Smoking, although it seems a very easy cooking process, has a large number of nuances that every smoker needs to know. Beginners often make identical mistakes, which leads to bitterness or acidity in smoked products. And it is difficult to answer the question: why meat and fish taste bitter after smoking - because there are many options. In this article, we will help you understand the problem of bitterness and acidity from smoking, and also tell you how to eliminate these consequences? Why is smoking bitter? How to remove bitterness after smoking? Not only beginners, but also experienced smokers face this problem. Bitterness and acidity are the result of excessive concentration of substances that are consumed with smoke. There may be several factors that cause this defect: Incorrect choice of chips Solution: The type of wood from which the chips are made plays a big role. Try to use classic species, such as beech, alder, fruit, oak. They have already been tested by time, the smoke contains the optimal amount of aromatic substances. Also pay attention to the humidity of the chips. The higher it is, the more moisture will get into the smokehouse along with the smoke. For long-term storage, the optimal humidity is 10-12%. Incorrect smoke circulation Solution: For high-quality smoking, light fractions must settle on the product. Smoke should not stagnate in the smokehouse, but freely exit it. If smoke is in contact with the products for a long time, heavy fractions will begin to settle on it. This can also cause an unpleasant taste. Wet surface of the product Solution: If the surface of the product is covered with moisture, smoke particles will not be able to penetrate into the meat, but will begin to dissolve in this moisture. This is the most common mistake when smoking. Therefore: 1) Be sure to dry and dry the product before smoking 2) Never smoke cold products. Moisture from warm smoke will begin to condense on their surface 3) If there is insufficient smoke circulation in the smokehouse, moisture does not leave it, but collects on the product and walls. How to remove acid from smoking? If it so happened that the smoker did not follow the above advice and the product turned out sour or bitter, then there are several ways to save the situation. Basically, bitterness occurs on the surface, so it needs to be removed. Clean the sausage from the casing, you can remove the skin from fish and meat or simply cut off the top layer. You can also wipe it with a damp cloth. Ventilate the product for several days. During this time, some of the substances can be ventilated, and another part can be distributed in the thickness of the product, reducing the concentration. In any case, it is better to avoid such a situation, because the chances of correcting it are not great. Smoking is a unique food processing process that is very demanding of itself, and in order to get a high-quality final product, you must follow the rules and recommendations.