Transcript GM_CH05_CIA

Chapter 5
Cured and Smoked Foods
Chapter 5 Objectives










Understand the history and purpose of cured and smoked foods
Identify the crucial ingredients for preserving foods
Explain the function of salt in osmosis, dehydration, and
fermentation
Describe the role of curing salts in preserving foods
Discuss seasoning and flavoring options for cured and smoked
foods
Compare the effects of dry cures and brines
Describe the evolution of brining from a preservation technique
to a flavoring technique
Evaluate cold smoking and hot smoking alternatives
Explain the technique of air-drying
Describe the method of preservation in fat
Preservation Techniques




Curing and brining
Smoking
Drying
Preserving in fat
Ingredients for Preserving
Foods


Salt is the basic ingredient used in
preserving food
Basic processes in which salt plays an
important role:




Osmosis
Dehydration
Fermentation
Denaturing proteins
Osmosis


A simple definition states that osmosis is the
movement of a solvent (typically water)
through a semi-permeable membrane (the
cell walls) in order to equalize the
concentration of a solute (typically salt) on
both sides of the membrane.
Getting the salt inside the cell, where it can
kill off harmful pathogens, is the essence of
salt-curing foods.
Dehydration


Applying salt to foods can dry them
effectively, since the salt tends to
attract the free water, making it
unavailable to microbes.
Exposure to air or heat for controlled
periods allows the water to evaporate,
reducing the overall volume and weight
of the food.
Fermentation



Enzymes ferment the food by breaking down
the compounds in these foods into gases and
organic compounds.
By increasing the acid levels in the food,
enzymes also help to preserve foods, since
most harmful pathogens can only thrive when
the levels of acids are within a specific pH
range.
Salt is important to act as a control on this
process, since it affects how much water is
available to the enzymes.
Denaturing Proteins


Changing the structure of the proteins
found in food
The strands that make up the protein
are encouraged to lengthen or coil,
open or close, recombine or dissolve in
such a way that foods that were once
soft may become firm, smooth foods
may become grainy, translucent foods
may become cloudy, etc.
Curing Salts: Nitrates and Nitrites

Compounds already present in
unrefined salts:


Nitrates (NO3) take longer to break
down in cured foods than nitrites.
Nitrites (NO2) break down faster,
making them appropriate for use in any
cured item that will later be fully cooked.
Nitrosamine Controversy



When nitrates and nitrites break down
in the presence of extreme heat
(specifically, when bacon is cooked),
potentially dangerous substances
known as nitrosamines may form in the
food.
Discovered to be carcinogenic in 1956
The use of nitrates and nitrites is
closely regulated.
Tinted Cure Mix, Pink Cure
and Insta-cure #1

TCM (or Insta-cure #1):


94% sodium chloride (salt) and 6% sodium
nitrite
Tinted pink for identification reasons
Recommended ratio:

4 oz of TCM to each 100 lb of meat
Insta-cure #2

Insta-cure #2 contains:





Salt
Sodium nitrite
Sodium nitrate
Pink coloring
Used to make dry and dry-fermented
products
Cure Accelerators: Sodium
Erythorbate and Ascorbate



Work together with nitrites to enhance
color development and flavor retention
in cured foods
Have some of the same reddening
effects of nitrates and nitrites but is
temporary
Cannot be used to substitute for
nitrates or nitrites
Sweeteners as Seasoning and
Flavoring Ingredients














Sweeteners can:
Help overcome the harshness of the salt in the cure
Balance the overall flavor palette
Counteract bitterness in liver products
Help stabilize color in cured meats
Increase water retention (moisture) in finished products
Provide a good nutrient source for fermentation
Types of Sweeteners:
Sugar
Dextrose
Corn syrup
Sugar
Honey
Maple syrup
Seasoning and Flavoring
Ingredients

Spices and herbs that are used to enhance a product’s
flavor and give it a particular character include:










Cinnamon
Allspice
Nutmeg
Mace
Cardamom
Dried or fresh chiles
Infusions or essences
Wines
Fruit juices
Vinegars
Cures and Brines



Curing is the generic term used to indicate
brines, pickling or corning solutions, or dry
cures.
When salt, in the form of a dry cure or brine,
is applied to a food, the food is referred to as
cured, brined, pickled, or corned.
Salt brines may also be known as pickles; this
is true whether or not vinegar is added to the
brine.
Dry Cures




Can be as simple as salt alone
More often is a mixture of salt, a
sweetener, flavorings and a curing
blend
Mixture is packed and rubbed over the
surface of the food
Keeping the foods in direct contact with
the cure helps to ensure an evenly
preserved product
Dry Cure Times for Meats
Item to be Cured
¼-inch thick, approx.
Approx. Curing Time
1 – 2 hours
1-inch thick, approx.,
3 – 8 hours
lean meat
1½-inch thick pork
7 – 10 days
belly
Ham, bone-in (15 – 18 40 – 45 days
lbs.)
Brines



When a dry cure is dissolved in water, it is
known as a wet cure, or a brine.
Technique used primarily to retain moisture
Two brining techniques:
1)
2)
Brine-soaking – submerging food in brine
(smaller items)
Injecting brine – ensures the brine penetrates
completely and evenly (larger items); brine is
the equivalent of 10% of item’s weight
Brines


The basic formula for brine has changed
because the purpose of brining has evolved. In
recent years, meat has begun to be bred leaner
to address health concerns throughout the
country. Today’s brines are used to add
moisture and flavor to meats.
Heat 1 gallon of water, add the salt, sugar and
flavorings. Dissolve the salt and sugar. Add 3
gallons of cold water and 1 gallon of ice to chill
the brine
Brining Time for Meats
Item
Not Pumped
Pumped (10% of
weight)
Chicken or duck
breast
24 – 36 hours
Not recommended
Chicken, whole
24 – 36 hours
12 – 16 hours
Pork butt or loin
(boneless)
5 – 6 days
2 ½ - 3 days
Turkey, whole 10 – 12 5 – 6 days
lbs.
3 days
Corned Brisket
7 – 8 days
3 – 5 days
Ham boneless
6 days
4 days
Ham, bone-in
20 – 24 days
6 – 7 days
Smoke



Smoke has been intentionally applied to foods since it
was first recognized that holding meats and other
provisions off the ground near the smoky fires did
more than dry them more quickly or prevent animals
from getting to them.
The hanging foods, treated to a smoke-bath, took on
new and enticing flavors.
Basic features of smokers:




Smoke source
Smoke chamber where food is exposed
Circulation
Ventilation
Woods Used for Smoking

Hardwoods:











Hickory
Oak
Cherry
Walnut
Chestnut
Apple
Alder
Mesquite
Wood from citrus trees
Softwoods are not viable options
Never use pressure-treated wood under any
circumstances—it is deadly poisonous.
Alternative Smoking Sources







Teas
Herb stems
Whole spices
Grapevine clippings
Corn husks
Fruit peels
Peanut shells
Smoke: The Pellicle



Before cured foods are smoked, they should
be allowed to air-dry long enough to form a
tacky skin, known as a pellicle.
It acts as a kind of protective barrier for the
food, and also plays an important role in
capturing the smoke’s flavor and color.
Most foods can be properly dried by placing
them on racks or by hanging them on hooks
or sticks where air is flowing around all sides.
Cold Smoking

Criteria for cold-smoked items:




Type of cure
Duration of cure
Whether or not the food will be air-dried
after smoking
Foods that will be cooked by another
means after smoking
Cold Smoking



Temperature for cold smoking:
Below 100 degrees Fahrenheit
In this temperature range, foods take
on a rich smoky flavor, develop a deep
mahogany color, and tend to retain a
relatively moist texture.
They are not cooked as a result of the
smoking process and proteins do not
denature.
Hot Smoking

Temperature for hot smoking:
185 – 250 degrees Fahrenheit



Food exposed to smoke and heat in a
controlled environment
Foods are fully cooked, moist and
flavorful
Safe to eat without further cooking
Smoke-Roasting



Any process that has the attributes of both
smoking and roasting
Sometimes referred to as barbecuing or spitroasting
Equipment that can be used:





Smoke-roaster
Closed wood-fire oven
Barbecue pit
Any smoker that can reach above 250°F
Conventional oven
Pan-Smoking



Smoking without using a smoker or
smokehouse
Gives smoke-enhanced flavor
Items needed:




2 disposable aluminum pans
Rack
Sawdust
Drawback: hard to control smoke and flavor
may be too intense or bitter
Drying



Some items need to be air-dried in lieu of or in
addition to smoking
Requires careful balance of temperature and
humidity control
Items that are preserved by drying:






Serrano ham (cured and cold-smoked first)
Smithfield hams (cured and cold-smoked first)
Prosciutto crudo di Parma (cured and cold-smoked
first)
Roman-Style Air-Dried Beef
Bresealo
Beef jerky
Preserving in Fat: Classic
Methods of Preserving Food

Confits





Cured
Simmered in rendered fat
Placed in crocks and completely covered in fat
Meats age in fat for 1 week
Rillettes



Stew boned meats in fat or broth with vegetables
and aromatics
Cooked meat is blended with fat to make a paste
Stored in crocks or pots, covered with a layer of
fat to act as a seal