The article discusses how meat was stored before modern refrigeration became commonplace. Prior to this, people relied on alternative preservation methods, such as smoking. Smoking involves slowly burning wood over a long period, causing the meat to be exposed to smoke, which rapidly dries out and becomes coated in natural antimicrobial compounds. These effects reduce bacterial growth and last longer without the need for refrigeration. However, smoking alone is not enough for long-term preservation, as it combines with other traditional techniques such as curing and drying. The article uses AI to generate key points and may not always match what’s in the article.