I have been fascinated with the idea of curing meat. Long before refrigeration, this is how people stored meat. A little research revealed that curing meats has been around since the "ancient times". The are several forms of curing, but dry curing with salt is one of the simplest. I have always been a little intrigued by things of the past, so I decided to apply this old techniques to the duck breast and make some Duck Prosciutto. There is a lot of info on curing duck breast on the internet since it was popularized by Michael Ruhlman's book "Charcuterie" (which I have not read.)
WARNING! This is a method that I used without any prior experience. I am not an expert in curing and am not suggesting that you follow my recipe. I am just sharing information. Proceed at your own risk!
I bought a magret duck breast for this project. Magret is the breast of a moulard duck which has been fattened for the production of foie gras. It is known for its rich flavor. I rinsed the breast and dried it. I then made a mix of kosher salt and sugar (80% salt/20% sugar) enough to cover the breast in a non-reactive container. The goal is to pack the breast completely with the mixture. The purpose of the salt is to draw out all of the moisture which will in turn slow the production of harmful bacteria. The sugar adds flavor and counters the hardening effect of the salt. There are various flavors that can be introduced with the addition of herbs. In this case, I didn't use any. I then covered and placed in the fridge for 2 days. This allows time for the salt to do it's job.
Next, I removed the breast from the fridge, thoroughly rinsed the salt/sugar off the breast and then dried it with paper towels. Next, using cheese cloth, I wrapped the breast and tied it with kitchen string in a fashion that would allow me to hang it.
Temperature and humidity are critical: The ideal temperature for curing meat is 36-40 degrees F. Below 36, the process slows down too much and the longer process causes excess loss in the flavor. And, above 50 degrees, spoilage occurs. The level of humidity is also important to allow for the evaporation of moisture to occur. I wanted to cure the meat in my garage. Winter temperatures and humidity levels (in California) are ideal for curing. Otherwise, curing can be done in a fridge.
Weight: After wrapping the breast in the cheese cloth, I weighed it. This is important because the cure is complete when the breast has lost approximately 30% of its weight. In my case, the weight was 404 grams. So, my target weight for completion was 282 grams. (In researching the weight reduction goal, I came across numbers ranging from 20% to 30%, so I chose to go with the most conservative number which was 30%)
I hung the breast in my garage mid December and it took over a month for it to reach the target weight. I checked and recorded the weight weekly to monitor the progress of the cure. Initially, the weight dropped quickly during the first week. It then slowed to a few grams per week. The weight loss essentially stopped before hitting my target. It had only lost about 20% of its weight. I made the command decision to stop the process at this point even though it had not reached the 30% target. This morning, nervous with anticipation, I brought it down and opened it. The color was actually not very appealing. It was a dark brown color. I cut it open and was happy to see a beautiful red color on the inside. I took a bite. The fat melted in my mouth and the meat had the perfect balance of texture, game, flavor, and salt. WOW! It worked, although I still have to wait to see if I will die from botulism.
I cut the breast into 5 equal portions, bagged, tagged, and placed in the freezer. I have lots of ideas for how I will use it. I may even cook some of it and use it on pizza, or as garnish for soup or salad.
I recommend that you read and research this process rather than following my curing technique. There is a lot of technical chemistry and MANY finer points involved in this process that I have ignored. I decided to not to get too bogged down with science and just do what people may have done years ago.
WARNING! This is a method that I used without any prior experience. I am not an expert in curing and am not suggesting that you follow my recipe. I am just sharing information. Proceed at your own risk!
Next, I removed the breast from the fridge, thoroughly rinsed the salt/sugar off the breast and then dried it with paper towels. Next, using cheese cloth, I wrapped the breast and tied it with kitchen string in a fashion that would allow me to hang it.
Temperature and humidity are critical: The ideal temperature for curing meat is 36-40 degrees F. Below 36, the process slows down too much and the longer process causes excess loss in the flavor. And, above 50 degrees, spoilage occurs. The level of humidity is also important to allow for the evaporation of moisture to occur. I wanted to cure the meat in my garage. Winter temperatures and humidity levels (in California) are ideal for curing. Otherwise, curing can be done in a fridge.
Weight: After wrapping the breast in the cheese cloth, I weighed it. This is important because the cure is complete when the breast has lost approximately 30% of its weight. In my case, the weight was 404 grams. So, my target weight for completion was 282 grams. (In researching the weight reduction goal, I came across numbers ranging from 20% to 30%, so I chose to go with the most conservative number which was 30%)
I cut the breast into 5 equal portions, bagged, tagged, and placed in the freezer. I have lots of ideas for how I will use it. I may even cook some of it and use it on pizza, or as garnish for soup or salad.
I recommend that you read and research this process rather than following my curing technique. There is a lot of technical chemistry and MANY finer points involved in this process that I have ignored. I decided to not to get too bogged down with science and just do what people may have done years ago.
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