Different salt percentages in the Cured Meat FAQs?

Air dried cured Meat Techniques

Different salt percentages in the Cured Meat FAQs?

Postby EnriqueB » Tue Aug 13, 2013 7:45 am

Hi,

I've gone through the excellent 3 FAQs for beginners for injected brine, combination, and dry cured meats. They are extremelly useful.

What I don't quite understand is why a different amount of salt (as a proportion of the meat weight) is suggested in each of the FAQs. According to my calculations, in the dry cure, 1.85% salt is used, in the injected cure it's about 1.6% (or less if we consider the total weight of meat+brine), and in the combination it is 2.8%, almost double.

I interpret that all 3 methods use equilibrium curing, so all the salt dissolves into the meat. Am I calculating wrong? If not, what's the logic behind the difference?
EnriqueB
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Re: Different salt percentages in the Cured Meat FAQs?

Postby wheels » Tue Aug 13, 2013 2:00 pm

Well observed, the simple answer is that they make different products.

To explain:

  • The dry cure is for bacon with what I would class as a medium salt level - 2% (you are correct that the salt contribute 1.85%, the salt in the cure #1 makes up the balance).
  • The injected/pumped cure is for a sweet mild ham. It's about 1.4% salt.
  • The combination cure is for a traditional ham. It's about 3% salt.

The salt level is very much a matter of personal preference. With the bacon cure it's about 50:50 as to whether people ask for more salt or less salt. With the ham, there's a bit of an age split, with older people preferring the saltier taste. Whether that's nostalgia for a bygone age, or neuralgia through old age, is anyone's guess!

FWIW, the cures were calculated using the methods in the FDA Inspectors handbook - for details see:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1906

HTH

Phil
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wheels
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Re: Different salt percentages in the Cured Meat FAQs?

Postby EnriqueB » Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:58 am

Thanks Phil. That was my thinking but wanted to verify whether there was some "functional" reason that I might be missing.

So I'm making a "boiled shoulder" with the combination cure but I'll reduce the salt level.
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