Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

[chris02138]

Hi Everyone.

Just stumbled across this forum, and wanted to post a question. I did not see a food section, so I'm posting it here.

I'd like to make basturma. I found a recipe in my mother's old Detroit Armenian cookbook that says to use "rib meat" for the recipe. I called my butcher and asked him what rib meat was, and he didn't have the foggiest.

Has anyone made this? What kind of meat do you use, and from what part of the animal? Any other suggestions on making sure I get the right ingredients?

My grandmother and her elderly lady friends used to make up batches of this every fall, and would hang them in her unheated sun porch.

Thanks
Chris

[Yedtarts]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

The best would be: Tenderloin
You can also use: Sirloin

[Haykakan]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

The most important ingredient is the chaman. It is the key to a good basturma.

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

I found a recipe in my mother's old Detroit Armenian cookbook that says to use "rib meat" for the recipe. I called my butcher and asked him what rib meat was, and he didn't have the foggiest.

It's the meat that is found around rib bones, I guess. Isn't the original point of basturma to use small pieces of meat that are not easily usable for other things? So why would you want to "waste" tenderloin or sirloin cuts to make it?

[Haykakan]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

No the point of basturma is to cure the meat to make it lasts longer. It doesn,t need to be small either but it can't be too thick.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

flap meat, to be exact. http://images.search.yahoo.com/image...sigh=1189o4p7d

[Dingo]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

You're going to want a cut of meat with little or no fat as fat tends to go rancid easily.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

You're going to want a cut of meat with little or no fat as fat tends to go rancid easily.

While this may be true with beef jerky, its not the case with basturma.

Basturma is not prepared like beef jerky which is often dried over low, indirect heat. Basturma is like the rib eye of dried beef. The more marbalized the better.

[Dingo]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

Actually wait, I was thinking about sujuk. Forget my post. lol

[Yedtarts]

Re: Basturma: What the heck is rib meat?

Sirloin


Tenderloin