Pastirma/Basturma for Beginners - Dry Curing Meat for Beginners

[@2guysandacooler]

The first 1,000 people to use the link or my code 2guysacooler will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/2guysacooler05221

[@dustinferchuk8233]

What would the steps look like of keeping it for a period of time after it’s been fully dried to your liking…… Is it just as simple as saran wrapping it and putting it in the fridge and then how long will it last after you’ve made it

[@herwantoherwanto9074]

@2Guys & A Cooler Hi... newbie on this drymeat world here... 1question... is it really safe to eat it form any bacteria or something? Considering u didnt cooked it at all, or u can say its a raw meat... if u smoked it, its still consider cooked.. please enlightened me.... thanx for ur respons, sir

[@paulriley4420]

3rd time watching this video telling myself to up my charcuterie game and start some dried meats. Can't wait for celebrating sausage, again.

[@ChrisCaldwell]

You often talk about some of your cured meats as having a smokey flavor, coming from the spicing. Would it be OK to actually throw it on a pellet grill and smoke it at 150 or so, or would the heat really change the whole thing?

[@Chris-fo8wp]

On my third Basturma!! it's a homerun, thank you!! Had some Armenian friends who could not believe I even knew what Basturma was!! Everyone loves it, also on my 4th Coppa. Thanks again.

[@Bhangamer]

Man I just stumbled on this channel and this guy immediately became my best friend. As a Turk I can say this is 100% accurate. Very well done my man

[@dustinferchuk8233]

I got white splotches in some spots on the outside of the meat is that fine

[@tomynoks]

​@@dustinferchuk8233 white mold on any cured meat sometimes appears as part of the aging process. Wipe it off.. trying not to spread it. White mold is ok. Green or black mold is bad.

[@williammaxwell1919]

Ditto, though I am a K1W1 refugee in AU... I can imagine me making this. I have asked an Australian Lebanese friend what his Mum can tell me about this, because, WOW, I could so make this!

[@shannonsmith7265]

Same here. Love this channel.

[@KnowPorcelain1]

This is my favourite KZbin channel. here in the UK, sausages and Charcuterie, seem to be the dark arts, and info is sparse. really looking forward to trying this.

[@2guysandacooler]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@Jbaggy8]

I discovered this channel a couple days ago wanting to know how to make biltong and have been watching a bunch of these. This is the only KZbin channel I have ever considered monetarily supporting, so cool!

[@janguardian]

You did great on pronouncing Chaman. Happened to visit Armenia a few months ago - fell in love with this paste.

[@maximusaugustus6823]

I never knew you could make Pastirma without burying it in salt, this is the method I will follow. I always resisted not dealing with daily salt baths, it seemed too much work and hassle but this one I can handle and it is kept inside the refrigerator. Thank you

[@jacobaccurso]

I just want to go on record by saying that your recipe ingredients calculation page is absolutely fantastic. I use it for coppa and using it imparts a great sense of confidence because it removes the guess work.

[@sustainablelife1st]

I'm mostly impressed by the way you gently laid that 30lb dumbell into the tray with one hand like it weighed nothing.

[@peopleareawesome8141]

ive been on a dry curing binge lately. Its just something vital. I really like the way your videos are broken down. Thank you for the educational films and your hard work. Peace.

[@Ashhorus]

we love basterma in Egypt

[@warmsteamingpile]

Just what I've been looking for. Been wanting to try dry curing but not ready to spend time and money for a dedicated chamber until I try it. Thanks!

[@Amuratas]

Armenian Ancient way of drying beef. Fun fact in Armenian this is called Apukhtvats mis (dried meat) which is exactly what it is. The technique, which has been around since before the age of Christianity in Armenia 301 A.D., involves pulling all the blood and water out of the meat by pressing it in salt, then rehydrating it with chaman, a combination of fragrant spices including chaman which is armenian for fenugreek. Of course this technique was spread by Armenians lucky enough to escape the turkish massacres, all over middle east, europe and the rest of the world.

[@dieselvonderdorf6916]

bulshit :)

[@dieselvonderdorf6916]

stop lie :)

[@Stefanbites85]

We have it all over Egypt. Its amazing!

[@blaneyblades4810]

I just made my first one! Can't wait! Curing as I type! The capocollo turned out amazing btw! 👏

[@jeffreycooley2032]

This, will be on my immediate to do list. He made it very approachable, and simple. Thank you!

[@lehampton1]

Basically you are using the Chateaubriand cut from the tenderloin. Expensive cut these days with meat going for 1-1/2 to 2x the prices before the pandemic.

[@dragon-TR24]

Hi. Your channel is really amazing. Thanks a lot. Best regards from Perú.

[@kbarb1000]

Just adore this channel

[@benjaminwagnitz1056]

I'd really like to see some different whole muscle projects.... maybe even a low country style cured ham? The sausages and whatnot are neat but I'd Ike to know more about whole muscle style charcuterie

[@nicholasking6066]

When my Carolina reaper seeds sprout, mature, and begin baring fruit I am going to dry some and add them to the seasoning mix in the first part the curing and make some of this, and maybe some stevia to balance with some sweet. Oh wow that is going to be tasty!!!!!!

[@Fady_cook]

Oh my!! Definitely have to trying this!!

[@AngelxXxDarken]

I would recommend diluting the paste with dry red wine instead of water. 🤗

[@harrykuheim6107]

Love the conversion table...

[@fattymoko]

It looks delicious! If I dare to make this, I’ll be using your recipe! Nice video, thanks!

[@williammaxwell1919]

Dare yourself to try... so that you can be the "you" you imagine yourself to be; paraphrasing John Lennon "It' easy if you try"

[@nevereverbeendonebefore]

you gotta have it on fresh bread or lavash with some good butter. The butter just elevates it to another level!

[@jameslibby5215]

This channel is underrated. Subbed right after I came across the biltong video

[@leahtiferetrabinovitz6518]

as always, amazing! i've done this a couple of times, never fails! thank you

[@louisevad6091]

I can’t tell you much I like your recipe calculator.

[@michaelcervantez3570]

Easy to follow, LOL. Math, websites, special materials, to many steps I stopped counting. Great video, but not easy to follow. Keep up the great work, it looks awesome.

[@ejfudbal]

I agree. And wait almost a month for something that I would eat myself in one sitting drinking 12 pack of beer.

[@warrenbilstein4930]

Well, I'm brand new to Charcuterie, to the point that I haven't even begun yet, but my second (dedicated) refrigerator is to be delivered today, so I can begin. I have made a few Bacons and I enjoy that. But, now.... the cured dry meats are my new goal.

[@lionelt.9124]

A caliper will be useful for measuring the diameter things like rotors and meats.

[@LeftJoystick]

It’s amazing how much longer this takes to “finish” compared to something like Biltong. Would definitely try it if I had the fridge space haha.

[@MarkoKukovec]

You rock man!!! You are going to have a million subscribers in no time!

[@LittleBearBBQ_Food_Original]

Yet again, another brilliant, easy to follow, knowledgeable and superb video - Thank You! As it's coming upto my yearly "Christmas Pastrami" making time, I'm going to be using my usual Brisket Flat but use your Pastirma recipe and process. Thanks Man :)

[@CoolJay77]

Just curious if you did make Basturma using this recipe on a brisket flat. I am guessing the long dry time in dry aging wraps help tenderize the meat some. Please share your experience.

[@maxcrit3481]

That’s what I’d like to try is a brisket. Is the recipe the same do you know?

[@easylistening1377]

Looks so good!! Thank you 🙏

[@mikedevere]

Thanks Eric = yet another professional look at an excellent recipe! ;-)

[@crimsonfancy]

EQ cure references to the salt and cure product specifically. Essentially, the salt "equalizes" over time and when it's specific, it won't be too much salt or too little. It naturally distributes itself throughout. Aromatics don't have molecules small enough to penetrate like salt does. In fact, salt molecules are the only ones small enough to penetrate throughout. Aromatics, sugar, etc will only penetrate at a .25 inch or so no matter how long we leave it up. Saltbox style cure is no longer ideal now that we know that we can use specific salt% and the product will remain wholesome even over the longest time. I can expound if there would be concerns. Even brining will work and we can even cure with a brine and nitrates but why would we add water when our intention is to remove 30% moisture or more anyway.... counterproductive. 😉 Cheers friends. 🍻. Love this stuff and 2Guys are the authority right now with teaching and helping others.

[@carolinakirmizi1440]

Hi! Is there no risk of botulism if nitrates or healing salts are not used? The truth is I don't understand much about charcuterie but I would like to make one. Thank you!

[@vi683a]

I want to Bring Charcuterie to Asia. You are a great teacher!

[@scottdalon801]

Another great video and thanks for the recipe. Do you have a typical percentage that you use for spices/herbs when curing meat?

[@2guysandacooler]

Thanks Scott. Not really. I try to keep the garlic onion and pepper (depending on the recipe) below .5%. The paprika (again depending on the recipe) can range between .3-,7%. If I want a particular flavor to really stand out I might take it up to 1% but every recipe is different and personal tastes have a lot to do with it. Often I'll make a recipe 4-6 times before I settle on a specific quantity of spices.

[@scottdalon801]

@@2guysandacooler Thanks so much for the response

[@IWatchedWhat]

Could you use venison backstrap or tenderloin to make this as well?

[@charlesabaday6815]

i've done it and it came out great.

[@tonyBe9051]

I'm curious how you got the beneficial mold to grow, especially if drying in the fridge?

[@Markussiemens658]

Fun fact, Pastırma or Bastırma or Basturma comes from the turkish word "bastırmak (to press)". The meat curing technique was brought by central asian turkic nomads to anatolia where it spread to other regions and cultures

[@grinninggoat5369]

Umm, uh... another fun fact! It says exactly what you typed in the video itself! Lol 😂😂

[@GregSole]

Wow that looks so good. Next on my list! Would love to see a vid from you on droewors.

[@planecrazyish]

Spectacular 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@roadie853]

Love your channel!!! I am from Canada and have a hard time finding starter culture and mold. It can not be shipped across the border due to it being a live culture. Is there anyway of doing this with out those things?

[@2guysandacooler]

Sure. I'll make a video on how to do that in my october sausage series😉

[@noodletropic]

saw the video several times and there is no mention of a starter culture and mold. What am I missing? Please inform.

[@eaglezxz3354]

Try stuffers...branches near vancouver and edmonton at least

[@ramzijeries1306]

Thank you for the chanell. I found just what I was looking for. In this video, you indicate a special fidge that you use to hang the meat. Could you share more information about it?

[@moustafaabuelnass6065]

Thanks for the nice video. Absolutely Amazing. I have a question? Should we use Cure salt if we are not using a refrigerator in the last stage?

[@fadyassaad4590]

Hi Eric and thank you so much for this, I ordered the bags instead by mistake and squeezed the air right out and wrapped it is that ok? Thank you 🙏🏻

[@2guysandacooler]

Should be fine

[@maadrianoaraujo]

@@2guysandacooler hey man, just found your channel and I gotta say that I'd give you a hug! I want to ask you to do something (nevermind if you already did. As I said, I'm new here): do it on a refrigerator. From what I can see, a lot here a home cookers. So the easier we can get, the better. And those bags are not sold in my country. So.. refrigerator that is. I've done a dry age before with this. Just put a cooler inside it and let rest. It smells terrible so there needs to be an extra one in the house. Thanks for the recipe, bud!

[@a.g.n4180]

❤❤from Philippines want to try

[@magnorobertocoelho9428]

from Brazil

[@happygolucky1100]

Good stuff I like to see all the new techniques for making cured meats . So many ways to accomplish the same things. I want to be the taster . I’ve always wondered if using modern methods (ie plastics and refrigeration vs cellar and so forth) make improvements in flavor and process or just the same end product with more steps.

[@1957jmhiser1]

I have to try this.

[@zaynfouzia7796]

Love the videos. Can you cure and dry meat without a fridge and then smoke it?

[@fooddude9921]

Eric, it looked like there was a little case hardening going on there, but I thought that curing wrap was supposed to prevent that? Am I mistaken? Thanks

[@2guysandacooler]

Unfortunately not. The wrap slows that process down but it isn't perfect. Interestingly enough, although it looks like a slight case of dry ring (not case hardening) the bite was very tender and had the exact same appearance and texture as traditional Pastirma😉

[@fooddude9921]

@@2guysandacooler Got it, thank you!

[@CoolJay77]

@@2guysandacooler Correct me if I am wrong, adding curing salt would minimize the darker ring color if one were to opt for an more uniform red color rather than the traditional appearance.

[@karlegle6431]

Looks fantastic!

[@throwaway692]

Dude! A question: At 12:45 you break out a mortar and pestle. What size is that? Many thanks.

[@2guysandacooler]

It's a 5 cup size. I have a link for it in the description box 😉

[@throwaway692]

@@2guysandacooler Thanks very much. :)

[@Katedawson-c5w]

I love your channel and am so grateful for your videos. May I ask at what temperature you keep your refrigerator ? And also how long will the Pastirma stay good inside the fridge and is it possible to let it hang outside the fridge after it’s is cured ? Thank you so much

[@2guysandacooler]

Thanks. The temp inside my fridge is 32f-36f. Inside the fridge it will stay good for 6-8 weeks. Eventually mold will want to grow on it. You can let this air dry outside the fridge if the temperature is cool with 60-70% humidity

[@Katedawson-c5w]

@@2guysandacooler thank you so much for replying! That helps a lot. Happy Easter to you

[@evrenseven]

they do this with salmon too in Istanbul it's off the charts

[@alexcue6509]

Looks great, guys

[@fugenturkoglu]

I'm Turkish but from Black Sea, so we don't have Pastirma in my region. However, people in Kayseri - Turkey are expert in Pastirma and anything cured.

[@HoriaHandmade]

Hello ! I live in Timisoara, Romania and I make basturma at home for 2 years ! I like it, but I'm locking for recipes with basturma. Do you know some ?

[@Myrkskog]

Do you think this would work with Venison loin? I've got a bunch of those in the freezer. By the way, I followed your Guanciale and Cappocolo recipes recently and they are both excellent.

[@2guysandacooler]

Venison loin would be amazing!!!

[@Myrkskog]

@@2guysandacooler All the convincing I needed to hear.

[@2guysandacooler]

@@Myrkskog LOL

[@jakobwachter5181]

@@Myrkskog How did it turn out???

[@Myrkskog]

@@jakobwachter5181 Superb. I would definitely recommend trying it yourself.

[@CoolJay77]

Thanks for this great video. I have one going with prime tenderloin. I also want to experiment with Eye of the Round as well. Do you suggest aging the meat prior to curing, such as in your video making Bresaola, or since in this method the meat goes in the dry aging wrap after the curing phase, would it be unnecessary to dry age ahead of the curing process?

[@ArmenChakmakian]

Can you use cheese cloth instead of the dry-age wrap?

[@Flyy65]

Hello, I would really appreciate if you can answer my question. I am very passionate about making cured meats, and this is my first time making Basturma. The issue is that I started making Basterma about a week ago and I just watched your videos about curing salts and now I am scared of trying the product. I bought a 2.7kg eye of round, then I pricked it heavily with a skewer from my kitchen, and then i salted it really heavily with only sea salt and placed it covered with plastic wrap in a pan in my fridge at 6 C for 3 days. After that I pressed in the same fridge for 2 days, and then I hung it in the fridge uncovered for another 4 days at 6 C. now its hanging in the fridge with the spice paste, and I am serious considering throwing it away because it was stored at 6C and I heavily pricked the piece of meat and I hung it uncovered.... would really appreciate if you can respond to me.

[@2guysandacooler]

Was the skewer sanitized?

[@Flyy65]

@@2guysandacooler I didn't sanitize them before pricking the meat.

[@francgorenc7227]

Amazing recipes are on your site. I'll try Basturma as soon as I buy and modify the new refrigerator to have higher humidity. I will wait for the few days to see the price of the fridge you reviewed on Aug 20th. As far as the ingredients are concerned; can I remove the sugar? I don't know how important is for the Basturma project. Thanks Franc

[@WESLEYDavis-v3v]

Could you use a clean sock to wrap meats it already would have air holes

[@matino717]

Wow I never thought I would dry some meat but it is not on my top list! Thanks for the amazing video!

[@MrIceman1953]

I don’t have dry wrap or room in my refrigerator but I do have collagen wrap and room in my 55 degree 80% humidity “cave”. Could I use this setup and what if any changes to the instructions would I need.

[@2guysandacooler]

I would approach this recipe the exact same way with no changes..

[@peterlokin4098]

Once i coat it with spices, should i return it to my curing chamber or my home refrigerator?

[@yetsatch]

As always, awesome video! Can I use UMAI dry aging bags instead of the wraps from sausage maker? Those are hard to find in Canada.

[@2guysandacooler]

Yes, absolutely

[@yetsatch]

@@2guysandacooler Thanks for the response. Just to add, as a Turkish guy, I should say that you revolutionized pastırma making. The various methods most home users traditionally follow are very messy and usually ends up with a too salty pastırma. This method looks absolutely perfect! Keep up the excellent work!

[@2guysandacooler]

@@yetsatch thank you

[@yetsatch]

've tried this recipe and and turned out amazing! Thank you so much! It took about 2 months to get to the target weight.

[@overseastom]

Looks good! Couple of questions though: 1) when you put the meat in for its initial cure, there was a folded over flap of plastic that seemed to have liquid and spices in it, so wouldn't that decrease the amount of cure that is actually in contact with the meat? I notice you didn't apply rub to the ends either, and I wondered why not. 2) why do you wear gloves? You handle the meat, and then touch a bunch of equipment with the same gloves on, so what's the point of the gloves?

[@2guysandacooler]

1. In the vacuum equilibrium will be achieved, That little bit of liquid is water being expelled by the meat which was already replaced with salt particles. There's no worries there. 2. LOL. What you don't see is me washing my hands between meat handling and equipment handling. Editing makes the shots look fluid.. I wear gloves all day, as I own a commercial food preparation business. I really need to get a gloves sponsorship going😂😂

[@hippyhebrewhomestead8593]

This is awesome! Thank you! I gotta ask though….didn’t I see you star in that show called “The Office”?

[@artemt8055]

Hello Eric,need your advice my chamber - did everything like in you video , but after 11 days meat - specially basturma and Calabrian pork loin - started to getting white / green mold…..what is my steps to stop it??? I have mold what I use before for Calabrian sausage should I clean mold with winegar, and apply good mold???? 54f in chamber and it’s was 80% h but I drop it to 75…. Please can you explain my mistake ( chamber was sanitized and disenfakted ) Thank you

[@artemt8055]

Is any chance to contact you via instagram??

[@2guysandacooler]

Yes. Clean with vinegar and apply the good mold

[@adamlee3772]

I’m curious as to what you used to hang the meat, just a paperclip?

[@samnickerson9255]

How was this done before refrigeration and wraps?

[@nazekguirgis6171]

Hi, thank you for your recipe, I have only one question, why you didn't use curing salt in doing the pastrami, thanks

[@pasqualkioumejian872]

I saw that some people dry age only for a couple days, using salt method, but after coating with Chemen they let dry for 3-4 weeks. What’s the difference? Does this taste better? Thanks great channel

[@OllihuAkbar]

Hi! New subscriber here, haven't dry cured anything yet but I'm interested in trying out this recipe! We don't have the dry aging/curing wraps here in Europe, so before I pay extra for postage from the US + taxes + custom fees for getting my hands on some of those, is there a good substitute for them for a first timer? How necessary are they for smaller pieces of meat, or should I use a cheesecloth or something?

[@khanjones5749]

What's the best way to store this once finished? Love your videos cheers. Just put the spice coating on.. yum.. just curious about short term storage?

[@rickross199]

Thank you so much for making this channel Eric you've helped me up my game tremendously. Anyone know what spices are used to make it for dry chipped beef for creamed chipped beef on toast (SOS)? I'm thinking just the salt?

[@2guysandacooler]

Correcto. Salt is usually just what's used but if you want to jazz it up a little garlic and pepper would be nice...

[@samadel.a765]

I wonder what other types of seasoning there is Cuz I think that the seasoning used i n Egypt is different (I don't know how its made but it doesn't have taste of cumin in it) I might search around to know especially if I could use that mix alone without the meat or with other cuts of meat

[@charlesnoska2225]

How is this stored after curing and drying finished, and after slicing started? Thanks, I will be starting this next week.

[@ArmenChakmakian]

Butcher paper, in the meat drawer

[@HoriaHandmade]

Hello ! I live in Timisoara, Romania (East Europe) and I make basturma at home for 2 years ! I like it, but I'm locking for recipes with basturma. Do you know some ?

[@SomeChristianGuy.]

Hey there this looks awesome and I wanna try it. Did your corned beef recipe and it turned out amazing and I already have another one going. An important question based on what you have taught me so far in that corn beef video and your nitrate video. How come you do not use curing salt here even though youre vacuum packing the meat? It seems that the vacuum packed phase meets the criteria for needing some nitrates.

[@2guysandacooler]

Great question. When it's vacuum sealed it's placed into a refrigerator where the temp is below 37f. So although the no oxygen requirement is met the temperature requirement is not met so no nitrates are needed.

[@SomeChristianGuy.]

@@2guysandacooler Thank you. My fridge is set to 2 celcius. Can one be confident that itll maintain that because its a fridge that gets used, should one use nitrates as a precaution or would it be safe to rely on the fridge so long as it store it at the back of the fridge and so forth? Ive got a good Samsung fridge. Just want to be 100% sure. Also, at 2 celcius I froze my wifes spinach, so I reckon Ill have to end up using nitrates regardless. Does your website have a calculatir or guide for how much nitrate per kg I should be using?

[@2guysandacooler]

@@SomeChristianGuy. you can go either way. Personally I don't have a problem using curing salts in my meat projects, so if you want that added security and protection I say use the curing salt. I would reduce the salt content to 2.5% and add .25% curing salt to the recipe. So for 1000 grams of meat you would add 25g of salt and 2.5g of curing salt

[@SomeChristianGuy.]

@@2guysandacooler Excellent. Thank you for the insight.

[@willodonnell2274]

Thank you for your content, it's definitely giving me the confidence to start making my own. Cheers

[@paulenej5839]

Could i use turkey or goose to make this. Thanks

[@maxcrit3481]

Will this work on brisket or thick cut rib-eyes/sirloins?

[@maskenhandler1648]

do we weigh the meat before salting or after the salting process? at what starting point do i need to calculate the 35% weigh loss

[@Pyrophyte5]

Is it possible to perform the drying steps in a biltong box? Just recently built one and excited to find more uses for it!

[@2guysandacooler]

This one might be a little tricky. Technically you could do it but because of the size of this muscle you would have to do it in the wintertime. You can use a biltong box for smaller diameter sausages like kabanosy or lap cheung. Also, you can make beef jerky or carne seca

[@Pyrophyte5]

@@2guysandacooler Thanks for the reply! I live in a cold climate so my box runs on the cooler, and dryer side (60-70C and 40-45% humidity). Would that work? I initially was disappointed with how low the humidity was given your biltong video recommended 50-60% humidity, any easy ways to increase humidity, or should I get a humidifier?

[@jordanolsen6571]

Good day, I love your channel! Could you use this same recipe with a pork tenderloin?

[@2guysandacooler]

Yes you can!

[@euphratessful]

çemen (fenugreek) is way too strong spice that makes your body smells bad for 2-3 days. You better skim the coat before eating it. Your recipe is spot on

[@barbaralucero2772]

So, are there any spices besides Cayenne to use?

[@willedwards7679]

What’s the best way to store the basturma?

[@jomatzki]

HI. can i use pork loin for this? thanks.

[@2guysandacooler]

Yes you can!

[@jomatzki]

@@2guysandacooler thanks!

[@jomatzki]

@@2guysandacooler What alternative can i use for dry agin g steak wraps?

[@turtlebeach3116]

Does it loose vitamins while drying ?

[@UncleKameha49]

Can I get a link to buy that knife?

[@2guysandacooler]

Sure: tinyurl.com/5ypnfjp7 (for 15% off use discount code - 2guys ). The knife in this video is their GYUTO Chef's Knife. It's a great knife. Benn using this brand for several years now and all of their knives are rock solid.

[@tadehfereyduni6066]

We dont have dry aging wrap in our country what can i use insted ?

[@phoghat]

It seems to me this would also taste delicious using pork would that be possible?

[@mikererichaq3402]

Hay Eric, can I use a pork loin instead of beef? I made my first Charcuterie yesterday I made a Lonzino

[@2guysandacooler]

yes. pork loin would be great!