What is "smoked meat"

alt. 1 Any meat that is cured by smoking. 2 (context uncountable Canada English) A salt-cured, spiced, smoked beef brisket, similar to pastrami, developed in Montreal from Eastern European Yiddish Jewish traditions. n. 1 Any meat that is cured by smoking. 2 (context uncountable Canada English) A salt-cured, spiced, smoked beef brisket, similar to pastrami, developed in Montreal from Eastern European Yiddish Jewish traditions.

Smoked meat is a method of preparing red meat (and fish) which originates in prehistory. Its purpose is to preserve these protein-rich foods, which would otherwise spoil quickly, for long periods. There are two mechanisms for this preservation: dehydration and the antibacterial properties of phenols and other chemicals in the absorbed smoke. In modern days, the enhanced flavor of smoked foods makes them a delicacy in many cultures.