Kits for Makng Homemade Cured Meats

Curing is the process of preserving meat with salt and nitrates and/or nitrites. This combination extends the shelf life of meat and imparts the characteristic pink color and cured flavor associated with cured meats. There are three common methods of preserving meats with salt; dry rubbed, brine soaked, and injection used in making hams.

A dry cure is one in which the curing salt mixture is rubbed onto the surface of meat. A brine, or sweet pickle, is a solution of water and the curing salt mixture. Both types of cures usually contain additional ingredients such as sugar and spices to lessen the drying effects of the salt and impart flavor. In both cases, the meat must be cured at refrigerated temperatures of 36-40°F. We have experimented with both methods and determined that the traditional brine method produces the best corned beef and pastrami.