How to make bresaola - in pictures

1. Ask your butcher for the main muscle in the Top Round. This is from the top of the leg, usually regarded as a second class roast but excellently lean and close textured - ideal for our purposes Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

2. Trim off all the surface fat and silverskin. Be merciless, it all makes for great stock. Don't try to remove the single vein of silverskin running throught the centre of the muscle - everything will fall apart if you do Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

3. Make up your dry cure from 100g of coarse salt, 100g of sugar, 5g black pepper and 5g of Prague Powder #2. You can go off piste with the aromatics if you like but I favour the traditional rosemary and juniper. Put the lot through the grinder and reserve half the cure in an airtight jar Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

4. Rub half the cure into the surface of the meat Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

5. ...and seal it into a freezer bag. Place the meat in the fridge and allow to marinate, turning daily. The dry cure will dissolve as the meat gives up its liquid. After a week, take the meat out of the bag, dry it with a paper towel and then rub with the second half of the cure. Reseal and marinate for another week. Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

6. Remove any remaining cure and pat dry with paper towels. Tie two pieces of string vertically around the meat... Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

7. Tie a series of butchers knots horizontally around the meat Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

8. and then wrap in clean muslin Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

9. and label clearly with date and weight Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

10. Hang in a cool place, not too dry - I hang mine in a north-facing kitchen window over the sink - for 3 weeks or until it loses 30% of its weight Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

11. Slice paper thin Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian

12. Best served naked or with with a little olive oil and lemon juice Photograph: Tim Hayward/Guardian