2 methods for curing pork and beef

Curing pork and beef is a delicious way to serve them. The process is relatively simple for an amateur; here are two simple methods for curing your own pork and beef:

The majority of traditional curing recipes are made for pork. This meat's rich taste is ideally complemented by curing and smoking. Long-term preservation of large pieces of pork calls for thorough brine curing and cold smoking. Brining pork is a classic way for the French to prepare the meat. The brining mixture is both simultaneously a marinade and cure, and the resulting pork tastes somewhat like mild ham. A pork loin or shoulder can be ready in as little as five days, if kept submerged. You can also brine pork chops; thick chops will be ready in two or three days.

Ingredients:

• 8 L (8 qt) water
• 1.5 kg (3 lb) salt
• 440 g (2 c) brown sugar
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) ground black pepper
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) white pepper
• 6 crushed cloves

Method:

• Cut the meat into pieces of no more than two kilograms (about 4 1/2 pounds).
• Brine cure up to nine days, then rinse and scrub the pieces and hang them to dry.
• Smoke for one to four hours at 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F).
• Always cook pork well before eating it.

Any cut of beef can be cured and smoked for preservation purposes but only the cheaper cuts, such as blade, chuck and brisket, will be really improved by the process. To give a smoky flavour to good cuts of beef without losing too much moisture, cook them first, then cold smoke them for a short time to taste.

Ingredients:

• 5 kg (11 lb) brisket of beef
• 1.2 kg (2 1/2 lb) salt
• 4 L (4 qt) water
• 440 g (2 c) brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) pickling spices

Method:

1. Rub 900 grams (29 ounces) of the salt into the meat and place in a clean container for 24 hours.
2. Boil water and mix in sugar and remaining salt. Let cool, then pour brine over meat.
3. Add garlic and spices, weigh meat down and cure for 30 days in refrigerator at 2°C to 5°C (35°F to 41°F), turning meat every five days. Remove meat as needed. Rinse in fresh water for a few hours before cooking. Keep remaining meat submerged in brine at 2°C to 5°C (35°F to 41°F).

There you have it -- two delicious recipes for curing pork and beef. Try out these methods before your next barbecue or dinner party and really impress your friends with your cooking skills!

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