The maple syrup bacon alone is worth many times the price. While i believe he exaggerates when he says there is no difference among hardwood smokes, I am fully convinced by now that the meat or veg, the cure, the curing time, the drying and the pellicle, the temperature the smokiness and the time smoking are all far more important than maple smoke vs apple or cherry or oak. Have fun judging for yourself. I use the book now on my Kindle, which did require highlighting the recipes to find them easily. The Kindle edition would benefit greatly from a linked table of contents. I'd also recommend Anderson's book on Sausage making.

When I first started reading this book my initial reaction was "TMI," but I persevered. Very simply, this is a book for beginners, which would be me. I got out my highlighter and read the book from cover-to-cover. After I got past the first chapter, it was hard to put down. I'm now on my second read. If you want a clear and educated understanding of where to start, and beyond, this is the book for you. This is a teacher who knows how to teach. Thank you, Mr. Anderson, for writing this book.Theresa Sorensen

A very good book on the basics of using your Smoker. Worth the price just for a few of the recipes. Peking Chicken and Chinese Pork. Oh man, they are so good.

Very good book that gives the history of smoking and even how to make your own. The author has alot of experience with smoking and gives the pros and cons of different types of smoking units. Also, gives technical techniques on smoking. Mr. Anderson is very knowledgable on the subject and gives recepies in the book. I would highly recommend this book for new users not familiar with smoking as I was. I am very happy and satisfied that I had found a smoking book with all the information i Needed.

This book has everything you need to know about cooking with smoke. Although I wouldn't recommend it as your first book about smoke cooking. One of the neatest things about this book is that it includes easy to follow plans to make smokers. It also answers most of your advanced questions about smoking and preserving foods.

A lot of "lookie what I did"Not much "this is what you can do, and this is how you do it..."

Good

Was brought for present recipient loved it. Arrived in good time.

comprehensive

good

Purchased this book about 8 years ago. It is not a cook book, but rather a very technical handbook on the craft of smoking food. Does have some good recipes, plenty of techniques and even advice on how to properly build a smoker. Also gives advice on how not properly cold smoke meats using curing. All in all a lot of great information.Not sure what the last reviewer was 'smoking', but apparently didn't want quality information and detail on how to properly smoke foods.