Prosciutto Questions

[Dave]

In the UMAi video, the muscles are cured for the first stage with a weight on top of them. What is the point of this? Is it to ensure that the meat stays in contact with the cure/brine liquid produced once salt draws moisture out of the meat?

I’ve been curing everything in regular vacuum bags thus far after Ron told me (I think, sorry Ron if I’m if it’s someone else) that this is done commercially.

Most or all of us already have vacuum sealers to seal the dry bags so why not use regular, cheap vacuum bags for the curing process? If I can afford an $8 bag in which I insert a $200 piece of meat, I can certainly afford a roll of foodsaver bags to cure my charcuterie/salumi.

I traveled to a local organic. free-range hog farm today to pick up a boneless green ham I ordered. It’s in my fridge at the moment with 3% salt and .25% #2 in foodsaver bags. I separated the different muscles and decided to cure them individually. One of them is 3772 grams (roughly 8.3 pounds for those of us metrically challenged). I do not intend to cut into this piece until the same time next year, but it would be very disappointing to not have it turn out properly if I didn’t follow the directions.

Is having it weighted absolutely necessary?

[LLOYD A CUPICCIA]

Yes weighing is extremely important. Not only for consistent results but if you want to avoid excess salt and nitrite/notate level weigh your meat.

[Dave]

Does compression from the weight of a 10-15 lb. pot or whatever you have on top of it affect osmosis and diffusion? Why not use less salt if excess salt is a concern? Why compress this muscle and not others? Nitrate/nitrite levels in a finished cured and dried product is between .00004 – .002%. I will more fully worry about nitrates the next time I eat a salad.

I’m not trying to be an ass but I want to understand what we’re doing from a scientific point of view despite my near complete lack of scientific knowledge. When I’m investing this much time, love, and money into charcuterie, I want to know what I need to do to produce a superior finished product.

BTW, your recent mention of lamb prosciutto inspired me to get a boneless leg at Costco today, which is now curing in my refrigerator. I can’t wait to see your results.

[LLOYD A CUPICCIA]

l love science. And your not being an ASS. You ask great questions !!! I really don’t have the answers but I will consult both my books by Stanley Marianski. He might have touched on the osmosis question. Just a tad above my pay grade.

I know that every blog and book I have come across uses 3% of salt and .25% of cure.

Ask Jason over at cured meats blog. Just google it. He is amazing at charcuterie.

Let me know what he says please. !!!!

My lamb is amazing. Check my blog tomorrow if you want lots pics and specifics.

I used meat glue before rolling. Incredible results

[LLOYD A CUPICCIA]

Oh yea I forgot. I have never weighted down meat. I never felt it was necessary. I know in traditional cured Pastırma or bastirma it’s weighed down. I am making this too in a week or two.

[Dave]

I was trying to respond to the youtube video of your amazing slicer you posted when I somehow go blocked/banned from the forum. I thought it may have been my use of the word “ass” or something but I’ve now been restored.

The slicer is absolutely amazing!! Is that the lamb or the beef? Tasting notes please if it’s something new.

My parents always said it’s rude to ask, but how much was it and where did you get it?

I too have found 3% salt (after blindly jumping in with tablespoons and approximations) to be a constant in the majority of recipes. I think there should be a embedded post or whatever it’s called at the top of this board that can’t be moved with some absolutes. 3% salt and .25% # 2. After that, people are on their own but we can post our recipes and tasting notes.

Even when a recipe calls for kosher salt, is it Diamond Crystal or Morton’s? By volume they weigh differently.

The Marianski brother’s are my heroes. What I understand from their teaching was the inspiration of my questions. They stress the importance of understanding the “why” of the process.

[LLOYD A CUPICCIA]

I am using my I phone. Oy, hard to write. Kids on computer and I pad.

Will post tomorrow with details.

I believe it was around 900 plus a 550 cart.

I sliced the lamb amazing.

[LLOYD A CUPICCIA]

[LLOYD A CUPICCIA]

[Jim]

On the subject of the weight on top of the curing meat: Since we consider charcuterie more of an art than science, we tried to show various methods of curing including the salting under weight to help drive the cure into the meat. Another excellent method was already mentioned here is curing in a regular vacuum storage bag. However the best reference is one from the experts who explain this process in the best of detail:
http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/curing/methods

[LLOYD A CUPICCIA]

Thanks for the link. Will read later.

[Author]

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