‘List your hobbies and interests’: for some, these five words, most likely spotted on job applications and dating profiles, send minds into overdrive.
Between holding down a job, keeping up with your social life, and meeting family obligations, having hobbies and interests feels like a decadence from a time before one had any real responsibilities.
That said, a pastime is worth carving out time for. Doing something outside of the routine that detonates those synapses and pulls you away from staring at a screen can improve feelings of creativity and well-being.
The truth is, if people were given the freedom to do absolutely anything, knowing that their rent, food, bills and martinis were already covered, who would willingly choose the nine-to-five life staring at spreadsheets or sitting in endless meetings?
While we can but dream of such a world, in the meantime, a little creative outlet can help your soul feel nourished. Curing meat, though, can nourish your body too.
Humans have been curing their meat as a way of preserving it long before fridges came into the picture. The Ancients were big fans of drying and salt curing, while later, Native Americans would suspend slain buffalo over campfires to cure the meat with smoke. Today, the Spanish and South Africans are big meat-curers, blessing the world with their respective delicacies of jamon and biltong.
The good news for wannabe curers is that you don’t need heaps of space to do it at home: a closet, kitchen corner or unplugged fridge is all that’s required to do it on a smaller scale.
There are two main types of curing: dry and wet. Dry involves salt, which can lead to a more savoury flavour - think bacon and pancetta. Wet curing, also known as brining, involves adding salted water to the mix, which you might do with other cuts of ham. You can also dehydrate meat to cure it, draining it of moisture to prolong its shelf life.
What do you need to get started? Ah, that’s where we come in. We’ve put together a hit list of essentials to invest in before you get started on your meat-curing journey. You’ll have a charcuterie board full before you know it.
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Charcuterie: Slow Down, Salt, Dry and Cure (From Scratch)
Before you charge off dredging bits of meat through containers of salt, sit down with Tim Hayward's curing book first.
The author walks readers through the ins and outs of home curing, covering the science in a clear and engaging way. There are recipes in here too - everything from pâté and pastrami to confit duck for the braver home cooks.
A brilliant read that will question the need to buy supermarket bacon ever again.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
The Smokey Carter Make Your Own Bacon Home Curing Kit
Small steps lead you on the path to greatness. This bacon-curing kit costs just over £20 and will guide you to making up to 4kg of streaky or back bacon in as little as a week. The set comes with flavoured cures, plus muslin cloths, curing bags and two sets of plastic gloves. A great gift or something to give you a taste of the curing life without blowing a hole in your bank balance.
Buy now £20.95, NOTHS
The Real Cure Home Bacon Curing Kit
Ready to get your teeth into something meatier? This kit from The Real Cure comes with four bacon cures (including hickory smoked and sweet molasses) that are pre-mixed to help you get the best results. Each cure will work on up to 1.5kg of bacon, and accessories include all the essentials plus a butcher hook. Don't be daunted; Amazon reviewers are encouraging, saying: "Try it, it’s a lot easier than you think."
Once you taste the magic of making your own, you won't settle for anything less.
Buy now £25.00, Amazon
ProQ Cold Smoking & Curing Deluxe Twin Set
Entering the home-cure midground, ProQ offers this deluxe set that allows you to both cold smoke and cure in one. This puts salmon on the menu as well as bacon, but you will need a smoker or BBQ to help you achieve the perfect cure.
Buy now £74.99, Amazon
Electriq Stainless Steel Digital Food Dehydrator and Dryer
Best for: simultaneous cooking
This sleek stainless steel Electriq food dehydrator allows you to preserve food with ease, whether you're drying fruits, vegetables, or even meats. The 650W power ensures even drying, while the 48-hour timer gives you the flexibility to experiment with a range of recipes.
With six spacious shelves, you can prepare large batches or multiple varieties simultaneously. Plus, the removable shelves make cleaning simple.
Buy now £109.97, Amazon
Kalahari Khabu Stainless Steel Biltong Box Food Dehydrator
Like a can of well-known disc-shaped crisp, once you start dehydrating, it can be hard to stop. If you're prepared to clear some kitchen or garage space for this dehydrator, the fun will never stop. It can suck the moisture out of everything: think biltong, meat, vegetables, and fruits with a temperature range from 20°C to 90°C.
Buy now £289.00, Amazon
