6 tips for smoking meat and staying healthy

The science is clear: Smoked meat should be a very occasional indulgence, if at all. Culbertson shares a few tips for making the healthiest choices possible for those times when you can’t resist the siren song of the smoker.

1. Use hardwoods. “Home smokers should take care to choose wood that does not have resins, like pine and other softwoods do,” Culbertson advises. “Fuel choice should be of hardwoods only.”
2. Stick to white meats. Though smoked chicken and turkey can still create HCAs and PAHs, they are, overall, heathier choices than red meat.
3. Go lean. Next in line after poultry are lean cuts of pork (like pork loin, tenderloin and center cut chops). If you must eat beef, choose lean cuts like flank, round, sirloin and tenderloin, and select ground beef that is at least 90% lean. “Lean product is best because most toxic compounds are created by fat dripping onto the heat source,” Culbertson says.
4. Don’t smoke fish. In general, fish can be a very healthy diet choice — but leave it out of your smoker. “Fish often has a higher level of contaminants due to larger surface area and heavier smoking,” Culbertson explains.
5. Avoid burning. Sorry, but burnt ends aren’t your friend. Limit HCAs and PAHs in your smoked meats by not consuming meat that has been over-cooked or charred (intentionally or otherwise).
6. Strike a compromise with liquid smoke. “As an alternative to smoking, try marinating meats with liquid smoke, then do just a quick turn on the grill or smoker for flavor and effect,” Culbertson suggests.