Basturma

Appetizers | Azerbaijani cuisine

⏳ Time

50 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Recipe by Chef John Smith from the restaurant 'Mountain Retreat'.

Ingredients

Beef - 2 lbs
Coarse Salt - 3.5 oz
Garlic - 4 cloves
Ground Black Pepper - ½ spoons
Fenugreek - 1.4 oz
Red Long Chili Peppers - ½ spoons

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Thoroughly clean a piece of meat (the inner part of the hind leg) from fat, membranes, and sinews. Prick the surface all over with a sharp knife to let excess blood drain and to allow the meat to absorb the salt better.

Step 2

Rub the meat with salt, place it in a ceramic dish, and let it cure in the refrigerator for a day and a half.

Step 3

Afterwards, rinse the piece of meat under cold water. Make a cut at one end and tie it with kitchen twine — this will allow the meat to hang while drying. Wrap the piece in cotton cloth and place it under a press for 24 hours. Then, remove the cloth and hang the meat to dry in a well-ventilated area at a temperature of 68–77 degrees Fahrenheit for 4 days.

Step 4

After the time has passed, remove the cloth from the meat. Prepare the chaman — a special spice blend. Mix ground fenugreek, pepper, and crushed garlic into a paste, then add a little boiled water at room temperature; the mixture should have a thick paste-like consistency.

Step 5

Coat the meat with this paste, ensuring that almost all of the mixture remains on the surface. Hang it in a well-ventilated area at a temperature of 68–77 degrees Fahrenheit for three days.