At CURESMITH, we are passionate about the age-old art of curing meats and other foods. Our name is a nod to traditional craftsmanship - merging 'CURE', the method, with 'SMITH', the maker. We see every charcutier as a craftsman, a true "curesmith" who blends art with science to create delicious, preserved delicacies.
Our mission is to be the leading platform for both aspiring home curesmiths and seasoned professionals. We offer a comprehensive suite of resources, including educational materials, cutting-edge information, and community-driven reviews, all dedicated to the world of curing.
Whether you're looking to dive into the basics of meat curing, enhance your existing skills, or stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in the industry, CURESMITH is your go-to community. Join us as we explore the rich traditions and innovative future of food preservation.
Here is the one without the music…was the first video I made…so seas still learning 😉 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JetFmTS9Kk0.htmlsi=rFJjDuRR9Vu6RWBp
most people remove the casing, which will include the mould...or wipe the mould off. I, personally, don't mind it either way, with mould or without. Really up to you.
Hi there, This is not a comment about the video, but a question about fridge temperature, I have just set a 2 year old fridge up with a stc 3028 temp and humidity controller, like you have in an old video, The fridge isn't getting warm enough and the humidity is to high, while connected to the controller, the stc with the temp you recommend, would you have any solutions?
Hi Sean. Sure…I can try and help. Can you send me a short video of the problem…you can send to gilfer@curesmith.net. Will also be easier to communicate via email.
Thank you for this very informative video. I'm looking at using a single door chiller to start me off on this journey. I noticed that these chillers have fans at the top -for air cooling. Will the fans create any issues on curing like meat prematurely drying? I also found Inkbird's temp and humidity controller in one ITC 608T? Will that do too?
thank you for your kind comment. Yes, the fan may interfere if the air flows directly over the meat. I do not like having fans in a maturing chamber because the airflow causes the outer layer of the meat to dry out quicker, potentially causing case hardening. I suggest hanging some paper strips where you would be hanging...and if they are moving, you may have a problem. If this is the case, you could try disconnecting the fan - but the problem with a cooler like this is that the fan is usually necessary to move the cool air around, so it will not work well if the fan is disconnected. Try that...but if it is not possible, you may need to create some faring to redirect the air. The Inkbird you suggest is similar to the SHT-2000 that I use. I do like having a combination controller because that way, you have fewer bulky items around your chamber and also fewer wires having to be directed into your chamber...so in short...yes the ITC608T should be perfect!
@@curesmithnet wow! I did not expect a quick response. Thanks for your insights and confirmation on the 608 and effect of the fan on curing. I was able to find a video on the fix for the fan. Apparently connecting a smaller fan with controls and in reverse may help redirect and control the air flow... and so we'll try and see how we can adapt the concept. I am also consulting an Engineer friend on the possibility to reverse the wiring and ad fan controls so that the fan blows upward instead of downward -in the least disturbing manner. Your work here is an inspiration hope you can post more how to videos on curing as they are easy to understand. TGIF!
@@judetiongco6339 Anytime, would you mind sharing that video of the fan, as I get asked this question a lot of times, and this may be worth sharing with other curesmiths. Yes, I am certainly starting to get more active here. I am finishing my book on curing, and we are developing an 8-day course, which will be delivered in Parma, Italy, in September 2025! I am now working up to try and post something daily...check out the reels we have posted over the last few days :). Anyway, keep me posted as to how you get along with your curing chamber...
Hi! Thanks for all your videos. My commercial fridge (cyclic) has a whole size evaporation plate in the back wall. Wouldn't it be generating ice if I disconnect the fan that blows air over it?
Thanks for your comment! I appreciate that people are watching :). Yes, the evaporator plate will freeze up, especially in a commercial fridge. It is best to use a frost free fridge...but like you, I am also stuck with an older type fridge. Try and disconnect the fan to see what happens. It may increase the humidity. But if you need to run the fan then just make sure it does not blow over the meat.
@@curesmithnet Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it. Tomorrow I'll try disconnecting the fan because it blows a lot of air. Today I tried blocking the airflow with a plastic lid, but it's so strong that still reaches the meat. Fridge is big (500 lts capacity). I'll let you how it goes. Thank you so much!
Thank you!!! We’ve been making slamis for years but this is the first time in a different home (we use our cold cellar) and we’re shocked! I’m hoping this can be salvaged and we don’t have to waste all this beautiful meat! 🤞🤞
A brand new single door unit- delivered is to the house in the USA 26cubic ft, is $3,000USD And a double door unit is $4400 USD. they will run for 15-20 years without problems! True brand units!
100%, but not many home curers can afford $ 3,000.00 let alone $ 4,400.00. I have been curing in maturing chambers like I have demonstrated here for near on 20 years with fantastic success.
Very clean! Well done. This is what I aspire to... I'm not nearly there yet. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hCwCkAhyDX4.html I love how he slowed it down for us
You've mentioned a few times that there are forums you visit to share information on curing meat. I don't have any social media accounts and don't use facebook. Could you point us to some private discussion forums on curing that are not social media based? I''m not aware of a good ones in the English language. The only credible online resources that I can find are in Italian or French, and in one case Spanish. Thank you.
frig i cant find a mioni fridge thats frost free and no freezer built in. if they are frost free, they got a freezer and if they dont got a freezer, they have the back plate thing. is there a way to just turn off the freezer part?
I found it very useful, thank you. I am in the process of setting up my chamber and i have a couple of questions if I may? 1 does the fridge built in thermostat conflict with the controller in any way and two I am thinking I might need to add some sort of heat as we just had two weeks of -11 where I am or I don't do any curing in winter as my chamber will be in a unheated detached garage.
Thank you for watching. I don't think moving back to SA is an option now. Kids are well settled here...and I am loving being in Europe...love the history and travel options....and of course MEAT!
Reaching out to any and all. I am setting up a small, new frost free frig. Here in the US the ones we buy have a max temp of 45 degrees, about 7.5 C. I just got my Ink bird for the temp control. should I set the frig temp to it's highest temp, let the ink Bird shut that off at 45 then adding a soft heater to raise/maintain the avg temp to 55 degrees F 13-15 C? Thank You for any responses.
I lived in an environment by the ocean(Caribbean) with an average of 85 f degree and about 90% humidity. Indoor without AC it’s about 90 to 95f degree. Any recommendations? My other question is that you recommend covering your glass doors but I have seen commercial equipment for curing display with glass doors. Why is that?
How much power does a diy curing chamber use? I see an ultra sonic humidifier on amazon that uses 22 watts. Is that 24/7 or only as needed? Would an upright freezer be fairly efficient? I figure the higher temps would really cut down on power use. I'm off grid and looking into cured meats, I raise pigs.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a high percentage of ambient humidity predominates. In case of high humidity in the drying chamber.... Would opening the drink fridge (1 door) once a day be enough? Would a dehumidifier be enough? And what features should a dehumidifier have for a 420 liter chamber? Thanks in advance !
I'm new. I would like to see more content on the drying chamber. I consume your knowledge with as much passion as you make your cured meats. Greetings from Argentina
Yep - here where I am it is also 220v...just make sure when you order it you select the right one, because most sites offer EU and US...pick EU...also normal 2 point plug.
I have a freezer that I am going to be using as a curing chamber. 1. There is a fan in the freezer should I just disconnect it? 2. What about trimming the fan blades to make them move less air? 3. How would I make something to disperse the air more evenly?
Hello, i have a mini fridge and got both ink birds controllers, my temperature is well managed but i am very scared for the humidity. I need to hang a good piece of meat in there and it keeps dropping to 36% and up to 90% with an average humdity of 74%, the the drop from 90 to 36 is on a 10 minutes period and it slowly gets back to 80% in 20 mins, but yes, the time between both peaks (36%) is always ~1h. Is this a big problem? Is the important thing that the average on an hour ~75%?
@@cupidonsauce1208 - cool, yeah you have a fridge with a freezer plate at the back - same as the one I am using in the video. Makes it a bit more challenging!
What a fantastic tutorial! I have been flirting around the edges of this "hobby" by experimenting with curing pork loins, this tutorial gives me the information I need to take into account when making a decision on how far into this I want to go. Thank You!
Best description I’ve seen on RU-vid, super clear and well explained!!! Just have a quick question, can you please share a diagram of the white box set up? Thanks for your time and the patience you had putting this video together for us!!!!
Gilbert. This is one of the best days in my charcuterie journey and it is all your fault. Reason becasue you left Darling in South Africa so I could not buy all your deli products. This made me decide to try it out myself and whola. I stumble on your site. I know what you are saying is true because I tasted your products. All the best living in Poland my vriend mag dit goed gaan.
I have a 14 cubic meter walk-in curing room. The refrigeration unit has a fan on it to distribute the cool air. Were there no fan, the temperature would be vastly different from place to place in the chamber.... sufficient humidity of 75 - 80% prevents hard casing. ... some airflow is required at times to homogenise temperature & humididy.
I just started to cure meats, my chamber on average is around 12 celsius. Which is still in the temperature range. However, i see other instructions and most are set at around 2 to 3 degrees celsius. Can you advise on the temperature difference? Thank you
Hi there. Anything below 10C is too low. This is going to slow down the process significantly, and will also effect the quality of the meat. Best temperature range is between 12-16C. I try keep mine between 12-13C as I find this the optimal temperature range. Happy to help where I can. Good luck on your journey.
