Smoked meat is meat flavored, and traditionally preserved, by prolonged exposure to smoke from smoldering wood or charcoal. Smoking is often paired with curing (salting or brining), but the two are distinct: curing preserves through salt, sugar, or nitrites, while smoking mainly adds flavor and, at cool temperatures, further slows spoilage; modern hot-smoking is done mainly for flavor and doesn't reliably preserve meat on its own, so smoked meat sold today is usually also refrigerated. The flavor is rich and often slightly sweet or savory, shaped by the wood used, hickory, mesquite, oak, and applewood are common, along with smoking time and the cut of meat. Smoked meat is central to American barbecue (Texas brisket, Kansas City ribs, Carolina pulled pork), to charcuterie and deli traditions, and to dishes elsewhere such as lox in Jewish cuisine, smoked salmon in Scandinavian cooking, and smoked sausages across Germany and Eastern Europe. It's eaten on its own or worked into soups, stews, casseroles, and sandwiches.