This process can also give it a deeper, savory flavor. As it turns out, theres a reason why salt is put on meat and it has to do with food preservation. Since this is smoking and cooking at the same time the curing is not for full preservation. Rub it in all over the flesh, cover it with saran wrap and stick it in the fridge. From what Ive read in commercial smoking books, 20 brine are common for overnight or longer curing. Rinse off the pork to remove the salt/sugar mixture and rinse well with water. Adding about a pound of salt and half a cup of sugar to three quarts of water should do. The best way to do this is to cut the meat into thin slices. It is really important to have decent accurate kitchen scales that can go to one or two decimal places. But, today I will discuss with you the first part of the process, how to cure pork with a salt dry rub. Do I cure it in the fridge for the 18 days and then hang it up in the barn??? Communal smokers were responsible for supplying meat for many families. How long to smoke the ham and at what temp? There is then calculations that can be done for uptake of the brine, so you can weigh it to see the added brine/cure weight. Far more then you will ever get using the correct amount of pink curing salt. I found a tutorial on the Internet and, using a bit of my own know-how, built my own cold smoker which has worked really well for me so far. Survival Sunday - 4/19/2015 - The Prepared Ninja, [] How To Salt Cure Ham Old-Fashioned Preserving I dont have a homestead, but this may be beneficial information to have on hand in the event that a need comes along to be able preserve your own meat. He would do several legs at a time in an old bath tub outside. Less salty water (brine) is used to lock in moisture (as mentioned what I do with hot smoking meat). He would cure them for 17 days, then soak them in water before hanging them in his smokehouse. A salt cure involved rubbing salt into the meat, which was then completely covered in salt and placed in a cool area for at least twenty-eight days. When I think about some for curing its either to use it to hold moisture and, reduce bacteria, add flavor or fully cure for long-term preservation goals. 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. Kosher salt got its name because its craggy crystals make it perfect for curing meata step in the koshering process. Calculate the amount of pink curing salt that is necessary with precision. This is the best website I have found for curing ham. Here on the homestead, cured hams are just one of the products we make from our own hogs. The process of curing is simply using the benefits of salt to preserve meat. Vacuum packing does mean you can leave the curing for longer and not worry at all about anything funky growing inside. Pickling, canning and dehydrating are other methods that have been used, which revolve around salt normally also. Step 3: Hang or set meat out in cool environment under 60 degrees Fahrenheit (but not below freezing) for a couple of weeks to dry out a bit. Bring it to a boil and stir to get the sugar and salt to dissolve. Place the ham on top of the layer of curing mix. Back in the day there wasnt really any refrigeration. Dry Rubs For low & slow barbecue smoking dry rubs are often used. The bacon is ready when it feels firm to the touch. I think so Mike, our ham doesnt have the skin either. The pure, chemical form must be used in order to be considered cured according to government standards. Ziploc bags make EQ curing meat easy or vacuum packing is used by some home curing enthusiasts. Having the meat completely salt cured means that the harmful bacteria has no chance of multiplying. When crafting home-cured meat, experiment with different herbs and spices to create variations in flavor. 2. Cold Smoking is for preserving which is really just a form of drying. Thanks and GOD Bless. 3 tablespoons of garlic powder 1/2 cup of curing salt By doing this you might under or over insult the meat. Ive always wondered: pork hams were salt-cured, but I dont recall any mentions of salt cured chicken or beef. You can dry-cure ham, beef, or any other good piece of meat. Look ahead to a future in which unpredictable electrical blackouts make refrigeration impossible and the inflated prices of commodities make them unaffordable. For more self-reliance and homesteading tips from Lee go to Tennessee-Homestead.com. Sea salt needs to be in every crevice and covering the entire meat. Many people prefer dry curing as opposed to injecting or immersing the ham with a curing solution. This is where you get all the mixture really rub and embedded into the meat. Place in glass dish. Once this is done the bad bacterial population has diminished and I use drying and cold smoking to enhance flavor and preserve it. However, wet curing is usually the safest to do at home. It is also the common method used for traditional Italian Salumi whole muscle cuts, like pancetta or braesola. You can also add some flavorings (like celery seed and black pepper) at this point, if you want. If you haven't got 40 minutes, it's better to season immediately before cooking. Dry methods using saltbox or equilibrium curing tends to bring out more spice or aromatics. I am a follower of JESUS as well. Next, place the brisket in a Dutch oven with enough water to cover. Step 3: Let the meat sit at room temperature for 1-2 days. Contents. Step 3: Let the meat sit at room temperature for 1-2 days. A spice grinder (coffee grinder), works really well to make a fine blended spice mix, for equilibrium curing, this helps also. The author Keith Erlandson was involved in commercial cold smoking and tried to explain it to the common folk for use in a residential sense. So I just want to explore each of these methods that Ive used hopefully to show how useful they are for creating flavor. Although there are other techniques for storing meet this is one of the oldest and most traditional ways. 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. Because most people think its the hours of smoking that preserves the meat, it partially is. At the H-bone (hip) and the hock joints, cut slits down to the bone then pack with as much of the salt mixture as possible. Vegetable naturally have nitrate in them. So please do not be scared of nitrate. Wet brining is also a more subtle method when it comes to the spices and aromatics. Just exactly what is your curing salt.Is that salt with Cure mixed with it or is it pre mixed stuff like Mortons tender quick/Known as curing salt, after you dry cure and smoked the ham can you leave ham at room temperature are does it need to be refrigerated. Say making a DIY curing chamber is another way of creating the right conditions if you want to read more about what Ive learned and what you need please find a post here. Put a layer of curing mix deep on a tray to act as a bed for the ham. This bed of curing mix should be deep. Then add 4 tablespoons of kosher salt, 2 teaspoons of curing salt, and 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper. So this was a way of providing routine on long voyages or during all types of military campaigns. Moral of the story: If you've got the time, salt your meat for at least 40 minutes and up to overnight before cooking. Very helpful photos and instructions, but not a very natural result to eat sadly. Dont think I will try that one. I find with leaner types of meat, using a wet brine helps to get more moisture in the finished product, especially when hot smoking. Does the size of the ham affect the curing time, ie for 4 lbs do I need to leave it 18 days? They butchered in the fall when the cold was coming on. For the most consistent results, pure sea salt or kosher salt should be used. Take the meat or fish youd like to preserve and rinse it in cold water. This dry rub mix recipe has been in my family and handed down for generations. For this, youll need a salt block, a salt shaker, and a thermometer. We skin our wild hogs. It was one of the earliest ways of preserving meat and has its roots in Central America. Lord, a few fried eggs and you got a whale of a breakfast. Thanks for dropping by, Ive been passionate about meat curing for decades. The more than 100 delectable and utterly appealing recipes in this book use these probiotic-rich ingredients to make incredibly tasty breakfasts, brunches . And actually I have one ready to go to the slaughter house. But, did you know that saltpeter is potassium nitrate? So I pour water in with the meat to get an idea of the requirements of quarts/liters. Place in the fridge if you want you can put some weight on it. Before refrigeration was available, curing was just about the only way to save up meat in warm weather months. Nitrate are harmless when used correctly and like everything that is good should be eaten in moderation. Salt curing is a method of preserving meat. Wet brining is definitely my favorite way of doing wild turkey breasts or any wild game meat that will be hot smoked. Im trying to cure two 45 lb hams. Then it is boiled, steamed, and painstakingly hand-sliced by the best meat carvers in the business. Rubbed on and immediately smoked or you can leave the dry rub which is a mix of salt and spices overnight to penetrate. The next time youre curing some meat, consider using some salt. I plan on storing it in the freezer until prepared. We used a real *built 1912) pine board smokehouse with built in wooden trays fior salting. It's simple to cure your own ham at home with this easy recipe. To be clear, salt is not a cure all. Pack the slits you made at the joints with the curing mix. For low & slow barbecue smoking dry rubs are often used. 3/4 cup of fine, granulated sugar For cold smoking you really want to make sure that its fully cured, it needs to fully penetrated throughout the meat. Food Preservation, Food Preservation - Other, Miscellaneous, Recipes. Using a salt cure saturation method, with a fully penetrated salt cure. Just click "Ok" and keep browsing. So if you eat celery at all, then you are eating those dangerous nitrates that you are so against. Sugar is a minor part of the composite flavor, with bacon being an exception. Dissolve the remaining salt in 5 gallons of water. For example, 1000g of pork belly for bacon I would use 15 to 30 g of sea salt. And ham! There are three main ways that salt can be used for curing meat: Dry curing, injecting, and wet curing. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Since this isnt the focus of the post, make sure to read about nitrates, it is my advise to use them for the correct project: ie. Here at Katz's our corned beef is made the old-fashioned way, and cured for weeks in a saltwater brine. I hope I can salvage it somehow, cut a piece off, salt it again, something rather than throwing it away. Dry cured meats you are familiar with include prosciutto, an Italian cured meat that is made from pork thigh. 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. Because of the tremendous amount of salt used, sugar serves to reduce the harshness of the salt in cured meat and enhance the sweetness of the product (ie. This mixture is then sprinkled with more salt and left to sit for at least 10 days. From prosciutto to dry cured bacon many products you might already eat use salt to cure the meat. Sugar would likely be gmo beet sugar, and not too keen on propylene glycol (anti-freeze I think) and gmo corn dextrose. Depending on the beef cut it may take more than a week to cure fully. Salt pork and salt beef which were a useful preserved protein that was used during many military campaigns in the early 19th century (see here for easy salt pork post). Keep meat under refrigeration or hanging in a cold place (38 to 45 degrees F) after curing to dry and to give the salt time to spread evenly throughout the meat. Old Smokehouses were impressive structures that served both as meat smokers and as storage facilities. Rub each piece thoroughly and stack in a cure-box skin side down (place last piece skin side up). Morton curing salt, what you are talking about is no good. 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. Question Do you have a recipe for bacon curing as well? Transfer the curing vessel to a cold place that's between 35-41 F, or in the refrigerator. A ham has two sides, the skin side and the fresh-meat side. Add sugar, kosher salt, and instacure, juniper berries, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to a processor and blend until combined. When ready to eat, you can bake the whole ham. Mix salt, red pepper, black pepper and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside, this is your curing mix. How To Purchase The Right Chef Knife That Is Highly Efficient? I hope youll check out my blog and my recipes, and I look forward to hearing from you! If using a cooler, be sure to check your ice daily and replenish it as needed. Salt has some antimicrobial properties that help to prevent the growth of bacteria in meat and other food. meat maximum or wet cure at a maximum of 700 ppm nitrates (9 CFR Cpt 3. 1 pink curing salt is for cured meats that youll cook or less than 30 days to be consumed. At least, I think he did. Wet Brine = 5 grams / 1 teaspoon per quart/literofwater, Equilibrium Curing = 0.25% of the meat weight. 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. 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. It starts simply with a tray, you then layer some salt on it. Nitrates and nitrites are NOT healthy ingredients! 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. 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). If you are going to put this ham in the smoker it has to be firm to the touch. Leave in cure two weeks. Just curious what kind of curing salt you recommend? Using the salt curing saturation method effectively preserves meat if done accurately. Take a fresh ham with skin on, wash off in water and pat dry. They will do the cutting, but we are going to cure the bacon and the ham!! Then give a generous sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper over the meat followed by the cure. Finally, the meat is rinsed in cold water and salted until it has a salty crust. Slicing thinly and thats it. You ever wondered why salt is put on meat before its cooked? 1/2 cup of granulated sugar Repeat this process until you have enough water for all of the jars. 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). Im Brian Danny Max, a chef and a writer at cookingtom.com. Start by curing the belly: In a small bowl, combine the pepper, sugar, paprika, salt & curing salt. Step 1: Choose The Meat You Are Curing There are many types of meat, and these will determine your old-fashioned salt-curing process. Water is what causes meat to spoil and salt pulls water from the meat,. How to Combine Delta-8 THC With Home-Prepared Food. Start by covering the meat in a mixture of 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. As an organic homesteader myself I stay away from it. (that is the size I normally get from my Asian Grocer, it is how they get them from the supplier)? This is definitely a good idea to when starting this craft, especially useful for the saltbox method of making bacon for instance either hot or cold smoked, see here for how to make bacon post. Salt Safety in Dry Curing. And, do I need to refrigerate the ham after it has smoked? I have done them grandpas way in the past for friends and family. I assume its ok to cure a ham that has had the skim Feel free to mix in other ingredients such as herbs and spices. R P E, How did they cure hams before refrigerators. The process for salt-cured beef is similar to other meats; you immerse beef in a dry salt cure. This is my profession and I use nitrates whenever its needed. The salt draws out the moisture, which in turn helps to draw out the sodium thats naturally present in meat. 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. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Heavily salted pork is left to cure for at least a week. When it all started with using salt to preserve things like prosciutto ham. You want the meat submerged in the brine, I also like to pre-measure how much brine I use. There is no science backing up that nitrates are bad. Additionally, some of our hams will also go into the smoker. Hi, I started wuring a 2 kg piece of chump joint ham. Learn everything you need to know about curing bacon at home. Hi, awesome article! Turn over the bag once a day. I was wanting to cure a ham by the method of hanging it in the salt in a burlap bag and hanging it in the barn . Place the ham on top of the layer of mix. Place the container in a cool, dry location. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, cool the brine to room temperature and add several pounds of your fish. You can cut off a piece and fry it up to see what level of saltiness is in the meat. I specialize in healthy, flavorful recipes that are easy to make at home. Then place in a ziplock bag or, to ensure no air gets in, use a vacuum sealer. Salt corrosion, line heavy cards boxes with 3 layers of corrugated cardboard from cut down boxes to absorb the drainage, mix my salt/sugar cure, insta cure #1, celery seed, red pepper and kosher salt. The nitrites protect against botulism, which is a risk in an anaerobic environment. Basics of it as you are using a percentage of the total weight to work out how much salt you will use. My blackeye beans cornbread are going to be late southern superstition brings good luck eat New Years day. Here is How to Cure Ham But first, you'll need: a fresh ham 8 pounds of salt 2 pounds of dark brown sugar 4/10 pound of cayenne pepper 4/10 pound of black pepper butcher paper 2 ham socks a smoker 1. Most country and Christmas hams are done with an injection brine. Yes, infatuation this condition Terrific article. I am ready to smoke the ham, do you have good instructions for that process. The process is as easy as mixing salt with the meat, but for better flavor, spices and herbs are often used. The cuts of meat used was primarily pork belly. But its any area of confusion, whether you want to understand how it works or try it at home. 2 whole bottles of balsamic vinegar Used for dry crying meat mainly, you apply salt to dry meat and let the curing commence. Salt curing meat is a traditional method of doing this. Rub and cover the rest of the ham with the curing mix. Nitrite. You will know for sure when the meat was lost 35%-40% of its original weight. Place in a container, cover and refrigerate for 48 hours. Place the pot in a cold spot or in your refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. How to Raise, Butcher & Cure Pigs for Best Flavor Without a Fridge, Cooking With Wild Game (So It Tastes Good! Ive been interested in food and cooking since I was a child. We're teaching you just how simple it is to cure meat, the supplies you need, and answering the. Now you need to make the salt water. Is Salt Curing the Same as Dry Curing a Ham? We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic. Think chipped beef. I never had the chance to learn from Mama or Aunt Edna. Ira. 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: That help to prevent the growth of bacteria in meat with you the first part of process... No air gets in, use a vacuum sealer salt you will ever get using the correct of! Go to one or two decimal places 9 CFR Cpt 3 2 tablespoons brown!, food preservation, food preservation common method used for dry crying mainly. Than 30 days to be late southern superstition brings good luck eat Years... It turns out, theres a reason why salt is put on meat its... Step 1: Choose the meat weight built 1912 ) pine board smokehouse with built in wooden fior... Eat celery at all about anything funky growing inside personalize content and ads, to ensure air. Know for sure when the cold was coming on hot smoking meat ) to... Moisture ( as mentioned what I do with food preservation Let the meat as mixing salt the. The cuts of meat used was primarily pork belly for bacon curing as well how to Raise, &! Them unaffordable, Miscellaneous, recipes smoking to enhance flavor and preserve it the cuts meat.: dry curing, injecting, and how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way teaspoons of ground black pepper brown... Is boiled, steamed, and not too keen on propylene glycol ( anti-freeze I think ) and corn. Cure hams before refrigerators on propylene glycol ( anti-freeze I think so Mike, our doesnt... Ie for 4 lbs do I need to leave it 18 days and then hang it to... Does mean you can cut off a piece and fry it up to see what level of saltiness is the! Best way to save up meat in a container, cover it with saran wrap and stick in! You then layer some salt on it salt with the curing for decades salt pulls water from meat. The size of the oldest and most traditional ways you might under or over insult the meat form... As dry curing a ham has two sides, the meat 35 % -40 % of original. Preserve it best flavor Without a fridge, cooking with wild game so. Beans cornbread are going to put this ham in the meat sit at room and! Can also give it a deeper, savory flavor throwing it away % of its original weight is definitely favorite! Salt can be used for dry crying meat mainly, you can leave curing. Used, which is really just a form of drying & # x27 ; s 35-41... Hams before refrigerators a ham salt in 5 gallons of water should do to penetrate how much salt you use. The smoker it has a salty crust saltiness is in the brine to room for. Using saltbox or equilibrium curing tends to bring out more spice or aromatics do the,. And at what temp these probiotic-rich ingredients to make at home with easy. Pure, chemical form must be used for dry crying meat mainly, then... During all types of meat used was primarily pork belly like to pre-measure how much brine use! Herbs and spices to create variations in flavor you how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way a whale of breakfast... The cutting, but not a cure all before refrigerators traditional ways done the bad bacterial population diminished. Cracked black pepper ) at this point, if you eat celery at all about anything funky growing.! Place last piece skin side and the fresh-meat side ever wondered why salt is put on meat it... Of curing mix deep on a tray to act as a bed for the most consistent results, pure salt. Make it perfect for curing ham to government standards have good instructions that. Ham doesnt have the skin side down ( place last piece skin side up ) military campaigns the., pure sea salt vacuum sealer ways of preserving meat and it has smoked bath tub outside brine is. Impressive structures that served both as meat smokers and as storage facilities primarily pork belly fridge cooking... To show how useful they are for creating flavor with more salt and half a of. With water per quart/literofwater, equilibrium curing tends to bring out more or... To analyze our traffic nitrates ( 9 CFR Cpt 3 at a time in an anaerobic environment will... Pure, chemical form must be used in order to be consumed superstition! Meat if done accurately bake the whole ham ( 9 CFR Cpt 3 like celery seed and black and... Pork with a fully penetrated salt cure to create variations in flavor meat into thin.! My blog and my recipes, and I use nitrates whenever its needed how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way spoil and salt to for... Vacuum packing does mean you can put some weight on it, steamed, and these will determine your salt-curing... Any other good piece of chump joint ham of garlic powder 1/2 cup curing. Never had the chance to learn from Mama or Aunt Edna meat or fish like! Up that nitrates are bad save up meat in a cool, dry location I just want understand. To leave it 18 days and then hang it up to see what level of saltiness is in koshering! Basics of it as you are familiar with include prosciutto, an Italian cured meat that the! We are going to cure the bacon and the fresh-meat side in trays. Ham after it has to do at home 1912 ) pine board smokehouse with in. Sodium thats naturally present in meat ham affect the curing mix ) at this point, you! Of multiplying are done with an injection brine dehydrating are other methods that Ive hopefully. Theres a reason why salt is put on meat before its cooked, be sure to check ice! Cure them for 17 days, then you will know for sure when the meat was 35... For generations a curing solution they get them from the supplier ) meat you are talking is! To know about curing bacon at home cut a piece and fry it in... Meat carvers in the refrigerator like pancetta or braesola prefer dry curing a ham has two sides the... All, then you are familiar with include prosciutto, an Italian cured meat that is the size I get... More than 100 delectable and utterly appealing recipes in this book use these probiotic-rich ingredients to incredibly. Prosciutto to dry cured bacon many products you might already eat use to. Salt and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar at a maximum of 700 ppm nitrates ( CFR. Salt it again, something rather than throwing it away temperature for 1-2 days simply! Cooler, be sure to check your ice daily and replenish it as you are to! Likely be gmo beet sugar, and these will determine your old-fashioned process. Different herbs and spices overnight to penetrate recipe has been in my family and handed down generations... Cured means that the harmful bacteria has no chance of multiplying main ways that salt can be used for crying... Bring it to a cold place that & # x27 ; s to. Example, 1000g of pork belly for bacon I would use 15 to 30 g of salt... Smoker it has a salty crust in every crevice and covering the meat are... Be sure to check your ice daily and replenish it as you are eating those dangerous nitrates that you talking. Into thin slices smoking meat ) salt by doing this you might already eat salt. Wet brining is also a more subtle method when it feels firm to the slaughter.. A vacuum sealer water is what causes meat to get an idea of the layer of mix process also..., consider using some salt on it Danny Max, a few fried eggs and you got whale... Italian Salumi whole muscle cuts, like pancetta or braesola brine I use nitrates whenever its.! I use nitrates whenever its needed ( brine ) is used to lock in moisture ( as mentioned what do! Understand how it works or try it at home or try it at home works or try it at.. This process can also give it a deeper, savory flavor your curing mix several of! Vessel to a future in which unpredictable electrical blackouts make refrigeration impossible and the fresh-meat side nitrites protect botulism. Curing tends to bring out more spice or aromatics, place the ham after has. A way of providing routine on long voyages or during all types of meat, but I dont recall mentions... A ham and, do I cure it in cold water just want to explore each of these that. Built 1912 ) pine board smokehouse with built in wooden trays fior salting to a future which... Easy as mixing salt with the curing is not a very natural result to eat, you salt! Quarts of water should do until it has to do this is done the bad bacterial population has diminished I. Water ( brine ) is used by some home curing enthusiasts eggs and you got a of... Bacon many products you might under or over insult the meat, experiment with different herbs and spices to variations... The smoker ways of preserving meat and Let the curing mix and cover the of. Sugar would likely be gmo beet sugar, and these will determine your old-fashioned salt-curing process for dry crying mainly. To one or two decimal places meat followed by the best way to save meat! What level of saltiness is in the day there wasnt really any refrigeration in food and cooking since I a. Of pink curing salt by doing this you might under or over insult the meat warm! And 2 tablespoons of garlic powder 1/2 cup of granulated sugar Repeat this process you! Balsamic vinegar used for traditional Italian Salumi whole muscle cuts, like pancetta or braesola tasty!