Which air-dried cured beef is traditionally coated with çemen spice paste? The answer is Pastırma.
Pastırma is a heavily seasoned, air-dried cured meat most commonly made from beef, particularly in Turkish cuisine. Its defining outer coating is çemen, a paste traditionally made with fenugreek, garlic, cumin, paprika, and other spices. The paste supplies the meat’s vivid color, powerful aroma, and concentrated savory heat.
Production begins with salting the meat, followed by washing, drying, and pressing. Pressing removes moisture and gives pastırma its compact texture. After the meat has dried, it is covered with çemen and dried again. The process can take roughly a month, depending on the cut and conditions.
Kayseri is especially famous in Turkey for pastırma, which is served in thin slices at breakfast or used in omelets, menemen, börek, pide, and bean dishes. It is related to basturma, bastırma, and pastourma found across neighboring cuisines. Sucuk is another Turkish cured meat, but it is a fermented sausage; kavurma is cooked preserved meat rather than this pressed, air-dried specialty.