In fact, not everyone can smoke a good Cajun meat: it’s not even about the technology of smoking, but about the selection, preparation of Cajun meat and choosing a quality meat. And by the way, Cajun meat is most often understood as beef, although a steak can be prepared from lamb, pork and even chicken.
Before we go into details about the choice of meat, it is worth mentioning that it is also important to buy a quality Cajun smoker and steak seasoning. You can read about this in our previous article.
Professionals believe that Cajun smoked steaks on charcoal, gas, wood, or electric grill is great. The main thing is to focus on the power of the equipment. The higher it is, the better, since in this case the meat is quickly seared and remains juicy.
Beef
Not every part of beef is suitable for a smoked meat in Cajun style – this dish is so expensive precisely because the best parts of the carcass are taken for it. Moreover, depending on which part of the carcass the meat is taken from, a certain steak is prepared. In total, there are about 100 different types, but the most popular are the following.
Marbled steak. For its preparation, a piece of meat is used, which is cut from the subscapular part of the carcass and has a large number of fatty streaks, thanks to which it looks like marble. The more of these fat layers in the meat and the thinner they are, the better.
“T-bone”. The meat is called so because of the bone, which resembles the letter “T”. The workpiece itself is a juicy piece of meat on a T-shaped bone, which is cut at the border of the lumbar and dorsal parts of the carcass, in the area of convergence of the thin edges of the longest muscle and the tenderloin. As a rule, the carcass is cut in such a way that the meat remains on the bone, and such steaks are sold in stores ready-made.
Filet Mignon. For this meat, choose the middle (most tender) part of the tenderloin. It is cut in the form of a “stump”, all veins are cleaned, and then slightly beaten off, giving the shape of a steak. And they beat it off not with a kitchen hammer, but with the handle of a knife or with the edge of the palm.
If you can’t find a suitable piece of meat in the store, try cooking:
- “Round rump steak” – meat cut from the upper piece of the hip part.
- “Porterhouse steak” – from the lumbar part of the back in the area of the thick edge of the tenderloin.
- “Tornedos” – pieces from the thin edge of the central part of the tenderloin are used.
- “Club steak” – meat cut from the dorsal part at the site of the thick edge of the long back muscle, has a small rib bone.
- Sirloin Steak, or New York Steak – from the head of the tenderloin.
- “Chateaubriand” – the thick edge of the central part of the tenderloin is taken.
- Rump steak – the tenderloin is cut into thin slices and carefully beaten.
In any case, keep in mind that to cook the meat, the beef must be cut into slices 3 to 5 cm thick, and strictly in the transverse direction, so that the heat evenly passes through the fibers, heating the meat to the desired temperature.
Lamb
It is better to choose lamb for smoked meat in Cajun style from the neck, thigh or sirloin. Remember, the older the lamb, the tougher the meat will be. Another feature is the specific smell of meat. If the ram was not castrated, this smell can be easily drowned out by various spices and marinades.
Pork
Pork smoked meat in Cajun style should be taken from the shoulder blades, thighs, and neck. In these places are where the meats are the juiciest if seared quickly enough. Before cooking, cut the meat into “posts” about 6 cm thick and beat lightly with your palm.
Chicken
Choose chicken not frozen or even chilled. Among all the carcasses on the counter, look for the one that is larger than broilers, with yellowish skin. While the breasts seem like the most suitable steak meat, they won’t do – they are too dry, so cut up your thighs and drumsticks.
General Principles Of Cajun Smoking
Regardless of which meat you decide to smoke in Cajun style, pay attention to the following nuances.
- Meat color. The beef should be dark red, the lamb should be light red, and the pork should be pink. The paler the meat, the harder it roasts, but the darker, the older the animal was.
- Muscle fibers. The thicker they are, the harder the steak will be. Therefore, choose cuts of meat with thin and dense, but not solid fibers.
- Fat layers. Fat makes meat juicier and tender, so choose chunks that have thin streaks of fat. During searing, they will melt; but if they remain somewhere throughout, they can be removed. The color of the fatty layers should be white, a yellow tint indicates that the animal was old.
- The maturity of the meat. Steaks should not be cooked from frozen or fresh meat. It must be aged, then the fibers will soften and fermentation will begin. The standard “ripening” period is a day or two for chicken, five days for pork, and 21 to 28 days for beef. You can check the maturity of the meat by simply pressing a suitable piece with your finger: if the dent remains, but soon returned to its place, it is suitable for the steak.
Interesting Facts
Argentina is considered to be the country of the most delicious steak – it is there that special breeds of bulls are specially grown on grain feed, from which “marbled” beef is made, where the meat is intertwined with the finest layers of fat.
In Japan, “Kobe steak” is prepared from a special type of veal: six months before slaughter, the animal is watered with clarified yeast beer and the back is massaged. It is believed that because of this, the steak acquires a special taste and extraordinary softness.
How To Choose The Right Bite & Smoke For Cajun Meat
The season for delicious smoked meats in Cajun style is in full swing. And the rain is not a hindrance. After all, delicious and juicy meat can be cooked in any weather. We have collected for you the most delicious and simple recipes for meat on a wire rack, as well as the secrets of its preparation.
First of all, you should take care of the ingredients and choose fresh, high-quality meat for cooking. It is better to discard the idea of pickled meat from the store right away: it is not a fact that you will be offered a quality product.
When the meat is selected, proceed to marinate it. If it has been frozen, it is important to defrost the food properly so as not to damage the taste in the future. It is better to do this at a maximum temperature of 4 degrees. Then the meat must be washed and cut into pieces. It is better to do this across the grain in order to preserve the rich taste of the product and its juiciness.
And then we will take care of the marinades. By the way, it is not at all necessary to cook them: you can simply salt and pepper the raw pieces of meat and send them to the wire rack. And you can improve the taste with the help of special components of the dish.
Perfect results grilling meat is easy. It is more difficult to cook it right – but you will succeed if you remember the basic “commandments”.
Dry The Meat
Who doesn’t love a crispy crust on a steak? These caramelized areas appear when the meat comes into contact with the hot grill grate. Dry the meat first using a paper towel or any clean, lint-free kitchen towel. This removes excess moisture that creates steam during frying, interfering with caramelization.
Salt and pepper before smoking. Salt draws moisture to the surface, so season the meat just before cooking, otherwise drying is useless.
Leave On The Smoker
When the meat is on the smoker, resist the urge to touch or pick it up until it separates itself from the smoker. This creates distinct streaks (i.e. better taste) and does not break the meat. Once the meat is browned (or caramelized) and leaves the grill, finish the searing by turning frequently to smoke evenly.
Leave To Lie
When you remove meat from the grill, two things happen.
- The meat continues to cook – its temperature is still rising, sometimes by 5-6 ° C.
- When meat is hot, its physical texture becomes weaker, becoming less dense and retains the juice worse (this is important for taste); when the meat is removed from the grill, it cools down and regains a stable structure in which juices are retained. In short, let the steaks sit for about 10 minutes to keep them juicy. Leave larger pieces for 20 minutes.
Cut across the grain. If you examine a large piece of meat, you will notice that the grain runs parallel to each other, just like in wood. Cut the meat perpendicular to the fibers, then they will be shorter, which means the piece will be more tender. (For experiment, try chewing a piece of meat cut along the grain.)
How To Smoke Meat In A Cajun Smoker
It is difficult to find a person who would not like smoked meat. This delicacy is sold in most stores, but the store option never beats the homemade one. If you cook the product yourself, you can achieve exactly the taste that the whole family likes. You can also make sure that the quality is excellent, because the whole process will have to be monitored independently.
Smoking meat at home seems difficult at first. In fact, it does not require any special skills, and it is enough to know a good recipe to make the product tasty. Those who have cooked pork, lamb and any other kind in a smokehouse at least once will never want to buy a delicacy in the store again.
How To Choose Meat For Cajun Smoking
To prepare an appetizing product, you must first purchase a suitable piece of meat. The final quality of the product will depend on the source material. If, for example, pork is stale, then no marinade will help correct the situation. Hot smoked or cold smoked meat can be of almost any kind. Pork, beef, lamb and rabbit are perfect.
They always turn out to be delicate, and it will be easy to find them in the store. It’s important to choose the good portion – it shouldn’t be for soup or jellied meat. Suitable for pork, beef and lamb brisket, shank, loin, or pulp. Well, it is better to cook the whole rabbit, since it is small in size.
When buying, you should pay attention to the condition of the product. Pork meat should be pinkish, beef should be red, and lamb should be purple. The shade of fat is permissible exclusively white, since yellowish indicates that the animal was old, which means that its meat is tough. You can check the freshness by touch.
You should touch the surface with your finger, and then remove your hand. If the dent is immediately removed, then the quality is good. If it remains, then the piece is stale. You also need to pay attention to the smell. If it is unpleasant or there is a foreign smell, the meat is spoiled.
Preparing Meat For Smoking
When the meat is purchased, it will need to be prepared for smoking. This step should not be skipped as it helps to achieve excellent taste. If there is a skin on the selected part, then it must be well cleaned and the villi must be set on fire. If you wish, you can remove it altogether, although this is not necessary. The meat itself must be thoroughly rinsed so that no dirt particles remain on it.
If the piece is large, then it can be cut, but not too small. The size should not be smaller than the palm. When the beef (or other type) is clean and cut, you do not need to immediately put it in a hot or cold smoked smokehouse. Although the preliminary preparation will be over, it will still be necessary to insist the product in the marinade. This is what will help make it the most juicy, tender and spicy.
How To Smoke Meat In An Apartment
Not all people have a private yard where they can cook hot smoked meat. But this does not mean at all that the idea of making a delicacy will have to be abandoned. There is a recipe for an apartment, and it is no worse than usual.
You will have to wait until smoking meat at home ends. You need to open the lid about once every 20 minutes to release the smoke. This will help prevent the smoked meats from developing a bitter taste. The meat is cooked from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the type and whether it was cooked beforehand.
Therefore, you need to check the product from time to time so that it does not deteriorate. When the process is over, all that remains is to hang the meat in the room for a few hours, and then either cut it on the table or put it in the refrigerator for storage. It is recommended to wrap it in plastic wrap.
Cajun Smoking Outdoors
An outdoor smokehouse will allow you to prepare a product of excellent quality. If you have your own yard or summer cottage, then you can place the device on the street and use it to create delicacies. You can smoke not only meat, but also fish. Both the one and the other option turn out to be very tasty if the recipe is correctly followed.
The smoking technology is quite simple. First you need to prepare a place for a fire, and then put bricks around it. Any other item that serves as a stand is also suitable. Next, you should take a smokehouse. By the way, it can also be a simple bucket equipped with grates. The container must be placed directly above the fire.
Pour fruit chips and grates inside the smokehouse. Arrange the meat so that the pieces do not touch each other. Now you need to light the fire and make sure that the flame is medium. Next, you need to close the lid and prepare to wait.
For cold smoking, the temperature should be in the range of 20-25 degrees, and for hot smoking above 80. The cooking time depends on which type was chosen. For example, the cold option lasts from a day to 5 days, and the hot option lasts 2-3 hours.
Periodically, you need to release excess smoke and check the condition of the meat. When it is ready, you need to hang it out in the fresh air and leave it for a couple of hours. Then you can use it for food or put it in the refrigerator (freezer).