1. Chapter 5
Cured and Smoked Foods

2. Chapter 5 Objectives
Understand the history and purpose of cured and smoked foods
Identify the crucial ingredients for preserving foods
Explain the function of salt in osmosis, dehydration, and fermentation
Describe the role of curing salts in preserving foods
Discuss seasoning and flavoring options for cured and smoked foods

3. Chapter 5 Objectives Compare the effects of dry cures and brines
Describe the evolution of brining from a preservation technique to a flavoring technique
Evaluate cold smoking and hot smoking alternatives
Explain the technique of air-drying
Describe the method of preservation in fat

4. Preservation Techniques in Chapter 5
Curing and brining
Smoking
Drying
Preserving in fat

5. Ingredients for Preserving Foods
Salt is the basic ingredient used in preserving food
Basic processes in which salt plays an important role:
Osmosis
Dehydration
Fermentation
Denaturing proteins

6. Osmosis
A simple definition states that osmosis is the movement of a solvent (typically water) through a semipermeable membrane (the cell walls) in order to equalize the concentration of a solute (typically salt) on both sides of the membrane
Getting the salt inside the cell, where it can kill off harmful pathogens, is the essence of salt-curing foods

7. Dehydration
Applying salt to foods can dry them effectively, since the salt tends to attract the free water, making it unavailable to microbes
Exposure to air or heat for controlled periods allows the water to evaporate, reducing the overall volume and weight of the food

8. Fermentation
Enzymes ferment the food by breaking down the compounds in these foods into gases and organic compounds
By increasing the acid levels in the food, enzymes also help to preserve foods, since most harmful pathogens can only thrive when the levels of acids are within a specific pH range
Salt is important to act as a control on this process, since it affects how much water is available to the enzymes

9. Denaturing Proteins
Changing the structure of the proteins found in food
The strands that make up the protein are encouraged to lengthen or coil, open or close, recombine or dissolve in such a way that foods that were once soft may become firm, smooth foods may become grainy, translucent foods may become cloudy, etc.

10. Curing Salts: Nitrates and Nitrites
Compounds already present in unrefined salts:
Nitrates (NO3) take longer to break down in cured foods than nitrites
Nitrites (NO2) break down faster, making them appropriate for use in any cured item that will later be fully cooked

11. Nitrosamine
When nitrates and nitrites break down in the presence of extreme heat (specifically, when bacon is cooked), potentially dangerous substances known as nitrosamines may form in the food
Discovered to be carcinogenic in 1956
The use of nitrates and nitrites is closely regulated

12. Tinted Cure Mix, Pink Cure, and Prague Powder I
TCM (or Insta-cure #1):
94% sodium chloride (salt) and 6% sodium nitrite
Tinted pink for identification reasons
Recommended ratio:
4 oz of TCM to each 100 lb of meat

13. Prague Powder II Prague Powder II (Insta-cure #2) contains:
Salt
Sodium nitrite
Sodium nitrate
Pink coloring
Used to make dry and dry-fermented products

14. Cure Accelerators: Sodium Erythorbate and Ascorbate
Work together with nitrites to enhance color development and flavor retention in cured foods
Have some of the same reddening effects of nitrates and nitrites but is temporary
Cannot be used to substitute for nitrates or nitrites

15. Seasoning and Flavoring Ingredients
Sugar (sweeteners):
Dextrose
Corn syrup
Sugar
Honey
Maple syrup
Spices and Herbs:
Cinnamon
Allspice
Nutmeg
Mace
Cardamom
Dried or fresh chilies
Infusions or essences
Wines
Fruit juices
Vinegars

16. Cures and Brines
Curing is the generic term used to indicate brines, pickling or corning solutions, or dry cures
When salt, in the form of a dry cure or brine, is applied to a food, the food is referred to as cured, brined, pickled, or corned
Salt brines may also be known as pickles; this is true whether or not vinegar is added to the brine

17. Dry Cures Can be as simple as salt alone
More often is a mixture of salt, a sweetener, flavorings, and a curing blend
Mixture is packed and rubbed over the surface of the food
Keeping the foods in direct contact with the cure helps to ensure an evenly preserved product

18. Dry Cure Times for Meats
Item to be Cured
Approx. Curing Time
¼-inch thick, approx.
1 – 2 hours
1-inch thick, approx., lean meat
3 – 8 hours
1½-inch thick pork belly
7 – 10 days
Ham, bone-in (15 – 18 lbs.)
40 – 45 days

19. Brines
When a dry cure is dissolved in water, it is known as a wet cure, or a brine
Technique used primarily to retain moisture
Two brining techniques:
1. Brine-soaking – submerging food in brine (smaller items)
2. Injecting brine – ensures the brine penetrates completely and evenly (larger items); brine is the equivalent of 10% of item’s weight

20. Brines Formula for moisture and flavor:
1 lb. sugar
1 lb. salt
4 gallons of water
1 gallon of ice
Heat 1 gallon of water, add the salt, sugar, and flavorings. Dissolve the salt and sugar. Add 3 gallons of cold water and 1 gallon of ice to chill the brine.

21. Brining Time for Meats Item Not Pumped Pumped (10% of weight)
Chicken or duck breast
24 – 36 hours
Not recommended
Chicken, whole
12 – 16 hours
Pork butt or loin (boneless)
5 – 6 days
2 ½ – 3 days
Turkey, whole 10 – 12 lbs.
3 days
Corned Brisket
7 – 8 days
3 – 5 days
Ham boneless
6 days
4 days
Ham, bone-in
20 – 24 days
6 – 7 days

22. Smoke Basic features of smokers: Smoke source
Smoke chamber where food is exposed
Circulation
Ventilation

23. Smoke Woods for smoking: Other sources: Hickory Oak Cherry Walnut
Chestnut
Apple
Alder
Mesquite
Wood from citrus trees
Other sources:
Teas
Herb stems
Whole spices
Grapevine clippings
Corn husks
Fruit peels
Peanut shells

24. Smoke: The Pellicle
Before cured foods are smoked, they should be allowed to air-dry long enough to form a tacky skin, known as a pellicle
It acts as a kind of protective barrier for the food, and also plays an important role in capturing the smoke’s flavor and color
Most foods can be properly dried by placing them on racks or by hanging them on hooks or sticks where air is flowing around all sides

25. Cold Smoking Criteria for cold-smoked items: Type of cure
Duration of cure
Whether or not the food will be air-dried after smoking
Foods that will be cooked by another means after smoking

26. Cold Smoking Temperature for cold smoking: Below 100°F
In this temperature range, foods take on a rich smoky flavor, develop a deep mahogany color, and tend to retain a relatively moist texture
They are not cooked as a result of the smoking process and proteins do not denature

27. Hot Smoking Temperature for hot smoking: 165 – 185°F
Food exposed to smoke and heat in a controlled environment
Foods are fully cooked, moist, and flavorful
Safe to eat without further cooking

28. Smoke-Roasting
Any process that has the attributes of both smoking and roasting
Sometimes referred to as barbecuing or spit-roasting
Equipment that can be used:
Smoke-roaster
Closed wood-fire oven
Barbecue pit
Any smoker that can reach above 250°F
Conventional oven

29. Pan-Smoking Smoking without using a smoker or smokehouse
Gives smoke-enhanced flavor
Items needed:
2 disposable aluminum pans
Rack
Sawdust
Drawback: hard to control smoke and flavor may be too intense or bitter

30. Drying
Some items need to be air-dried in lieu of or in addition to smoking
Requires careful balance of temperature and humidity control
Items that are preserved by drying:
Serrano ham (cured and cold-smoked first)
Smithfield hams (cured and cold-smoked first)
Prosciutto crudo di Parma (cured and cold-smoked first)
Roman-Style Air-Dried Beef
Bresealo
Beef jerky

31. Preserving in Fat: Confits and Rillettes
Process for rillettes:
Stew boned meats in fat or broth with vegetables and aromatics
Cooked meat is blended with fat to make a paste
Stored in crocks or pots, covered with a layer of fat to act as a seal
Classic methods of preserving food
Process for confits:
Cured
Simmered in rendered fat
Placed in crocks and completely covered in fat
Meats age in fat for 1 week