posted 2 years ago
I followed up Douglass's comments out of interest.
From Wikipedia
"Soon after it [ creosote ] was discovered and recognized as the principle of meat smoking, wood-tar creosote became used as a replacement for the process.
Several methods were used to apply the creosote. One was to dip the meat in pyroligneous acid or a water of diluted creosote, as Reichenbach did, or brush it over with them, and within one hour the meat would have the same quality of that of traditionally smoked preparations.[22]
Sometimes the creosote was diluted in vinegar rather than water, as vinegar was also used as a preservative.[23]
Another was to place the meat in a closed box, and place with it a few drops of creosote in a small bottle.
Because of the volatility of the creosote, the atmosphere was filled with a vapour containing it, and it would cover the flesh.[22]