Dry Curing is using salt to preserve the meat, once 35% weight loss has been obtained, the meat can be consumed.
The basic recipe for this cure consists of:
- 1 part sugar
- 1 part salt
You then add on top of this a variety of herbs and spices according to your preference. Popular spices for venison include:
- Juniper
- Lovage
- Celery
- Celeriac
- Rosemary
- Lingonberries
- Garlic
- Peppercorns
In a kilo of cure you might expect to find two tablespoons of Juniper seeds, a good handful of chopped lovage, a stick of thinly sliced celery, two sprigs of rosemary, a tablespoon of Lingon berries (Cow berries), five finely chopped garlic cloves and/a tablespoon of Peppercorns.
Rub the salt cure into the meat thoroughly, covering every part of the meat. Cover it. Place in a tub in the fridge for 2 days. Liquid will form at the bottom, this needs to be drained.
Drain the liquid and rub more cure into the meat, return to the fridge in a sealed container.
Keep doing this until the desired weight loss has been achieved.
Soak in two changes of cold water for a total of at least 1 hour, and ensure all parts of the ham are exposed to water – this is vital if your ham is to taste of anything other than salt.
Pat dry with a muslin or some kitchen towel
Cook for around 1 hour at 150 degree C (adapt according to your own preference of how rare you like it).
Store in the fridge and eat within 1 week. Slice thinly for maximum loveliness.
(Image coming soon…)
