Long before the invention of the refrigerator, hunters and fisherman would salt and dry their food to preserve it. The salt removed the liquids, while the hot sun dried the fish or meat and slowed the spoiling process. Not everyone, however, had sunshine. In the colder and grayer parts of the world (Germany, Holland, Britain, Russia, Canada, Japan), people tried to overcome this problem by drying their catch over a fire.

Our ancestors did not know that smoke contains preservatives such as formaldehyde, and that it creates a very acidic (about pH 2.5) and inhospitable environment for bacteria. They did notice that the longer food was exposed to smoke, the slower it spoiled.

While accumulating experience in preserving foods, people also found that smoke improves the taste and adds deep, sweet flavors - some spicy (such as vanilla, cloves, cinnamon), others fruity (apple, peach, coconut).

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Wood is composed, among other things, of dense networks of sugar molecules. When they are heated and partially burned (due to the lack of oxygen, they do not burn completely), the wood fibers release molecules similar to caramelized sugar, which penetrate the meat or fish and add flavor. Hickory, oak, cherry, apple, pear, maple, pecan and other woods can be used for smoking foods, and each adds its own unique flavor.

The temperature of the smoke is also very important. In hot-smoking, the food is placed in the same chamber as the wood, the heat is intense, and the cooking and smoking process occur simultaneously. This is the fastest way to smoke food for immediate consumption.

Cold-smoking is a process in which burning wood (or wood shavings, which create smoke at a lower temperature than wood chips) is placed in a separate, colder (below 30 degrees Celsius) chamber with the food. Cold smoke is gentler, dries the food without cooking it and preserves the "fresh" texture. Foods smoked this way keep for long periods, and this is an easier method to use at home.

More meticulous smoking involves soaking the fish or meat in a mixture of salt water and sugar and seasonings for a period ranging from a few hours to a few days, and then hanging it to dry before actually smoking it. These "brining" and drying steps help preserve the food, and make the inside juicier and the outside crispier.

Smoking is perceived as a complicated process that only fanatics would attempt at home. Hence few are familiar with the wonderful taste of freshly smoked meat or fish (most "smoked" foods sold in supermarkets have actually been seasoned with smoke-flavored extracts and were never exposed to real smoke).

Anyone with a backyard can buy (or build) a smoker - a simple metal box with a place for burning wood chips on the bottom, and racks at the top. More information on smoking equipment and methods can be found online at www.smoking-meat.com, for example.

A Cobb grill (www.cobbg.com) is a mobile solution that can turn a picnic in the great outdoors into a gourmet meal of smoked fish, poultry or meat: Just lay a few wet wood chips on the coals, cook the food on the rack and cover with the lid (available in Israel at www.cobbisrael.com).

You can even enjoy freshly smoked foods in the comfort of your apartment - cleanly, easily and without lingering odors - using a wok. This is one of the cleanest (no pots to wash), tastiest cooking methods for fish and small pieces of meat and poultry. You'll never know until you try it.

Whole Asian wok-smoked fish

Even though this is genuine smoking, there is no unpleasant smoky smell and your kitchen will stay clean. The "Asian" part involves the smoking substances: rice, sugar and tea, instead of wood (although this method works with wood shavings, too), and a simple soy-sauce based marinade. You can use a variety of meats, fish or poultry, or any marinade you like, and the fish or meat can also be wrapped in a mixture of dry herbs and spices. With minimal effort, this recipe yields wonderfully delicious golden brown fish. When you have finished cooking and eating, simply put the fish head and bones on top of the burnt rice, roll it up in the aluminum foil and toss it into the garbage. You don't even have to wash the wok.

2 fresh fish (sea bream or bass), about 400 grams each, cleaned and scaled

For the marinade:

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the smoke:

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup tea leaves (optional)

Using a sharp knife, make three deep vertical slits along both sides of each fish, about two centimeters apart.

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a shallow bowl, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Lay the fish in the marinade, spooning some of it into the stomach cavity. Marinate for 20 minutes.

Line an iron wok with two layers of thick aluminum foil. Mix the rice, sugar and tea leaves in the wok. Heat the wok over a high flame until the mixture begins to smoke. Set a rack over the rice mixture and lay the fish on the rack. Cover the wok with a sheet of aluminum foil and fold it tightly over the edges to prevent the smoke from escaping. Lower the flame to medium and smoke the fish for about 15 minutes. Turn off the flame and leave the wok covered for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the foil and carefully remove the fish.

Wood-smoked chicken

If you have a Cobb grill or any other covered grill, all you need is a small handful of wood chips (such as hickory, available at barbecue supply stores) to turn a barbecue into an improvised smoker and enjoy tasty, golden and wonderfully aromatic chicken.

One whole chicken

1 ½ cups wood chips

For the marinade (not essential)

2.5 liters water

1/2 cup coarse salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon whole black pepper

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Leaves of one rosemary sprig

Bind the chicken with kitchen twine to hold the wings against the body and the legs together.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl until the salt and sugar dissolve. Roll the chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Soak the wood chips in water for about half an hour. Light the coals and wait until the fire dies down and the coals are gray. Spread one-third of the wood chips on the coals. Lay the chicken on the grilling rack, breast side down, and cover with the lid. About half an hour later, add another third of the wet wood chips, and turn the chicken onto its back. After another half hour, add the remaining chips, this time without turning the chicken. Continue smoking the chicken until completely cooked (about another half hour). Place the chicken on a platter and wait 10 minutes before carving.

doramg@haaretz.co.il