YakForger38 wrote:Speaking of curing chamber temperatures, is accuracy really important? And will different ambient temperatures allow me to cure different things, or is there only one choice?...the hot weather and the salty air from the sea might well mess up that project if I don't invest in a dedicated room with a top of the line temperature control system, which isn't at the top of my priority list for said house... Or could I at least do that during winter?
Good questions and fundamental points. Accuracy is important for reproducible results and safer products. Will ambient weather allow you to cure different things? Absolutely. Ambient temperatures and weather are what allow certain places to be famous for certain products, like Prosciutto di Parma, Jamon de Serrano, Surry sausages, and Lebanon bologna. The climate made it possible for certain places to do certain things very well, without curing chambers, whether in the subtropical climate of Parma, the airy mountains of Spain, the particular humidity and winters of coastal Virginia, or the hilly farmland of Pennsylvania. That said, not all seasons are good for all things, which is why each place has its seasons and styles for curing. A well-controlled curing chamber frees you from the vagaries of the weather, allows you to produce the product you intend, and to minimize the risk of contamination and spoilage.
In my home, we don't have air-conditioning. We have hot, humid summers, and in July or August, there are days where it doesn't get below 29.4°C in the house until after midnight, humidity may be 50% in high heat during the day and 90%+ at night. June and September aren't much better. Curing and sausagemaking are generally just too difficult to do without a cold room, in the summer, where I live; so here, it's a fall/winter/spring thing. You may want to learn what the local curing and charcuterie traditions are in that part of Greece, and start from there. A lot of cultures around the Mediterranean forego ambient curing in the summer.
