This is the final post of three showing the production of pastirma. In this video I taste the final product over the course of 4-5 weeks and comment on the production and final product.
The final weight of the dried meat is 2.9 pounds, resulting in a total production cost of around $14 per pound. This is very reasonable compared to the online prices that are upward of $50 per pound.
The final product had the correct flavor, according to the Turks that I’ve polled, but it is a little salty. Rather than soak for 2 hours to remove excess salt, I might increase this to overnight and change the water several times. Also, the salt did not need to be changed as often as I did. I probably would have been fine letting the meat brine, under pressure
From working with the meat, I conclude that the spice coating needed more water to be applied correctly. In this production, it had the consistency of toothpaste, and I think it needed to be closer to mashed potatoes to be applied evenly. Further the spice coating was very slippery and difficult to control. With time it became easier, which leads me to believe that after mixing with water I need to let the paste sit and hydrate before being applied.
Lastly, I think the coating needs to be thicker, applied earlier, i.e., less drying time, and more coherent. The final product was a little harder than it ought be, and this is likely due to the coating not being able to protect the meat from excess drying.
I’m planning to make this again in the fall, but I plan to dry the meat outdoors. It took over three months for my house to lose the aroma of fenugreek and garlic. In general this isn’t a bad aroma, but not one that I cherish 24/7.
You can find part 1 of this video series here: https://steemit.com/cooking/@spbeckman/hpmem030
You can find part 2 of this video series here: https://steemit.com/cooking/@spbeckman/33ukae24
In case DTube isn’t playing nicely with my video, I am posting a link to the YouTube version here:
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