There are generally 2 methods to cure meat:
- The older method (I believe) is what I would call "excess salt" curing. This basically involves applying a generous quantity of salt to the piece of meat, together with the spices, and waiting a certain amount of time for the meat to absorb the salt.
- The other method is what I (and others) call "equilibrium curing" in which a calculated quantity of salt is added to the meat, with the spices, and allowing enough time for the meat to absorb all the salt.
While both methods will work, the excess salt method involves guessing, hopefully based on experience, how long the meat should be left in this salt mixture to cure. If it's not left long enough, not enough salt is absorbed to preserve the meat, if it's left too long the end product will be salty. This "guessing" will have to vary based on the percentage of meat to fat in the product (fat absorbs salt less readily), whether the product has skin on it (skin acts as a barrier), the thickness of the product, the temperature of the fridge, and probably many more variables. I've heard people say to leave items for 1 days per kilogram of meat, but that doesn't really make sense as it doesn't account for thickness or fat content. Sounds to me like the old recipes where people were told to cook something in the oven for X number of minutes per pound. It'll work, but most likely you'll end up with overcooked/undercooked food because the variables are not accounted for! Honestly, this type of curing doesn't make much sense to me. I don't see an advantage, but I would be happy to hear from people who do this (and there are many!) to correct me.
I always cure using an equilibrium cure. I use between 2.5% and 3.5% of the meats weight in salt, rub it all over the meat, and put the meat in a sealed bag, flipping it every 3-5 days in the refrigerator to make sure the chunk is always exposed to the brine that is formed by the salt pulling out water from the muscle. After a fairly arbitrary amount of time, but one which is long enough to make sure all the salt i've applied has been absorbed, I consider the meat cured and ready to move to the next phase, into the fermentation box or curing chamber. To me this is much easier than excess salt curing. By applying a known, wanted, quantity of salt, the product will not become over-salted, ever, no matter how long it's left in the fridge. The question is really what the minimum amount of time is for the meat to absorb the salt. I don't really have a good answer, other than "leave it long enough to be SURE it's absorbed the salt". I always leave my items in the fridge curing at least 2 weeks, and for very large things like a culatello, I give it 3. That's the beauty of this system..... you can't overcure! I guess if I'm in a analogy to cooking mood, this method would be the sous vide cooking of the curing world. By cooking a product at it's final temperature, you can't overcook it, and it won't be undercooked if you leave it long enough.
I hope that sheds some light on the different methods, and why I do things the way I do.
14 comments:
Hey Jason, great post. And crucial to this moment for me. I made Ruhlman's corned beef about a week ago...err I ate it about a week ago, making hash with leftovers. So I cured it about two weeks ago.
My problem - too salty. I pulled it, rinsed it well and crockpotted it in 3 bottles of Guinness. Only issue was it was too salty. Now one thing I did wrong was leave it in the cure for a day or two longer than the book said...I assumed an equilibrium would be reached. Your post makes me think I was wrong.
So my questions are (1) I assume by following your "equilibrium method" that the proper amount of salt/flavor balance will be more likely; and (2) where do you get your quantity - 2.5% and 3.5% of the meats weight?
thanks
Scott
Never mind on the ratio question Jason - I see it is all over the web as the proper percentage. sorry for asking something I could easily find on my own
Any other comments though - feel free
Scott
Scott, 2.5-3.5% salt i believe is based on limiting bacterial growth while the product loses water and because unsuitable for bacterial growth.
I don't have ruhlman's corned beef recipe in front of me, but i assume it uses a brine. Brine/meat equilibrium can be calculated in the same way meat/salt equilibrium is calculated, but you have to include the weight of the brine water in the equation as that will "keep" some of the salt. So the equilibrium will exist between the meat and the brine.
This FDA handbook described equilibrium brining.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/7620-3.pdf
I have to agree Jason.
I have cured both ways for several years and the equilibrium method is far superior, almost foolproof unless you don't let it cure long enough.
One of the biggest problems I have with books like Ruhlman's is that the general blanket is 2#/day. Lets talk about that: If you are curing a lonzino or loma it will be wayyyy to salty, because of the thinness of the meat vs the weight--I have successfully cure lonzino packed in salt in the fridge for only 24 hours, and it was still on the salty side.
Its easy to get a 10# brisket or loin that is thin and has little fat on it, so it will soak up the cure so much faster than say a hind leg ham for prscuitto that is covered in skin and fat (they do these in Italy at 2#/day, and that works).
Another advantage of equilibrium curing is much less waste of valuable sea salt and curing spices.
I always go with the same percentages (2.5%-3.5%) sea salt that you do and it always works.
Yes some adjustment is necessary if you have an especially fatty/marbled piece, then go a little less on the salt.
Great post, and one really needed!
I am wondering whether the amount of liquid is an indicator as to whether the salt has penetrated properly.
I think the amount of water exuded is more related to the age of the pig and the quality of the meat....i haven't figured it out though.
Water emitted? Be patient because you will see some of that drawn back in. Would not suggest using that as an indicator towards anything.
After mixing up the calculated amount of salt and spices, I 've coated my coppas with the mixture only to have some left in the bowl I was using. I'm curious if anyone dumps in the excess mixture into the bag with the meat. I have with my last coppa and was hoping I did not overdo it.
Hi Jason,
what about a bone-in ham for prosciutto?
thanks,
Adriana
adriana, i have not made a bone in prosciutto.
I suspect the equilibrium cure would also work for that, but i'm not 100% sure because of its size.
Hi Jason-
I started curing recently and have done pancetta, bacon, and coppa, etc. My question is about the firmness test: I keep seeing references to the meat being firm throughout, but I know how difficult textures and firmness are to communicate... Have you heard of any more specific ways of telling when the meat is salty/firm enough? I've ended up with oversalted bacon waiting for the meat to firm up.
Obviously with equilibrium curing this isn't as much of an issue as you can wait longer before hanging without the meat becoming too salty (and I will likely be doing more equillibrium curing in the future). But I like trying to eyeball these things as it helps me to understand and learn more. I always wonder what the traditional methods were for eyeballing things when it comes to cooking and curing...
My name's Mike, by the way. Accidently hit anonymous on that last post.
You could do an equilibrium cure and see what the meat feels like at the end...but i'm not really sure how else to describe it.
Any sugar will result in a softer cured state. A cure with equal parts sugar to salt or more sugar is called a soft cure. and as for bone in joints, i have made a few prosciutto items, including a lamb leg, with the excess method. the point of it is to not allow the juices that come out to go back in. You need to drain the bag that you have wrapped the meat packed in salt in, or have it raised above a pan with drainage holes. the test for its doness is touch, but keep in mind that it takes longer to cure through connective tissues(the knee joint). The lamb prosciutto had an extra two days after it seemed done, except around the joint. once it is removed from the salt, the meat will.slowly reach internal equillibrium or an evn dispursion or salt. ive cured lonza in a similar method, as well as the french classic "noix de jambon".
Hope this helps.
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