Smoked meat does need refrigeration to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Smoking the meat does not prevent bacteria from growing on the meat so it must be refrigerated within 2 hours.
Before refrigeration people used a combination of smoking, curing and drying to preserve meat.
Today we simply smoke it without curing or drying, so it needs to be refrigerated because moisture promotes the growth of bacteria.
Smoked meat can be kept for four days, as long as it was refrigerated within two hours of being removed from the smoker.
If you properly wrap and freeze your smoked meat, it can last up to three months.
Meat that has been smoked will be safe to eat for up to four days after it has been cooked.
The meat must be stored in the fridge within two hours of cooking.
If you want to save the meat longer, you can wrap it tightly, place it in an air-tight container and freeze it.
How do you know if smoked meat is bad?
Smell is perhaps the quickest and most reliable indicator.
Meat that is off will have a nasty smell that immediately makes you turn away.
Keep in mind that just because there isn't a rotten smell doesn't mean it's safe.