Vacuum-packed dried meat: salting and preservation

Making your own dried meat (duck breast, dried beef, tenderloin) is a gastronomic pleasure. But the traditional salt-curing method can be risky: too salty, not salty enough, risk of spoilage...

The sous vide method (or "Equilibrium Curing") is a game changer. It allows you to perfectly salt meat, without the risk of over-salting, and using much less refrigerator space. Discover how to transform your kitchen into a mini curing workshop!

The recipe: Vacuum salting

To ensure your curing process is a success, precision is key. Here are the ratios recommended by professionals for 1 kg of meat:

• Salt: 3% to 4.5% of the weight of the meat (according to your taste).
• Sugar (optional): About half the weight of the salt (helps preserve and sweetens the taste).
• Aromatics: Pepper, herbs of Provence, chili pepper, juniper berries...

✅ This method works for everything: duck breast, pork tenderloin, roast beef (bresaola), etc.

Step 1: Seasoning and vacuum sealing

1. Weigh your meat and prepare the exact salt/spice mixture.
2. Massage the meat with the mixture to thoroughly coat it on all sides.
3. Vacuum sealing: Place the meat directly into a corrugated bag (without cling film). Vacuum-seal and seal.
4. Resting: Place the bag in the refrigerator. The salt will draw out the water from the meat, creating a natural brine that will remain "adhered" to the meat thanks to the vacuum.

Make your own homemade cured meats a success

For successful vacuum salting, a perfect seal is essential to prevent brine leaks. Our 475W machine with a dual pump is ideal for this purpose.

See the recommended machine

Step 2: Salting time (Aging)

How long should you leave the meat in the bag in the fridge? The general rule is about 1 day per centimeter of thickness , plus 1 or 2 days for safety.

Example: A duck breast will keep for approximately 5 to 7 days vacuum-sealed in the refrigerator. Unlike the coarse salt method, you cannot "over-salt" the meat because you have added the exact amount from the start!

Step 3: Drying

Once the time has elapsed:

1. Remove the meat from the bag, rinse it quickly under cold water and dry it well with absorbent paper.
2. Weighing: Weigh your meat (this is its "Wet Weight").
3. Place the meat on a rack in the fridge (not in a bag!). It needs to breathe.
4. Patience: Turn it over every 2 days. It's ready when it has lost 35% to 40% of its initial weight.

How to preserve meat once it has been dried?

Once your meat is properly dried, if you don't eat it right away, it will continue to dry and become as hard as a rock.

The solution? Put it back in a vacuum seal!

By placing it back in a vacuum bag, you stop the drying process. The residual moisture will distribute itself evenly throughout the meat (balancing), making it even more tender. This allows you to keep it for months in the refrigerator or years in the freezer.

Storage chart (Vacuum-packed dried meat):

💡 Tasting tip: Remove your dried meat from the vacuum-sealed bag 30 minutes before eating it so that it regains all its aromas at room temperature.

Thank you for following this guide! You now have all the tools you need to make your own homemade charcuterie. To get started, discover our range of vacuum sealing machines .