Smoke House

Smoke House. . , In 1993, the remains of a smoke house were discovered near a vacant house on Tobacco Street in Lebanon. Dating to around 1820, this granite and wood smoke house is a rare example of a once-familiar farm building. The use of granite blocks as opposed to the more commonly used brick makes this smoke house a unusual structure worth preservation. , Prior to the availability of refrigeration, meat was preserved by salting, brining or smoking. As cold weather arrived in the late fall, farm families traditionally butchered pigs and cattle. Some meat was eaten immediately, some was stored frozen during the winter and some was smoked to preserve it through the summer to the following fall. Smoking could be done in special chambers in the house chimney or in free standing buildings. , 18th and 19th century families prided themselves on their recipes for smoking meat. Typically, meat was brined or soaked in salt water, sugar and saltpeter before being hung above a smoky fire. Green maple or hickory were preferred to add flavor to meat. Smoking could take from a few days to several weeks depending on the size and cut of meat. After smoking, meat remained where it was so families could cut off meal-sized pieces as needed.