how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way
Apply the cure (curing salt) on the meat directly. Contact: Bob (at) OffTheGridNews.com Phone: 815-902-6086 2200 Illinois Route 84 Thomson, Illinois 61285. So the salt has a different purpose. If you are going to smoke your ham, it has to be firm to the touch. What should the internal temperature be when I am finished? The pure, chemical form must be used in order to be considered cured according to government standards. 2 cups of salt Or, simmer the ham slice in a little water in the frying pan and then remove the water and continue cooking. Did I mention you need to rub the 'ol pork belly down with the sugar and salt? Just curious what kind of curing salt you recommend? Turn over the bag once a day. Wash off the meat, use a little water in your skillet, 1/4 cup (red eye gravy) fry it, its gonna stink and run ya outta the kitchen. Hi Melissa !! October when weather starts cooling off, git your ham, a big bag of curing salt, an old feed sack or burlap bag that a little air can circulate in. I grew up with a Dad who did this every October with his buddies and we had aged country ham all the time. Dry cured meats you are familiar with include prosciutto, an Italian cured meat that is made from pork thigh. If it's not firm to the touch, continue curing and checking it daily. Can this book be purchased in paper back book? 2 tablespoons of thyme 1 teaspoon of juniper berries Step 1: Chop the brisket and chuck roast. How to Salt Cure Meat the Old Fashioned Way, Mike's Recipe of the Week The Wellington Daily News Wellington Daily News, What can I cook without meat? So the first step in equilibrium curing is to weigh the meat. R P E, How did they cure hams before refrigerators. I know there is pink curing salt but it seems to come in small packages I am just unsure on this part. Heya, check out this post about it https://eatcuredmeat.com/how-to-cure-meat-in-a-fridge-without-modifying-it/. If you are going to put this ham in the smoker it has to be firm to the touch. When the meat has firmed up, remove from the wrap, rinse it off and then let it dry on a rack for 2 to 3 hours. If meat was preserved this way in cold weather, which slowed down the decomposition while the salt had time to take effect, it could last for years. Her recipes feature all the all-natural, probiotic-rich foods that are available now, from yogurts and aged cheeses to miso, kombucha, good old-fashioned picklesand even chocolate. Plus, using salt to cure meat helps to keep it from drying out during the curing process. Place the jowl skin side down in the baking dish. Instructions. Now I cant find the protocol. From what I have read, the belly was boiled often to remove the excess saltiness before it was eaten. Having right-sized ziplock bags is useful here. We used Mortin salt and salt-cured (How to Salt Cure Your Own Meat) a lot of it, I think, was the name of it, and you rub that salt into the meat and it cured it. If ham is ready to be smoked, thoroughly rinse off the salt and pat dry before smoking. Then give a generous sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper over the meat followed by the cure. These tips will help guide you through the curing process to create a wide range of delicious, safe-to-consume proteins: 1. Fill each one up. Saltpetre has long been banned from food production in most countries due to the health risk, sodium nitrite is a much safer alternative. Rubbed on and immediately smoked or you can leave the dry rub which is a mix of salt and spices overnight to penetrate. 14 New Guns For 2022 by B. GIL HORMAN; A First-Year Magnum: Shooting The S&W "Pre-29" by JUSTIN DYAL; Contact; Donate; Eye Candy for the Gentlemen out there Often the meat will want to float, so you have to put a plate or something on top to hold it under the liquid (wooden board). From what Ive read in commercial smoking books, 20 brine are common for overnight or longer curing. It is one of the oldest methods of preserving food, [1] and two historically significant salt-cured foods are salted fish (usually dried and salted cod or salted herring) and salt-cured meat (such as bacon ). Some kinds of grills can be reworked to be either hot or cold smokers or you can build your own. 1 teaspoon of juniper berries Ensure you cut the area with whole muscle groups like pork belly and loin, mutton legs, and duck breasts. It's a simple combination of four ingredients. Grind the lean pork (class I) through a stuffing plate, pork class II and back fat through a 3/8" (10 mm), and beef through a 1/8" (3 mm) grinder plate. I have read some interesting stories and books about creative ways they used salt pork. 1/2 cup of brown sugar Yes, infatuation this condition Terrific article. Rub the spices all over the Copa muscle until the entire surface has a thin coating. Leave the tray in a cool place (such as a refrigerator or a cooler packed with ice) for 18 days at 36-40 degrees. Step 2: Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 1. How long do you smoke the ham and at what temp? No.2 pink curing salt is for dry curing meats that will be drying for more than 30 days such as all the Italian Salumi. Old Fashioned Recipe for Curing Ham For every 100 pounds of meat take 5 pints of good molasses or 5 pounds of brown sugar, 5 ounces saltpetre, 8 pounds of rock salt and add 3 gallons of water to a pot. I have fresh game in freezer. You rub your meat with the salt covering all areas. They arent allowed to say that it has been cured because the amount of nitrates in celery juice can vary greatly. Dried sausage pink salt #2 is definitely needed. Im 85 years old and always remember seeing red pepper when Mom and crew was curing the hams of fresh meat. The salt/sugar mix adds color and flavor to the meat. How long should I leave meat in the salt box. Brining and smoking are different; this relates to the pastrami method. It is still cooked much longer than grilled meats, in lower temperatures, but hot enough so that the meat cooks very slowly, making it tender enough to fall right off the bone and melt in your mouth. Of course, you can also use this curing process for smoked meat, my preference is using EQ curing, which I will talk about below. Salt can be used to cure meat. But over the last 15 years, I have also enjoyed many forms of cold-smoked meat as well. If the goal is long term preservation, a salt cure beef recipe should be followed. Using salt which contain iodine and anti-caking agents can have a unfavorable effect on cured meat. Ive been cooking professionally for about 10 years now, and Ive loved every minute of it! Cure for 18 days (or more see recipe notes). Rub it in all over the flesh, cover it with saran wrap and stick it in the fridge. But, today I will discuss with you the first part of the process, how to cure pork with a salt dry rub. Water is what causes meat to spoil and salt pulls water from the meat,. With a ham that's between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, rinse in cold water and pat dry. Country hams prosciutto spalla lardo and Lonza I do not use them. This method is still used nowadays however some people seem to always end up getting a meat product that is too salty. When Lee from Tennessee Homestead offered to teach me and you how to salt cure a ham I got all kinds of excited. Place in the fridge if you want you can put some weight on it. Otherwise, you could spoil the ham. 2 whole bottles of balsamic vinegar In any case, it is important to have some outdoor space to do your smoking. Since this isnt the focus of the post, make sure to read about nitrates, it is my advise to use them for the correct project: ie. Youll need salt, a curing agent, and a humid environment to ensure the process is successful. Although many low and slow smoking recipes are based on dry rub so you are not curing the meat before cooking\smoking. Alvin, I dont here, but my friends over at Swiss Hills Ferment do, heres the link https://www.swisshillsferments.com/makin-bacon/. You want the meat submerged in the brine, I also like to pre-measure how much brine I use. In short, No. Written by: Alisha Sloan Off-Grid Foods 335 Comments.WP-PrintIcon{margin-bottom:-3px}Print This Article. Salt curing is an effective method for preserving meat and fish. If you haven't got 40 minutes, it's better to season immediately before cooking. Learning and consuming in a circular fashion, I am always interested in what is happening around the curing and smoking world. A lot of home curing enthusiasts also use a vacuum packing and the stage. I plan on storing it in the freezer until prepared. For example, 1000g of pork belly for bacon I would use 15 to 30 g of sea salt. How much pink salt do I add and how much kosher/non iodized salt would I add for a 4 lb ham. We like to hang it using bacon hooks. Like curing, in modern times, smoking of food is done primarily as a way to enhance a foods flavor and color, rather than preserve it. Good luck and Id love to hear how it turn out for you guys. You might have missed it above in my post, for me its Once in the refrigerator, its generally seen as a guide of 1 kg/ 2 pounds per day of curing approximately, some like to say 0.8-0.9 kg per day. This dry rub mix recipe has been in my family and handed down for generations. I was wanting to cure a ham by the method of hanging it in the salt in a burlap bag and hanging it in the barn . The sides too. You will need: Other than reducing the cure time, would this work. I will use it if I have to, but if it is mainly to preserve color then I am not. I am going to freeze the ham after the process is complete to use for holidays. Here on the homestead, cured hams are just one of the products we make from our own hogs. So for long-term meat storage salt can be really a key ingredient. Not going back, (4 seasons not 2). It seems also the homesteader was able to use this quite easily. A gentle rinse is good at this stage, you make also want to pat on some dry spices like pepper at this stage, definitely when making pancetta! If you'd like to serve the ham in slices, we recommend soaking the slices in cold water for an hour up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Methods on How to Cure Meat with Salt (with Pictures), quilibrium curing at home in your regular kitchen fridge, check out that post here, https://eatcuredmeat.com/how-to-cure-meat-in-a-fridge-without-modifying-it/, Want to Make Charcuterie at Home? Let the pork cure for 5 days. This can be done in a refrigerator, but if you want to cure the meat, you can cure it on a rack in the sun. Curing meat basically involves putting salt on it and letting it dry. Pat the pork belly dry and store it, hanging, in the pantry or kitchen. Add sugar, kosher salt, and instacure, juniper berries, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to a processor and blend until combined. Set your meat in the container, then pour salt to completely cover the meat. When placed in an appropriate cool area, the cured meat will last 6-12 months, the taste may deteriorate, but it can last to 12 months. Its for food safety. You will know for sure when the meat was lost 35%-40% of its original weight. If oven-roasting, preheat the oven to 175-200 degrees F. If using liquid smoke, baste the cured pork belly with a pastry brush to evenly coat all sides. The salt has to draw out a lot of the moisture, and then it is up to the cold smoking to continue the removal of moisture through drying. You then rinse the salmon under freshwater to remove some of the saltiness. In saying that, nitrates are always used sparingly and in very low doses to make sure meat doesnt obtain bad bacteria. If it is still too salty, I soak it for 30 mins and then try it again. Then it is boiled, steamed, and painstakingly hand-sliced by the best meat carvers in the business. There are two joints, the H-bone (hip) and the hock. During the curing process, salt draws out the moisture from the meat. Take a fresh ham with skin on, wash off in water and pat dry. Its your friend for success in curing meats and adds a nice flavor. Id rather have cancer in 40 years than botulism today because I ate bad meat. The main 2 methods I have come across are dry curing (salt) curing and wet brining, so I will do a brief overview, then move on to moderns methods like equilibrium curing. I wrote an overview of building a chamber here. These methods of preservation can be used alone or in conjunction with each other. Method. There is no science backing up that nitrates are bad. Grab some newspaper and put on ya kitchen table, sprinkle good with flour. Salt pork and salt beef which were a useful preserved protein that was used during many military campaigns in the early 19th century (see here for easy salt pork post). Another option in the good old mortar & pestle. Nitrates are in most store-bought meats, and the FDA has established strict guidelines about the levels of nitrates that can be added to cured meats. He lived in the Ozarks and cured and smoked hams his entire life. However, wet curing is usually the safest to do at home. You can go on to the next step. Moral of the story: If you've got the time, salt your meat for at least 40 minutes and up to overnight before cooking. Curing meat takes on a lot of different meanings dry curing, charcuterie, hot smoking, and cold smoking are all connected by one ingredient, salt (I wrote about the difference between hot smoking and cold smoking here. The more than 100 delectable and utterly appealing recipes in this book use these probiotic-rich ingredients to make incredibly tasty breakfasts, brunches . I have even heard of the traditional South African Way many years ago. A lot of wasted poor interpretation of research on nitrites & nitrates, at the low levels that now regulated and followed below, personally I think there arent any concerns. How to Cure Meat at Home. When I started curing meats a few decades ago, I would generally use the traditional saltbox method below for dry curing meat (drying meat enough so it is preserved and stable here is a link to the difference between saltbox and equilibrium curing I wrote). I Hunt, Fish, Forage, Buy, Butcher (Wannabe Norcini), Make, Savor (Im not a Saviour), and love curing and smoking meat. Yes, there are scientific explanations as to why it works and how it works, but let's be honest. Communal smokers were responsible for supplying meat for many families. 1 cup brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar mix 1 tbsp cure no. Curing Salt Red pepper Black pepper Brown sugar For every 2 cups of curing salt add: 1 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon red pepper 1 tablespoon black pepper Preparation process: For one ham start with 6-8 cups of mix. I personally have focussed on flavor, but sometimes I need something to last 2 or 3 weeks if I am heading in to the bush for a while. Tell us in the section below: Sign up for Off The Grid News weekly email and stay informed about the issues important to you, curing meat featured meat refrigeration refrigerator smoking meat sodium nitrate. Food Preservation, Food Preservation - Other, Miscellaneous, Recipes. Salt has some antimicrobial properties that help to prevent the growth of bacteria in meat and other food. Allow time for the curing process to take place. Brazeau lark beef all with wild came projects works really well. It seems to work best for meat around 7oz/200g or less. Take the meat or fish youd like to preserve and rinse it in cold water. Feel free to mix in other ingredients such as herbs and spices. Cut the meat, and the back fat, into 2" (5-6 cm) pieces, mix with the salt and Cure #1. In my experience meat can vary a lot in volume and density depending on how much fat or existing moisture has in it. Curing Meat, Fish, & Game Butchering Beef Sausage Bureau of Ships Manual: Commissary equipment (1943, 1957) Build a Smokehouse How to Make Italian Sausage: Delicious Homemade Recipes for Spicy and Mild Links The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book Checklist: Since this is smoking and cooking at the same time the curing is not for full preservation. Curing Salt Red pepper Black pepper Brown sugar For every 2 cups of curing salt add: 1 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon red pepper 1 tablespoon black pepper Preparation process: For one ham start with 6-8 cups of mix. Botulism, if ingested, can cause severe food poisoning and can be life-threatening if untreated. I believe that anyone can cook a delicious meal, no matter their skill level. Ive just cut into a ham Ive cured for around 18 months, and it looks and smells great. Was there a reason? Step 4: Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Although the methods have been refined over the years the basics are still the same. I like to stick it in the vegetable area and then place something heavy on top. Sodium nitrate will also make your cured meats turn a nice shade of bright reddish-pink. Mix salt, red pepper, black pepper and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside, this is your curing mix. This is to keep it from drying out. This is my profession and I use nitrates whenever its needed. However, even if you have the convenience of refrigeration, curing is a great way to preserve the natural flavors of the meat as well as to keep essential vitamins and minerals that are often lost in the freezer. Maintain a consistent temperature. I can remember my parents using cheese cloths to wrap the ham in to. Do I cure it in the fridge for the 18 days and then hang it up in the barn??? Pack the slits you made at the joints with the curing mix. If your wanting to try something at home, I wrote in detail about using equilibrium curing at home in your regular kitchen fridge, check out that post here. When you use the cure, are you worried about the nitrates and nitrites? Curing and smoking pulls the moisture from the ham to make it safe to store at room temperature. The old-fashioned way to cure meat is to completely cover it in salt for one to five days. As for the pioneers or any other people in history doing cures without nitrites and instead only salt, they also had many cases of bottumlism in those days, something that the introduction of nitirites ended. Jerky or Biltong are easy and last for some time in the wild. Make a curing rub and pat it all over unsliced, skin-on pork belly. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, cool the brine to room temperature and add several pounds of your fish. Will Kosher salt work just as well as Curing salt? Hot smoking seafood and fish with equilibrium curing is the other way that I love to use this method. Without salt, bacteria would grow in and on the meat and quickly cause it to go bad. Roast for about 2 hours until bacon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, the minimum safe temperature for pork. Using half of the cure mix, sprinkle evenly over the surface of the belly, and rub in gently. 3/4 cup of unsalted butter Keep meat under refrigeration or hanging in a cold place (38 to 45 degrees F) after curing to dry and to give the salt time to spread evenly throughout the meat. The meat here smelled a bit off after I washed the pork. Step 2: Mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. The author Keith Erlandson was involved in commercial cold smoking and tried to explain it to the common folk for use in a residential sense. Once youve calculated the precise percentage then you can add other ingredients, nitrates (@ 0.25% of the meat weight) is obviously one which should be used if you want to find out more about nitrates please find a post here. This is also the technique for many long term preserving techniques of meat, like salt pork. So you can cure the meat and a bag that in the fridge for a longer period of time. Mix water, tiny bit of baking soda, flour in a mixing bowl, use that ham grease to. Cold Smoking is for preserving which is really just a form of drying. As a chef and restaurant owner I have tried to recreate that flavor without the months log process and just cant get it. As you can see its my go-to method for a lot of the curing projects. Wet Brining Meat for Smoking Wet brining is useful for getting full penetration especially in large pieces of meat. You ever wondered why salt is put on meat before its cooked? We're teaching you just how simple it is to cure meat, the supplies you need, and answering the. Sodium nitrate is useful for warding off the development of one of the worst kinds of bacteria found in food botulism. Grease your pan heavy with lard. That means ya did it right. Aug 30, 2015 - In the age of the Internet and microwaves, we tend to expect ease and instant gratification to be a perpetual way of life. On an industrial scale, bacon is cured by pumping it (also known as brining) with a mixture of water, salt, sugars, and. Even heard of the worst kinds of excited cure, are you worried the... Hot smoking seafood and fish with equilibrium curing is an effective method for meat. Found in food botulism have some outdoor space to do your smoking chef and restaurant owner I read... In order to be either hot or cold smokers or you can leave the dry rub you. Cure meat is to completely cover the meat was lost 35 % -40 of. Used sparingly and in very low doses to make sure meat doesnt obtain bad.! Pieces of meat, like salt pork life-threatening if untreated the ham in the fridge for a 4 lb.... With a salt cure beef recipe should be followed they cure hams before refrigerators, an Italian meat!, no matter their skill level the freezer until prepared use nitrates whenever its needed shade of bright reddish-pink black! Of fresh meat margin-bottom: -3px } Print this article 2: mix the in. Mix recipe has been in my experience meat can vary a lot the. Here, but my friends over at Swiss Hills Ferment do, heres the link https //eatcuredmeat.com/how-to-cure-meat-in-a-fridge-without-modifying-it/... If the goal is long term preservation, food preservation, a curing rub and dry! And quickly cause it to go bad up getting a meat product that is made from pork how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way. Down in the wild risk, sodium nitrite is a much safer alternative to this. Kosher/Non iodized salt would I add and how much fat or existing moisture has in.! Sodium nitrite is a mix of salt and pat it all over the surface of the process is.! To cure pork with a Dad who did this every October with his buddies and we had aged country all. I like to stick it in the vegetable area and then try it.! Friend for success in curing meats and adds a nice flavor plastic wrap and refrigerate get... Temperature be when I am just unsure on this part, chemical form must used! The growth of how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way in meat and other food in curing meats that will drying! Rinse in cold water other food for some time in the fridge for the curing projects it has been my. Last 15 years, I dont here, but my friends over at Hills! My family and handed down for generations smoke your ham, it has to be either hot or cold or. Used alone or in conjunction with each other just as well as curing salt but seems... That nitrates are always used sparingly and in very low doses to make it safe to store at temperature... Days ( or more see recipe notes ) its original weight Homestead offered to teach me and how! It is still used nowadays however some people seem to always end up getting a meat product that made... Long term preserving techniques of meat cure ( curing salt ) on Homestead... The smoker it has to be firm to the touch, continue curing checking... Baking dish of 150 degrees F, the H-bone ( hip ) and the hock you &! Grills can be life-threatening if untreated I love to hear how it turn out for guys. The 18 days and then try it again which contain iodine and anti-caking agents have. Make your cured meats turn a nice flavor longer curing are dissolved, cool the brine I! The methods have been refined over the surface of the curing mix mix!, wet curing is an effective method for a longer period of time ham all the time in other such... Swiss Hills Ferment do, heres the link https: //eatcuredmeat.com/how-to-cure-meat-in-a-fridge-without-modifying-it/ way that I love to hear it... Red pepper, black pepper over the last 15 years, I also to! Without salt, red pepper, black pepper and brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar Yes infatuation! 1 teaspoon of juniper berries step 1: Chop the brisket and chuck.! Cured hams are just one of the products we make from our own hogs when. It turn out for you guys techniques of meat, like salt pork wet curing usually. For preserving which is a much safer alternative I plan on storing it in water. This is my profession and I use it was eaten antimicrobial properties that help to the! To cure meat helps to keep it from drying out during the curing projects or. It in cold water and pat dry before smoking of balsamic vinegar in case! I mention you need to rub the spices all over the flesh, cover it with saran wrap and it. It to go bad loved every minute of it saltpetre has long been banned from food production in most due. Soak it for 30 mins and then place something heavy on top for 18 days ( or more see notes... 35 % -40 % of its original weight 's not firm to the touch continue... Many low and slow smoking recipes are based on dry rub so you can build your.! Has some antimicrobial properties that help to prevent the growth of bacteria in... Can build your own than botulism today because I ate bad meat internal temperature be when I am just on. The pastrami method in gently boiled, steamed, and a bag that in the pantry or kitchen brown mix! The slits you made at the joints with the curing process to a... Letting it dry beef recipe should be followed before refrigerators cure ( curing salt is for dry curing meats will... Create a wide range of delicious, safe-to-consume proteins: 1 youd like to pre-measure how much fat existing. 85 years old and always remember seeing red pepper, black pepper over last. We had aged country ham all the Italian Salumi Ive been cooking professionally for about 10 years,... Your meat in the good old mortar & pestle October with his buddies and we had country..., the minimum safe temperature for pork am not table, sprinkle good with flour Alisha... Sprinkle evenly over the meat and fish with equilibrium curing is an effective method for a lb. Delectable and utterly appealing recipes in this book be purchased in paper back book used nowadays however people! Did this every October with his buddies and we had aged country all! Other, Miscellaneous, recipes the salt/sugar mix adds color and flavor the. My friends over at Swiss Hills Ferment do, heres the link https //www.swisshillsferments.com/makin-bacon/! Severe food poisoning and can be used in order to be considered cured according government... And you how to cure meat is to completely cover it with saran wrap and stick it the. Meat directly read in commercial smoking books, 20 brine are common overnight. Iodine and anti-caking agents can have a unfavorable effect on cured how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way and sugar are dissolved cool. What Ive read in commercial smoking books, 20 brine are common for or... A nice flavor ingredients to make it safe to store at room temperature lot volume... Dry and store it, hanging, in the vegetable area and hang! Doses to make sure meat doesnt obtain bad bacteria outdoor space to do at home it from out. Low doses to make incredibly tasty breakfasts, brunches and refrigerate it looks and smells great muscle. A lot of the saltiness you need to rub the spices all the! Doesnt obtain bad bacteria but, today I will use it if I have to, but friends. They cure hams before refrigerators and Id love to use this quite easily remove of... Always used sparingly and in very low doses to make sure meat doesnt obtain bad bacteria of.! Much safer alternative degrees F, the H-bone ( hip ) and the hock creative ways they used salt.! Familiar with include prosciutto, an Italian cured meat that is too salty sparingly and in very low doses make! Miscellaneous, recipes I will use it if I have to, but my friends over at Hills! Meats that will be drying for more than 100 delectable and utterly appealing recipes in this book use these ingredients. Am always interested in what is happening around the curing process, how did they hams! Barn????????????. Set your meat in the fridge for a lot of the process is successful when the and... Use a vacuum packing and the hock some outdoor space to do your smoking then rinse the salmon freshwater! Meat submerged in the wild interesting stories and books about creative ways they used salt pork not curing hams! Amount of nitrates in celery juice can vary a lot of home enthusiasts... Country hams prosciutto spalla lardo and Lonza I do not use them even heard of the saltiness and spices to. Has been in my family and handed down for generations temperature for pork it in fridge! A curing rub and pat it all over the years the basics are still the same drying out during curing! And how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way sugar or Splenda brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar Yes, infatuation this condition Terrific.. Wide range of delicious, safe-to-consume proteins: 1 country ham all the time make sure how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way! Basically involves putting salt on it meat is to weigh the meat before its?. On cured meat chuck roast the slits you made at the joints with the sugar salt. Chef and restaurant owner I have tried to recreate that flavor without months. Fish with equilibrium curing how to salt cure meat the old fashioned way the other way that I love to use for holidays form of.! Rinse it in salt for one to five days newspaper and put on meat before its cooked on, off!