Candy Cane Twist

Candy canes have been a traditional part of Christmas for so long that several different origin stories have cropped up around exactly where they were created, why and by whom. One popular story claims that they were invented in Indiana and are linked to Christian religious beliefs, but antique Christmas cards show clearly that candy canes existed well before the state of Indiana did.

The most probable origin story is one that involves Christmas and children, which is charmingly fitting. According to the story, the choir master of the Cologne Cathedral asked a local candy maker to provide sweets to keep the young children participating in the living nativity scene quiet during the production. To keep the candy from being obviously out of place in the reenactment of the ancient scene, the choirmaster asked that the stick candy be bent to resemble the crooks carried by shepherds. These first candy canes were white; the red stripes did not begin appearing on Christmas cards and in advertisements until sometime after 1900.

The first known red and white striped candy cane recipe appeared in 1844, though it was for straight sticks, not the crook shape that hangs so perfectly on a Christmas tree. Making your own candy canes at home is not for the faint of heart. It requires several people and a fair amount of elbow grease, but it can be a fun way to spend a cold afternoon - and you get to eat your mistakes.

• 3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Candy thermometer
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 3/4 teaspoon red food coloring
• Oil or butter, for work surface and hands
• Waxed paper
• Gloves

Stir together the sugar, water, corn syrup and cream of tartar in a small saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour half of the liquid into a second saucepan and bring both to a boil. Do not stir either pot until a candy thermometer reads a temperature of 280 degrees F. Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to each pot and stir them well. Add red food coloring to one of the pots to make your stripes.

Turn the contents of both saucepans out onto an oiled marble or enamel cutting board. Waxed paper taped over your counter will also work. Wearing gloves to keep from burning your fingers, pull and stretch the candy the way you would when making taffy. Stretch it slowly into long ropes, fold it back on itself and stretch it again until they appear glossy. When the candy cools down some, you can remove the gloves and lightly butter your hands to keep the candy from sticking to them.

When the clear liquid has turned white, divide the candy into an equal number of portions; these will be your canes. Twist a white stick and a red one around each other, then roll on wax paper or greased surface to smooth out surface. Form the sticks into canes and set it on the oiled surface to harden. Repeat until they all candy has been used.

No time to make your own? You can sweeten any holiday gathering by ordering a nostalgic gift basket of candy online.

Technique of the Week: Scalding

Scalding is a moist-heat cooking method in which liquid or steam is used to help solids, such as sugar, flour, or chocolate, dissolve more easily into the liquid. The technique of scalding can also be used to rapidly heat the exterior of food items without cooking through. Scalding is also used in the poultry industry to make feathers easier to remove prior to processing.

The term scalding, however, is most frequently used to describe the technique of heating milk to 180°F to kill bacteria, deactivate enzymes and denature proteins. Since most milk sold today is pasteurized, which accomplishes the first two goals, milk is typically scalded to increase its temperature or to change the consistency or other cooking interactions due to the denaturing of proteins.

The most common use of scalded milk involves adding chocolate to create every child's wintertime favorite: hot cocoa. Scalded and cooled milk is used in bread and other yeast dough like that used for raised doughnuts, as pasteurization does not kill all bacteria, and with the wild yeasts that may also be present these can alter the texture and flavor. The whey protein in milk can weaken gluten which prevents dough from rising properly. Scalding the milk deactivates the protein so this doesn't happen.

Milk that has been scalded is also used in yogurt to make the proteins unfold, and to make sure that all organisms that could compete with the yogurt culture's bacteria are killed. Original recipes for Béchamel sauce called for scalded milk because it was believed that adding hot liquid, including milk, to a roux would make it less lumpy and prevent it from tasting like raw flour.

In many recipes, the real reason for scalding is to infuse it with flavor. This technique used a lot in ice cream recipes, pastry cream, and other dessert recipes because milk is an excellent carrier of flavors: vanilla beans, fresh mint, lavender buds, cinnamon, and any number of other dried and fresh ingredients are good candidates.

To Scald Milk:
In a double boiler over low hear, bring the milk to 180°F. At this temperature, bacteria are killed, enzymes in the milk are destroyed and many of the proteins are denatured. If you do not have a thermometer, the scalding point can be visually determined.

When the milk begins to form a light froth and you start to see tiny bubbles around the around the edges of the pan, it has been heated to the proper temperature.To prevent scorching, be sure to stir the milk as it heats. A thin film or "skin" may form on the surface of the milk. Not only is this completely normal, but it is another way you can tell that you have achieved the correct temperature. The skin does not need to be removed and can be stirred back into the scalded milk. You can also scald milk in a glass bowl in your microwave oven, but be sure to check it every 15-20 seconds being careful to keep milk from boiling over as it will be impossible to clean your microwave afterward.

...Or Perhaps a Financier with Cranberries

There are some movies and television shows that transcend the age barrier and have great appeal to parents while entertaining their kids at the same time. The Muppets are at the top of that list. Humorous and smart, Jim Henson’s creations have been engaging audience for over 40 years. “Muppet Treasure Island” starring Tim Curry was released in 1996 and quickly became our favorite Muppet caper especially the musical number “Professional Pirate” in which the characters enumerate the many careers they could have pursued rather than piracy. One of those options included becoming a financier.

With the tune running through my head, I mixed the batter for these decadent spongy tea cakes. The distinctive feature of these light and moist treats is beurre noisette (brown butter). Typically they also contain crushed or ground almonds giving them a characteristic nutty marzipan flavor. Some believe financiers got their name because they were quite popular in the financial district of Paris which surrounded the Paris stock exchange.

These sweet little cakes are the ideal way to use up any extra cranberries left from your Thanksgiving feast, but any fresh berry would work perfectly.  The tartness of the cranberries is a delightful contrast to the sugary richness of the financier batter.

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almond flour*
• ¾ cup sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 5 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cups fresh cranberries, pierced
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and simmer until browned bits begin to form on the bottom of the pan. Continue to simmer, frequently scraping up browned bits at bottom of pan for 6-8 minutes, until fragrant and dark brown but not burnt. Let cool for 5-6 minutes while you prepare the dry ingredients.

If you do not have almond flour, process 1 cup of sliced or blanched almonds and flour in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Fold in lightly beaten egg whites and mix until smooth. Next mix in honey and then slowly fold the browned butter into the batter. It may seem that the butter won’t blend in, but keep mixing until all butter is incorporated. The batter will be very thick. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the batter for up to 3 days until you are ready to use.

Preheat your oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Coat a muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray. Pour a generous tablespoon of batter into each prepared muffin cup and top each with three or four cranberries which have been pierced with the tip of a knife.

Bake until the cakes for 15–16 minutes or until they are golden brown and just cooked through. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes which makes them easier to remove. Remove the cakes to a cooling rack or serving plate and dust generously with powdered sugar.  Serve the delicacies warm with some café au lait for a true French experience!

Technique of the Week: Carving (a Turkey)

Your turkey is perfectly cooked and your guests are assembled. The moment of anticipation has arrived: it's time to carve the bird. Here’s how to do it with little trepidation:

First, you will need a carving knife with a sharp, flexible blade designed to follow the contours of the bird. A two-pronged fork will help to steady the turkey. A boning knife is useful for cutting through joints and removing the legs and wings. Choose a cutting board with a perimeter well to capture the flavorful juices of the bird, if possible. Reserve these juices and any scraps for making your gravy.

Tent the roasted turkey with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes. If you start carving too early, the juices from the bird will run all over the place and your turkey will dry out. Also, letting the turkey rest and cool will reduce the chances you’ll scald yourself with delicious but molten hot turkey juice. Resting allows time for some of the juices to be absorbed back into the meat, making it moister and easier to carve.

If you trussed the turkey, snip and remove the trussing twine with a pair of kitchen scissors, and then carefully remove the string from around the bird. If you used skewers to hold the cavities closed, remove these as well.

If you stuffed the turkey, scoop the stuffing from the cavity with a long-handled spoon and place in a serving dish. If necessary, you can make an incision at the neck of the turkey to reach into the cavity from that side to remove the remainder of the stuffing.

Now it is time to start carving the bird. You'll start by removing the leg and thigh from each side of the turkey. Cut through the thin layer of skin holding the thigh to the body of the turkey until you see the hip joint. Insert your knife tip into this hip socket and cut to sever the whole leg from the body. Carve around the joint until you don’t get any resistance. Pull the leg and the thigh away from the body of the turkey all in one piece. Repeat this process on the other side.

Now to separate the drumstick from the thigh, cut between the two until you reach the joint. Gently feel with the knife until you find the seam between the drumstick and thigh at the joint, then cut through. It may help to pull the two apart until you can see the joint before cutting through it.

You can serve the drumsticks whole or slice the meat off them. To slice, secure the drumstick with the fork and slice the meat lengthwise along the bone, turning after each slice. To slice the thigh meat, place the thigh, flat side down, and slice the meat parallel to the bone. Once exposed, the bone can be easily removed and discarded.

Now it's time to remove the wings. Just like removing the thighs, you can gently pull on the wing and easily cut down to the ball joint that attaches it to the body. Probing with the point of the knife, find the joint and twist the knife while gently pulling on the wing until they separate. You may need to slice through some tendons once the joint is separated in order to pull the wing free. The wings can be served whole.

Now you're ready to slice the breast meat. Locate the breastbone at the top and center of the breast, and make a deep horizontal cut through the skin and carve downward to remove all of the breast meat from one side of the bone in one single piece.  Repeat this procedure on the other side of the turkey.

Place the breast meat on the carving surface and cut crosswise into thin uniform slices. Cutting the breast meat against the grain makes for easier cutting and better-looking pieces of meat. You can make the slices as thin or as thick as you want. (If you don’t think you’ll eat the entire breast, just cut what you’ll use, and wrap the rest of the breast in plastic wrap. It will stay nice and juicy for later.)

Arrange all the meat on your serving platter, placing dark meat on one side and white meat on the other. You can put your stuffing in the middle if desired. Garnishes of kale, parsley, cranberries, or other small seasonal fruits and vegetables add color to the platter as well. Be prepared for applause when you serve your perfectly carved turkey.

To Market To Market Curried Greens

This post was originally written for and appeared on the Virginia-Highland Civic Association website on November 13, 2012

The sidewalks come to life each Saturday as neighbors scuttle by with empty shopping bags headed toward the Morningside Farmer’s Market located in the parking lot adjacent to Rosebud on North Highland Avenue. The brainchild of culinary icon Guenter Seeger and former Atlanta Journal-Constitution “In-Season” columnist Cynthia Hizer, the MFM began in 1997 with a station wagon loaded with Georgia-grown vegetables and grew to become Atlanta’s most popular organic market and is at the heart of the city’s farm-to-table movement.

The most recent Saturday offerings included a variety of seasonal greens (arugula, kale, mustard, chard and collards), sweet potatoes, red onions, fresh ginger, squashes, eggs and fresh meat products from Market regulars Crystal Organic Farm, D & A Farm, Little Red Hen Farm, Riverview Farm and Woodland Gardens. Pure Bliss Organics sampled their newest granola flavor, while Magnolia Bread had a nice selection of fresh breads on hand including pumpkin sourdough, seeded country and blueberry bran muffins. Our perennial favorite, Hazelbrand Farm, featured their amazingly fragrant handmade soaps along with a few seasonal scents like “Winter Solstice” and “Frankincense & Myrrh.”

The sun was high in the sky as the 2009 Top Chef Finalist, Kevin Gillespie from Woodfire Grill, began his cooking demonstration featuring fresh mustard greens chosen from Crystal Organic Farms mere moments before. The chef was on hand earlier signing his new cookbook, "Fire In My Belly."

Chef Kevin was in high spirits as he described the recipe he was preparing. Obviously comfortable in front of an audience, he casually chatted with the crowd as he worked, explaining how to peel ginger with the bowl of a spoon and describing the nuances of various types of greens. As he added the various ingredients, wonderful aromas wafted through the patio of Rosebud (graciously lent for chef demonstrations each week) culminating in a large pot of curried mustard greens and sweet potatoes.

As Chef Kevin dished about his cookbook and his new restaurant, Gunshow, scheduled to open in Glenwood Park in February, each audience member was passed a small portion on a plate. The pungent taste of the mustard greens and the sweetness of the sweet potatoes combined to make a vegetarian dish that was colorful and boasted a wonderful combination of flavors and textures.

Chef Kevin was obviously so familiar with this dish that he needed no recipe, adding spices and elements without specific measurement. We did our best to enumerate the ingredients and the procedures followed by Chef Kevin in hopes that you might try this recipe at home:

• 2 tablespoons clarified butter (or extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired, then minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and diced
• 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoons mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 to 2 cups vegetable broth as needed
• 2 medium orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½”-slices (about 2 cups)
• 1 15-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, hand crushed
• 3-4 bunches kale, mustard or collard greens, stems removed, torn or roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon Tamarind paste (or lemon juice)
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• Chili paste to taste (optional)
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Slice sweet potatoes into ¼”- ½” slices so they will cook more quickly. Parboil the sweet potatoes for 5 to 7 minutes until slices are tender, but not mushy.
While parboiling the sweet potatoes, remove stems from greens (these can be roughly chopped and parboiled with the sweet potatoes) and tear leaves into pieces. It will seem like an enormous amount of greens, but they shrink dramatically when cooked!

Drain sweet potatoes and set aside. Slice onion, jalapeno, ginger and garlic. Heat clarified butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add onion, jalapeno and cook until onions start to turn translucent; about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger to pan along with mustard and cumin seeds, and curry powder. Stir to coat and then add sweet potatoes, again stirring to coat. Continue cooking until vegetables begin to caramelize. If the vegetables are to dry or start sticking to the pan, add some broth or water.

Once the vegetables are tender and fragrant, add the crushed tomatoes and mix together well. Once the tomatoes have been fully incorporated and heated through, begin adding mustard greens in batches, folding the greens under the sauce. The greens will wilt and shrink as they cook. Keep adding and folding until all greens have been added to the pan.

Again, add more broth if the mixture seems to dry or sticks to pan. The amount of time the greens need to cook depends on their tenderness. Add sugar and tamarind paste (or lemon juice) stirring to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you like your curry to be on the spicy side, you can add chili paste to fit your taste. Serve immediately. If the greens are particularly piquant, chopped cilantro added as garnish provides a nice contrast. Chef also recommends that if you want to add a protein to the dish, chickpeas or lentils make an excellent complement to the dish.

While the Morningside Farmer's Market runs year round, hours are abbreviated January through March and chef demonstrations are held April through the end of November. The next demo will be this Saturday, November 17th with Ron Eyster from Rosebud and The Family Dog working with cabbage from Woodland Gardens Organics. The demo will begin at 9:30 a.m.

For more information about the MFM or for a calendar of upcoming events, visit their website at http://www.morningsidemarket.com.

Technique of the Week: Barding

Barding is a 19th century technique for wrapping meats in a layer of fat before cooking it. Barding maintains the moisture of the meat while it cooks and helps keep it from overcooking. Barding is only necessary when the meat does not have enough natural fat. Barding tends to be employed when roasting meats, although meats that are to be grilled can also be barded as in the case of small game birds or filet mignon. The barded fat bastes the meat while it is roasting, adding flavor to the meat, especially on lean cuts which lack sufficient fat to remain moist and succulent. The barding fat is removed approximately 15 minutes before the meat is finished cooking to allow the meat to brown.

Strips of pork fat (fatback) trimmed off pork meats and bacon are common fats for barding however, if bacon is used, some prefer to remove excess salt by first blanching the bacon in water for 5 minutes or so. The barding fat can either be laid over the meat or secured with cooking string and place in a location best suited to be absorbed by the meat.

The most popular application of this technique is employed when cooking a turkey for the Thanksgiving feast:

12-14 pound turkey
One lb. of salt pork, 1/4" strips.

If salt pork is not available, bacon works perfectly, but will impart a smoky flavor. The turkey breast and tops of legs are pricked all over with a fork. The breast and the tops of the legs are covered with the sliced salt pork. The wing tips should be tucked under the neck of the bird.

The bird is then covered with a 2-yard piece of cheesecloth folded into an 18" square and soaked in cold water. The cheesecloth is covered with a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. The turkey is roasted at 325F for 2 and a half to 3 hours. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the breast meat should read 140F before the foil, cheesecloth, and salt pork is removed.  The turkey is roasted for an additional 40-60 minutes at 425F for or until the breast meat registers a temperature of 165F. The turkey is then allowed to rest for 20-30 minutes, tented with foil, before carving.

Lemon Glaze Memorialized

We recently shared our bread pudding recipe with on our friend, Maureen’s whose blog. We are excited that she has shared our recipe for bread pudding. We hope you will pop over to grab our recipe as well as others on her site! Bread pudding is truly is a comfort food that soothes and salves the soul. We never serve our bread pudding without this warm lemon glaze which adds a sweet zing to the cinnamony deliciousness of the breaded custard.

We have mentioned in the past how fortunate we are to  live in such a wonderful community with such amazing friends and neighbors which makes it even sadder when we lose a member of our collective. Unfortunately we have lost several friends recently, but have been so impressed by the memorial services held by their families. These get-togethers have been joyous celebrations of lives well lived, but cut too short rather than the gloomy funerals and tear-filled receptions of the past. They have been gatherings of friends and family with great food, wine, camaraderie and laughter; the type of occasion in which you imagine your lost friend standing amongst you enjoying the moment.

One such event was held recently in the Garden Center of the local hardware store were the former veteran worked for many years. Everyone brought a dessert while entrée items were graciously contributed by friends at a neighborhood restaurant. Since the celebration was held outside on a crisp evening, we thought a warm dish would be appreciated by revelers. What could be a more fitting dish of comfort than bread pudding?

Lemon Glaze:

• 2 lemons, juiced
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¾ cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Stir together water and cornstarch. In a small saucepan, add water mixture and all other ingredients. Stirring constantly, simmer over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to thicken; about 1 minute. Spoon 2 tablespoons of lemon glaze over the bread pudding before serving.

Luckily, bread pudding also travels quite well. It holds its heat well and the lemon glaze can be placed in a squeeze bottle for mess-free use.  The bread pudding can be made ahead to be taken to an event where it will be cooked later. When this is the case, refrigerate (as long as overnight) after tossing toasted bread cubes and egg mixture in the baking dish, without pressing down the bread cubes. Toss ingredients again before cooking on site following the steps above.

Thanks again to Maureen for featuring our guest post. You can keep up with the Orgasmic Chef on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. We highly recommend you do.

Comforting Bread Pudding

Our friends at Jenn Cuisine and Creative Culinary have created a blogging event to raise awareness of the relief effort for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Food bloggers from around the country have been asked to create a post sharing a comfort dish; something that we would make for someone in need to help them feel at home.  Food brings people together in good times and bad, and this week, you’ll see many of your favorite blogs (and find new favorites, too) banding together to help to those in need.

We aren’t sure what it is about bread pudding that makes it such a revered comfort food; maybe it’s the added warmth of the oven on a cool day or the soft scent of vanilla and cinnamon. Maybe it is the nostalgia; the yearning for a simpler time when dessert was a simple finish to a humble home-cooked meal; a dish made with modest, unpretentious ingredients.

• 6 cups very stale plain white bread cubes
• 5 large eggs
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cups milk
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans, dry roasted (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the bread into one-inch cubes and arrange on a cookie sheet. Place the bread cubes in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, tossing and rotating midway through toasting. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the custard mixture.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs on high speed with an electric mixer until extremely frothy, about 3 minutes (or with a metal whisk for about 6 minutes).  Add the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and butter and beat on high until well blended and the sugar is mostly dissolved.  Beat in the milk, and then stir in the raisins (and pecans if using).

Place the toasted bread cubes in a greased baking dish or loaf pans.  Pour the egg mixture over them and toss until the bread is soaked.  Press the cubes down into the liquid and let sit for about 15 minutes to allow cubes to fully absorb the liquid. Place in the preheated 350° oven and immediately lower the temperature to 300°F and bake 40 minutes.  Increase oven temperature to 425°F and bake until pudding is well browned and puffy, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Dust with cinnamon sugar and let stand for 15 minutes or so before serving.

Several organizations are dedicating their energies to helping the victims of hurricane Sandy.  While this list is by far from exhaustive, some of the larger ones include:

• RedCross is providing food, shelter, and other forms of support to hurricane victims.  You can donate directly to the Red Cross; you can also text the word “Redcross” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
• Salvation Army is also focused on providing food, shelter, and support to victims, and takes donations to storm relief.
• FeedingAmerica is providing food, water and supplies to those who need it as part of their disaster relief program.

To appreciate all the comforting recipes posted by bloggers, you can follow #FBS4Sandy on Twitter, or visit Creative Culinary to view the linky entries.

Technique of the Week: Curing

Preserving food by using a combination of salt, nitrates, nitrites or sugar is a technique called curing. Some curing processes also involve smoking for flavoring or cooking. Food curing dates back to ancient times, both in the form of salt-cured meats and smoked meats.

Regular table salt is the chief ingredient used in meat curing. By removing water and adding salt to meat, a solute-rich environment where osmotic pressure draws water out of microorganisms is created. This retards the growth of harmful microorganisms. Salt also slows the oxidation process, effectively preventing the meat from turning rancid. The process requires a concentration of salt of nearly 20%. Salt also causes the soluble meat proteins to come to the surface of meat particles within processed meats like sausages. These proteins coagulate when the sausage is cooked, helping to hold the sausage together.

While the use of nitrates and nitrites (saltpeter) in food preservation is controversial, nitrates and nitrites not only help kill bacteria, but also produce a characteristic flavor and give meat a pink or red color. This increased the popularity of their use during the nineteenth century as consumers strongly preferred the red-colored meat to the grayish hue of meats cured with regular sodium chloride. When it was discovered that there was a potential for the formation of nitrosamines when the preserved food was cooked at high temperatures, the U.S. Government began carefully regulating the use of nitrites and nitrates in commercial meat processing.

With the exception of bacon, sugar added to meats for the purpose of curing contributes little to the resulting flavor, but it can help alleviate the harsh flavor of salt. In addition of sugar also boosts the growth of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus by feeding them.

Meat can also be preserved by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering plant materials, usually wood. Smoking helps seal the outer layer of the food being cured, making it more difficult for bacteria to enter. The Plains Indians used to hang meat at the top of their teepees to increase the amount of smoke making contact with the food.

Common smoking styles include hot smoking, smoke roasting (pit barbecuing) and cold smoking. If the smoke is hot enough to slow-cook the meat, it will also keep it tender. Smoke roasting and hot smoking cook the meat while cold smoking does not. If the meat is cold smoked, it should be dried quickly to limit bacterial growth during the critical period where the meat is not yet dry. This can be achieved by slicing the meat thinly and dehydrating it, as with jerky. Cold smoking is often employed in combination with salt curing.