Cured Meat

Cured meat is one of the most ancient ways of preserving meat, known to humankind long before the appearance of refrigerators. The essence of the method lies in combining salting with slow air-drying, thanks to which the meat loses moisture and keeps for a long time without spoiling.

First, pieces of meat (most often pork, beef, or poultry) are rubbed with salt and spices — garlic, pepper, paprika, coriander — left to take up the salt, and then hung in a dry, ventilated place for several weeks. The salt draws out moisture and suppresses the growth of bacteria, while the spices lend aroma. The finished cured meat has a dense texture and a concentrated, rich flavour. In the Ukrainian tradition it is above all fatback and pork that are cured; similar delicacies are known in many cuisines of the world.