Curing and smoking meat and fish

Curing, the first step in the smoking process, is essential for good flavour. These basic guidelines will get you started on curing and smoking your own meat and fish.

Meat was once either preserved in brine strong enough to float a raw potato, or it was rubbed with dry salt. The meat kept well but had to be soaked in cold water to desalt it before eating. Modern refrigeration has allowed commercial manufacturers to use mild, sweet cures with the accent on flavour rather than long-term preservation.

Primitive tribes in the cool climate of Northern Europe are believed to have discovered the benefits of smoking meat over their campfires. Modern methods of hot smoking require temperatures of at least 85°C (185°F) in the smoke chamber. The meat cooks as it smokes (the process is used for curing hams) and must be removed from the chamber after a relatively short time to prevent dehydration. The purpose of hot smoking is to add flavour; the meat does not keep significantly better than other cooked meat. Food processed by hot smoking must be refrigerated and eaten within five days.

Home-smoking units for treating small fish and fish fillets are sold by fishing tackle suppliers. You can also purchase kettle-type barbecues that burn wood chips for smoke flavouring, not preserving.

Salt, the major ingredient in curing meat and fish, retards food spoilage by drawing out water while also slowing the growth of decay-causing micro-organisms. Meat cured with salt alone stores well but becomes tough and dry. Adding sugar or honey imparts flavour and keeps the meat moist and tender. Be cautious when adding herbs and spices to the curing mix as some combinations are unsatisfactory. Garlic and pepper, for example, can overpower the flavour of a cure.

• There are two curing methods: brine curing and dry curing (salting). For safety reasons, dry curing should take place under refrigeration and is not described here.
• Brine curing with pickling salt gives more consistent results and a milder flavour. Meat may be pumped or injected with brine and then soaked, or simply soaked.
• Brine is a mixture of water, salt and nitrite ingredients that may be obtained from most retail meat suppliers who cure their own corned beef. Nitrites are usually sold as a blended cure mix under various trade names.
• To use them, simply follow the manufacturer's instructions. Do not use iodized table salt as the iodine can discolour meat and fish.

1. Dissolve the curing mix in pure water.
2. Use a salinometer to test the strength of the brine, which should be between 35 degrees and 40 degrees of salinity.
3. Boil questionable water first to kill bacteria and then cover it and let it cool.
4. Lay larger pieces of meat or fish skin-side down on the bottom of a watertight, non-metal container, made of heavy-duty plastic or stoneware. Pack smaller pieces on top.
5. Fill the container with brine until the pieces start to shift.To keep the meat or fish completely submerged, cover with a weighted plate or similar object, ensuring no air pockets are trapped anywhere in the container.
6. Maintain the contents at 2°C to 5°C (36°F to 41°F), and allow three to four days soaking per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of produce.
7. When soaking is complete, remove the meat, spoon off any scum, stir the brine and repack the crock.
8. This is a once-only procedure for most cuts of meat, but with large pieces (a whole ham, for example), repeat once a week until the cure is complete.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!