Lomo Curado

[Hunkydory]

This may be more of a charcuterie question than a smoking question, but I've developed a taste (to be honest, an addiction) for lomo curado, Spanish dry cured pork loin, and was wondering if anybody knows of a recipe ? I can't find it in the Charcuterie book.

Thanks

Hunkydory

[Habanero Smoker]

Looks like an interesting project. I did a quick search on the internet and could not come up with any recipes on how to make this.

[Hunkydory]

Thanks Habs,

There's definitely garlic, paprica, salt and fresh air involved......but I wonder, in what order  ???

[ThomasMN]

I started a lomo based off on the 'bresaola' recipe in Charcuterie. Looking back at my other recipes I'm kinda concerned with the little amount of salt that the recipe calls for.

[3rensho]

I found a recipe (in Spanish) that looks like it might be something very similar that could be modified to taste -

http://www.gastronomiavasca.net/recipes/recipe?id=1346

I'd like to try some dry cured meat too but lack the facilities for humidity control which is necessary.

Tom

[ThomasMN]

As I referenced in the dry curing thread that Kamanodental started here there is a large thread on the egullet forum about the charcuterie book. That's where I found references to people curing pork loins like the bresaola recipe in the book.

Here are a couple links http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=79195&hl=lomo&view=findpost&p=1270539

Here is a picture of what looks like an awesome lomo: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST&f=3&t=79195&hl=&view=findpost&p=1238645

Adjusting my lomo recipe a little from the one in Charcuterie for bresaola this is what I arrived at: (Be aware that the cure has to be applied twice like in the book, I just halfed the cure and make it up fresh so the garlic doesn't sit in the cure for a week before second application)

For 3 lbs pork loin

Apply once for the first week, then another for second week. 

12 grams kosher salt
17 grams turbinado sugar
2 grams cure #2
3/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp aleppo pepper
1/2 tsp smoked spanish paprika
1 clove garlic

all crushed up in the mortar

[Hunkydory]

Many thanks folks (I like the egullet forum !).  I've got to give it a go, it's becoming an expensive habit buying from the supermarket......

As for temp and humidity yes, that is somewhat tricky, I've just put the remote for my weather station in the garage to check if it has potential as a hanging room..........

[3rensho]

I've tried using mother nature's conditions here but found that if the temp is in the ballpark then humidity is too low (50-55%) and if humidity is on (>=75%) then the temp is way too high.  Will have to check out a small wine storage unit.

Tom

[Hunkydory]

The garage is 66 f and 57% humidity so theoretically too warm and too dry - I wonder how close to the ideal you need to be ?

[ThomasMN]

The garage is 66 f and 57% humidity so theoretically too warm and too dry - I wonder how close to the ideal you need to be ?

That is probably on the high side. I found a half height wine fridge locally that has a built in temperature controller that I set at 58F. You could add a pan of water if necessary to get the humidity up. My problem with that has been the sausage has taken too long to dry out and usually get moldy. Without the water pan the sausage has turned out fine. Currently have 10 lbs of chorizo (half cold smoked in the bradley) curing in there with a 3 lb bresaola from the book. Cubed up another 16 lbs of pork butt yesterday so I can start some more sausage in 3 weeks.

[Habanero Smoker]

..... You could add a pan of water if necessary to get the humidity up. My problem with that has been the sausage has taken too long to dry out and usually get moldy. ......

You need to add salt in the water pan to prevent the mold from growing. Also I look at the  egullet forum often. That a pretty good forum, it is where I got a lot of the information on how to steam pastrami.

[ThomasMN]

..... You could add a pan of water if necessary to get the humidity up. My problem with that has been the sausage has taken too long to dry out and usually get moldy. ......

You need to add salt in the water pan to prevent the mold from growing. Also I look at the  egullet forum often. That a pretty good forum, it is where I got a lot of the information on how to steam pastrami.

Correct, as the book says a saturated salt solution in the pan - because that is what achieves the ~75% humidity. But that does not stop mold on the sausage from starting. Which is what my problem was and the only reason I'm not using the pan of water now (along with the extraordinary long drying times).

[Hunkydory]

Thanks for all the info, I'm looking for that wine cooler........

[Habanero Smoker]

..... You could add a pan of water if necessary to get the humidity up. My problem with that has been the sausage has taken too long to dry out and usually get moldy. ......

You need to add salt in the water pan to prevent the mold from growing. Also I look at the  egullet forum often. That a pretty good forum, it is where I got a lot of the information on how to steam pastrami.

Correct, as the book says a saturated salt solution in the pan - because that is what achieves the ~75% humidity. But that does not stop mold on the sausage from starting. Which is what my problem was and the only reason I'm not using the pan of water now (along with the extraordinary long drying times).

I've posted a couple of my failures on dry curing, with that exact problem you first had; mold growing on the meat. I miss understood you somewheres. I was aware that you had a problem with mold on the meat and you no longer used the water pan, but I thought I read you had mold growing in the water pan also. Like you said, adding salt to the water will not stop mold from growing on the meat, but I have to say it will stop it from growing in the water.