Q&A for How to Cure Meat

I would say pork due to its high fat content. The process is relatively straightforward, involving various brining blends primarily composed of salt and some nitrate blends. However, the intricacies of the curing process, which is based on the weight of the meat, require careful attention. Working alongside someone experienced in this practice is recommended to ensure the correct application of salts and nitrates, as any errors can lead to the development of mold or rancidity. While detecting spoilage in whole pieces of meat, such as a pig leg used for prosciutto, is relatively straightforward, it can be more challenging with ground meats like salamis. Therefore, curing them requires a skilled approach. Despite being an ancient practice predating refrigeration, successful curing involves a blend of art, precise recipes, and calculations to prevent any health risks.

For bison jerky, there are two methods we use: either we mince the meat and create perfectly emulsified sticks, or we slice it into very thin pieces for dehydration using a dehydrator. It's advisable to begin the dehydration process promptly since thicker cuts can be more challenging to dehydrate thoroughly, so ensuring uniformity in your cuts is essential.

Yes, But there are inherent increases in the risks of Bot and Lysteria. I have done it, and do it, and generally just use more heat in the cooking phase and/or keep things cooler, so it can be done. If you "wet cure" i.e brine/pickle under controlled refrigeration, you can get equally complex and pleasant results while avoiding the need for curing salts.

Of course it does. The liquid is the pig fat in the bacon. That "horrid" liquid is the reason bacon tastes so good.

Pink curing salt (which is not the same as the popular Himalayan sea salt crystals) is available on Amazon, or from specialty food stores.

The wood is just "graying," or weathered more, on that side of the board.

You can hunt for it, go to a butcher shop or go to your local grocery store.

A refrigerator is recommended, because at that point of the curing process, water is being drawn from the meat. If you place the meat into a freezer you will freeze the water inside of the meat and bring the curing process to a halt. This is not bad if you are just planning to take the meat out and cook it, but your meat won't be a cured meat if you do. If concern about refrigeration space is at play, you can hang the meat almost anywhere that is out of the sunlight and remains environmentally controlled for temperature, and most importantly moisture. A closet in the house, a pantry, a garage, the basement, or a spare bedroom are all options I have used personally.

The short answer is no. You can roast a ham without having cured the meat beforehand. However, there are really two reasons to choose to cure a ham before roasting; the first is to develop more complexity of flavors in the final product which occurs throughout the curing process. Secondly, curing the meat beforehand provides the ability to store the meat without it spoiling in the absence of refrigeration.

Once all the moisture is taken out of the meat in the curing process, the lack of moisture kills the microbes inside the meat that causes it to spoil. While it isn’t technically cooked, there isn’t any bacteria to make you sick, so it’s safe to eat.