Karreespeck – delicious as a Brotzeit or more
- Type
- Ham
- Level
- Medium
- Rating
- Rate this recipe
In this article, you will learn how to make your own karreespeck. With moderate effort, you can achieve a delicious result.
Karreespeck is one of the most delicious types of bacon. The lean loin and harmonious seasoning create a full-bodied flavor that is never too overpowering. Whether served cold with bread, cooked or eaten on its own, your Karreespeck is extremely versatile.
If you enjoy smoking or curing meat, you will also find other recipes from me, such as whisky ham, pork tenderloin and smoked ham recipes.
Want to learn more about ham? No problem, I wrote down all my knowledge in my ham book. Interested? Explore my ham book.
But now enough talking…
Here you can find the complete karreespeck recipe as a video or to read through.
Have fun and good luck making it!
Table of Contents
Karreespeck – What do you need to make it?
The perfect ingredients and a little patience are all you need to prepare this tasty treat in no time at all.
Ingredients per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| pork loin with fat and rind | 1,000 g | 100 % |
Spices per 1 kg
| Ingredient | Grams |
|---|---|
| salt | 29.5 g |
| crushed juniper berries | 20 g |
| sugar mixture (1.5 g dextrose, 1.5 g sugar) | 3 g |
| Cure #1 | 2.5 g |
| black pepper | 2.5 g |
| caraway | 2 g |
| coriander | 1.5 g |
| paprika powder | 1.5 g |
| garlic powder | 1 g |
The equipment to make karreespeck
Place to dry and mature the ham
To age the ham, you need an environment where both humidity and temperature are relatively constant. There are several possibilities for this. I have already matured cured hams in the fridge or cellar without any problems.
Optional: If you want to be on the safe side, then a ripening cabinet is the best choice. My recommendation: Dry Ager DX 500
Spice grinder or mortar
Freshly ground spices taste best. Use a spice grinder or a mortar, and grind the spices completely. Ready-ground spices also work.
Smoker oven
You need the smoker to smoke your karreespeck.
Smoking auger and smoking flour
The smoking auger burns for approx. 12 hours. This saves you having to constantly refill the smoking flour.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Crush the spices in a mortar
Coarsely grind all the spices in a mortar. You can also use a spice mill for this. It is important to break up the juniper berries.
Rub the meat on all sides
Sprinkle the spice mixture over the meat and distribute the spices evenly on all sides of the meat.
Put the pork loin in a bag
Place your pork loin in a bag. Make sure that all the spices end up in the bag.
Vacuum-seal and label
Vacuum-seal the meat and label it with the contents and date.
Cure in the fridge
Place the bag in the refrigerator for the minimum curing time (1.5 days per cm of meat thickness). Turn the bag over occasionally. You can cure your meat for longer, but not for less time. My piece took about 2.5 weeks.
Pat dry and remove the spices
Now pat the meat dry with a kitchen towel. I also remove most of the spices. This reduces the risk of your karreespeck going moldy.
Insert a meat hook
Then insert a hook into the cured meat. This will make it easier to hang up afterwards. Alternatively, you can tie the karreespeck with kitchen twine and hang it up.
Dry at controlled humidity
Now hang the karreespeck in the refrigerator/cellar/maturing cabinet to dry. It is important that the humidity is 75-80% and the temperature remains below 15°C. My piece took about 1 week, as I also cold-smoked the pork loin.
Important: The better the humidity can be controlled, the more evenly the karreespeck will dry. If it dries too quickly, this can lead to a dry edge.
Cold-smoke (optional)
Optional: You can now hang your karreespeck in the smoker and cold smoke it. I did this in 3 stages. That means 8 hours of smoking and 8 hours without smoking. The temperature should ideally be between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius (59–68 °F).
Leave to mature
Hang the karreespeck in the fridge, cellar or curing chamber to mature and develop more flavor. I let mine mature for about 1.5 months. It need not be rock hard or completely dry: with a lean cut like loin, I prefer a little moisture remaining.
Your karreespeck is now ready. Enjoy!😄
Frequently asked questions
How long does karreespeck keep?
How long does karreespeck keep?
About a week in the fridge, or 2–3 weeks refrigerated in a vacuum bag. You can also freeze it in portions to extend its shelf life considerably.
How can I tell when it is ready?
How can I tell when it is ready?
It should be firm and dry, but not rock hard, and barely yield to light finger pressure. Lean pork loin can retain a little moisture.
How long does maturation take?
How long does maturation take?
Depending on size and air temperature, about 6–12 weeks, sometimes longer. My karreespeck was ready after about 1.5 months.
Which temperature and humidity should I use for drying?
Which temperature and humidity should I use for drying?
Ideally 12–15 °C (54–59 °F) and 70–80 % humidity, with good air circulation. Check regularly for mold.
Can I freeze it?
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Slice thinly and vacuum-pack in portions. Thaw slowly in the fridge.
How many smoking sessions do I need?
How many smoking sessions do I need?
Usually 3–5, with rests between them. Adjust for your preferred flavor and intensity. I used 3 sessions of 8 hours each.
