Traditional methods of Preserving Meats

Salami varies in taste and texture according to the ingredients: the meat, fat and spices they contain, their proportions in the mix and whether is coarsely or finely ground.

For many thousands of years humans have been preserving meat by different techniques. Traditionally drying meat played a role in survival of the human race. Dried meat was nonperishable and lightweight which was ideal for being packed and carried for the long journeys we know of in hunting societies. This is only one example. In Europe it is known that Romans lived on a pork rich diet which was mostly salted or smoked as a preservation strategy. Indian cultures preferred a method of curing which involved potassium or sodium nitrate.

Today preserving meat is a carried out either as a culinary tradition or still as a survival strategy. Some remote populations or those which exist in mountainous or drought stricken regions are very accustomed to preserving meats. Today we see a rise in the popularity of meats which have undergone home preservation techniques.

Methods

Meat will spoil as microbial activity begins decomposing the tissue. Some microbes can be dangerous to human health, while others are simply going to destroy the meat. All microbes need a certain level of water in the meat to function, therefore the chief way of preserving meat is to reduce the level of water to a point where microbial activity is inconsequential.

Meat can be preserved lots of different ways:

• Curing – adding salt, sugar, nitrite and/ or nitrate

• Drying – can be done rapidly in low heat ovens, or slow dried

• Smoking – gives the meat the smoky flavour characteristically

• Combinations of the above.

Curing meats (salts, sugars or nitrates)

Curing meat involves processes to extend the period of storage. Usually this

involves lowering moisture in the meat and often using additives or preservatives which inhibit decomposition or microbial growth by plasmolysis. The addition of salt over the surface of the meat draws the moisture out of it evenly through the process of osmosis. It is known that the growth of undesirable organisms can be inhibited at relatively low concentrations.

Dry salting is sometime referred to as corning.

Many salt cures are not sufficient at allowing the meat to remain at room temperature without Clostridium botulinum spores being a risk, therefore it is suggested that nitrate or nitrite curing can assist in the process to inhibit the growth of this potentially life-threatening bacterial infection.

The process of curing can also be used to improving, intensifying or adding flavour in meat. Sugar is often used to reduce the harshness of saltiness in cured meat and enhance sweetness of the product.

If you want to carry out the salt curing process at home you can try the following few simple steps. The process in simple terms is:

Step 1. Salt is rubbed into the meat and it is left for a week or more in a cold place (e.g. refrigerator).

Step 2. Meat is then rinsed, briefly air dried, then wrapped in cheesecloth.

Step 3. It is then hung in a cool place

(never above 20oc), for at least two weeks before eating.

Drying meat

Indigenous people have air dried meats for hundreds of years. They have often used lean meat cut thinly into strips. This product is ready to consume when the texture becomes hard after hanging in the sun.

Making dried strips of meat (e.g. beef sticks) involved firstly salting, then drying in ovens at 70-80°C.

Smoking

One of the original food preservation methods, probably the main way before refrigeration.

In smoking, hot or cold, it is normal to hang the meat in a closed environment such as a homemade or store bought smoker. A great example of a smoker is the Tennessee smoker. A small fire or hot coals are used to generate smoke. This is placed near the hanging or rack held meat. It is important to ensure as little smoke escapes from the smoker as possible as this is considerably wasteful of the product used.

Cold smoking is a technique used when the meat still needs to be refrigerated, which allows for smoking to take place over longer time periods. In this technique, the smoke-filled chamber itself remains cold during the smoking process, whilst the meat remains uncooked.

The smoking material used will affect the overall flavour of the product. For example, hickory (a hardwood) tends to give a distinct smoky flavour, whereas coconut husk will give a lighter smoked flavour. Eastern Asian cultures find alternative products just as useful – such as tea leaves or rice grains, which work well.

The meat itself can be prepared in numerous ways, although if you are seeking a quicker smoking time, thinner cuts are desirable. Unlike strips of meat, minced meat can also be smoked when flattened thinly onto a sheet of parchment

paper and placed on a rack within the smoker. It is recommended to use curing salts (nitrates) before smoking as minced meat is a high risk product for aerobic microbial action. It is a great idea to sprinkle your favourite herbs and spices blend onto the product.

The difference between nitrates and nitrites

When you add nitrate to table salt (sodium chloride), salt resistant bacteria turn the nitrates into nitrites - nitrites extend the time you can take to cure meats - for example ham may take two years to cure. So the nitrites which are converted from nitrates in the presence of salt are essential to keep the meat from spoiling in the long term. That is why you can buy curing salts that contain both nitrates and nitrites.

Nitrates also turn the meat pink.

Which meats are good for curing?

Lean meats are best, but most cured meats such as salami have traditionally included some fat to enhance the flavour. You can use any meats, e.g. pork, lamb, beef, venison, and poultry; however pork often proves most popular.

If you are inexperienced, a better quality piece of pork belly or loin may be potentially less of a risk than some other meats.

In Italy for example salami varies from one region to the next; some are lean and contain little fat, others have large cubes of fat, some are smoked others unsmoked; some are pork others a mix of meats, or made from poultry or lamb rather than the more traditional pork or pork and beef. Some include chilli others not, some are highly spiced or include herbs others are more simple and may just include black pepper. Whatever you include in the way of herbs and spices, if you don’t cure your meats correctly it will be inedible or dangerous to your health.

Making dry fermented salami

Salami is made due to the bacterial activity in the meat by a certain type of lactic acid bacteria that likes to live in meat (other types live in cheese or yoghurt). The aim is to produce conditions that encourage the growth of the lactic acid bacteria that convert glucose to lactic acid and discourage the growth of spoilage bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

The reason that the salamis you buy in the supermarket or delicatessen are so uniform is because they use starter culture which ensures that the resultant product has a consistent flavour.

Meat – use the pork shoulder for best results – it has the right amount of fat to meat to impart the best flavour. You can also use a mix of shoulder pork, chuck steak and fat (fat that sits just from the loin of pork is meant to be the best).

Casings – use pig intestines which can be purchased packed in salt (try a good quality butcher for your casings) or a specialist supplier. Before you use them they need to be thoroughly rinsed and soaked to soften them; some people soak them in white wine after rinsing to impart extra flavour.

Salt – salt is a preservative; you must have the correct amount of salt in salami so that it cures and does not grow the wrong bacteria (i.e. those that cause spoilage or food poisoning).

The following recipe uses normal salt, however If you are not willing to take risks and want to play it safe, then you can also buy and use curing salt. Curing salt contains very small amounts of sodium nitrate and sometimes sodium nitrite which discourages the growth of botulism bacteria.

Curing salts contain approximately 1% sodium nitrite (depending on the use) and the recommended ratio is 2% of curing salt to the weight of meat you would use, so 100g of curing salt for 5kg of meat and this would then include 1g of sodium nitrite. So for the following recipe the amount of nitrite used is very small indeed. However if you use curing salt, then follow the guidelines on the salt you buy – make sure it is suitable for salami rather than fresh sausages (the ratios differ). The amount of ‘curing salt’ you need differs to the amount of plain salt you would use for example in the recipe below.

What you will need:

• A meat mincer (some kitchen mixers come with an attachment).

• A sausage filler (again this can be pruchased as an attachment to some domestic mixers).

• A sharp fork or a toothpick so that you can prick the casing.

• A simple recipe to start you off – you can add herbs and spices that you prefer e.g. bay leaves or fennel, chillis and peppercorns are popular additives.

Note: Keep the meat as cold as you possibly can before grinding – it is suggested that the meat is frozen before you use it and then you defrost it in the fridge.

• Salami sized casing – for home use these are usually the same as those used for thick sausages. If you want salami with a larger diameter (you can get them to 60mm) then it won’t fit on the end of your sausage attachment and you would need to stuff it by hand. Take care to exclude air gas if you decide to do this. Salami casings can be obtained from specialist suppliers.

Process:

Grind the meat with a coarse grinder and put in a clean bowl. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and any spices or herbs you would like to incorporate over the spread-out meat and then mix it through well (I also use a pair of thin rubber gloves) then put the bowl of meat in the fridge (to slow the growth of bacteria) while you set up your equipment (if you haven’t already done so).

Use the sausage attachment on your machine or stuff by hand (not an easy task). Make sure you remove all air pockets, but on the other hand, don’t stuff it too hard as the skins may burst.

Tie off each salami by twisting the casings at around 20cm long. Prick the ends of the salamis with a sharp fork or toothpick (I prefer a toothpick because it is less likely to tear the casing). Then prick at intervals all over the salami.

Hang in a cool, dry place for about a month to cure (the temperature should be around 4°C). Care needs to be taken so that the temperature is never too high to prevent botulism – remember this, especially if you are not using preservatives!

Turn the salamis each day and once they have shrivelled they will be ready to eat (usually four weeks or longer – the longer the greater the flavour).

The salami may grow a white bloom (mould) on the outside of the casing. This is a normal process and you do not need to be concerned about this (the salami isn’t off!), and it isn’t harmful; just wipe it off with a clean cloth before use.