On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 345

monthsmayconvertathirdormoreofthe
meatproteintoflavormolecules.The
concentrationofmouth-filling,meaty
glutamicacidrisesten-totwenty-fold,andas
incheese,somuchoftheaminoacidtyrosine
isfreedthatitmayformsmallwhitecrystals.
Inaddition,theunsaturatedfatsinpigmuscle
breakapartandreacttoformhundredsof
volatilecompounds,someofthem
characteristicofthearomaofmelon(a
traditionalandchemicallyfitting
accompanimenttoham!),apple,citrus,
flowers,freshlycutgrass,andbutter.Other
compoundsreactwiththeproductsofprotein
breakdowntogivenutty,caramelflavors
normallyfoundonlyincookedmeats
(concentrationcompensatesforthe
subcookingtemperature).Insum,theflavor
ofdry-curedhamisastonishinglycomplex
andevocative.
Modern Wet-Cured Meats Salted meats


continue to be popular even in the age of
refrigeration, when salting is no longer
essential. But because we now salt meats for
taste, not to extend storage life, industrial
versions are treated with milder cures, and
generallymustberefrigeratedand/orcooked.
Andthey’remadeveryquickly,whichmeans
that their flavor is less complex than drycured meats. Industrial bacon is made by

injectingbrine(typicallyabout15%salt,10%
sugar) into the pork side with arrays of fine
needles, or else cutting it into slices, then
immersing the slices in a brine for 10 or 15
minutes. In either method the “maturing”
period has shrunk to a few hours, and the
bacon is packed the same day. Hams are
injected with brine, then “tumbled” in large
rotatingdrumsforadaytomassagethebrine
evenly through the meat and make it more
supple, and finally pressed into shape, partly
or fully cooked, chilled, and sold with no
maturing period. For some boneless “hams,”