Բ ա ս տ ո ւ ր մ ա
cured beef in spices
The love for basturma, a lean, air-dried beef, is shared among Armenians all over the world. One of the best places to eat it is an outdoor spot called Basturma on Abovyan Street in the center of Yerevan. Jirair Avanian, who also owns Dolmama around the corner—one of Yerevan’s first and still venerated fine-dining restaurants—got the idea right with this tiny location: You snack on the thinly sliced cured beef (pictured on facing page, left) flavored with garlic and chemen (fenugreek), as well as slices of Soujuk (page 142), a cured sausage (pictured on facing page, right), grab a glass of wine, and people watch. The next best way to enjoy basturma is to add slices of it to an omelet. Wrap the omelet in lavash and it’s the Armenian equivalent of a breakfast burrito.
While all meat-curing endeavors are projects, this one is simpler than most. First, salt the meat to draw out extra moisture. Next, coat it in the spice mixture and—here’s the tricky part—hang it in a cool, airy place for a couple of days. (Ara also found he could do this step in the refrigerator; it just took longer.) You know it’s done when it’s firm enough to slice thinly with a sharp knife and the seasonings are infused into the meat. Before starting, read the instructions thoroughly to space the project over the course of several days and ensure you have room in the refrigerator. In Armenia, curing basturma is a project for cool, dry, fall weather. Likewise, we suggest undertaking this project when the climate is mild. If the indoor temperature is 70°F [21°C], expect the curing process to move faster than if it is chillier.
Makes about 21/2 lb [1.2 kg]
4 lb [1.8 kg] eye of round roast
1 lb [455 g] kosher salt
1/2 cup [55 g] sweet paprika
1/2 cup [55 g] ground fenugreek
1 Tbsp ground allspice
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
8 garlic cloves
1 cup [240 ml] water, plus more as needed
PART I: CURE THE MEAT
To cure the meat, cut the eye of round roast in half crosswise so it’s easier to work with. Each piece should be about 2 in [5 cm] thick. Using a skewer, poke the pieces all over (this will help the salt penetrate the meat).
Spread a thick layer of salt in a 9 by 13 in [23 by 33 cm] casserole or roasting pan and place the meat on top. Coat all sides of the meat with the salt so the meat is barely visible. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days.
After 2 days, the salt will have drawn out a lot of liquid from the meat. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Drain the meat and rinse off the salt. Submerge the meat in the cold water for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. (This will draw out any excess salt.)
Remove the meat from the water and thoroughly dry each piece with paper towels, pressing down to remove as much moisture as possible. Wrap the meat completely in paper towels and place on a half-sheet pan. Place another sheet pan on top of the meat. Weight down the pan with a few cans of tomatoes or something similar in weight and refrigerate overnight.
Uncover the meat and remove the paper towels. The pieces should look flat and feel slightly firm.
Using a skewer like a needle and butcher’s twine, pierce each piece about 1 in [2.5 cm] from the end and pull the twine through the hole. (You can pull it through by tying a knot on one end of the skewer and leaving the remaining thread long.) Find a place to tie up the meat to let it air-dry, preferably in a room with some airflow that never exceeds 70°F [21°C], for 5 to 10 days, or until the meat feels as firm as an avocado that’s almost ripe. (Alternatively, hang the meat in the refrigerator for 8 to 14 days.) The meat should be dry from the curing process and won’t drip at this point.
PART III: ADD THE CHEMEN SEASONING MIX
Untie the meat (but leave the string in place) and move it onto a half-sheet pan.
To prepare the seasoning mix, in a medium bowl, mix together the paprika, fenugreek, allspice, black pepper, cayenne, cumin, and salt. In a food processor (preferably a mini one), puree the garlic with 1/2 cup [120 ml] of the water. Add the garlic puree to the bowl of spices and mix thoroughly. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup [120 ml] of water, or more if needed, until it resembles thick pancake batter.
Smear the spice mixture all over the meat in a thin but even layer about 1/8 in [4 mm] thick. You should not be able to see the meat. Rehang the meat for 2 to 3 more days (or 3 to 5 days in a refrigerator) or until the spice mixture has firmed up and is dry to the touch. At this point, the basturma is ready to eat. To serve, slice as thinly as possible with a sharp knife. Keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
