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 known 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.
Basturma
Some say it originated from Armenia, others say it is Turkish. So there is no definite answer to this question but what I can assure you is that it is super tasty and delicious. My kids go crazy over basturma or pastirma as we call it. A delicacy that you'll need to try at least once in your life. This is my aunt recipe that she has been making for years now.
Basturma Ingredients
Besides the beef we will need a lot of kosher salt to cure the beef. A spice blend is needed to coat the beef with. Usually a mix of spices that then needs to be moistened with water to form a paste.
In my aunt recipe she uses red pepper and garlic only and these two combined makes the paste. If you find that you are not getting a paste consistency you might wanna add a little bit of water.
Which meat cut to use in basturma?
Basturma needs to be made with a lean yet tender beef cut. Many recommend eye of round or beef tenderloin. Others recommended filet mignon so I am waiting for this to go on sale to try it in basturma.
Best temperature to make basturma
My aunt usually makes basturma in winter when the temperature drops decently in Egypt. If you live in a hot and humid environment it is best to make it during winter as well. Another option is to hang it in the fridge, you'll need to empty a shelf in your fridge place a cookie sheet on it to catch any dripping. Pierce the meat about one inch from the top then thread a piece of twine through then wrap it around the shelf just above the one you placed the baking sheet on. Tie a knot to secure the meat in place.
How to make basturma
- With a knife, poke the meat to make some holes/slots all around. Rub the kosher salt all over the meat then place in a glass dish with sides to contain the liquids that will come off your meat.
- Place a heavyweight over, something like a dutch oven or a heavy cast-iron skillet. Refrigerate the meat for 3 days or if your home temperature is not exceeding 65-70F, you can leave it out for 24 hours. Make sure to turn it daily and drain the blood released.
- Wash the meat thoroughly with cold water opening the cuts that you've made previously to wash the salt from inside and pat dry.
- Cover with a cheesecloth and hang it for 3-5 days until the meat becomes very firm. Make sure the air flows around it freely. If you want to hang in the fridge you will need about double that time.
- In your food processor pulse the garlic, salt, bell pepper, paprika, and the fenugreek powder you also may need little cold water until it comes to a moist paste consistency or a thick pancake batter.
- Cover the meat completely with the mixture make sure to go around the ribbon or the twine you are using to hang it from.
- Hang it freely for another month at this point the spice mixture should be dry to the touch.
- Slice thinly and serve on your charcuterie or make Basturma omelet.
A final note: Some people like adding more spices to the mix like cumin, black pepper and allspice as well. But this is not how we make it in Egypt. So feel free to add more or less of these to suite your taste.
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If you like this recipe do not forget to give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating and attach a photo of your finished dish. It is always a pleasure of mine to see your photos and check your own take of the recipe. Thank you.
Baturma
Ingredients
For the meat:
- 2 pounds of eye of round beef. Note1
- ½ cup of Kosher salt.
For the seasoning:
- 1 medium red bell pepper. Note2
- 2 teaspoon salt.
- ½ cup fenugreek fowder. Note3
- 25 garlic cloves, about 3-4 large garlic heads. Note4
- ½ cup sweet paprika.
Instructions
- Wash the meat with cold running water then pat dry with a paper towel.
- With a knife, poke the meat to make some holes/slots all around.
- Rub the kosher salt all over the meat then place in a glass dish with sides to contain the liquids that will come off your meat.
- Place a heavyweight over, something like a dutch oven or a heavy cast-iron skillet. Refrigerate the meat for 3 days or if your home temperature is not exceeding 65-70F, you can leave it out for 24 hours. Make sure to turn it daily and drain the blood released.
- After the 24 hours, you will find your slab flattened and got darker.
- Wash the meat thoroughly with cold water opening the cuts that you've made previously to wash the salt from inside and pat dry.
- Cover with a cheesecloth and hang it for 3-5 days until the meat becomes very firm. Make sure the air flows around it freely. If you want to hang in the fridge you will need about double that time.
Make the seasoning mix:
- In your food processor pulse the garlic, salt, bell pepper, paprika, and the fenugreek powder you also may need little cold water until it comes to a moist paste consistency or a thick pancake batter.
- Cover the meat completely with the mixture make sure to go around the ribbon or the twine you are using to hang it from.
- Hang it freely for another month at this point the spice mixture should be dry to the touch.
- Slice thinly and serve on your charcuterie, make Basturma omelet, stuff in phyllo pies or make a Basturma filled savory cookies.
Notes
Serving suggestions:
Slice basturma paper think and serve on your charcuterie, make Basturma omelet, stuff in phyllo pies or make a Basturma filled savory cookies. Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.Sign up and learn more about Mediterranean flavors
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ella
Basturma is spelled with B and it is older than Turkey and Armenia is older than Pasturma. Please do a deep resource then give a credit to Turks as well as the Turkish Coffee is from Kurts not from Turks.
Although, I got to say the recipe I have been using your recipe which is also my grandmothers and its so good I love it thank you for sharing so people can use it great thank you again ::)))
ross
After coating with the paste I hang my basturma for about 3-5 days, until the coating is dry, it's then ready. I don't think hanging it for a month is necessary.
marxism
Hi can you use silverside?
Amira
Marxism, I am not sure as I haven't used it before. Sorry about that.
Kimberly
I would like to tell you that Filet Mignon is actually thick cut steak of beef tenderloin (that is usually wrapped in a slice of bacon). It is a finished piece of meat, and not something you would use to make basturma.
Alexis
Thanks for the recipe! its more similar to the what they used to make in our village in cyprus (at least compared to what I can here get in the states). Btw its eaten in greece&cyprus as well amd is called Pastouma. In some villages its also made without the fenugeeek as well which iirc resembles the older byzantine version paston. Thanks again for sharing, I think ive now found a new fav cooking blog
Amira
Thank you so much for your comment and for the information. Fenugreek is a must in the Egyptian version... I will try not to add it next time and check how will the flavors be.
Alexis
honestly i think it is best the way you do it with the fenugreek (and is really what i think of as pastourma). The other way reminds me of a cross between pastrami and the italian bresaola. It is always fun to experiment tho, i hope you enjoy!
Amira
I feel the same way too :).
Vinod Mathews
Hi , found your dish very interesting, I am from India live in USA, do you have any spicy recipe for beef or chicken?
Amira
Hello Vinod, I have some spicy recipes around here this sauce is awesome with any chicken or beef recipe you have. Let me know what do you think.
Christine Haynes
I'm just curious if basturma can be grated over pasta like is done with bottargia. What do you think?
Amira
Christine, I've never seen someone does that, traditionally it is eaten fried with some butter or with eggs.. My mom never allowed us to eat basturma without it being cooked in some butter first :), she said it is not good for us. Sometimes we sneaked behind her back and got some though.. hehe.
Martin Zarian
thanks for sharing! do you know the expiring date? how long does it last in the fridge?
thanks
Amira
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.
Merryn
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 🙂
Inas
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 ....
Amira
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 :).
Inas
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!!
Amira
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.
Camilla
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 🙂
Jay
Thank you Amira. I am looking forward to making this.
Jasmin
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.
Amira
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.
Jasmin
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.
JAY
Do you have the recipe from chef osama?
I do not read arabic and am having problems with the translation. Thanx,
Jay
Amira
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.
Amira
Thanks for the update Mike.
Abir
Thank you Amira, and of course I know chef Osama, he is one of my favorite Arabic chefs.
Abir
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
Amira
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 🙂
Amira
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.
Deavyn
32 deg, dont want it to freeze
Charles
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!
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.
Shady
I love Pastirma, Yummy!
Unlike smoked hickory meat with spices, this so delicious and almost all kids love it as well.
Thank you!
Amira
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.