Definition

Preserving food with salt and/or sugar, sometimes with added spices and nitrates. It's one of humanity's oldest food-preservation techniques and still delicious centuries later.

Example Usage

We cured the pork belly with salt and brown sugar for seven days before rinsing and hanging it.

Origin

Latin 'curare,' meaning 'to care for' or 'to preserve'

Fun Fact

Salt draws out moisture and creates an environment hostile to pathogenic bacteria—it's food science and preservation in one step.

Source: Traditional preservation technique

Related Terms

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The cooking method where you blast food with direct, intense heat from above, essentially giving it an aggressive tan until it's charred to perfection—or oblivion, depending on how distracted you get. It's grilling's angry indoor cousin that requires constant vigilance lest your dinner become a smoke alarm test. The technique that separates attentive cooks from those who enjoy the taste of carbon.

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An order called out by the server before the ticket prints, giving the kitchen a head start on preparation. Technically helpful, actually chaotic when servers abuse the privilege.

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