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Drying Meat and How it Preserves It

Drying meat is one form of preservation, but there are others I’ll go through in this article. Most commonly, drying in some Asian countries is still the main method of preserving meat. In most Western countries, freezers are the main way of preserving meat. Meat Drying and Preservation To preserve meat, it is all about drying it in various ways. …

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Making Authentic Mortadella at Home

Mortadella can be made at home with certain equipment; it’s quite an involved type of cooked sausage, and we’ve found it took longer than sausages or salamis in general. I definitely thought it was worth it, though! The essence of the mortadella is a delicate spiced aroma, quality meat that is emulsified without over mixing and low temperature baked, sous …

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Everything You Need to Know About Cured Meats

Cured meats actually come in many different formats and types, it can be hard to categorize some types of cured meats because of this. This article covers some of the nuances and confusion, that are commonly asked around this website, which is focused on cured meats. From my teaching, experiences, and practice across all aspects of the art and craft …

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Full Detailed Review of INKBIRD ITC-308 Temperature Controller

For the important aspects of temperature control, I’ve been ‘reviewing’ the INKBIRD ITC-308 for many years now and using it to get a target temperature range. I’ve used this for charcuterie, dry cured meats and many other temperature controlled environment projects at home which I’ll talk about. For about 20 years I’ve had many hobbies (food and alcohol based) that …

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Best Woods for Smoking Cured Meats

I’ve used about 15 different kinds of wood to smoke-cured meats. Often, I’ve found it easier to categorize wood used for smoking into light, medium, and strong flavors. The best woods for smoking cured meats are often the woods you’ll find locally in abundance and sustainable. Local, Non-resin-filled, deciduous wood is often the best wood for smoking cured meats. This …

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When Curing Meat

Over the first 10 years I was curing meat, I made many mistakes. This had a lot to do with the lack of information, and I just hadn’t read the textbooks that are available nowadays, the internet was quite young at the time in the early 2000’s! Over the second 10 years, I practiced and learned meat curing at home …

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Frequently Asked Questions About Meat Curing

There are a lot of questions that are frequently asked about meat curing that I have to answer from this site. So I thought I would put all of these common FAQs in one article. I love to cure meat and have been doing so for many many years, I’ve been to places in Italy or America specifically just to …

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How to Store Cured Meat: Tips and Tricks

The way you store cured meats does depend a lot on what style of cured meats you have. I’ve got a true passion for cured meats of all kinds, and that’s why I started this website. I buy and make my own types of cured meats of every style you can imagine across the globe. I thought it would be …

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Is Cured Meat Raw? Why Does it Look Raw

It gets a little bit confusing with the cured meats and raw meats since the definition of cured meats does have a lot of variations across the globe. I’ve been lucky enough to have tasted and experienced, as well as made, many of the variations of cured meats in the traditional and modern context. I will try to give a …

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Cured Meat vs Uncured Meat – Differences

Recently, I delved deeper into the realm of cured and uncured meats, and to my surprise, I discovered that the distinction between the two isn’t solely about the curing process itself. Rather, it lies in the packaging legislative aspects that govern the use of certain additives. Let’s explore this intriguing aspect further. What is the difference between uncured and cured …

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Can you Cure Meat with Just Smoke?

Curing and Smoking is often seen as a similar or the same process and are often related or depending on the recipe. However, the question is – is smoking meat a type of curing? Let’s get into this in detail! I have cured all different types of meat whether it’s red meat or different types of fish. For some things …

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Interesting & Unique Salami to Buy in America I’ve Found

I have seen and tried many salami styles from Italy and Spain, reproduced in America and worldwide – common variations such as Picante, Feline, Pepperoni, Genoa, and Italian styles of dry-cured meats. Undoubtedly, they are good, and some are great; however, they are still mimicking mainland Europe. For thousands of years, they have been loved across Europe -often using traditions …

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Preserving Meat: The Cheapest and Most Economical Methods

The cheapest and most economic way of meat preserving is thinly sliced meat and using the sun or campfire to dry the meat. Salt should ideally be used to create another layer of protection for the meat during drying. I have been preserving meat over many years. Here I want to highlight tips for economic methods to help you from …

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Ways to Preserve Meat (2 Easiest Ways)

The easiest ways to preserve meat are using the simplest methods and procedures, this is where I will focus this article. There are many ways you can preserve meat (like canning, dry curing, etc.), however, the easiest ways tend to need the least effort and resources. I’ve often got excess farmed or wild meat, so I’ve explored all the ways …

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Ways of Preserving Meat at Home – Overview

The ways you can preserve meat at home are varied, I’ve found there are some overlaps in the techniques, and since you can’t always rely on the freezer. Some of these other methods of preserving meat at home could help create an entirely new passion, well that’s what I’m hoping for. It definitely started me on the journey. I’ve done …

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How is Cured Meat Made?

Cured meat can be made in many different ways, this article will go into quite a bit of detail about how cured meat is made, the different ways also the types of cured meats get produced. I’ve produced every type and style of cured meats possible using salt, smoke, and acidity either in combination or individually. You’ll likely be surprised …

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Excellent Worthy Thin Cut Fine Meats for a Charcuterie Board

Choosing the finest dry-cured charcuterie meat – in the Western world there are many options available. I have a deep appreciation for the traditionally made long-term production of these dry-cured meats since I also make them myself. Of course, there is a huge variation in what is available. I want to be as useful as possible and help you select …

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What Charcuterie Meats are Pork? (If You’re Not into Pork)

Charcuterie meat comes in many different varieties, it’s a broad category and has various interpretations. Generally speaking charcuterie meats are the dry cured type of meats like prosciutto, however there are other types and pork is one of the meats that is used. For most of the Italian and French styles of charcuterie, pork is a very important meat in …

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The Joys of Meat Curing & Crafting Charcuterie at Home

I wanted to showcase what it’s like making cured meats and charcuterie at home for someone unfamiliar with this topic. I’ve been doing it for over 20 years. Whilst also writing about it for many years online. It all began, when I was lucky enough to obtain high-quality wild meat, and seeking ways to celebrate and honor the animal that …

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What Alcohol Goes with Charcuterie Meat? (Beer, Wine, Spirits)

Many different combinations of alcohol can work with charcuterie and dry-cured meats. I’ve tried alot of combinations and wanted to share some insights I’ve had to match the dry-cured or charcuterie meat. Since charcuterie, salumi, antipasti, or dry cured meats has thousands of variations and types, I’ve grouped the charcuterie together to be a little more helpful. You’ll find a …