Salt pork is a cured meat that is simple to produce; it can be done in as simple as two ingredients.
I’ve studied the history of salt pork and made it at home. The saturated salt preservation method was used extensively before refrigeration, and I believe it is a helpful skill to have, and the process brings a deeper understanding of cured meats.
Salt holds water activity (movement of bacteria, etc) in the meat; it’s one key aspect of the preservation effect. The other is diffusion, which is the salt removing moisture from inside the meat.
Since this website is all about meat curing, these are two aspects I’ve written extensively on.
Here is a simple recipe about salt pork, how to make it at home I use, first how to use it, and why.
Why Make Salt Pork?
It’s a cured and preserved meat that will last many months once finished; it’s terrific to have a staple beef that can be used as an oil replacement or to add richness to many dishes (more on later).
It’s a great introduction to meat curing as well.
As opposed to more expensive cured meats like Italian pancetta (I slightly more refined cured meat), salt pork can be an excellent alternative to have in stock at home.
Key Ingredients
Sea salt, pure without additives, is what I prefer. Any table salt that has an anti-caking agent or has been iodized may change the outcome of the salt-curing process.
Pink curing salt no. 2 is another ingredient some might want to use; here is an article I wrote explaining it in detail.
Substitutes
Regarding the meat substitution instead of pork belly, pork shoulder would be another alternative. It doesn’t depend more on how fat the pig is. However, pork hind legs wouldn’t be significant since the meat is often separate from the fat cap around the outside.
How to Make Salt Pork
- Acquire pork belly, chop or keep whole muscle (fat is essential)
- Cover salt pork completely with sea salt & brown sugar (ratio 5:1)
- Leave in the salt cure
- For larger pork pieces, drain and repeat steps 2 & 3
- Rinse pork & dry it for several months in a protected cool area
- Store wrapped in fridge or cool area
- Soak or simmer in water before use
Step by Step
1. Acquire Fatty Pork Muscle, Chop or Keep Whole
You have a couple of options: keep the belly whole or cut it into 1-2 inch chunks. If you chop it up, the curing will happen faster because more surface area is exposed to the salt.
Keeping the pork belly whole means storing it, which makes it a little easier.
2. Cover Pork Completely with Sea Salt & Sugar (Optional)
Lay down some of your cure mixture on a tray, and put the pork on top. Then, put more of the cure mixture on top. I like to use a pretty decent thick layer.
Or you can measure the salt to the weight of the meat and put it into a bag, more on this later (equilibrium curing, less use of salt).
There are many options to give the pork some flavor angles; these are some of the most common ones I like to throw in.
Optional Spices I like to use
- Bay leaves – fresh or dry
- Thyme
- Garlic
- Pepper
3. Leave in Salt Cure
For every 1/2 pound of meat, 2-3 days in salt cure. Place in a cool area or fridge.
But if you’re looking for something to store for 6 to 12 months, then you should use step 4 below and re-salt the pork. After draining out the liquid you can reapply another round of salt (if not using the equilibrium salt bag method).
4. For larger Pork Bellies, Drain and Repeat Steps 2 & 3
Sometimes, depending on how old the pig is (and how fat it was), you get 3-inch or thicker pork bellies, so you can repeat the process to ensure that you have fully cured it so it’s preserved.
5. Rinse Pork & Dry
After the curing process, I give the pork a good rinse under the tap, and then use a few paper towels to pat off the excess.
Muslin cloth is suitable for wrapping the salt pork a few times to retain moisture.
The drying needs to occur in a suitable environment, cool under 50°F /10°C is what I prefer.
A fridge can be used for smaller pork muscles, say under 500 grams or 1/2 pound. Since most modern frost-free fridges run at a very low humidity. Therefore, drying out will occur a lot faster on the surface.
It will dry out more in time once you put it in the fridge, but I find that’s all good.
6. Store Wrapped in a Fridge or Cool Area
If it’s winter, you can hang it somewhere on a hook, but I like to use a fridge since I have one. I generally cook the salt pork for a few months and eat it in a few months by cutting off chunks as needed.
7. To Use Soak or Simmer in Water Before Use
Generally, I only need 30-60 minutes soaking in water for the amount of pork I will cook with.
When cutting a chunk of salt pork to use, testing with a bit of a fry-up helps work
Another method I have heard is similar, where you blanch the pork you want to cook with for 5 minutes, which also extracts a lot of the salt.
Salt Pork
Salt pork is all about full saturation of salt to preserving aspects through the process of binding and diffusion.
Once cured and dried is can last for many months. It will provide a richness to
Lardo can be used as part of a antipasti or as a base for cooking. You can render the lardo to create a rich base for anything.
Using fatty pork meat from a well-fed, older animal ideally because the fat in the pork has less water so it won't shrink as much when dried out..
Ingredients
- 1000 g Quality Pork Back Fat
- 100 g Salt (10% of meat weight)
- 2.5 g – optional – see notes – Pink Curing Salt No. 2 (Prague Powder #2, Instacure #2, many other names – To be used for over 30 days meat curing projects (0.25% of meat weight) Optional See Notes
Instructions
Curing Steps
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Remove the skin if Pork Belly/Shoulder has skin on.
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Weigh the meat, record weight.
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Calculate or use the Recipe Above to Auto-calculate the Salt and Spices
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Apply the Cure: Coat the meat with the curing mixture, ensuring all surfaces are covered, including crevices in the meat. You can do this inside the bag or container.
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Close bag and remove air if measuring out the salt to the weight of the meat. Or, layer salt generously above and below the meat in a container (for this container method, you may wish to tip out the liquid every 5-7 days.
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Leave in the salt cure for approximately a week per 500 grams or pound of meat. Leavin in the cure longer rather then short is advisable. If placing in container with liberal amounts of salt, similar time span can be used
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Remove from salt cure and hang in a cool approximately 50°F or 10°C, less temperature to fridgeration leve fine.
An alternative drying is ina regular kithcen fridge on a non-reactive wire rack (cheap chrome coatings on rack can reactive or some form of galvanic reaction).
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After 1-2 months the meat should be very firm and hard – it's drying and preserving is complete
Recipe Notes
Please note that the craft of making meat curing is beyond a recipe. This is not a cooked product. It takes a reasonable amount of knowledge to safely. I’ve tried to be comprehensive. However, you are responsible for yourself, not me.
My advice is that if you have doubts about smell or visual cues, it’s not worth eating.
- If you want to try dry curing at home and don’t have a hanging area. This can all be done at a regular fridge temperature, especially this recipe.
- Pink Curing salt is an optional ingredient – please carefully read this other article I’ve written about this.
Expert Tips
Covering with a liberal amount of salt and rubbing the salt in is the key to salt pork since the goal is complete preservation.
The salt has to work its way to the center of the meat; an extra few days or a week in the salt cure is a lot better than not enough time. Rushing meat curing is never a good idea.
Variations
Adding your favorite soft or hard-dried spices is a great idea. Many herbs carry beneficial properties for health or preservation. Peppercorns carry an anti-microbial function, which is why it’s part of many cured meat recipes I’ve encountered.
Ideas for Using and Serving
I’ve written extensively on ways to use salt pork from a meta-view- for any frying; you can use the pork fat rendered from the salt pork as a base.
Or stews, soups, and liquid broth, where salt pork can add a rich layer.
In this list, you’ll find a large list of salt pork ideas/recipes.
FAQ’s
How Long Does Salt Pork Take to Make?
Four weeks to 2 months, depending on the size of the fatty salt meat used.
Do I Need Any Special Equipment to Make Salt Pork
A container for the salt curing phase and a cool area approximately 5-10°C/40-50° for the curing and potentially drying stage. A protected area under about 20°C/68°F for the drying part of the process.
How Long Does Salt Pork Last?
If appropriately dried at home, it can last 6 months, up to a few years, in a dark, cool area once fully preserved—the main reason it was used in ship voyages to discover the world.
What Should I Do with the Liquid Extracted from the Pork Cure?
You can dispose of the liquid the salt has removed from the pork.
Storing and Shelf Life
Several months in the fridge for homemade salt pork, potentially years if kept in the dark in a cold environment. In the long ship voyages, the cured pork was also layered into more salt in barrels.
Other Cured Meats to Explore
If you’re interested in other cured meats, the entire website is dedicated to it.
Here is an introduction page of guides about the more refined aspects of dry-curing meats.
Tom Mueller
For decades, immersed in studying, working, learning, and teaching the craft of meat curing, sharing the passion and showcasing the world of charcuterie and smoked meat. Read More