How to Cure Meat

Curing with salt brings out the extra flavor in meat, and it keeps the food edible for longer periods. You also can cure meat by smoking and air drying until it is ready to be cooked.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• A rack of meat
• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• Black pepper
• Chilli flakes and ground red pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs such as thyme and rosemary
• Zest of lemon

1. Wash the piece of meat thoroughly under running water and pat it dry with a clean cloth. Place the meat in a strainer to remove any water droplets.
2. Put the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. This serves as a preservative for the meat. Poke the meat several times with a sharp knife and rub the mixture all over.
3. Use a brine solution, which is a mixture of water and salt, as an alternative. The brine solution needs to be a ratio of 1 pound of salt to 3 quarts of water. Put the poked meat in the solution and let it soak.
4. Inject preservatives (the brine solution) in the meat if you are short on time and want quick results.
5. Cover the meat and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours or up to 2 weeks.

Tips & Warnings

• Always keep the meat in a cold place. Any humidity causes it to leave odors.
• Use fresh ingredients for a better flavor.
• For traditional curing, avoid the brine method.
• Persons suffering from high blood pressure should use low quantities of salt when curing the meat.