Types of seasonings for basturma and recipes with them

Basturma is a popular meat dish in the Caucasus. It is a dried tenderloin. It may contain different types of meat. Spices are actively used for basturma. They give the dish a special spicy taste. When preparing tenderloin, you can add ready-made spices to it or make them yourself.

Popular seasonings for basturma

A variety of seasonings are suitable for dry-cured tenderloin. Both a basic set of spices and additional seasonings are added to it depending on the meat used.

Spices used for all types of basturma

Meat cuts require a lot of seasoning. They should be diluted in clean water and coated with the resulting mixture on the meat. The standard set includes the following spices:

• fenugreek (aka chaman);
• dried garlic;
• hot red pepper;
• paprika.

Additionally, the meat tenderloin is rubbed with turmeric, cumin, and coriander. You can also add caraway seeds and suneli hops to the mixture.

Spices for beef basturma

Tenderloin, which contains beef, is a classic option. Beef itself has a distinct taste and aroma.

When preparing basturma with it, it is recommended to add the following spices:

• ground paprika;
• ground black pepper;
• Cayenne pepper;
• chaman;
• cumin seeds.

The dish requires a good soaking in salt. Even if it is completely absorbed into the beef, it is necessary to periodically sprinkle it with salt again.

Spices for pork basturma

The tenderloin can also consist of pork. Only lean meat is suitable for it. There should be no fat in it as it makes the pork tough. For pork basturma, both basic spices and additional seasonings are used that are suitable specifically for this type of meat.

Added to the clipping:

• red and black pepper;
• mustard seeds;
• dried garlic;
• fenugreek;
• salt;
• sugar;
• cumin.

Pork has a rather bland taste. She especially needs spices with a pronounced taste and aroma. Therefore, you can add suneli hops, coriander, and cloves to the mixture. Ground juniper berries can also be added to the seasonings.

Seasonings for chicken basturma

Poultry tenderloin cooks the fastest. Turkey is also suitable for this. It is better to use poultry fillet. When preparing chicken basturma, it is recommended to add the following spices:

• chaman;
• paprika;
• granulated garlic;
• black pepper;
• coarse salt;
• sugar.

When preparing poultry-based tenderloin, cognac is also added to it. 30 g of drink is enough.

Spices for elk basturma

When preparing an elk dish, the same seasonings are used as when preparing a beef dish.

The composition of spices is as follows:

• turmeric;
• salt;
• dried garlic;
• hot peppers;
• paprika.

Fenugreek is also added to the tenderloin.

How to make your own seasoning for basturma

Spices for jerky can be made at home using the following recipe:

1. Seasonings are taken in the required proportion. Two large spoons of fenugreek and paprika, half a teaspoon of cumin and ground black pepper, and a third of a small spoon of hot red pepper are enough.
2. All seasonings are mixed and ground in a coffee grinder.
3. Water boils and cools.
4. Water is gradually added to the seasoning mixture to form a paste.
5. The container with spices is covered with cling film and placed in the refrigerator.

Seasonings are stored in a cool place for 24 hours.

Recipes for basturma with spices

Beef

Beef jerky is prepared according to the following recipe:

1. 1 kg of beef tenderloin is washed with water. The fat along with the films is cut off from it.
2. Punctures are made in a piece of meat using a sharp skewer.
3. Half a pack of salt is poured into the tray. The beef is dipped in it.
4. A piece of meat with salt is covered with cling film and placed in the refrigerator for two days.
5. For two days, you need to monitor whether the salt has been absorbed into the beef. If this happens, then it is necessary to roll the piece of meat with a centimeter layer of salt each time.
6. At the end of two days, the tenderloin is washed under running water.
7. The meat is dried and wrapped in a paper towel, pressed down and refrigerated for another day. During this period, wet paper towels should be changed.
8. The piece of meat is removed from the refrigerator and freed from the towel.
9. The tenderloin is hung on a hook in a cool, dark, well-ventilated room. The temperature in it should be +10 ⁰C.
10. A piece of beef hangs for 4 days.
11. Prepare a mixture of spices based on a glass of water, half a glass of fenugreek, paprika, 1/3 small spoon of hot pepper, small spoon of ground black pepper and cumin seeds. The mass should be thick.
12. A piece of meat is coated with a layer of mixture and hung on a hook. You can coat the meat while it is hanging on the hook. A silicone brush is used for this. The meat should hang on the hook for 4 days. After this, the meat piece is ready to eat.

From pork

Pork tenderloin is prepared according to a similar recipe. A kilogram of pork is also washed and all the fat is cut off. Then the meat is rolled in a mixture of 7 large spoons of salt and sugar. The tenderloin is then wrapped in film and placed in the refrigerator for three days. It is important to regularly drain the juices released from the pork. The tenderloin is dried with towels, wrapped in gauze and placed under pressure in a container. So it should remain in the refrigerator for another three days. Every time you need to drain the juice from it.

Next, prepare a mixture of seasonings:

1. Take a large spoon of fenugreek.
2. Take a small spoon of hot red and black pepper.
3. Take one small spoonful of dried garlic, cumin and mustard seeds.
4. Water is added to the mixture until a paste-like mass is formed.
5. A piece of pork is rolled into the mixture. It is wrapped in one layer of gauze.
6. Pork is hung on a hook in a dark, cool room and stored there at +10 ⁰A couple of weeks. Then the meat piece is stored in a refrigerator.

Chicken

Dried chicken fillet is prepared according to the following recipe:

1. 1 kg of fillet is washed and cleared of all veins and films.
2. Take three and two large spoons of salt and granulated sugar, respectively. The fillets are rolled into them.
3. Poultry meat is placed in a container that is tightly closed with a lid. In this form it is stored in the refrigerator for a day.
4. Spices are prepared by mixing two large spoons of fenugreek, one large spoon of paprika, a small spoon of dried garlic, half a small spoon of ground black pepper and 30-35 g of cognac. You can add water to get a thick paste.
5. The fillet is coated with spices and wrapped in a single layer of gauze.
6. Chicken fillet is dried on a hook in a darkened and ventilated room at a temperature of +10 ⁰C.

The fillet is dried for three days. You can extend the process for one week. Then the meat will be firmer. It is recommended to cut the finished dried chicken fillet before serving. In this case, the pieces themselves should be almost transparent.