Dry salting

We all know that salt is an essential ingredient in cooking, but did you know that it can also be used to keep meat juicy and tender? This method is called dry curing, which is a process where meat is rubbed with salt and left for a period of time to enhance its flavor and prevent it from drying out. Here's how it works:

• Salt dissolves on the surface of the meat and penetrates into the muscle fibers, giving it a richer flavor.
• Dry curing helps retain moisture in meat because salt breaks down proteins, softens tissues, and prevents the meat from drying out during cooking.
• This method helps create a delicious crust - moisture evaporates from the surface, so the meat browns and becomes crispy during cooking.

The result will really surprise you! It's a simple and effective way to add more flavor to meat and keep it juicy, especially in the case of game.

How to perform dry salting?

Use a coarser, coarser salt, such as sea salt without additives. Avoid fine table salt. You can also add other spices, such as sugar, herbs, or a spice blend.
Dry the meat with a paper towel.
Rub the meat evenly with salt – about 1/2 teaspoon of salt per 450g of meat. You won’t need any additional salt after this step.
Place the meat on the grill over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour, and preferably 6-12 hours, to allow air to circulate freely and for the salt to effectively absorb into the meat.

Pickling

If you want to further enrich the flavor of game, marinating is one of the best ways. Properly selected marinade ingredients not only give the meat additional aroma, but also help maintain its tenderness.

The main ingredients of the marinade are:

• An acid that helps soften muscle fibers (for example, wine vinegar, lemon or other citrus juice).
• Oil that helps preserve the moisture of the meat and prevents it from drying out (olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil).
• Aromatic spices that give the dish an expressive flavor (garlic, ginger, onions, rosemary, thyme, juniper berries).

How long to marinate?

For smaller cuts of meat (sirloin, cutlet), 30 minutes to 6 hours is sufficient, but no longer than 12 hours.
For larger or more robust cuts (ham, neck, shoulder), a marinating time of 2 to 24 hours is recommended.

Tips:

• Before marinating, it is necessary to remove the thin film of connective tissue. Not only will it not soften, but it will also prevent the marinade from soaking into the meat.
• Use airtight bags or non-metallic containers for marinating – glass, stainless steel, ceramic or plastic. Avoid aluminum containers, as the acid can react with the metal and alter the flavor of the meat.
• If you plan to fry small pieces of meat, for example when preparing stews or fillings (tacos, wok-type dishes), first cut the meat into strips and only then marinate.
• Before frying, it is necessary to dry the meat well with a paper towel - otherwise the meat will not brown, but will start to stew.

Dry seasoning

When you don’t have much time but want to season your meat, dry seasoning is a simple and effective way to give your game a rich flavor. A dry seasoning blend is a combination of salt, spices, and herbs that is rubbed onto meat before cooking. The spices create a flavorful crust, while the salt brings out the natural flavor of the meat.

How to do dry seasoning:

• Dry the meat with a paper towel.
• Sprinkle or rub evenly with the prepared spice mixture.
• For a more intense flavor, you can refrigerate the rubbed meat for 2-12 hours. If you don't have time, cook it immediately.

Tips:

When using a dry spice mix, additional salt is no longer needed.
The spice layer should be even, but not too thick - the aim is to highlight, not overshadow, the natural flavor of the game.
If the mixture contains sugar, bake at a slightly lower temperature to prevent the surface from burning.
Dry seasoning is suitable for cooking meat in a pan, oven, or on the grill.

Proper selection of fats and oils

Game meat is lean, so it is important to use additional fat during cooking to prevent the meat from drying out and to keep it tasty. The following fats are suitable:

• Animal fats: tallow, lard.
• Dairy products: butter, ghee.
• Vegetable oils: olive oil, avocado oil.

How to choose fat according to cooking method:

• High heat (frying pan, grill): Avocado oil, ghee, tallow are best. They withstand high temperatures and do not burn.
• Medium heat (oven, stewing): Both olive oil and butter can be used.

Tip:

If you use butter too early in the cooking process, it can start to burn and develop a bitter taste. Ghee is a great alternative because the milk solids are removed, allowing it to withstand higher heat.