Pure Charcuterie

Create beautiful cured meats at home, revel in the delicious combination of craft and thrift, and discover creativity and empowerment through charcuterie practice. Meredith Leigh makes a case for meat preservation both as a means of artistic expression and flavorful eating, in a beautiful, accessible guide for the everyday cook.

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"Combines the worlds of ethical meat production with innovative ingredients and techniques . . . a must-own for amateur and professional butchers alike."—Chef Clark Barlowe, Heirloom Restaurant, Charlotte, NC


Cured meat products arose from the need for preservation, in a time when cooking and refrigeration were not always available. Today, charcuterie is an embodiment of art in the kitchen, combining precision, balance, patience, and creativity; an economy of ingredients, as poetry is an economy of words. The confluence of these elements, along with the purest of ingredients, can enable anyone to craft cured meats in their home.


Pure Charcuterie is a practical and artistic look at the techniques for curing meat at home both as a creative hands-on craft and as a fantastic and sustainable way to preserve highly valuable food. This accessible, beautiful, visual guide walks the reader through the process of making charcuterie, including:




Sourcing ingredients
Clear explanations of charcuterie technique
Creative recipes balancing tradition and invention
Smoking meats and building your own smoker


The analogies drawn between art and food, along with creative and accessible photographic discussions of charcuterie technique, make this book an essential primer on the basics of charcuterie: the mystery, the science, the art, and the technique. Ideal for home cooks working in small spaces, Pure Charcuterie is a must-have for experienced and new cooks alike—and any home artisan.


"I don't know of anyone that can make a description of making mortadella sound poetic, funny, emotionally engaging and most importantly, to the point."—Rey Tagle, home charcuterie master


"Takes the reader on a meaty, and yet artistic journey into the wonderful world of curing meats."—Hank Will, editorial director, Mother Earth News