Which Smoked Meats are Best?

For thousands of years people have smoked meats to add flavor and make the meat last longer. With modern methods of preserving meats (i.e. refrigeration) we’re not so dependent on smoking as we were, but it makes the meat taste so darn delicious we’re happy to keep doing it, anyway!

Smoked meat gifts from Pittman & Davis are always popular, and never more so than during the holiday season. Meat gifts (like our Smoked Peppered Boneless Ham, for instance) are always well-received because you’re not only gifting your recipient a tasty treat, but an entire meal they can just heat and eat – something that’s of special significance during the holiday season! Not just for others, meat and cheese gifts (like our Christmas Buffet Box) are a great think to get for yourself to keep on hand for any guests that drop in, too, so make sure to arrange your gourmet meat delivery early.

Not sure what your gift recipient would most enjoy in terms of smoked meat gifts? We’re happy to help! 5 gourmet meats that taste amazing when smoked include:

Pork

Pork butt is sourced from the upper shoulder of the pig, an area packed full of hard-working muscles and tight connective tissue. This meat is perfect for smoking, as the dense tissues slowly break down over a long cooking duration, resulting in beautifully tender, melt-in-the-mouth meat!

• Try it! Pittman & Davis Pork Tenderloin
  Tantalizingly tender, our Pork Tenderloin is lightly peppered and smoked to perfection. It’s also ready to eat, making it an easy entertaining option! Order alone or with our award-winning Sierra Nevada Stout Stoneground Mustard.

Beef

Smoked beef is one of the definitive American barbecue meats. It comes from such a large animal that it offers a wide range of flavors, textures and aromas. Each cut brings something new to the table.

• Try it! Pittman & Davis Tamales
  A Mesoamerican holiday favorite, our best-selling Tamales are made with premium, mouthwateringly tender beef, pork, and chicken and surrounded by a moist later of savory corn meal with fresh, vivid Mexican spices before being wrapped in the traditional natural corn husks.

Brisket

Brisket is a cut of beef from the lower chest of the animal. As it’s a large cut that requires slow cooking, it’s an ideal choice for your smoker. Unlike many other beef cuts, brisket retains its shape when cooked and can be sliced easily, making it a great choice for sandwiches.

• Try it! Smoked Beef Brisket
  Perhaps no meat lends itself so well to smoking as brisket, and our juicy Texas Smoked Brisket is slow-smoked with hickory and the freshest of spices for a to-die-for dish.

Turkey

If you can’t imagine serving any meat but turkey at your holiday meal, you’re in for a treat – smoked turkey is even more flavorful than traditional roasted turkey. Slightly blackened on the outside with a pretty pink hue just under the surface, smoked turkeys go just as well with all your tried-and-true favorites including mashed potatoes with gravy, candied yams and cranberry sauce as well as roasted turkey.

• Try it! Pittman & Davis Smoked Turkeys
  Naturally smoked using old-fashioned smokehouse methods, our broad-breasted turkeys come in traditional and lemon pepper varieties. Both have outstanding flavor and are sure to be a hit with your guests or gift recipients!

Ham

Ham is just as popular as turkey at Christmas dinner, and fabulous served cold with the fixings for sandwiches on Christmas Eve. Ham comes from the hind leg of a hog and is usually cured. Smoking ham takes a long time – days or even weeks. Smoked ham has a meaty denseness and an underlying sweet flavor lends itself to a wide variety of sweet and savory main dishes.

• Try it! Pittman & Davis Spiral-Sliced Ham
  Our carefully hand-trimmed, slowly hickory-smoked, bone-in ham arrives with our special glaze mix and simple instructions so your recipients can tailor the sweetness to their liking.