On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 344

contributes to their appearance and texture.
High salt concentrations cause the normally
tightly bunched protein filaments in the
muscle cells to separate into individual
filaments,whicharetoosmalltoscatterlight:
so the normally opaque muscle tissue
becomes translucent. The same unbunching
also weakens the muscle fibers, while at the
same time dehydration makes the tissue
denserandmoreconcentrated:hencetheclose
buttendertexture.
TheEnigmaofHamsCuredWithout
Nitrite
Though most traditional long-cured hams
are treated with saltpeter to provide a
steadysupplyofnitrite,afewarenot.The
eminent prosciuttos of Parma and San
Daniele are cured with sea salt only, yet
somehow still develop the characteristic
rosy color of nitrite-stabilized myoglobin.
Sea salt does contain nitrate and nitrite


impurities, but not enough to affect ham
color. Recently, Japanese scientists found
thatthestableredpigmentofthesehamsis
not nitrosomyoglobin, and its formation
seems associated with the presence of
particular
ripening
bacteria

(Staphylococcus
carnosus
and
caseolyticus). And it may be that the
absenceofnitriteisoneofthekeystothe
exceptional quality of these hams. Nitrite
protects meat fats from oxidation and the
development of off-flavors. But fat
breakdown is also one of the sources of
desirable ham flavor, and nitrite-free
Parma hams have been found to contain
more fruity esters than nitrite-cured
SpanishandFrenchhams.
TheAlchemyofDry-CuredFlavorSomeof
themuscles’biochemicalmachinerysurvives
intact,inparticulartheenzymesthatbreak
flavorlessproteinsdownintosavorypeptides
andaminoacids,whichoverthecourseof