Welcome to the Love Your Local Larder Podcast! A podcast that celebrates local produce with the people who cook and grow it.
In the first episode of our podcast, we dive into the world of artisanal charcuterie with East Coast Cured, a small-batch meat curing company based in the heart of Leith, Edinburgh. We were so excited to speak to this business as we have heard so much about them, their innovative recipes and their enthusiasm for the art of dry-curing meats within the Edinburgh food community. Join us as we explore the passion and craftsmanship behind their delicious products, and discover how the team at East Coast Cured are introducing the ancient European tradition of charcuterie to Scotland's vibrant food scene.
The founders, Steven and Susie, developed a love for authentic cured meats during their travels around Europe. Upon their arrival home, they were disappointed by the distinct lack of good quality cured meats they could find despite the abundance of high-quality local ingredients available in Scotland. So they began to cure meat at home after converting the eaves of their attic into an environmentally controlled 'curing chamber'. They developed many tasty recipes to the delight of friends and family which gave them the final push to start their own business and so, East Coast Cured was born.
When we first walked into the shop we were hit with the succulent aromas of cured meat and spices, it was unmistakable and we were already looking forward to the tasting segment of the interview! We were then given a quick tour of the shop and the basement which contains the production kitchen and two curing rooms where all the salamis are hung.
Once the tour was over, we set up our recording equipment in the quaint and quirky shop. The shop shelves were covered with packets of cured meat and some delicious accompaniments such as artisanal cheeses, crackers, olives, pickles and chutney. Making East Coast Cured your one-stop shop for all charcuterie board essentials as each product has been specially selected to be the perfect addition to any board.
Once the equipment was set up, we began the interview. Listen to the full podcast episode here...
So what is a salami? A salami is a dry-cured, fermented sausage, it is made the same way as sausages but the fundamental part is the additional production process of fermenting then dry-curing. The meat is mixed with various spices and seasonings, stuffed into a casing, and then hung to dry and cure for several weeks or months. The temperature, airflow and humidity of the curing rooms are all monitored very carefully by Steven and his team as this is crucial to ensure a delicious final product.
Within the Leith workshop, all the salamis are cut, fermented, smoked, cured and slow-matured by the hands of their hard-working team. East Coast Cured's salamis consist of pork, fat, salt and a unique mix of spices, herbs or alcohol. Steven and Susie have created a wide variety of delectable salamis using only the best, high-welfare local meat as they are passionate about sourcing the finest ingredients in their area. They have also put a lot of work into sourcing exceptional spices and herbs which has allowed them to transform and develop their salamis with the perfect flavour profile.
East Coast Cured has a core range of seven salami which we had the pleasure of tasting. These include; Saucisson Sec, Red Wine & Garlic Salami, Fennel Salami, Porcini & Truffle Salami, Chorizo with Bourbon, Salami Picante and Whisky-Oak Smoked Nduja. Also not to mention many experimental salami including the Black Garlic & Oloroso Sherry Salami which was sweet, rich and delicious. Many of these salamis are award-winning and we can see exactly why! Each has a completely unique flavour profile, taste, texture and appearance. The tasting board was truly a culinary experience!
As the demand for local produce continues to grow, East Coast Cured shows no signs of slowing down. They are constantly experimenting with new recipes and are expanding their production facilities and distribution network to bring their products to even more customers throughout the UK.
If you would like to try some of East Coast Cured's exquisite cured meats then you can order from their website for delivery or collection at the shop in Leith. Ready to try out a recipe? The team were generous enough to send us their favourite recipe of Chorizo in Red Wine, you can find the recipe here.
