Bresaola-Style Chicken Breast
Chicken breast is cured in the style of Italian bresaola with red wine, rosemary, and garlic, then cold-smoked. The meat becomes tender and aromatic, developing deep, winey flavor complexity. Thinly sliced, it makes an elegant cold cut.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Prepare Marinade and Cure
3–4 daysDissolve curing salt, sugar, and all spices in red wine. Submerge chicken breast completely in the marinade in a sealed container and cure at 2–4 °C in the fridge. Turn daily.
Preparation
3–4 hoursRemove chicken breast from marinade, rinse cold, and pat thoroughly dry. Dry on a rack in cool air until a pellicle has formed.
Cold Smoking
4–5 hoursCold-smoke at under 20 °C using alder wood and a few fresh rosemary sprigs on the coals for 4–5 hours.
Resting and Serving
12–24 hoursRest the smoked chicken breast in the fridge for 12–24 hours. Slice paper-thin and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and arugula.
Pro Tip
Use only dry red wine with at least 12% alcohol – this helps inhibit unwanted microorganisms during the curing process.
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