Pastırma

Abstract

Pastırma is a traditional Turkish dry-cured meat product produced from beef and water buffalo meat. The production process is based on curing, drying, pressing, and çemenleme (coating with çemen-paste seasoning). As a pivotal process, “çemenleme” is an important since it distinguishes pastırma from other dry-cured meat products. This process prevents the product from over-drying and contributes to its microbiological stability and sensory properties.

Pastırma, which was brought to Anatolia by the Turks migrating from Central Asia, is produced in many cities of Anatolia today. Pastırma is traditionally processed under natural conditions where air temperature and relative humidity depend on climate and weather conditions. The period covering late September and October–November, which is called “Pastırma Summer,” is preferred for traditional production. The pH of pastırma is between 5.5 and 6.0, and the a_w is usually below 0.90. This product may be stored without refrigeration. Coagulase negative staphylococci and lactic acid bacteria are two important groups of microorganisms that are technologically important for pastırma. Many studies have been conducted on the microbiological, physical, chemical, and textural changes that occur during pastırma production. This chapter describes the manufacturing process and the quality features of pastırma in detail.