by Fatman » Mon Aug 09, 2004 8:10 pm
The easiest way I can explain the difference is :-
Dry Cure = Take your choice of meat to be cured and add salt, your meat will begin to osmosis i.e. the fluid will begin to withdraw from the meat.This curing process will vary in time, when curing time is finished then hang the meat to dry and use as required.
Wet Cure = Same amount of salt but added to water, when salt is thoroughly dissolved it then as become a brine , then add your choice of meat to be cured.Again curing times vary , but on completion , take the meat out of the brine and pat dry and hang, use as required.
It is important to realise there are many recipes for wet and dry curing , but I hope I have kept the process simply defined. To sample the difference you could purchase Wiltshire bacon to give you an idea what a good wet cure tastes like and then compare that with some dry cured from your local butcher.
Regards
Fatman