Salting
The active step of applying salt to the meat, by dry salt box, rub, or brine. It draws out water, seasons, and begins to lower water activity.
Salting is the first working step of most cures. Applied as a dry salt box, a measured rub, or a brine, it pulls water from the meat by osmosis, seasons it, and starts the water activity falling. How evenly it is done shapes the whole cure.
In the Curesmith standard the salt is 2.2 to 2.5% of the meat. For whole muscle, weighing the salt to the meat and letting it equalise, the EQ method, gives a more even and predictable result than the traditional salt box. Uneven salting leaves patches under or over cured, so thorough, even application matters as much as the amount.
Temple element. Roof, Water Activity