Salting, Curing, and Smoking

CURING

method of preservation and flavoring processes in meat and fish by the combination of salt, sugar and nitrate or nitrite.

SALTING

one of the curing methods wherein salt is the chief preservative. It preserves food by lowering its moisture content through the process of osmosis.

• more common before modern refrigeration

• preserves food by drawing water out of the food, preventing bacteria growing and spoiling the food. Dry Salting

Dry Salting

The food is surrounded in salt and left in a cool dry place.

Brining

prepared by dissolving salt in water, the food is then placed in the brine and left in a cool dry place.

• ex. peppercorns

Paste Coating Method

salting egg among Asian countries. Clay from termite mound is added to salt and water.

• This method increases the rate of dehydration in duck egg as well as the release of fat and oil which makes salted egg savory.

value of salt

The _______ in preserving foods was so highly prized by the Ancient Romans that it was used as a form of currency.

salt

remained the most used form of food preservation until much more recent times when modern food preservation methods were developed such as refrigeration, freezing and canning foods

brine

Salt and water solution or injected with a salt solution

dry curing or salt curing

Rubbed with salt

Skin

slows the salt absorption.

Exposed flesh

absorbs salt more quickly

Firm-fleshed

seafood takes longer to absorb salt than soft-fleshed seafood.

Oily finfish

need about 25% longer than non-oily finfish.

Curing

addition of salt, sugar, and nitrite or nitrate to meats for purpose of preservation, flavor enhancement, or color development.

Salt or NaCl

• Contributes flavor

• Preservative effect

• Controls microbial growth Osmosis (enhances transport of nitrate, nitrite, and sugar)

• Can be in granular or rock forms.

Sugar C12H22O11

• Contributes flavor

• Provides source of energy for nitrate converting bacteria

• Lowers the acidity of the cure

Sucrose

(table sugar/brown sugar)

dextrose

refined corn sugar

nitrite

NaNO2

Nitrate

NaNO3

nitrite or nitrate

• Prevents warmed-over flavor (WOF) in reheated products

• Prevents growth of C. botulinum in canned products

• Contributes cured-pink color to the product.

FSIS Food Safety and Inspection Service

allows use of nitrate (NaNO3 or KNO3) ONLY in dry cured meats or dry sausage.

permits use of Nitrites (NaNO2 or KNO2) in bacon

120ppm

Ingoing nitrite level cannot exceed

40ppm

Residual nitrite must not exceed

Nitric Oxide Myoglobin

Deoxymyoglobin + Nitric Oxide =

140 degrees

Nitric Oxide Myoglobin is unstable

• color must be fixed by heating to?

basic cure reaction

Deoxymyoglobin + Nitric Oxide = Nitric Oxide Myoglobin

Fixation Reaction

nitric oxide myoglobin + Heat = Nitrosylhemochromagen

SMOKING

a method of preserving food by the application of smoke with the aid of salting, drying and heat treatment.

Nitrosylhemochromagen

responsible for stable cured-pink color

Overall Reaction

Myoglobin + NO → → Nitric Oxide Myoglobin → → Nitrosylhemochromagen

Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate and Sodium Erythorbate

speed color development

Ascorbates

reduce Metmyoglobin to Myoglobin

HONO to NO

Ascorbates speed reduction of

Alkaline Phosphates

• sodium Tripolyphosphate

• Added to decrease shrink during curing & smoking

water

“curing ingredient” when doing Cover Pickle Curing (Brine) or Injection Curing. Disperses cure throughout meat

Dry Curing

Use of salt or salt plus nitrite or nitrate

Dry Sugar Curing

Uses Sugar to overcome harshness of salt flavor

Bone Sour

occurs in hams

Curing With Liquid or brine curing

Can either be Cover Pickle (placing meat in brine) or Sweet Pickle (sugar added to brine)

Brine-soaking

Injecting brine

Two brining techniques

Combination Curing

Combination of Dry and Brine Curing

Sausage Curing

Mixture of curing salts and spices with ground meat.

Done in the refrigerator.

When the curing process is complete, the sausage is cooked before serving.

1-2h

DRY CURE

¼ inch thick

3-8h

DRY CURE

1 inch thick, lean meat

7-10 days

DRY CURE

1 ½ inch thick pork belly

40-45 days

DRY CURE

ham, bone-in 15-18 lbs

24-36h

BRINE CURING - Not pumped

chicken or duck breast

not reco

BRINE CURING - pumped

chicken or duck breast

24-36h

BRINE CURING - Not pumped

chicken whole

12-16h

BRINE CURING - pumped

chicken whole

5-6 days

BRINE CURING - Not pumped

pork butt or loin

2 1/2 - 3 days

BRINE CURING - pumped

pork butt or loin

5-6 days

BRINE CURING - Not pumped

turkey, whole 10-12lbs

3 days

BRINE CURING - pumped

turkey, whole 10-12lbs

7-8 days

BRINE CURING - Not pumped

corned brisket

3-5 days

BRINE CURING - pumped

corned brisket

6 days

BRINE CURING - Not pumped

ham boneless

4 days

BRINE CURING - pumped

ham boneless

20-24 days

BRINE CURING - Not pumped

ham, bone-in

6-7 days

BRINE CURING - pumped

ham bone-in

Home Cured

have Shorter shelf life than commercially cured foods.

smoking

as a mode of food preservation, is probably as old as cooking with fire. Heat and smoke infuse a delicate flavor into fish, ham, poultry and meat and can prevent the growth of microbes.

heat

chemical

surface dehydration

Preservation Mechanisms of smoking

pellicle

Allow to air-dry long enough to form a tacky skin,

• a kind of protective barrier for the food, and also plays an important role in capturing the smoke’s flavor and color

Hot Smoking

Smokehouse or more modern electric kilns

Done in a short period of time, just until the meat is cooked.

meat is cooked and smoked at the same time over a burning fire or electric elements of a kiln.

165-185F

Temperature for hot smoking

Cold Smoking

Done over a much longer period of time smoking

• Fermented, salted, or cured meat

160F

Most cold-smoked products should be cooked to an internal temperature of ?

Liquid Smoke

More precisely controlled and the smoke flavor is instantaneous.