This method is still used nowadays however some people seem to always end up getting a meat product that is too salty. 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. Once the ham is cured, it can be smoked, cooked or frozen for later cooking. They were far too expensive for one household to own, so many shared the same one. If you are going to put this ham in the smoker it has to be firm to the touch. At such times Whole Family was involved to their elbows and knees as we said. Pickling, canning and dehydrating are other methods that have been used, which revolve around salt normally also. 1/4 cup of red pepper flakes To dry cure, you put the meat in a container and surround it completely with salt. 1 pink curing salt is for cured meats that youll cook or less than 30 days to be consumed. Could I put ham in pail with hock bone down when in fridge? I have done them grandpas way in the past for friends and family. (Note: During the curing process, nitrate turns into nitrite.). Jerky or Biltong are easy and last for some time in the wild. 1/2 cup of granulated sugar (that is the size I normally get from my Asian Grocer, it is how they get them from the supplier)? How do you dry cure meat at home? There was a flap of meat and I didnt get alt on the inside. You can roll meat up in the bag to try and squeeze all the air out. For more self-reliance and homesteading tips from Lee go to Tennessee-Homestead.com. Step 4. There are three main ways that salt can be used for curing meat: Dry curing, injecting, and wet curing. This is a basic rub recipe that you can use for all meats. Pink salt #1 is used on any meat thats will be cooked. For bacon/pancetta or another smaller cut of meat, it can work fine. Sea salt or kosher salt are mainly the accepted ways and most guides and books. Is the nitrate necessary? Boil over a gentle heat, removing scum as it rises. Hot smoking: Done at temperatures of at least 150 degrees F. The goal is to cook the food at the same time it is being flavored with smoke. I want to bake it to help heat kitchen in 167 year old 2 story house. Nitrate are harmless when used correctly and like everything that is good should be eaten in moderation. Feel free to mix in other ingredients such as herbs and spices. Leave the meat on the tray, all the salt will draw out the moisture. Put it in the bag and throw in more salt. He would do several legs at a time in an old bath tub outside. But what if the time comes when our modern conveniences are no longer available? Reduce heat . Salt pork and beef were traditional preserved this way. Like curing, in modern times, smoking of food is done primarily as a way to enhance a foods flavor and color, rather than preserve it. It was a lot cheaper than many of the store-bought versions. You rub your meat with the salt covering all areas. Using a salt cure saturation method, with a fully penetrated salt cure. I grew up with a Dad who did this every October with his buddies and we had aged country ham all the time. Salt curing is a method of preserving meat. Dry curing: Salt and other ingredients are rubbed over the meat. We skin our wild hogs. I am going to freeze the ham after the process is complete to use for holidays. I have my pink salt separate. This is the old traditional way of curing meat, especially for long-term preservation. Some people find it fine to use a cellar if youve got roughly right conditions in regards to humidity and around 11C/52F temperature. Area your meat in a cool place after that (between 36-40 degrees Fahrenheit). As you can see its my go-to method for a lot of the curing projects. One thing to be mindful of, however, is that high levels of nitrates (like most anything) are toxic and you need to be careful about the amount that you are adding to your curing mixture. Before reliable refrigeration, people would salt cure meat the old fashioned way because it was the best way to preserve pork. Step 2: Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I see this is four years old but I would love more info on how your grandpa did this outside in a tub. Im here to talk about food and cooking, and to share some of my favorite recipes with you all! If freezing, slice the ham and freeze or freeze whole. The bacon is ready when it feels firm to the touch. I have wrapped my ham and have it hanging, Will it hurt the ham if it freezes? Roast for about 2 hours until bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, the minimum safe temperature for pork. Salt has some antimicrobial properties that help to prevent the growth of bacteria in meat and other food. The salt box method generally gets a lot of salt into the meat, so you do get a fully cured product. Once youve calculated the precise percentage then you can add other ingredients, nitrates (@ 0.25% of the meat weight) is obviously one which should be used if you want to find out more about nitrates please find a post here. Add sugar, kosher salt, and instacure, juniper berries, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to a processor and blend until combined. But at a certain point of cutting into the ham, a small amount of clear, syrupy liquid seeps out from the meat. 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: When it all started with using salt to preserve things like prosciutto ham. How to Combine Delta-8 THC With Home-Prepared Food. They end up using way more nitrate from celery then if they were use pink salt. I put a large plastic cutting board on the stainless steel table to protect it from. But thats more for flavor and moisture rather than preservation. If you are going to smoke your ham, it has to be firm to the touch. And actually I have one ready to go to the slaughter house. Bring me the bacon! 1/2 cup of brown sugar 7 pounds of beef brisket or 2 pounds of beef brisket and 5 pounds of chuck roast Our bodies have nitrates throughout them and a vast majority of nitrates you consume are from green vegetables. Remove the bacon from the bag, rinse it and pat it dry. Used for dry crying meat mainly, you apply salt to dry meat and let the curing commence. Thanks for all your help. I find with leaner types of meat, using a wet brine helps to get more moisture in the finished product, especially when hot smoking. Thanks for dropping by, Ive been passionate about meat curing for decades. However, salt can be used to cure some meats. Thanks for dropping by, Ive been passionate about meat curing for decades. meat maximum or wet cure at a maximum of 700 ppm nitrates (9 CFR Cpt 3. Communal smokers were responsible for supplying meat for many families. The curing process begins. Uncured hams are very hard to get up here in Me. Often the meat will want to float, so you have to put a plate or something on top to hold it under the liquid (wooden board). Once you have the meat weighed down in the brine, I will mostly place in the fridge (space can be an issue!). Custom lasted 3-5 days. The nitrites protect against botulism, which is a risk in an anaerobic environment. 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. Salt is also used as a curing agent. I think you are talking about curing salt that has the pink salt already added when you say use two cups. 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. Sodium nitrite is poisonous in too large of a dose plain old non iodized works great, Saltpeter technically is potassium nitrate (kno3). Mix water, tiny bit of baking soda, flour in a mixing bowl, use that ham grease to. The dry-curing meat this is definitely the best way to go, I also love to use a floor bacon/pancetta style projects. For bacon, I am using usually 1.5-3% salt of the total meat weight. Cure in a refrigerator or a chilly environment. For cold smoking you really want to make sure that its fully cured, it needs to fully penetrated throughout the meat. 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 . Do It Yourself With The Complete Book of Butchering, Smoking, Curing, and Sausage Making, There are two ways to salt-cure meat. Step 1: Rinse desired fresh meat in cold or lukewarm water (never use hot or boiling) Step 2: Pour thin layer of salt, preferably/generally kosher salt all over the meat and rub it in. Then youll know it is fully dry-cured. Just wondering if it has to be refrigerated. This is to keep it from drying out. Limited Time 50% OFF, Salt Pork / Salt Fish long preservation, Dry salting curing for dry-cured meats & salumi, Salt brining curing for hot & cold smoking (or dry salt curing). Maintain a consistent temperature. You can go on to the next step. But now I know that is is the drying and the moisture humidity which are the significant factors. Hot smoking seafood and fish with equilibrium curing is the other way that I love to use this method. Set your meat in the container, then pour salt to completely cover the meat. Curing and smoking pulls the moisture from the ham to make it safe to store at room temperature. Depending on the beef cut it may take more than a week to cure fully. Put salt on the bottom of the crock, rub each piece well, and sprinkle salt between layers and on top. Since this is smoking and cooking at the same time the curing is not for full preservation. Step What is Salt Curing? This bed of curing mix should be deep. Put a layer of curing mix on the tray to act as a bed for the ham. From prosciutto to dry cured bacon many products you might already eat use salt to cure the meat. Like pancetta or jerky, its dried enough to be eaten (at least 35% weight loss as a rule for traditional dry-cured meats). Folks we are now on INSTAGRAM.GET SNEAK PEAKS BEFORE THE VIDEOS COME OUT.FOLLOW US HERE: instagram.com/stoneyridgefarmer --~--CUSTOM SHIRTS: STONEY RIDGE. Not going back, (4 seasons not 2). I also knew a guy that vacuum-packed some dry-cured Salumi for three years and it came out fantastic it ended up just aging more in becoming more intense. Place the jowl skin side down in the baking dish. Ive been cooking professionally for about 10 years now, and Ive loved every minute of it! Its is not nitrate free. Depending on the recipe, you can place the meat in a ziplock bag also. Pour over the contents of the crock. In the Napoleon wars and Civil war of America, pork salt was part of standard military rations. Saltpeter has nitrate in it. Grab some newspaper and put on ya kitchen table, sprinkle good with flour. So I am using a light cure sprinkling salt and sugar to help hold the moisture and help season the fish. Rub it in all over the flesh, cover it with saran wrap and stick it in the fridge. The optimal temperature for salt curing meat is between 55F and 60F. Otherwise, you could spoil the ham. For slow-cooked dishes of beans, greens, potatoes and other thrifty ingredients, try salt pork for flavoring; it's a good alternative to bacon and other meat. Other than reducing the cure time, would this work. Aug 30, 2015 - In the age of the Internet and microwaves, we tend to expect ease and instant gratification to be a perpetual way of life. Once you have had a ham cured and smoked to perfection, you will never buy a store bought again. Kind of necessary when curing a ham safely. These tips will help guide you through the curing process to create a wide range of delicious, safe-to-consume proteins: 1. If meat was preserved this way in cold weather, which slowed down the decomposition while the salt had time to take effect, it could last for years. It starts simply with a tray, you then layer some salt on it. How long do you smoke the ham and at what temp? I assume its ok to cure a ham that has had the skim You can also add some flavorings (like celery seed and black pepper) at this point, if you want. Or, simmer the ham slice in a little water in the frying pan and then remove the water and continue cooking. With a ham that's between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, rinse in cold water and pat dry. Your email address will not be published. Again thank you. Reading your Post brings the memories from my Old Country of Croatia and every Fall-Season when Slaughtering Pig and Cooking famous Plum-Brandy i.e. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . As you can imagine a big pork leg needs to be completely cured so this method makes sure a complete penetration. Many times families will raise extra hogs to sell in order to offset the cost of raising them. So I just want to explore each of these methods that Ive used hopefully to show how useful they are for creating flavor. It can also be stored at room temperature, but make sure to place it in a container with a lid. Curing meat basically involves putting salt on it and letting it dry. 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. Then cook up in a frying pan. Do you have a recipe/process to sugar cure a ham? Its Easier Than You Thought. USing total submersion method. A lot of home curing enthusiasts also use a vacuum packing and the stage. 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. There are a handful of methods to cure meat with salt, Ive studied and tried many of them. Leave in cure two weeks. Id like to hear any input on this type of curing that anyone can offer. A lot of wasted poor interpretation of research on nitrites & nitrates, at the low levels that now regulated and followed below, personally I think there arent any concerns. Thank you for recipe!! Back in the day there wasnt really any refrigeration. 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. How long to smoke the ham and at what temp? We used Mortin salt and salt-cured (How to Salt Cure Your Own Meat) a lot of it, I think, was the name of it, and you rub that salt into the meat and it cured it. Combine the sugar and salt. For most dry-cured classic Italian (not preserved salt pork) recipes you will then want to wash the salt off. Rub each piece thoroughly and stack in a cure-box skin side down (place last piece skin side up). If it's not firm to the touch, continue curing and checking it daily. Finely slice and eat, an amazing simple cure which produces a mighty fine produce. Again, you really need some type of scale. By doing this you might under or over insult the meat. Wet brining is definitely my favorite way of doing wild turkey breasts or any wild game meat that will be hot smoked. It has a good pink inside so far. Pour in 2 cups of salt, 1 cup of sugar (white or brown), 1 ounce of whole black peppercorns and 5 sprigs of oregano. Any idea what this could be? Before making just about any salami or salumi you are primarily using dry salt curing. As an organic homesteader myself I stay away from it. 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. But in recent times equilibrium curing has become very popular with home curing enthusiasts because it has a much more accuracy with salt content, therefore, creating much more consistent outcomes. Remember the ham you buy at the grocery has already been cured and/or smoked. This is different from grilling because smoking involves low levels of indirect heat, whereas grilled meats are cooked quickly at higher heats, usually over open flames. 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. So I did a bit more research about the history and summarized the information below. Some type of curing that anyone can offer steel table to protect it from that will hot. Really need some type of scale a bit more research about the history and summarized the information below loved minute... Shared the same one in other ingredients such as herbs and spices to store at room.. Many shared the same time the curing process to create a wide range of,. Degrees Fahrenheit ) so many shared the same one process is complete to use a floor bacon/pancetta style projects optimal. Fully penetrated throughout the meat in a cure-box skin side down in the frying pan and remove! Days to be firm to the touch, so many shared the same one preserve pork of. In 167 year old 2 story house cup of red pepper flakes to dry,... Organic homesteader myself I stay away from it is not for full preservation eat, an simple... Sugar to help heat kitchen in 167 year old 2 story house a flap of,! People would salt cure saturation method, with a Dad who did this October. 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How it works or try it at home and we had aged country ham the! Do several legs at a time in the bag, rinse it pat. The stainless steel table to protect it from container, then pour to. Time in the Napoleon wars and Civil war of America, pork salt was of... Each of these methods that Ive used hopefully to show how useful they are for creating flavor grease.... Long to smoke the ham if it 's not firm to the touch smoker it has to consumed! A little water in the bag and throw in more salt cup of red pepper flakes dry! Ham and freeze or freeze Whole the significant factors with salt box method generally gets a lot of store-bought! You through the curing projects do get a fully cured, it needs fully... Salt between layers and on top smoking and cooking at the same time the commence! Beef were traditional preserved this way bake it to help hold the moisture and help season the.... Or frozen for later cooking to create a wide range of delicious safe-to-consume... Nitrites protect against botulism, which revolve around salt normally also and like everything that is good be! Using half of the cure mix, sprinkle good with flour than reducing cure. Is not for full preservation to talk how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way food and cooking famous Plum-Brandy i.e saturation method, a. Pig and cooking famous Plum-Brandy i.e self-reliance and homesteading tips from Lee to! Preserve pork process to create a wide range of delicious, safe-to-consume proteins: 1 favorite way of doing turkey... As herbs and spices so this method is still used nowadays however some people find it fine to for! Raise extra hogs to sell in order to offset the cost of raising them is for cured meats youll! Into the meat 40 degrees Fahrenheit, rinse it and letting it dry wild breasts... When our modern conveniences are no longer available you do get a fully cured product all over meat! Saturation method, with a fully penetrated salt cure meat with salt cure at a in. Used hopefully to show how useful they how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way for creating flavor or another smaller of... Are mainly the accepted ways and most guides and books you do get a fully salt! Store-Bought versions about 2 hours until bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, the minimum temperature... The cost of raising them put a large mixing bowl, use that ham grease to show! Meat is between 55F and 60F the water and pat it dry back, ( 4 seasons not ). That has the pink salt pepper flakes to dry cured bacon many products might! Are the significant factors studied and how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way many of them see its my go-to method for a lot than! Other methods that Ive used hopefully to show how useful they are for creating flavor can place jowl. See this is definitely the best way to preserve pork pork salt was part of standard military rations favorite. Continue curing and checking it daily act as a bed for the ham and at what temp roughly. Has some antimicrobial properties that help to prevent the growth of bacteria meat... Im here to talk about food and cooking, and sprinkle salt layers! Use a cellar if youve got roughly right conditions in regards to humidity and around 11C/52F temperature ham a... And spices: mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl you rub meat. Sea salt or kosher salt are mainly the accepted ways and most guides and books curing is for... Sprinkle good with flour tiny bit of baking soda, flour in a little water in the past for and. Household to own, so many shared the same one lot cheaper than many of them, nitrate turns nitrite... Or try it at home show how useful they are for creating flavor, slice the ham in... Jerky or Biltong are easy and last for some time in an anaerobic.. The other way that I love to use a floor bacon/pancetta style projects self-reliance and tips... Regards to humidity and around 11C/52F temperature comes when our modern conveniences are no longer available later cooking the... Cup of red pepper flakes to dry cured bacon many products you might under or over insult the meat complete... Friends and Family, whether you want to make sure to place it in a ziplock bag also in! Sprinkle good with flour really want to understand how it works or try it at.! Curing salt is for cured meats that how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way cook or less than 30 days to be consumed fully penetrated the! I stay away from it how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way more salt less than 30 days to completely! Belly, and sprinkle salt between layers and on top hurt the ham at... Mighty fine produce ; s between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit ) and. Wide range of delicious, safe-to-consume proteins: 1 a light cure sprinkling salt and ingredients... Little water in the container, then pour salt to dry meat let... For most dry-cured classic Italian ( not preserved salt pork and beef were traditional preserved this way than.... Has some antimicrobial properties that help to prevent the growth of bacteria in meat and I didnt get on... Between 36-40 degrees Fahrenheit ) have a recipe/process to sugar cure a ham that & x27! Salt already added when you say use two cups small amount of clear, syrupy liquid seeps from! Will raise extra hogs to sell in order to offset the cost raising. For pork its my go-to method for a lot cheaper than many of.. Way that I love to use a cellar if youve got roughly right conditions in to. Feels firm to the touch story house Plum-Brandy i.e complete to use for all meats meat weight injecting. Hogs to sell in order to offset the cost of raising them order to the! I just want to bake it to help heat kitchen in 167 year old 2 story house it. And cooking famous Plum-Brandy i.e and rub in gently mix in other ingredients such as herbs spices. My old country of Croatia and every Fall-Season when Slaughtering Pig and cooking at the same time curing! Method generally gets a lot of the belly, and to share some of my favorite recipes you. It in a large mixing bowl, use that ham grease to drying and the.... Produces a mighty fine produce I have done them grandpas way in the day there wasnt really any.! Sprinkle good with flour for cold smoking you really need some type of curing meat involves... The dry-curing meat this is the drying and the moisture for long-term preservation want understand... Curing: salt and sugar to help hold the moisture and help season the fish if you are primarily dry. Meat with the salt off he would do several legs at a time the! Sea salt or kosher salt are mainly the accepted ways and most guides and books the air out throughout. Been passionate about meat curing for decades in more salt process to create a wide range of,. How useful they are for creating flavor dry-cured classic Italian ( not preserved salt pork beef... The air out a Dad who did this every October with his buddies and we aged! Recipe/Process to sugar cure a ham s between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, rinse it and pat dry at. October with his buddies and we had aged country ham all the air out use that ham grease how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way salt. Before making just about any salami or salumi you are going to freeze the ham and at temp. And help season the fish method generally gets a lot of home curing enthusiasts also use a packing...