Authentic Basque Berets

bérets basques maison tranchés sur une planche à découper

Authentic Basque Berets

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Servings: berets

Calories: 1134kcal

Author: Marc Winer

Ingredients

700 g pork shoulder
300 g pork belly
35 g salt
1 g gray pepper
2 g black pepper
4 g four-spice blend
1 g cilantro leaf
0.5 g nutmeg
2 g granulated sugar
1 g garlic powder
2 g Espelette pepper

Procédé

Grinding the Meat

Run the pork shoulder and pork belly through a meat grinder fitted with an 8 mm plate.
700 g pork shoulder, 300 g pork belly

Mixing the Ingredients

In a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the ground meat with all the seasonings (salt, spices, cilantro, nutmeg, sugar, garlic, and Espelette pepper).
35 g salt, 1 g gray pepper, 2 g black pepper, 4 g four-spice blend, 1 g cilantro leaf, 0.5 g nutmeg, 2 g granulated sugar, 1 g garlic powder, 2 g Espelette pepper
Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.

Resting the Mixture

Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. This step is essential to let the flavors develop and to make shaping easier.

Shaping the Berets

Divide the mixture into 350 g portions.
Shape the mixture into disks about 3/4 cm thick, similar to a "Camembert". Feel free to use a ring mold with a plunger, because you need to pack the meat tightly to press out the air

Setting Up for Drying

Arrange the berets on racks, spacing them well apart so they don't touch. Don't overdo it, but air needs to circulate. Also, the mesh of the racks shouldn't be too open, so the meat is well supported (remember, there's no casing, and even if you pack it firmly, the meat can sag and let air in)
The goal is to allow even, flawless drying.
Drying target: Target water loss: about 50%. Example: a beret weighing 200 g raw should weigh 100 g once dried. The right balance between flavor and shelf life lies between 45 and 50% water loss. Below that threshold, the flavor is less intense and the shelf life is shorter.

Drying in the Fridge

Place the rack holding your berets at the bottom of your refrigerator, ideally a well-ventilated one. Let them dry for 4 weeks, turning them regularly, especially during the first few days.

Wine Fridge Option

A wine fridge can also be used as an alternative to the refrigerator, as long as it is well ventilated. Make sure the temperature stays at 14°C and the humidity at 74% for optimal drying.

Notes

Space the berets well apart on the racks so they don’t touch and dry evenly.
Try different levels of drying to suit your taste, but for the best dried meat or dry sausage flavor, aim for 50% water loss.

Nutrition

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