Traditional pastërma — Balkan dried meat with a çemen coating (home recipe)

Pastërma (pastırma) is the dried-meat delicacy of Ottoman origin, very widespread in Balkan cuisines; below is the full recipe for preparing it at home.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg beef (thick topside or flank, without fat)
• 1 kg coarse salt

For the çemen coating

• 200 g fenugreek seed
• 50 g sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper (optional)
• 4–5 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 100 ml lukewarm water

Preparation

1. Clean the meat of membranes and fat and cut it into thick strips (about 5 cm).
2. Salt each piece well with coarse salt, place them in a ceramic dish and cover them completely with salt; keep them in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, turning them every day and draining the liquid they release.
3. Rinse the meat, dry it well and hang it in a dry, airy place for 1–2 days.
4. Prepare the çemen: mix the fenugreek seed, paprika, hot pepper, garlic and cumin with the lukewarm water until you obtain a thick dough like a paste.
5. Cover the pieces of meat with a layer of çemen paste 3–4 mm thick and let it dry for 1–2 hours.
6. Hang the meat in a cool, airy place for 2–3 weeks, until the çemen layer hardens and the meat dries completely.
7. Cut the meat into thin slices and serve with bread, cheese and olives; the çemen layer can be removed as desired.

Time and servings

Total time 3–4 weeks (mainly drying time) • For about 8–10 servings.