Curing is the process of adding a mixture of salt, sugar, and nitrite/nitrates to meat, fish, and even vegetables to preserve and infuse flavor and color. By drawing the moisture out, the result is a texturized, seasoned, more shelf-stable version of the meat. The most common cured meats you’ll find are pork-based favorites like salami, speck, and pancetta, and the most popular, proscuitto, which has most definitely crossed your plate.

While not impossible, curing meat at home does take a bit of science and quite a lot of time but the finished product is absolutely worth the effort. Why wouldn’t you want to serve a charcuterie board that features your own house-cured prosciutto? Try some wild goose pastrami and rival the tame flavors you can buy in stores. We’ve put together a great recipe and guide for curing and drying your own prosciutto at home:

Note: We recommend doing a little research on the proper temperature and humidity for your location, as well as what good and bad mold looks like. This is a solid process, but it’s good to read up and educate yourself on the science behind the curing process before trying this at home.

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