quite right, Dick...

the addition of nitrate or nitrite to meats does give it that unique color, but they are also essential when smoking meats - preserving it at "low" temperatures that are ideal for the growth of bacteria.

That goes for canning as well... low acid foods can become a breeding ground for Clostridium botulina... and botulism is nothing to fool around with.

with modern refrigeration & freezing technologies so prevelant, we often fail to appreciate what our ancesters had to do to ensure a supply of food throughout the year.