Meat Brining & Curing

Stepping up my meat cooking and preserving game

In my journey to become more self-reliant, I wanted to jump into the world of meat preservation. In 2022, I had put meat brining & curing on the list but wasn’t able to get to it so I added it back to the list this year.

As I started researching meat brining I realized that this wasn’t an actual viable preservation method but an absolutely amazing skill to uplevel my cooking.

What Is Meat Brining?

Meat brining is the process of infusing proteins with salt, sugar, and flavor. In addition, it tenderizes and moisturizes meat.

We just bought 2 30lb samplers from Arc Acres which offers grass-fed beef. Last year, we ordered a 1/4 of a cow from my friend’s parent’s farm (outside of Toronto) and we are almost finished with all the meat. This year to fill our freezer I wanted to support a more local farm to us. I love that the farm is run by Amber, I’ve met her a few times now and I just love her energy in this world.

So that all being said, I grabbed a Blade Roast from our order and mixed up this brine recipe:

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup salt

• 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper

• 2 tablespoons ground ginger (I used the essential oil instead)

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 cup water

I put the roast and the brine in a ziplock bag and kept the roast in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, I flipped it over and put it back in the fridge until around midday. Around noon I pulled out a Le Creuset dutch over and turned on the stovetop. With a bit of avocado oil in the pot I browned both sides before adding broth, carrots, parsnips, and onion and then cooked on medium for the afternoon.

It turned out so well, the meat fell off the bone and the family devoured it.

How To Use Meat Brining For Storage

I did find some resources to store meat long-term in a brine solution but I didn’t want to buy a massive crock to test this process out. But here are the steps from almanac.com:

• Pack the pieces of meat in a sterilized crock or jar and cover with a brine of 3 quarts water, 1 pound pickling salt, and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Be sure the salt and sugar are dissolved.

• The brine must cover every inch of the meat, so if it doesn’t, weigh it down with a plate and a heavy object like a canning jar full of water. Cover the container and store for a week at 36°F.

• Remove the meat, stir the brine, and repack the meat each week for 4 weeks. If the brine is thick or stringy, wash each piece of pork thoroughly, resterilize the container, and mix fresh brine.

This doesn’t seem like a great long-term solution but definitely something that can be done short-term.

What Is Meat Curing?

Here is the definition of meat curing according to masterclass.com:

“Meat curing is a method of preserving and flavoring a wide variety of proteins with salt and other flavorings and preservatives. Curing, which can significantly extend the shelf life of fresh meat, has been popular since the dawn of civilization. By removing moisture via osmosis, curing halts potential microbe growth (therefore, preventing food spoilage) and imbues the meat with a rich, savory flavor.”

I will be attempting to cure a piece of meat with the dry or equilibrium method. While I haven’t started this yet, I’ll post an update if I’m successful.