Dry-Cured Meats

Meats cured with dry salt rather than brine are covered in this chapter; Chapter 4 covers brine-pickled meats.

Although beef and other red meats can be dry-cured, in this country and in most other parts of the world pork is by far the most popular salt-cured meat, as in salt pork, bacon, and ham. At one time, pigs were raised in towns and cities as well as on the farm; in fact, the pigs were allowed to roam the streets, thereby helping control the garbage problem instead of adding to it. I have raised a pig or two in a pen inside town limits, but these days you really need a place in the country to raise your own. If you buy fresh pork for curing from a local farmer or a meat processor, make sure that you get it very fresh and properly chilled.