Lomo

The loin of pork would traditionally have received the utmost care in its preparation. This recipe for lomo involves a simple cure of salt and Tasmanian native pepperberries, before leaving to dry-cure for several weeks or months to produce a fine-textured air-dried meat that is best served thinly sliced, much like its bigger brother prosciutto.

• makes

  1

• prep

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp dried pepperberries (see Note)
• 300 g salt
• 2 kg pork loin, skin on
• lard, for rubbing 

Curing time 6 weeks

Instructions

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the pepperberries with 1 tsp of the salt if necessary to grind up well.

Coat the pork loin well in this mix, especially the open meat side, before pressing the rest of the salt over it. Leave in a non-reactive container for 2–3 days in the fridge. Remove from the fridge, rinse off the curing salt before patting dry. Rub the exposed meat side with a little lard to help stop it drying out too quickly.

Leave to hang in a cool, airy but not breezy place (at 12°C) for about 6 weeks.

Note

• In place of the pepperberries you could do a mix of pepper and allspice, or pepper and juniper.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.