Curing, Smoking

Question 1

Why cure/ smoke (4)

Answer 1

Preserve food
Impart flavour and seasoning
Change texture
Cook the food

Question 2

Most important indredeint for curing food?

Answer 2

Salt

Question 3

Using 3% salt weight to meat usually makes an appropriate cure? T/f

Answer 3

True

Question 4

What are the two methods for smoking food?

Answer 4

Hot / cold

Question 5

What is a pellicle?

Answer 5

The layer of salt on meat/ fish used for smoke to adhere to when smoking food

Question 6

Why is soft wood not used for smoking?

Answer 6

It contains toxins that release harsh acrid notes

Question 7

Three types of hardword suitable for smoking?

Answer 7

Oak, cherry, hickory, ash, beech

Question 8

What is curing?

Answer 8

Using salt to create a predetermined level of dehydration .

Question 9

Why does curing preserve food?

Answer 9

Because the high salt level and minimal moisture make it inhospitable for harmful bacteria

Question 10

Wet curing- what is it?

Answer 10

Another word for brining

Question 11

Name the keys steps for curing

Answer 11

1. Weigh meat
2. Calculate 3% of this weight and weigh out salt
3. Determine how long you want to cure - eg bacon is much less time because you are cooking it. Prosciutto will be longer and then air dried.

Question 12

How can you determine your cured meat is adequately cured and thus safe to eat with no further cooking?

Answer 12

It needs to have lots 30% OF ITS PRE-CURE WEIGHT

E.g. !kg pork belly, weighs 700g post cure- safe to eat raw.
But if it weight 800g it would be cooking pancetta.

Question 13

What is the ideal temperature for hot smoking?

Answer 13

60 - 115c

(Lower temps best for fish. Too high temp will dry the protein out)

Question 14

Cold smoking temp?

Answer 14

No more than 30c

Question 15

What is brining?

Answer 15

Immersing food in a volume of water with a salinity value

Question 16

How much salt is needed to make a brine?

Answer 16

35 salt to weight

Question 17

What are the three types of brining

Answer 17

Dry rub - salt of surface
Gradient - 3-10% salt- predetermined amount of time. Rinsed
Equilibrium- weigh water and meat. Calculate how much salt needed. Test salinity until water has reduced to desired amount

Question 18

What is confit?

Answer 18

Cooking something very slowly over low heat in a body of fat to tenderise, flavour and preserve it

Question 19

What are the key health and safety considerations when making a brine?

Answer 19

1. Never reuse
2. Weigh water and salt accurately
   3 Store food in fridge when brining

Question 20

What is an active and non active ingredient in a brine

Answer 20

Active - chemically and physically change the structure of the food. Salt/ water/ acid are all active.

In active- those that flavour only - spices, herbs, oils

Question 21

What are the ideal temperature range for drying cured meat?

Answer 21

8-15c

Question 22

What is the ideal humidity for hanging meat to cure?

Answer 22

60%