Afyon Pastrami Product Description and Distinctive Features: Afyon Pastırması (also known as Afyon Pastrami) is made from beef or buffalo meat. The selected meat from the carcass undergoes an appropriate curing and washing process, followed by pressing and drying after it has been seasoned. It is then dried a second time. Afyon Pastırması is a type of cured and dried meat product. The seasoning for Afyon Pastırması is prepared in accordance with the Turkish Food Codex, by mixing ground thyme seeds, powdered red pepper, and garlic with salt and water to form a dough. Production Method: Afyon Pastırması is made from the carcass meat of cattle or buffaloes that have been raised in both open and closed farms within the Afyon province for a minimum of 3 months. The drying process, which takes place during the spring and summer seasons, is also carried out in climate-controlled rooms. Resting of the Meat: The meat from slaughtered animals is first separated from the bones in large blocks. This meat is then divided into fascia, tendons, lymph nodes, fat, and irregular meat pieces to shape the pastirma meat. After cutting, the carcasses of cattle or buffaloes are left to rest for a minimum of 24 hours, after which the pastirma muscles are extracted. Salting: Once strings are attached to the pastirma pieces, the salting process begins. Before salting, incisions are made on the surface of each meat piece to ensure that the salt can penetrate deeply. The pastirma pieces are placed in large containers, known as "tekne", where excess salt is shaken off, and the knife cuts are positioned upwards as the pieces are stacked. The salted and stacked meat is left to rest for at least 24 hours at a temperature not exceeding 4°C. During this process, the meat releases bloody fluids. First Drying: After the pastirma meats complete the salting process, they are rinsed by first shaking them in clean water-filled tubs and then allowing them to sit in the tub to remove any remaining salt. The drying process is carried out under controlled conditions, either in open areas with at least three sides open, where the high and breezy environment prevents insects from entering, or in climate-controlled rooms with 65-70% relative humidity and equipped with fans that ensure the intake of clean air, maintaining a temperature of 20-22°C. This process typically lasts for 3-5 days. First Equilibrium: Once dried, the meats are cross-stacked on a flat surface, ensuring the height does not exceed 1 meter. The meat mass is then pressed by placing a weight on top of it. After this, the meat is left at room temperature for at least 6 hours, depending on its thickness, to allow the equilibrium process to complete. Second Drying: After being removed from the press, the meats are hung again for a minimum of 2 days. The duration of the drying process depends on the season and weather conditions. During the winter, the drying is done indoors under the climatic room conditions previously mentioned, while in the spring and summer months, it takes place at normal air temperatures. Second Equilibrium: The meats, after undergoing the second drying, are pressed once more under the same conditions as the first equilibrium for at least 4 hours. Curing: The surface of the matured and dried pastirma meat (with a maximum humidity of 50%) is thoroughly coated with a seasoning paste made by mixing ground thyme seed flour, powdered red pepper, garlic, salt, and water. To prepare 100 kg of fresh seasoning paste, approximately 25 kg of thyme seed flour, 7 kg of powdered red pepper, 18 kg of finely chopped garlic, and enough water to bind the ingredients are used. The meats, once coated with the seasoning, are left in tubs for at least 15 hours. After this period, the surface of the pastirmas is adjusted and shaped according to the form of the meat. Seasoned Drying: The seasoned meats are hung with the upper parts facing down and left in a well-ventilated area for at least three days. Under natural conditions, the final hanging process lasts for a minimum of two days, while in a climate-controlled room (at least 16°C), the final hanging process lasts at least 24 hours.