Meat Curing and Smoking FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Copyright 1995-1999 Richard Thead. All rights reserved.
Why is meat cured?
For a couple of reasons. One is safety. When meat is cold smoked its
temperature often stays in the danger zone for several hours or days.
Many environmental factors of this treatment are such that the growth
of dangerous bacteria is greatly accelerated. The curing of the meat
inhibits this growth.
The other reason is traditional preparation. There are many curing
techniques that were developed in the days before refrigeration that
are continued today for traditional reasons. A good example is corned
beef.
| Oldtime butcher shops closed
every weekend. Ice, the only refrigerant available, could
not dependably hold fresh meat for two days. To keep unsold
meat from going to waste, the butcher soaked the meat in a strong
brine or covered it with coarse salt to trigger osmosis.
The grains of salt were called "corn" in England, and the name
"corned beef" stuck with the product. [1] |
What is osmosis?
Osmosis is the movement of water across a membrane from weak solutions
toward strong solutions. [1]
What is meant by "the danger zone"?
The "danger zone" is the temperature range between 40 and 140 degrees
F. When uncured meat remains in this range for more than 2 hours the
growth of dangerous bacteria increases to a dangerous level.
What other factors affect the growth of bacteria?
When meat is smoked, the environment is robbed of most if its oxygen.
If this is combined with temperatures in the danger zone, the growth
of the bacteria that causes botulism is increased.
What is botulism?
Botulism is an intoxication of the bacteria clostridium botulinum.
This bacteria is anaerobic meaning that it requires an environment relatively
free of oxygen to multiply. It also requires a moist environment and
temperatures in the danger zone. The symptoms of botulism are sore throat,
vomiting, blurred vision, cramps, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, and
central nervous system damage (including paralysis). Symptoms usually
occur within 12 to 36 hours. The fatality rate is up to 70%. [2]
What are the commonly used curing compounds?
Salt, sugar, sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. Salt and sugar both
cure meat by osmosis. In addition to drawing the water from the food,
they dehydrate and kill the bacteria that make food spoil. In general,
though, use of the word "cure" refers to processing the meat with either
sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate.
References
[1] Food Science--Osmosis, Rita Sorci Planey, "Fine Cooking",
Aug/Sep 1994, pp12,13
[2] The New Professional Chef (1991). The Culinary Institute
of America.
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