Bresaola and case-hardening

[daytripper]

Hi all
I'm trying my hand at curing for the first time and am trying bresaola. After a week of curing, it's been in a dry-age bag in my fridge for about 3 weeks and is getting near to the target weight.

Before I take it out, should I be worried about case-hardening (i.e. the outside drying while the middle stays moist)? Are there any indicators that this has happened, either in bresaola or other meats..? If it's happened, what's the remedy..?

thanks!
Marc

 

[indaswamp]

dry age bag in the fridge.....

You can expect significant dry rim on larger diameter pieces when using this method with dry age bags. Monitor the weight loss. if it stops completely over about 7 days, then you need to vac seal to allow the moisture in the piece to equalize (outer edge will increase moisture content while the middle will continue drying). This may take 1-2 months depending on how far along the dry rim is if it has progressed to full blown case hardening. Depending on the final weight loss, you may continue drying on call the piece done.

 

[daytripper]

thanks for the reply, appreciate it. It's fairly small diameter, wrapped tightly in a net, and weight has been coming off steadily so far (lost about 20% in 3 weeks). I'll keep an eye on it.

Yeah, dry-age bag in a fridge. It's all I have right now, except a for biltong box. Could one hang meat (apart from biltong) in that?

PS on biltong, the case-hardening is the best bit... :)

 

[indaswamp]

Could one hang meat (apart from biltong) in that?

Not anything thick like a bresaola. You need 13*C/55*F; 75-80% relative humidity to dry properly....with very little airlfow.

 

[daytripper]

Here’s the result after about 30% weight loss, in a dry -age bag in the fridge. I cut of any mould and gave it a light mop with vinegar.
I doubled the juniper in the cure by mistake so it has a bit too much ‘zing’ but generally it’s good! Advice and feedback welcome..!
Thanks!

 

[indaswamp]

It'll be much better cut on a slicer about 0.75mm thick.....

 

[hoity toit]

Here’s the result after about 30% weight loss, in a dry -age bag in the fridge. I cut of any mould and gave it a light mop with vinegar.
I doubled the juniper in the cure by mistake so it has a bit too much ‘zing’ but generally it’s good! Advice and feedback welcome..!
Thanks!
View attachment 702980

WOW,, that looks great !

HT

 

[LoydB]

I prefer mine at 40%, then vac seal for a couple of weeks to EQ. It looks good though (and yeah, a slicer would be better, particularly at 30%). Is it really chewy at that thickness?

 

[daytripper]

thanks for the comments. This is my first cure so I don't have a slicer. Is it chewy..? Not really, it's pretty tender. But not as delicate as it would be thin-sliced. Still, I'm impressed that I could do it and not poison myself. That's a plus.

For storage... vacuum pack and stick in the freezer..? How long can it be stored vacuum sealed & out of the fridge..?

thanks!

 

[indaswamp]

Vac seal, in the fridge.....will last indefinitely....it is dry cured. No bacteria can spoil it.