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| Smokehouse |
| Reg visits Valla Smokehouse to find out what's involved in the art of smoking meat. |
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Supermarkets, freezers and modern technology make many of the old methods of food preservation unnecessary. But, that doesn't deter Andrew Andrews. His method of preserving meat dates back about 1,000 years and it's still in demand. Reg visits Andrew's Valla Smokehouse and finds out just what's involved in the art of smoking meat.
Andrew migrated from Latvia, where smoked meat is a delicacy — especially eel. Not finding the same appreciation in Australia, his father built the family a private smokehouse in the backyard. Andrew grew up experimenting with smoking meats and in 1991 he decided to share his passion with the nation.
Andrew moved to Nambucca Valley on the New South Wales coast and built two smokehouses. It took some time to get building permission because smokehouse plans weren't regularly submitted to council.
Andrew mostly smokes kangaroo, sausages and eel. His products are sold under the Blue Gum label and his main trade is through mail order and the local Bellingen markets. He also has distributors in Wollongong and a contract with David Jones in Sydney.
The smoking process is simple, but time consuming. Smoking leg ham takes about 26 hours and Andrew stays awake around the clock to check the meat every hour. The lengthy process means Andrew only smokes meat once or twice a week.
TIPS- Smoked kangaroo meat will keep for a guaranteed three years.
- If you hang pieces of ham and beef they can keep for up to eight years, but will be very tough to eat.
- Smoked meats improve with age and are best kept in a dry area. They can hang in the pantry or meat safe and should be washed then dried with paper towel before storage.
- Once the meat is open keep it in or out of the fridge, but don't cover with plastic (it needs air).
- You can warm smoked meat but be careful not to cook it. Simply cover with foil and heat in a low oven.
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More Info
For more information contact the Valla Smokehouse:
Ph: 02 6569 5534
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