Meat Curing
The latest old-fashioned skill I’ve been working to hone… Meat curing! I fell in love with cured meats in 2015 when I had the chance to visit friends and family in Europe, specifically, visiting a family friend in rural Switzerland. Getting to experience a bit of living history in the old houses where the farm animals used to live under the house, the stone cellars where cheese, meats, and produce were kept. It was inspiring to say the least. We enjoyed eating a variety of cottage style cured meats with raw cheese and fresh crusty breads daily and I was smitten! So of course, upon my return I began to look into the history and process of this amazing culinary tradition. In the USA it is now often very over complicated with recipes calling for chemical additives and preservatives, so getting back to the roots and the real traditional practices can be a little difficult and can feel daunting. I am learning every day and am by no means the ultimate expert on any of this, but I’m now pretty confident in a few variations on this basic premise of salt curing in the traditional way and I’m delighted to be able to share that with you all so that you can start adding this amazingly delicious and practical pantry staple to your larder. Enjoy the video tutorials here and feel free to reach out with questions or ask about booking a 1 on 1 consultation. These are the first trio of tutorials, filmed in the fall of 2022. There will be a new set filmed this fall/winter, 2023, with different variations being showcased, so stay tuned!
Some of my favorite books on the topic:
