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I. Curing - Although it may be done alone, curing should be done in association with smoking. Various spices,
salts, sugars and brines can be used.
- Raw meat should be clean, edible and sliced against the grain into manageable pieces (step one of
beef prep for smoking). Salt the meat in a dry, sheltered area secure from rodents and insects. Always
CURE before SMOKING. - Use coarse salt, not table salt. Additional spices may be added to the salt for flavor. If using brine, then
the solution should be 1% salt (one pound of salt to 9 pints water). Use clean plastic, glass or earthenware
containers, not wood or metal containers to hold brine solutions. - Construct a salt box large enough to hold all of the meat. Cover the bottom of the box with salt. Rub salt
into meat thoroughly and place in box. Separate pieces of meat to avoid contact. Cover with salt. Repeat
this procedure in two days and again in two days. DO NOT REUSE salt or brine; discard after each
use and begin with fresh salt or brine. - On day six, remove from salt box. Dry the meat by pacing a layer of green pine straw, hay, grasses, etc.
on the floor and cover hay with salt. Place meat on salt-covered hay; cover again with salt then top with
hay. Ensure that the area is free of rodents and insects. - Wash salt-cured meat before eating.
II. Smoking - There are several acceptable procedures for smoking meat and different step by step
processes. The one outlined here has the elements that are common to all methods.
- Smokehouse - Use any well-sealed building with a vented roof and a floor that can have a fire pit. Fire
pit should be centered, roughly 2 feet deep. The diameter depends on the building size and how
much meat is to be smoked. - Firewood - Use green wood from deciduous trees (ones that shed leaves in winter). Conifers such as
pines and firs give an odd taste to meat and should not be used. Let fire burn down to coals and
then stoke it with green wood to produce “cold smoke” (less than 85°F). Avoid flames during the smoking
process. - Rafters - Rafters should also be green wood and run the length of the smokehouse. Suspend meat from
rope or twine 4-5 ft from top of fire pit. Allow even smoking and avoid contact spoilage by ensuring
that all meat hangs free. - Time - Smoke meat for 4-5 days, depending on size of house, size and number of pieces of meat to
smoke. - Meat Preparation- Prepare meat following these guidelines: BEEF - Remove large bones and joints. Trim
fat and save for pemmican (a meat and fat sausage). Cut across the grain into manageable pieces and
secure with a string. The hole for string should be centralized enough to prevent meat ripping during
smoking. Hang meat and prepare smoking record (see preservation records and recommendations
below). PORK - Use hot water to remove hair from skin of animal. DO NOT remove layered fat or
the bones, except ball and socket joints. Do not scrape the fat that oozes during the smoking process
(rendered fat). - Smoked meat should be edible for up to one year depending on climate, condition of meat prior to
smoking and insect and rodent control. Souring or the appearance of holes or moisture patches does not
condemn the meat. Open up the sour area. If it clears up in 24 hours then it is still edible, if not then
discard. If in doubt, throw it out.
III. Jerky - light and nutritious. Use only red meat.
- Trim fat from meat and cut meat WITH the grain of muscle into 12-inch long strips no more than 1 inch
thick and 1⁄2 inch wide. - Pack meat into salt for 10-12 days. Completely cover each strip with salt and do not allow strips to touch.
- Smoke meat after salting.
- Meat may also be dried over slow coals or sun-dried (sprinkle with pepper and hang about 20 ft into air
above insect line). - Wash before eating if salt cured.
IV. Pemmican - Two basic ingredients: lean meat that is not salt cured and rendered fat.