How To Build a Curing Chamber for Dry-Cured Meat

I researched a fair bit before starting my dry-cured charcuterie meat project many years ago, it isn’t that complicated, and nowadays there are plug-and-play options too.

I want to share with you the discovery of this fascinating world of dry-cured meats.

Salumi, the classic Italian category is really only one (BIG) area. Cured meats have been necessary to keep civilizations going across many parts of this glorious globe, they can release a whole new level of taste, texture, and flavor.

This article tries to cover all (some) of the principles and some mistakes I have made – and of course, learned from.

Hopefully, you too can create your own charcuterie and start curing meat for yourself, I also have come up with a method for curing meat in my kitchen regular fridge.

How To Build a Curing Chamber

1. Plan the Design
2. Acquire the Components
3. Assemble & Build the Curing Chamber
4. Test the Conditions

I’ll elaborate on all this below, here is an overview.

You may already have some of the tools you need, but most of the time you can do this project for under $300. Having an old second-hand fridge or wine fridge forms the base to build the chamber around.

The fridge insulation is suited to holding a temperature that solves one part of it.

If you aren’t keen on building a curing chamber but still want to try dry-curing meat at home, I had some trial and error, but eventually got a technique to get some consistent results, check out the full post on dry-curing meat in my regular kitchen fridge here.

For a DIY chamber, the main idea is to use controllers to switch on and off the humidity and temperature systems.

It can take some playing around but it’s not about an exact temperature, you just need to have it working in a certain range to produce delicious dry-cured meats, it’s definitely worth it.

The whole point is to avoid the outside going hard before the center has dried out enough – by keeping the moisture/humidity high (around 70%).

I went a bit crazy and used a double-door 250 gal bar fridge (it was $ 400 second-hand), but I did have a plan to do large batches of dry curing since I harvest wild meat.

Because many components are now just plugged, set & go, this can be a straightforward setup.

You end up just plugging in the electronics you need to control the environment for charcuterie! (You may need to put some holes in for airflow, possibly a fan, some guys do some don’t- opening the door, every now and then can work).

I ended up hardwiring the electrics since an Electrical Engineering friend helped put it together many years ago – thanks, Andy!

Here is another one I am using, the larger unit now is with a fan of the blog for hanging chunks of harvested deer!

Full Details Building A Curing Chamber

1. Plan the Design

I have experimented myself and read through piles of forums, posts, and groups. The easiest options I have found are:

• Using a Used Fridge
• Using a Wine Fridge

The difference between these two mainly comes down to size and temperature, you can get big wine fridges, but they seem harder to find second-hand. Some wine fridges can have different settings the ‘red wine‘ setting can be just about perfect for curing meat, ie. 55-65°F/12-16°C.

Wine Coolers/Fridges also come with compressors or thermoelectric (to be avoided ideally)

For both these options, it’s mainly the humidity you have to get under control to keep the fridge within a ‘moist’ environment.

Now some guys just hang their meat in a cellar, basement, or another area around the home. If it’s in the temperature and humidity range – it can definitely work – however one must expect some variation in results.

For @ home, you just need some testing with a hygrometer and thermometer (but you need these conditions for 2-3 months).

A simple device that can measure both for your potential environment – check one out here.

Or if you want something that has the capacity to log the results over time, something like this.

There always seems to be a steady supply of used fridges either locally or through some online classified ads. You really want to think about the size when planning this out.

I went a little crazy with a double-door fridge, it can handle a lot, and I have also used it for growing mushrooms, hanging meat to age, drying fruit/spices/vegetables to make powders, fermenting beer/wine, and making jerky/biltong. (Needed heating for some of this though)

You may need to have a few components (gear pages here) installed into the fridge so you want enough space to hang your glorious cured meat. Another option is to use piping for keeping the humidifier outside the fridge area.

This is a post that will share a lot of knowledge I’ve learned about DIY charcuterie chambers. I’ve also included a link below to a small format ‘out of box’ charcuterie fridge I’ve reviewed down below.

Used Fridge Design

Temperature & Humidity Basics

Most modern fridges are frost-free if you acquire an older fridge make sure it is frost-free. Frost-free means you have a dry environment, so you will need the minimum of a humidifier & a humidity controller (hydrostat control) to get the humidity in the target dry-cured meat range (60-75% generally).

I’ve used non-frost free, and they are doable too, you have more moisture from the cooling panels and therefore need de-humidification as well.

The air that comes into an unmodified frost-free fridge seems to run at 20-30% humidity when I have done tests.

You want a much higher and stable-ish humidity for dry-cured meats. I will get onto this topic below.

My kitchen fridge when operates around 36°F/3°C, you want more like around 52°F/11°C for most dry-cured meat projects.

So the design will need to take into account turning the compressor on the fridge on and off (with the temperature controller). Most fridges won’t get above 45°F/7°C when in normal operation, even on the highest setting.

Most fridges have an adjustable thermostat built-in, my old double-door fridge did. However, it couldn’t get to the desired meat curing chamber setting, so I needed to modify it.

Some basic DIY skills will be required for this job.

If you don’t feel confident, you may want to enlist an electrically minded friend to help out but you can get away with the plug-and-play method quite easily (I’ll email you plans too).

If the whole area is a fridge (no freezer area), you don’t have to pull out the reciprocating saw or another cutting device to join the areas.

You don’t need a freezer area for this project, though many fridges will have one. I have worked on a few, just cutting a hole between the 2 chambers will mean you can control the environment in both areas (it’s messy, insulation, wiring, and coolant pipes all can create issues).

If you want you can leave the freezer area and just use the fridge part for curing the meat. Cutting through the fridge/insulation area – you need to be careful of any wires/pipes.

If you can get hold of the schematic plans and wiring of the fridge, you will get more information to work with. Once you have identified the wiring/coolant pipes, it makes the modification a lot easier.

Hanging Rack Design

My old fridge was huge, so I don’t have a space issue, what I’ve seen with smaller units using a metal L bracket on both sides of the fridge at the top is possible.

You then can slide in and out a bar/wooden stick.

Or in one instance I used the rack and chopstick method below!

Your hooks will then just go onto this bar or wooden stick.

I had too much salami after processing 80lb/40kg of wild beef (cattle beast), venison, and pork. I drilled holes in the ‘condiment holders’ on the door. This allows me to thread more salamis up through the holes and secure with…chopsticks of course.

I needed 75 hooks also for this batch!

Or an expandable shower curtain bar like this can work, I have a page on hooks/racks here! Thicker ones definitely can hold more!

Controller Designs

There are 2 ways I have found to do this, the hard (wired) way and the easy plug-in way.

Plug-In Controllers – Easy Way

Temperature

When I first saw this option, it was quite the wow moment. I wished the first time I designed my chamber, that I had seen these! It takes a lot of the ‘hard’ electrical know-how out of the project.

Think about where you want this component mounted on the outside of the fridge. Then, you will have a wire for the temperature probe/sensor running in the fridge. You will want the sensor located around the middle of the fridge to give an accurate reading.

You want a quality controller, after the time invested into making proper salumi or salumi – having a fault is not what you want. Heard a few stories about going cheap that didn’t work out very well.

Most of the time I am keeping a pretty close eye on the curing chamber. There are even some wifi options for remote monitoring.

A temperature controller does the same job as the inbuilt fridge thermostat. Except you are in control and can cycle on the fridge less to reach the target dry curing temperature.

Getting to the 50-60°F/10-15°C range you need for longer-term cured meats is as simple as switching the compressor on and off through the controller.

Humidity

You will find it’s a similar process for designing the humidity control. You want to mount a humidity controller on the outside of the fridge. Then have the probe/sensor positioned inside the fridge around the middle for the most accurate readings.

When drilling any holes, think very carefully about the internal wiring/pipes through the insulation. Hopefully, you are able to get the schematic plans that show you where all the wires and pipes are.

I’ll just put the link to the ‘category’ page, for controllers, humidifiers etc.. here.

Hardwired Controllers

I had to enlist the help of an electrical friend to do this part on some curing chambers.

When it comes to making holes in a fridge, the less the better. Having an enclosure to keep the controllers makes my setup a lot tidier for a hardwired option.

Humidifier Inside or Outside Fridge

Some guys I know decided to put the humidifier on the outside of the chamber. You then use some sort of hosing/pipe into the curing chamber. This can create more space for hanging cured meat!

For smaller curing chambers you can get heat generated from the humidifier, so having it on the outside can help keep it cooler.

The Used Wine Fridge Option

Wine fridges seem to keep in the right temperature area often. My friends have a setting for champagne, white wine, and red wine. It even maintains about 55-75°F. It doesn’t seem to quite get the airflow even though there is a fan built into it.

The designs I have seen have just been a hydrometer hooked up to a humidity controller. This worked great for him, the only thing was he had to open the door now and then.

2. Acquire the Components

So the equipment necessary for a fridge conversion (links to some pages on recommended gear I’ve written about):

• Controller – Temperature
• Controller – Humidity
• Humidifier
• Rack / Hanging system

Optional

• Outlet Fan
• Inlet Fan
• Dehumidifier
• Heating
• Backup hygrometer

Also, a wine fridge can be compressor vs thermoelectric – but also compressor wine coolers can recirculate the moisture, I’ve not tested this.

Thermoelectric is ideally avoided.

For the Wine Fridge if it can hit the temperature/humidity you are after, much simpler, but you probably will need to add this stuff:

• Controller – humidity
• humidifier

Optional

• Inlet fan
• Outlet fan
• Heating

Tools

• Drill and Drill bits
• Food grade sealant (for holes)
• Screwdrivers

It’s all go from here, you should have a decent plan, but just make sure you are aware of modifying a fridge safely if you cutting/drilling into it.

Many guys just run the cords through the fridge door so they don’t have to drill into the insulated walls (the schematic of the fridge is really helpful for seeing the wiring).

Things I have learned are:

Testing the Temperature & Humidity

Having a secondary portable testing apparatus for temperature and humidity can help a lot. You will find there are different readings in different areas of the chamber. Apart from positioning sensors around the middle of the chamber.

You will want to maybe think about the placement of equipment prior to starting alterations of course. The plans I can email you show example diagrams & pics).

Humidity & Temperature

Humidifier – Ultrasonic Type

Make sure the humidifier is ultrasonic since they have a much finer mist output.

The tank size of 2-quart minimum, you don’t want to be filling up the humidifier every day. If you get cycling and design right, maybe only every week. But it will also depend on how much space you have inside the fridge.

There are only a few on the market that really suit this purpose, I wrote about some of these humidifiers here if you want to read more.

Dehumidifier (Dependent on Design)

Getting the right size in proportion to the chamber is important. You also want to take into consideration the tank.

Some humidifiers have external drainage outlets, this can be used also in the design. I didn’t worry about this, and most people will find you don’t need to empty the tank that often, maybe once every week or two if the environment is reasonably stable.

Most people end up getting one, I have written the reasons and some links to a few that people have used, check out the dehumidifiers here.

Cooling Function – the Right Temperature

Because I went a bit crazy with the size, my issue is the compressor pumping much drier air into the chamber, this hasn’t been an issue with frost-free second-hand fridges. I find the cooling cycling takes quite some time to keep the temperature around the 52°F/11°C, covering the area where the cool air gets pumped in has improved the results for me.

The delay functions on controllers are important, you want to ‘rest’ the compressor between cycles for longevity.

With smaller units like bar fridges, the small area should be easier to control as well, with less cycling of temperature or humidity.

Heating – for Fermentation, Humidity Control & Drying

Several designs including my own, have included some form of heating.

A normal light bulb can be used, through experience I have learned this isn’t a good idea.

Light in the curing chamber affects the bacteria and the fat on the meat.

If you think about those giant Parma Ham & Prosciutto hanging in Italy, they tend to be in darkened areas.

Using a non-light emitting bulb (ceramic -it does sound crazy) will work very well when you put this on a variable controller or hooked up to your temperature controller, you can produce some heat to cycle on and off. Which in turn, will lower the humidity a bit.

These types of adjustable ceramic bulbs are used in reptile enclosures, not the easiest to find, but here is a page on them I wrote about factors to get the right one.

Air Flow

Fans are a great way of bringing the air in and taking the air out of the curing chamber. If you choose a plug-and-play design control system, you can have the plug sharing one of the controllers or hardwire to one of the inputs.

What I mean by this is, you will have the fan on when the cooling is happening to exchange some of the air in the chamber. Here is a page I wrote on fans that suit this application.

Some people get away with just leaving the door open every day or two so exchange the air. It works of course, but does mean higher management, and possibly a little bit more funkiness growing.

Filtering Air – HEPA

After a few years, I decided to dissect a new HEPA filter for a vacuum cleaner. I used this to filter the incoming air. For obvious reasons, having filtered air helps protect that precious white penicillin culture that will eventually be thriving in your curing chamber.

Here is a link to Amazon, to show you what I used for a filter.

Hanging & Rack Design

I got lucky with my large fridge since I can set up hooks easily since it had adjustable shelving.

What most people do is with a metal bracket system along the top of the fridge. Since you will be hanging most of the meat, you want to get the maximum amount of hanging space.

Just be really careful about mounting the bracket, if you have a diagram of the wiring. Repeated I know but important, it will really help avoid making holes and damaging any electrics that are running through the insulation of the fridge.

S hooks are a great way of hanging meat. Because you will be checking the weight loss often, you want something that can easily be taken off and hung back up. I have gone through a phase of tying and untying which isn’t very efficient.

For no penetrations, I also came up with an expandable rod idea, check it out on the curing chamber rack system page here.

Controllers Plug & Play / Hardwired

Having controllers that can handle all the various plugs is really important. Some friends have opted for the simpler controllers, then have needed to add more components.

Plug & Play Humidity Controllers

For certain applications, there are some excellent plugin controllers that have now been proven and do a great job for DIY meat curing chambers.

I wrote about why these are decent curing chamber controllers here.

An issue you may have is not being able to bring down humidity, you may be relying on the cooling compressor in the fridge to help decrease the humidity (or a heat source if you go down that track).

You could look at the variable control ceramic bulb heat option to help control this, but to be honest, a dehumidifier is a good way to go.

1/16 DIN Humidity Controller (Hardwired)

This is the hardwired option, would really only be suggesting this if you are electrically qualified or have an electrician friend.

I have used this device for temperature control (but they do temp or humidity versions), and it has worked well for many years. The programming is not user-friendly, so we have to seriously read the instructions, I know it’s a pain, but I think it’s because of the commercial application of this humidifier controller.

I’ve seen this controller in butchers and deli controlling walk-in chiller rooms for instance.

You need to get your head around how the buttons and options work, setting the higher and lower humidity thresholds and the variations when it turns the circuits on.

For a hardwired option, I would still be recommending these. If I ever wanted to go even bigger, I know this controller would be a reliable option.

On the dependable gear – controller page, I have put some more information, check it out here.

You also need an enclosure for the controller like this, sorry is a bad photo. Here are the boxes on Amazon to give you a better idea of what it looks like, I would say 12 inches across at least if you are putting a temperature and humidifier controller in – Amazon link here.

Drilling the right size holes and putting some conduit connector fittings on will hold it all in place.

Temperature / Humidity – 2 Inputs / Wifi

If you want to control it via phone or computer from anywhere, this is the option for you. Actually, when I next upgrade the curing chamber, this is what I will be getting. How cool is it if you can see what the curing chamber stats are from anywhere in the world!

I would use 2 of these, one for temperature using a ceramic bulb and the fridge compressor (heating & cooling). A second one for humidifier & dehumidifier – complete control over the curing chamber.

The same page I wrote on controllers has more info on the wifi option, check it out here.

I can’t remember which site I saw this on, but someone has programmed their own Raspberry Pi system for a curing chamber.

3. Assemble & Build the Curing Chamber

Here are some things you will probably need:

• Drill
• Drill bits
• Screwdrivers
• Metal Saw
• Ruler
• Kitchen grade sealant
• Hooks & Rack fixtures
  

Sterilize Once Fridge is Empty

Wiping the inside well with bleach prior to using will get the chamber off to the best start.

Remember, you are trying to control nature, so the outcomes can vary, but once the penicillin starts to find an invisible home in the curing chamber, you will have ongoing success for sure!

Using plain vinegar (white, malt, or red wine – anything works) to wipe off the not-so-good bacteria may be more necessary at the start when good mold is still developing a home.

Please make sure all the power is off to the fridge before commencing any modification for safety sake.

Other Important Tools for Meat Curing

• Accurate Digital Scales
• Zip-lock bags
• Butchers Twine

When you are cutting into the structure of a fridge, it is usually filled with a form of foam insulation. This can get rather messy, it can be difficult to find the wiring that goes through this insulation also.

Simple Wine Fridge Design

If you have the right environment, you can get away with a minimal amount of modification. Airflow, hanging system and humidity control will be most important.

Some people find it a bit restrictive in space. But, I guess it just depends on how much-cured meat you want to hang!

4. Testing the Chamber

I aim for about 5-10% variation in target humidity (70% mostly) and a 36-40°F/ 3-4°C variation in temperature.

It will depend on what you making, but let’s generalize.

Temperature

Lower temps mean slower drying.

Low	Ideal	High
46°F	52°F	60°F
8°C	11°C	15°C

Target 11°C plus or minus 3°C

Humidity

The more challenging variable.

Target 70% plus/minus 5-10%

(70-80% is where I like it generally)

It can take some fine-tuning to get this consistent and through the chamber, it will change as well.

The key is not having big variation, I have found the salumi just doesn’t like it, but once it has lost most of the weight, it is more resilient.

Getting to know the cycling of the compressor will take a bit of time.

Double-checking the results with analog humidity and temperature gauges can be really helpful. Some guys I know have had to calibrate the thermostats. I haven’t had these issues at all.

Easier Solution for Drying Out on the Outside

If the cured meat is hard on the outside but hasn’t lost the 35% weight. You can just vacuum seal the meat and leave it in the kitchen fridge for 2-4 weeks. It will help equalize evenly (done quite often for salumi and salami produced at home).

Some guys do this for months or years!

Final Curing Thoughts

Now if you got this far congratulations.

I have also reviewed an ‘out of box’ dry curing (dry aging too) small format charcuterie chamber because I am sure there will be a group that does not want to have a conversion DIY project.

Many options were $2,000-3,000, however, $1,200 solution has now been on the market for some time, I have the Pro 40 and it looks like this (here is a post I wrote all about it).

It’s not quite a science, dry curing meat – many call it an art and a craft.

The balancing of varying factors is what I enjoy the most. And results aren’t guaranteed, kind of like all aspects of life!

Related Questions

Can you eat dry-cured ham raw?

Dry curing is the art & craft of salt curing and then drying meat for extreme flavor and preservation. You can eat dry-cured meat without cooking, it is not raw anymore it is dried. The salt and the drying remove the meat’s ability to spoil.