Making Kassler yourself: Curing, smoking, scalding
Kassler is cooked cured meat – the turbo among meat refinements: spiced brine is injected directly into the meat (20–25% of the weight), left to rest for two to four days, then warm smoked and cooked to a core temperature of 65–68 °C. The result after four days: pink, juicy, firm to the cut – thanks to reddening even after cooking. If you already cure ham, making Kassler is a breeze; if you are a beginner, this is your quickest meat success.
Last updated: 23 July 2026 · Author: Michael Vering, Beelonia GmbH · All prices: as of July 2026
Reading tip: The difference between raw and cooked cured meat – why ham takes weeks and Kassler takes days – is explained in the raw ham guide.
The recipe in four steps
- Injection curing: Inject chilled brine (100 g curing salt per litre, boiled with bay leaf/juniper/pepper and cooled down) in a grid pattern every 2–3 cm – 20–25% of the meat weight. Pour the rest over as a covering brine.
- Resting: 2–4 days in the fridge, then rinse and dry.
- Drying: 30–60 minutes at 50–60 °C without smoke – the sticky-dry surface takes on the smoke cleanly.
- Smoking & cooking: At 75–90 °C over beech smoking dust until the core is 65–68 °C. If you want a subtle smoke: smoke briefly, then finish cooking in the kettle or sous-vide at 67 °C.
Why the syringe instead of patience: Kassler is built for speed – the injected brine brings salt, nitrite, and flavour in days to where dry curing would take weeks. The nitrite also ensures heat-stable reddening: that is why Kassler stays pink, while the untreated chop next to it fries grey – pure chemistry, no food colouring.
Kettle or smoker for the finish? Both work: the smoker cooks it through at 75–90 °C with smoke; the scalding kettle takes over the precise cooking in water after a short smoking session – the classic butcher's combination, with core temperature control right on point.
Frequently asked questions about Kassler
Which cut of meat is suitable?
Classically the loin or pork back; the neck becomes juicier, the shoulder more rustic. With the bone it cooks more aromatically, without it is easier to inject and slice.
How long does homemade Kassler keep?
As a cooked product, a few days chilled, longer vacuum-packed – Kassler is not a long-life product. However, it can be frozen in portions; the time limits are in the shelf life table.
Do I absolutely need a marinade syringe?
Yes – without injection it won't be Kassler, but tedious wet curing. A simple brine syringe from butcher's supplies is sufficient.
Reading tip: The curing methods at a glance – dry, wet, injected – are compared in the curing guide.
Kassler in four days
Smokers, kettles, and hooks for cooked cured meat – from Beelonia GmbH, whose kettles have been part of production since 1880.
Sources and technical basis: Meat dossier (Kassler: injection curing 20–25%, 2–4 days, drying 50–60 °C, smoking 75–90 °C, core 65–68 °C, sous-vide variant 67 °C, reddening chemistry). Prices: as of July 2026.
