This is the preliminary treatment of the food before smoking begins. Depending on the precise technique it may also be known as salting or brining. 

The words curing and brining can sound ominous, and conjure up the idea  that hours of attention and labour are needed.  Unless you are embarking on the commercial production of hams and smoked meats this is not true –  curing is simple, and the chances are you already have all the ingredients you need.

If you have never cured anything before, you are going to be suspicious. You may ask, why  is this necessary, and is this not an archaic process? Certainly it is a process that has been practised for centuries, and it is carried on to this day for reasons which are perhaps more scientifically understood than they once were.

The process of curing is simply the infusion of salt into the food in order to bring about certain physical and chemical changes that have the effect of greatly stabilising the flesh, be it meat or fish, and also act to suppress the growth of bacteria.  

When we then go on to smoke the cured foodstuffs, the produce not only takes on the delicious flavour of the smoked wood but the smoke vapour penetrates the surface of the food and further assists in preventing the growth of micro-organisms which are the principal cause of decay. 

Of course, in these days of fridges and freezers, preserving food is no longer our prime motivation for smoking: its the flavour that we seek. But it is good to know that our techniques has been practised in the same way for centuries.

There are three  ways of curing that we are likely to come across : -

1. Brine Cure - Marinating the food in a solution of salt and sugar dissolved in water .
2. Dry Cure - Curing the food in a mixture of salt and sugar without water.
3. Injection Curing - where the food is physically injected with the brine solution.

 To emphasise the simplicity of the smoke-curing process, it would be fair to say that all fish, poultry, wild game, or butcher meats can be deliciously prepared using the standard covered brine and the Bradley Smoker. Only the times in the brine and the smoker would vary, depending on the type of meat and your personal taste. The sugar is simply included to counter the saltiness of the salt and the quantity can be adjusted to as you prefer. It also provides a base from which to expand with other seasonings or juices.

Injection Curing

As it sounds, brines are injected into meat. This technique would be used for large pieces of meat and is used in commercial environments.