Bastirma is a very famous, very expensive cured dried meat in Egypt. It is also very well known in the Middle East and in the Mediterranean region as well. I recently knew that it is also knows in Armenia, Russia and Turkey. It is very flavorful and spicy. It is very common in Egypt to eat it fried with eggs or just as is … soooo delicious.
You will need:
- 2 pounds of a tender beef cut with fat trimmed and not too thick – I used a chuck roast cut, it was not too bad but it was not the best so next time I am going to go for a eye round cut.
- 1/2 cup of Kosher salt.
- 1 medium red bell pepper – this is to moisten the coating while giving it more red color.
- 2 tsp salt.
- 1/2 cup Fenugreek powder. – this is what gives bastirma its famous smell along with the garlic.
- 25 cloves of garlic that is about 3-4 garlic heads – I know it sounds daunting but it is really a key flavor.
- 1/2 cup paprika.
To make Bastirma:
- First you will need to wash the piece of meat and pat it dry with a kitchen towel, then make some slots in each surface like 3 small slots with the knife.
- Then you leave it with a weight over it – I used my heave cast iron pan – for a whole 24 hours as it will release its water so make sure to drain it every now and then. After the 24 hours you will find your slab flattened and loos darker. Note: make sure that the temperature of the room the meat is in does not exceed 25oC or 77oF so if you cannot guarantee this you may consider leaving it in the fridge for 3 days instead.
- Wash the meat opening the cuts that you’ve made previously to wash the salt from inside then pat dry, cover with a cheese cloth and hang it for 3 days. Make sure the air flows around it freely.
- After the 3 days the meat is going to be much firmer. Now is the time to make the cover paste. In your food processor pulse the garlic, salt, bell pepper, paprika and the fenugreek powder you also may need little water until it forms a moist paste. Use gloves and cover the meat completely with the paste make sure to go arounf the ribbon or the twine you are using to hang it with. Hang it freely for another month. If you are living in a dry area like me, the paste will become hard and crusty while in other humid places might still be softer.
- Here is how it looks after a month.
- Ready to be cut and enjoyed 🙂
- Cut it as thin as the bacon slices if you can. Oh look at those sweet salty babies yummm.
Here’s how we mostly like it with scrambled eggs.
I love Pastirma, Yummy!
Unlike smoked hickory meat with spices, this so delicious and almost all kids love it as well.
Thank you!
Thanks… It is really delicious and I was surprised to find out that it was not a Middle Eastern fav. but it is very well knows in the whole Mediterranean as well.
I never had this before but I recently saw a recipe somewhere else for another cured meat and it really made me interested in doing such things myself. Right now I don’t really have the space available to leave big pieces of meat hanging up, haha, but I’m saving this recipe. One day I’ll have a house and then I really hope I can get into trying these things for myself.
It looks so amazing – I bet the taste and smell are wonderful and it looks very professional… like something I’d see in my local deli shop! Thanks for sharing Amira!
Hay Charles , thanks for stopping by. Do you think I live in a big house?? Man I loooove basterma that I would do it even if I was living in a studio hahaha. It is so expensive here. I am pretty sure you will like it just give it a try and tell me.
You have NO idea for how long I have been looking for a Bastirma recipe……I love it! Your recipe also sound almost exactly the way I remember my parents use to make it when I was a little one, but couldn’t remember exactly how. Big thank you!
One question, you mention that temperature can’t be higher than 77F, but what is the lowest temperature that safely it can be cured in?
Thanks, Abir
Hi Abir,
Thank you so much for your comment, I am really happy to be of a help for you. Regarding your question, I do not think there is a low temperature as it will not rot in very low temperature but it might will in very high temp. I think just hang it there in the comfort of your home and in a temperature that you are comfy in, treat it as your baby and it will melt in your mouth 🙂
Hay Abir,
If you understand Arabic- if you do not mute the video – see this link on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym1Z1bjYPJg it is for a very famous Egyptian chef, it helped me a lot in the application of the coating ,starting from min 11:20.
32 deg, dont want it to freeze
Thank you Amira, and of course I know chef Osama, he is one of my favorite Arabic chefs.
This is a youtube video showing in details how to prepare basturma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEQsiJ1xmBY
Thanks for the update Mike.
Do you have the recipe from chef osama?
I do not read arabic and am having problems with the translation. Thanx,
Jay
Sorry for the delay the ingredients in the video are: 2kg lean beef, 200gm kosher salt, 10 garlic cloves, 1/2 red bell pepper,2 Tbs fenugreek powder, 1 1/2Tbs cumin powder, 3/4 Tbs red cilli powder( optional) ,1 Tbs paprika, 3/4 Tbs coriander, 2Tbs water and 1 tsp salt.
Where did you find a place to hang the basturma for 4 weeks inside the house?
Does it have to air dry or can I hang it in the fridge somehow. I just cannot imagine a place in my kitchen where I could hang basturma? Can you help me with that? I would very much like to make this basturma.
Thanks for your input.
Hi Jasmin, Believe it or not I was living in a small apartment and I did hang in the dining room near the kitchen where we used to have those hooks from the ceiling that you use to hang flower pots :)… when there are guests coming I used to hide it in MY CLOSET … So moral of the story is be creative , if you have a basement you can hang it there and check on it every couple of days. In hot climate you can hang it in the fridge but I find it very hard to do so. If you are planning to do it these days cover it with a cloth as spring is around the corner and it is getting hotter.
Thank you Amira for your response. Does it not stink up the kitchen? I remember in Egypt the stores would smell very strongly. I don’t want that smell in my house.
Thank you Amira. I am looking forward to making this.
I’m a danish girl and I just found your website while searching for recipies on how to make belila. I was in Egypt last month with my boyfriend and I miss the food so much. Anyway my boyfriend loves this pastirma and he is so sad we don’t have it here in Denmark but now I can try to make it for him. And hopefully with your recipe he will feel like he’s home 🙂
Hello Camilla, I am so happy that you found my website interesting, I hope you’ll make lots of Egyptian food. If you have any question or a recipe you would like to make just leave me a comment anywhere in the site or shoot me an email, I will be glad to help.
Hi Amira,
Thanks for the recipe- it looks really promising !
Like any Egyptian and most normal people I LOVE bastirma. Here in the UK, the Turkish versions are available but not as tasty .
So will give this a go-
Now a question for you- having seen a few websites- a couple were saying that after washing away the salt you can go ahead and out the paste. Or do we need to let it dry for a day or two before adding the mixture?
I was wondering if you had any experience with that as I suspect you had a few goes before getting it right!
Thanks again
You are a star
And if this works – you will have made one v v v happy extended family ….
Hi Inas how are you? and thanks for stopping by.
I’ve taken this recipe from mu aunt in Egypt, she makes the most wonderful, delicious basterma I’ve ever had and she took it from her mother in law so it is kind of a family recipe. I’ve never tried applying the paste directly after washing the salt off, I guess it needs time to get dry or else we might have a rotten piece of basterma.
It really depends so much on the cut of beef that you are using and it is best be made in winter days not the hot summer days. Here in the US it is very hard for me to find a tender cut like the ones we have in Egypt, so I highly encourage you to ask around for a nice tender cut of meat and do not forget it is always better to start small :).
Hi Amira
Just wanted to say
I tried your recipe for Basterma
And it was….
AWESOME!!!
Now, I’ve made another couple of batches, and my husband has invested in a meat slicer so we can thin really thin cuts! It’s amazing-
I’ve discovered the Pecornio Romano cheese which has a flavour similar though not as identical to Roumy cheese and that too is pretty awesome!!!
Just thought I’d share –
Will be trying more of your recipes now!!
You’ve made my day girl :), I am really happy that you’ve liked the recipe. I’ve tried many brands of Romano cheese is a desperate search for the real stuff, but my kids did not like it not salty enough, I’ll try the brand you mentioned may be it will be the solution. Every time I visit Egypt I come back with at least 15lbs of Romy cheese hahahaha. Thanks for sharing you ropinion and ideas my dear this really makes me happy.
I am glad you shared this link and will get a nice piece of beef to make this dish. I wonder where to hang it however it will be delicious and my family will love it. Thanks for sharing your family recipe Amira 🙂
thanks for sharing! do you know the expiring date? how long does it last in the fridge?
thanks
I haven’t tried keeping it for more than 2 months, sealed and frozen. After doing some search, it is said that cured and dried meats can be stored for decades :), which is something I cannot imagine for a home cook. I would recommend freezing thinly sliced basturma for up to 6 months. My point is, I am afraid it might lose its unique taste. I hope this answers your question.