Curing
Escultura, Vance Andell I.
Ner, Patricia A.
Curing
Ø refers to various preservation and flavoring
processes by the addition of a combination of
salt, sugar, and either nitrate or nitrite
Ø aims to draw moisture out of the food by
the process of osmosis
salting
sugar-curing kippering
salt-curing
honey-curing
corning
pickling brining
A BIt of History
Ø Dehydration is the earliest form of food curing.
Ø Curing dates back to ancient times and was the primary
way of preserving until the late 19th century.
Ø It has been the dominant method of meat
preservation for thousands of years.
Ø Today, it is practiced in most developed countries
for its cultural value and taste.
Ingredients of
curing
salt
Ø inhibits growth of spoilage-causing
microorganisms by drawing out water
Ø unwanted bacteria decrease while
beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus
rise and generate acidic environment
Ø concentration of salt up to 20% to
kill bacteria
sugar
Ø used as food by lactobacilli
(fermentation)
Ø dextrose is preferred over sucrose or
table sugar
Ø accounts for the tangy flavor of some
cured products
nitrite & nitrate
Ø not only kill bacteria but produce characteristic
flavor and give meat a pink or red color
Ø the only ones that inhibit Clostridium botulinum
Ø N-nitrosamines were considered carcinogenic and so,
nitrate was prohibited in bacon and concentration is
limited
Common Methods
of Curing
DRy curing
Ø involves applying a curing mix directly
on the food, sealing the food, and
keeping it refrigerated while it cures
Ø often used to cure ham, bacon, and
smaller cuts of meat
wet curing
Ø involves combining curing salt and
water to create a sweet pickle solution
then the food is either soaked in the
mixture or it has the mixture injected
into it.
Ø takes place in a refrigerator and the
cured meat is cooked before eaten
Ø involves a combination of both wet and dry
curing
Ø shortens curing time and reduces risk of
spoilage because process takes place inside
and outside food
Ø often used to cure hams
Combination curing
Facts on Curing
The amount of time it takes for the The sodium content in cured meat is
meat to cure depends entirely on high.
the size of the meat.
Salt flavor is the most predominant If there's a foul odor at any point
flavor; sugar is a minor part of in the process, discard the product.
composite flavor.
References
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Thank you!
