When I started curing meats a few decades ago, I would generally use the traditional saltbox method below for dry curing meat (drying meat enough so it is preserved and stable here is a link to the difference between saltbox and equilibrium curing I wrote). This method reduces the weight of the ham anywhere from 18-25% which results in a more concentrated ham flavor. Dry curing: Salt and other ingredients are rubbed over the meat. Dissolve the remaining salt in 5 gallons of water. Yes, salt curing is simply another term for dry curing. 1 teaspoon of juniper berries Who among us could say that in the event of a catastrophe, we would be able to do what is necessary to maintain a hearty stock of food for ourselves and our families? The Old & New Methods of Curing Meat with Salt, Want to Make Charcuterie at Home? Put a layer of curing mix on the tray to act as a bed for the ham. Its traditionally used to cure a salmon fillet. Step What is Salt Curing? When ready to eat, you can bake the whole ham. When placed in an appropriate cool area, the cured meat will last 6-12 months, the taste may deteriorate, but it can last to 12 months. You can also ask around in rural areas to see if you can find someone raising their own hogs. Thanks. Pour over the contents of the crock. It is still cooked much longer than grilled meats, in lower temperatures, but hot enough so that the meat cooks very slowly, making it tender enough to fall right off the bone and melt in your mouth. Salt is also used as a curing agent. You will need: Place in glass dish. The process is as easy as mixing salt with the meat, but for better flavor, spices and herbs are often used. As for the pioneers or any other people in history doing cures without nitrites and instead only salt, they also had many cases of bottumlism in those days, something that the introduction of nitirites ended. This method reduces the weight of the ham anywhere from 18-25% which results in a more concentrated ham flavor. Cold Smoking is for preserving which is really just a form of drying. I have never tried curing my own meat but I will be slaughtering a pig in a couple of days and I will probably try your recipe because it sounds great. If you're okay with that, you don't need to do a thing! If ham is ready to be smoked, thoroughly rinse off the salt and pat dry before smoking. It's just magic. I have fresh game in freezer. Use the salt box technique or equilibrium curing to cure your meat. Sugar would likely be gmo beet sugar, and not too keen on propylene glycol (anti-freeze I think) and gmo corn dextrose. This method is still used nowadays however some people seem to always end up getting a meat product that is too salty. I Hunt, Fish, Forage, Buy, Butcher (Wannabe Norcini), Make, Savor (Im not a Saviour), and love curing and smoking meat. It is an essential step in cold smoking. It starts simply with a tray, you then layer some salt on it. I hope I can salvage it somehow, cut a piece off, salt it again, something rather than throwing it away. When it takes 4 to 12 hours, the smoke will end up flavoring the food nicely. Many times families will raise extra hogs to sell in order to offset the cost of raising them. Great article, it made think of my grandfather who died in the 80s. Using a salt cure saturation method, with a fully penetrated salt cure. Most country and Christmas hams are done with an injection brine. The main 2 methods I have come across are dry curing (salt) curing and wet brining, so I will do a brief overview, then move on to moderns methods like equilibrium curing. Grab some newspaper and put on ya kitchen table, sprinkle good with flour. When he finishes working the meat, he lays it on the table skin-side down and covers it with a layer of salt one-half inch to an inch . Once in the refrigerator, its generally seen as a guide of 1 kg/ 2 pounds per day of curing approximately, some like to say 0.8-0.9 kg per day. This article provides an introduction to the two easiest, most fool-proof techniques for preserving meat curing and smoking just like our ancestors did it. Again thank you. They call her chicken Mama at home where she considers herself an expert pitchfork operator. A ham has two sides, the skin side and the fresh-meat side. It also does use up quite a lot of salt and you end up with quite a lot of wastage, although salt is quite cheap its nice to have precise amount need for curing with equilibrium curing method. To dry cure meat with salt, cover it entirely in salt for a full day. Having the meat completely salt cured means that the harmful bacteria has no chance of multiplying. Im trying to cure two 45 lb hams. There is no science backing up that nitrates are bad. Brining is used before cold smoking in many countries. Is Salt Curing the Same as Dry Curing a Ham? Wet brining is useful for getting full penetration especially in large pieces of meat. Not going back, (4 seasons not 2). 318.7 (c) (4), 381.147 (d) (4)). Once the ham is cured, rinse well with cool water then smoke it, cook it or freeze it for later (see recipe notes for cooking tips). Dry cure using 3.5 oz. Smokers come in all shapes and sizes to fit your individual needs and are fueled by charcoal, electricity, gas, wood, etc., in order to generate smoke. Years ago, several methods of curing meat with . Off The Grid News is an independent, weekly email newsletter and website that is crammed full of practical information on living and surviving off the grid. Another option in the good old mortar & pestle. 1 teaspoon of pink salt Because dry hams are typically saltier than other products, they benefit from soaking in water for 1-12 hours (in the refrigerator) before cooking. Now I cant find the protocol. Kosher salt got its name because its craggy crystals make it perfect for curing meata step in the koshering process. For this, youll need a salt block, a salt shaker, and a thermometer. I will use it if I have to, but if it is mainly to preserve color then I am not. Is the nitrate necessary? It was a lot cheaper than many of the store-bought versions. Nitrates are used to prevent bacteria from forming. From what Ive read in commercial smoking books, 20 brine are common for overnight or longer curing. I dont think its necessary but I guess its personal preference. Take a fresh ham with skin on, wash off in water and pat dry. Finely slice and eat, an amazing simple cure which produces a mighty fine produce. Limited Time 50% OFF, Saturation or Salt Box Method for Smoking or Dry Curing, Equilibrium Curing for Dry Curing & Smoking, Brine Injecting for Smoking, Preserving & Dry, Tends to dilute flavors like aromatics, herbs and spices. Curing meat basically involves putting salt on it and letting it dry. All I could find is a whole(preferred, do not like half) shoulder butt as they call it. It's a simple combination of four ingredients. When the meat has firmed up, remove from the wrap, rinse it off and then let it dry on a rack for 2 to 3 hours. Curing Salt Red pepper Black pepper Brown sugar For every 2 cups of curing salt add: 1 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon red pepper 1 tablespoon black pepper Preparation process: For one ham start with 6-8 cups of mix. Curing Meat, Fish, & Game Butchering Beef Sausage Bureau of Ships Manual: Commissary equipment (1943, 1957) Build a Smokehouse How to Make Italian Sausage: Delicious Homemade Recipes for Spicy and Mild Links The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book Checklist: Hi Melissa !! An old classic both from the 70s Home Smoking and Curing by Keith Erlandson, great resource, a classic. So far doing good. 3 tablespoons of garlic powder Depending on the type of meat youre preserving, itll take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours for the salt to fully penetrate the meat. Its for food safety. They also add that ham flavor everyone knows of. However, salt can be used to cure some meats. I have even heard of the traditional South African Way many years ago. Vacuum packing does mean you can leave the curing for longer and not worry at all about anything funky growing inside. Depending on the size of the piece of meat and the curing method used, the process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several days. Step 2: Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. nitrate per 100 lbs. 2. Ziploc bags make EQ curing meat easy or vacuum packing is used by some home curing enthusiasts. If freezing, slice the ham and freeze or freeze whole. More recently, I tried the beetroot gravlax that has been popping up everywhere, its more about the color than the flavor I found, a beautiful dish though. Shirley. 1. We use a dry rub cure to make the best-tasting hams possible. Of course, it really does depend on what size the meat is. My name is Kent , hello. Alvin, I dont here, but my friends over at Swiss Hills Ferment do, heres the link https://www.swisshillsferments.com/makin-bacon/. For How long should the ham be smoked if we chose to smoke it. We used a real *built 1912) pine board smokehouse with built in wooden trays fior salting. Could I put ham in pail with hock bone down when in fridge? This site is owned by eatcuredmeat.com, it participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. What step is that? Heavily salted pork is left to cure for at least a week. It is one of the oldest methods of preserving food, [1] and two historically significant salt-cured foods are salted fish (usually dried and salted cod or salted herring) and salt-cured meat (such as bacon ). Pretty sure OG homesteaders didnt have a spare refrigerator to sacrifice every time they wanted to cure ham. Before making just about any salami or salumi you are primarily using dry salt curing. What should the internal temperature be when I am finished? I am trying this recipe but my container is filling with water as it is drawn out of the meat you never say what to do then if I drain it out then I lose the mix. I would like to smoke the ham after curing. For bacon, I am using usually 1.5-3% salt of the total meat weight. Adding about a pound of salt and half a cup of sugar to three quarts of water should do. Using half of the cure mix, sprinkle evenly over the surface of the belly, and rub in gently. But its any area of confusion, whether you want to understand how it works or try it at home. Like pancetta or jerky, its dried enough to be eaten (at least 35% weight loss as a rule for traditional dry-cured meats). Nitrite. I can remember my parents using cheese cloths to wrap the ham in to. Add sugar, kosher salt, and instacure, juniper berries, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to a processor and blend until combined. Lord, a few fried eggs and you got a whale of a breakfast. Im here to talk about food and cooking, and to share some of my favorite recipes with you all! Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world. I want to bake it to help heat kitchen in 167 year old 2 story house. Its about getting it soft, cooked with good smoke flavor attached. Many people prefer dry curing as opposed to injecting or immersing the ham with a curing solution. If yes, How long do I cure it in the bag? In order to make sure the meat is completely covered, fill a container with salt, place the meat on top, and pour more salt over until it's buried. Then place in a ziplock bag or, to ensure no air gets in, use a vacuum sealer. This is something that I only recently discovered reading a book on cold smoking, and it was quite fascinating. A lot of home curing enthusiasts also use a vacuum packing and the stage. So we want to do everything we can to make sure that our cured meats are as safe as possible. Add more wet chips, as needed, to keep the smoke up. What you said Carol is part true. Sugar is a minor part of the composite flavor, with bacon being an exception. Start by curing the belly: In a small bowl, combine the pepper, sugar, paprika, salt & curing salt. I found good information at http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/lit_rev/cure_smoke_cure.html. Good Morning! If you are unable to raise your own hog many local custom slaughterhouses can help you find a producer you can purchase a hog from so you too can have your own fresh pork and enjoy the process of curing your own meat. Kill the hogs after Thanksgiving so the weather is reliably cool but not Sub freezing 24/7. If you are going to put this ham in the smoker it has to be firm to the touch. 3. If using a cooler, be sure to check your ice daily and replenish it as needed. If you'd like to serve the ham in slices, we recommend soaking the slices in cold water for an hour up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. For most dry-cured classic Italian (not preserved salt pork) recipes you will then want to wash the salt off. Let the pork cure for 5 days. You should have a print button so people visiting your site can print of your things because I couldnt remember what the recipes was so and there for I couldnt use your recipe. Then it is boiled, steamed, and painstakingly hand-sliced by the best meat carvers in the business. Turn over the bag once a day. For a full rundown on curing salts, please find a detailed post here. But what if the . Its the same chemical make up. Grind the lean pork (class I) through a stuffing plate, pork class II and back fat through a 3/8" (10 mm), and beef through a 1/8" (3 mm) grinder plate. Slice the ham and freeze or freeze whole. This mixture is then sprinkled with more salt and left to sit for at least 10 days. Roll out some biscuit dough, use a big mouth jar and make your biscuits (catheads). Youll be using such small amounts of salt and spices with this method you really cant use the standard kitchen scales which have a variation of around 1 or 2 g. Check out some suggested scales here. Maintain a consistent temperature. Lee isa writer/blogger who is also a self-reliance promoter. Vegetables such as runner beans and cabbage are also often preserved in this manner. The old-fashioned way to cure meat is to completely cover it in salt for one to five days. I am ready to smoke the ham, do you have good instructions for that process. The next time youre curing some meat, consider using some salt. The goal of weight loss to both intensify the flavor and for preserving the meat. Advice youll never hear from the mainstream media. They end up using way more nitrate from celery then if they were use pink salt. Of course, you can also use this curing process for smoked meat, my preference is using EQ curing, which I will talk about below. How to Cure Meat at Home. For the drying process, whether you are using a cellar, curing chamber or fridge and you want to be heading the magic 65% of the starting meat weight. Mix salt, red pepper, black pepper and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside, this is your curing mix. Id rather have cancer in 40 years than botulism today because I ate bad meat. Slicing thinly and thats it. Where the goal is to cook the meat. 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