Curing and Smoking with Steven Lamb
Curing and Smoking with Steven Lamb
Welcome to the world of curing, both modern and ancient, spanning science, sorcery and culture.
"Working with the seasons is the epitome of understanding products when they are at their best and capturing their quality at the right moment," says award-winning author and smoking and curating expert Steven Lamb. "The sensitivity of being in tune with what’s ready and available in a culinary calendar is a benchmark of engagement with the natural world. Seasonality as an ethos, whereby sustainability matters as much as flavour. I will always try to shop, grow, cook or eat in this way where possible. And yet, I am a real fan of slow food and I get the majority of my own food pleasure from cheating the seasons."
"Either born out of necessity or planted naturally in the DNA of our ancestors, there has been evidence of an ability to cure and store ingredients in abundant times for the leaner months ahead. Anyone and everyone can and should be producing simple cured products as a matter of course because they offer so much value to the keen amateur cook. It will expand your knowledge of food and enables you to take good ingredients and turn them in to elevated versions of themselves."
"The world of curing is equally modern and ancient. It spans culture, science and sorcery. The ancient communities or tribes that used these curing techniques were the first ones to become nomadic or migratory as they could rely on their dry cured larder to sustain them on epic journeys."
"Dry curing, brining, hot and cold smoking are techniques that are empowering and take you one delicious step beyond your average recipe. They represent a deeper level of engagement with food than say baking a cake or simmering a stew - perhaps because they require the deployment of often ancient artisan skills. These skills need not be daunting but they do set you off on a new learning curve. The cook who makes their own bacon enters a different arena from the one who roasts their own pork. And, correspondingly, he or she reaches a new level of gratification – often by no means instant, but always lasting."
The rewards for your dedication for any extra outlay or time, are immense. Don't believe us? Try out this recipe below.
Dry-Cured Belly Bacon
INGREDIENTS
Makes 1kg
1 pork belly
3% salt to the weight of the meat
100g Demerara sugar
10 torn Bay Leaves
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
30g cracked black pepper
20 juniper berries, lightly crushed
5g grated nutmeg
fresh thyme
RECIPE
Firstly, weigh the piece of pork belly and then weigh out 3% of its weight in salt. If, for example the pork weighed 1Kg you would weigh out 30g of salt.
In a clean, non-metallic container, thoroughly mix the salt and all of the other the flavouring ingredients you want to use. Put a thin layer of this cure in the base of a clean box or tray, big enough to hold the belly. Add the belly, skin side down, and lightly rub all of the remaining cure over every surface.
Leave the box, covered, in a cool place safe from flies or otherwise in your fridge. After 24 hours you’ll see that the meat has leached salty liquid into the container. This is the action of curing taking place.
Keep the cure on the belly, three days for every 500g of its raw weight. So if it originally weighed 1Kg it stays in the cure for 6 days.
After the allotted time wash all the cure from the belly under a cold running tap then clean their surfaces with a clean tea towel. You can hang the belly at this stage but it is ready to slice and eat.
You can keep the bacon hanging in a cool place, or store it in the fridge for as long as you can refrain from eating it. Take slices as you need them, removing the bones as you come to them. Bacon is the gift that keeps on giving – it will continue to improve as it gets older.
Steven's Five Fortnum's Favourites
"This classic condiment is the perfect blend of sharpness and texture which would elevate any cold dish. I have been known to spoon it straight from the jar and it eat it! It’s also a fun play on words!"
"There are few true authentic producers of charcuterie in the UK but the team at Tempus are one of the best! They create beautiful artisanal produce that smack of quality and skill as well as being passionate supporters of high welfare meat production."
Glenarm Salt Aged Cote de Beouf
"Peter Hannan is a wonderful producer and an inspiration in the food world. He creates a range of amazing quality meats but the salt aged Cote de Beouf is a stand out winner for me with a wonderful balance of marbling and aging technique."
"I love condiments but the F&M relish is an absolute classic. It is decadent and delicious as well as being iconic! I always get a slight pang of sadness when I come to the bottom of a jar."
Fortnum’s Red Ale
"I love the deep hoppy flavour of this ale from the Westerham Brewery. It has hints of chocolate and caramel notes but is very versatile paired with hearty food or drunk on its own."