Salt-Curing

Salt-curing is the foundation of the whole craft. Salt draws water out of the meat by osmosis, which lowers its water activity, and it seasons and firms the meat as it goes. On its own, enough salt and enough time will preserve meat; almost everything else in curing is refinement on top of this.

In the Curesmith standard salt is used at 2.2 to 2.5% of the meat weight. For whole muscle the EQ (equilibrium) method is preferred, where the exact weight of salt is calculated to the meat and left to distribute evenly, rather than the traditional salt box, where excess salt is applied and the timing judged. Salt-curing rarely stands alone in modern practice: it pairs with the curing salts for safety, and in sausages with fermentation.