What is Charcuterie?

Charcuterie is a word that derives from its French origin “Charcuterie“, which comes from meat(chair) and cooked(cuit) and named, in the 15th century, stores selling pork products and offal from different animals. Frequently and erroneously, charcuterie is linked exclusively to the production of sausages and/or exclusively to the processing of pork, but the correct contextualization refers to the preparation, originally for preservation purposes, whether by methods of salting, conservation, curing, fermentation, cooking , dehydration, smoking or even several of these methods together, of any type of meat, such as poultry, fish, beef, pork and any game meat. Among the various products, we can mention the hams, salami, terrines, pates, mortadella, pastrame, Capicola, bacon, sausages, sausages, sun-dried meat, all meats preserved with salt, in fat(confit), smoked and etc.

Charcuterie represents one of humanity's oldest methods of food production, featuring in the very history of the evolution of human societies. The preservation of food, especially meat, allowed humanity to survive during periods of scarcity and made long migration journeys possible, where it was not always possible to obtain fresh food daily. Therefore, the handling procedures for charcuterie products were initially developed for preservation purposes, as there was no adequate refrigeration technology that could guarantee a long shelf life for the meats.

There are several techniques and procedures that can, and in some cases should, be applied sequentially. The wide variety of methods and techniques may appear to be a high degree of complexity, but charcuterie is one of the simplest and most beautiful culinary arts. Good meat, salt and patience are enough for the alchemy of flavors and aromas to be contemplated. Incredible products can be created, like the famous ones raw hams or, as they are also known, aged hams, using only salt, time and practical knowledge. Among the most common techniques and procedures, we mention the following below:

• Curing salts – Nitrite's main function is to inhibit the proliferation of harmful bacteria, such as those that cause botulism (intoxication by the exotoxin of Chloristidium botulinum and Chloristidium parabotulium). In addition to the protective action, they also help prevent lipid oxidation (rancidity), fix the red color in the meat and add a specific flavor to cured products. Nitrate is slowly converted into nitrite during the process and for this reason it is used in longer-process products, such as salami and copa. Type 1 curing salt contains only nitrite and is recommended for quick-process products such as fresh sausages, sausages and bacon. Type 2 curing salt has nitrite and nitrate, and is recommended for products with a long process, such as salami and copa. Read more at Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate;
• salt – The famous sodium chloride promotes an osmosis process, salting and releasing excess water inside the meat. Furthermore, it can also be used to slow down and regulate the fermentation of some products. Salt has a fundamental protective action in products with a long process. Curing or preserving foods with salt;
• Healing Accelerator – These are compounds that react with nitrite to accelerate the action of this compound in the meat, fixing the red color more quickly. We can mention ascorbic acid and sodium erythorbate;
• Antioxidants – They prevent lipid oxidation or fat rancidity. There are synthetic compounds such as TBHQ, BHA and BHT. Rosemary extract and oregano extract have been gaining ground as natural antioxidant sources;
• Flavorings – They are natural or synthetic products that can enhance certain aromas in products. Powdered smoke and liquid smoke are good examples. Sugar, glucose or honey can also be used to add aroma, humidify and help obtain a more pleasant color;
• Spices – Herbs, peppers and spices, the only rule here is creativity, taste and common sense. Many seasonings have protective and antioxidant actions, such as garlic with antimicrobial and bactericidal action.;
• Fermenters – Starter cultures are beneficial bacteria. Cured meat products such as salami and copa are made with raw meat with an unknown quantity and composition of native bacteria. Starter culture limits the development of native flora. Furthermore, the best starter cultures have multiple actions, such as the production of enzymes that are fundamental in the formation and color stability of the final product, lipolytic and proteolytic activity, involved in the formation of aroma. They also have a fermenting action, producing lactic acid and antibacterial metabolites.;
• Smoking – The application of smoke, both hot and cold, helps dry out and preserve the meat. It is an ancient technique that adds flavor, aroma and protects the product against contamination.. Smoking tips;
• Dehydration – Water loss, or reduction in aqueous activity(aw) can be caused by direct exposure to the sun, hot smoking, exposure to air currents and intense salting;
• Stabilizers – They are most recommended in cooked products such as sausages, mortadella and sausages. They help retain liquids and fats, increasing the yield and weight of products. We can mention phosphates, soy protein, gums (curdlan gum, arabic gum, guar gum, xanthan gum), starches,;
• Cooking – Many products are cooked, roasted or hot smoked. In general, products that reach 72ºC inside are suitable for consumption. It is important to measure the temperature in the center of the products, usually with a thermometer with a skewer-type probe.;
• Marinade – Normally the marinating process also involves acidifying the meat. The acid breaks the fibers of the meat, softening it and allowing the seasoning to enter the product. The marinade can be dipped or injected into the meat, which will rest in the refrigerator for a few hours. In general, the marinade should be made quickly, within a few hours.;
• Brine – Brining is a more refined and slower technique than marinating, but it can bring more satisfactory returns as it will not necessarily acidify the product and will bring high humidity, especially for very lean meats, such as chicken breast and parts of the pork such as loin.. Difference between Brine and Marinade.

Each of the techniques can be extensively discussed, as the quantities, procedures, times and types of meat generate completely different results when applying identical methods.