Bresaola from Whole Sirloin Tip

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This product was my first attempt to utilize Texel DCM-1: cultures, developed for the whole muscles. At the end, there was  a noticeable difference in the final product. It’s not easy to describe this variance. The best I can manage is…the taste is “brighter,” more vivid…like if you got an oxygen mask for a minute.
Overall, this bresaola turned to be a very decent product. Spices are present, but only on the background. Plus, the texture is quite soft.  As for the taste, once more, it is hard to  describe: all the colors and notes of beef celebrate their holidays in this bresaola.

All process took 4 months and 3 days; total weight loss at the end – 44%.
Weight at the beginning: 4.2kg. The meat received: 2.5% sea salt, 0.25% cure#2; 0.2% Poivre du Sichuan (hereafter, PdS); same amount of sweet Hungarian paprika; 0.03% mentioned above cultures; 0.5% crushed chili; 2 sticks of cinnamon,0.1% anise seeds. Then,  I’ve added some rosemary extract, mixed in brandy to prevent oxidation); 0.3% brown sugar was added to this mixture as well. Completed the bouquet some fresh basil with oregano from the back yard.

Due to the unusual form of the cut and it’s size, I did not vacuum, but wrapped the meat as well as I could manage and kept in the fridge for 13 days, turning and massaging every few days. Then the meat was washed, dried, sprinkled with mixture of BP, PdS, crushed red pepper, and star anise; it was  kept without casing in Curing Chamber for 3 months and few additional days. Then – sent the bresaola to vacuum.