Dried meat v2

: food, December 15 2024 ▶

Improved, refined and more precise version, without any shenanigans.
The meat:
- Any pork as long as you can cut it on ~25x10x5cm (plus/minus) clean slabs - no membranes, veins, threads.

For curing (per kilogram meat):
- 13g regular salt
- 13g curing salt
- 2g sugar
- 3-4 crushed juniper berries
- 2g fenugreek
- 1g cumin
- 1g black pepper
- 1g saltpeter (potassium nitrate, E252, optional)
- starter culture (optional, the package should contain info on the dosage, usually 0.5g/kg meat)

Rub the spices, let it rest for 8 days in a bag in the fridge.
Every 2 days "massage" the meat.
At the end rinse and pat-dry.
Then press it down for 24 hours.

For drying:
- 4g savory (grind it first to fine powder)
- 4g sweet paprika
- 2g fenugreek
- 2g garlic powder
- 2g cayenne pepper

Rub the spices and hang the meat with a thread in a ventilated area.
On 1-2 pieces put a note to show the date and the weight so you have a reference point.
When it loses ~50% weight, it is ready.
Mine got that after 3 weeks at 10-15C, 60% humidity.
The optimal conditions should be 13C, 75% humidity.