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Curing Meats with Salt

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.

The two main ingredients that must be used to cure meat are salt and nitrite. However, other substances can be added to accelerate curing, stabilize color, modify flavor, and reduce shrinkage during processing.

Salt is the primary ingredient used in meat curing. Originally it served as a preservative by dehydration and osmotic pressure which inhibits bacterial growth.

Nitrates and nitrites, either potassium or a sodium salt, are used to develop cured meat color. They impart a bright reddish, pink color, which is desirable in a cured product. In addition to the color role, nitrates and nitrites have a pronounced effect on flavor.

Sugar serves several important purposes in cured meat. First of all, it adds flavor, and secondly, it counteracts the harshness of salt.  Also sugar provides a surface color characteristic of aged ham if caramelized sugar is used. Both brown and white sugars can be used.

Ascorbates (sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate) are used to speed the curing reaction by faster color development through more rapid reduction of nitrates and nitrites to nitric oxide.

Water must not be taken for granted as an ingredient of curing. It acts as a carrier of the other ingredients, influences composition of the meat, and it may contribute to palatability or juiciness of the product.

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.