Meaty madness

Last year we had the opportunity to savour the distinctive misocured bacon from The Daily Cut a Punebased artisanal meat brand by Chef Niket Drego The sharpness of the miso lent depth tanginess and creaminess to the meat creating an intense flavour profile that was a first for us As of three weeks ago the brand has extended its reach to Mumbai offering its unique range of products to a wider audienceInterestingly Drego an IHM Aurangabad graduate transitioned from being pastry chef to meat curing after reading several books on the subject A few trips to manufacturing units revealed that commercial cold cuts in India were full of additives and fillers To cure this in 2021 he started The Daily Cut with small batches of additivefree charcuterie Because it has a shorter shelf life of just 30 days Drego smartly introduced a Flavour of the Week menuAt first he received only a few ordersmdashonly 10 to 15 per weekmdashmainly from the expat community Gradually as word spread the business model also incorporated restaurant orders As demand grew they expanded to an 800 sq ft kitchen in Talegaon with the room needed to kick off deliveries to MumbaildquoMany customers did not even know how to pronounce the names of some cold cuts let alone how to consume them For example the mortadella is already cooked but a few would panfry it So we started sharing storage and cooking instructionsrdquo he says In Mumbai the demand for artisanal meats is higher thanks to the advanced food culture and exposure to bespoke menusNiket Drego founder of The Daily Cut expanded to an 800 sq ft kitchen in Talegaon which had the room needed to kick off deliveries to MumbaiHis relentless pursuit of new flavours marks Dregorsquos culinary journey Bestsellers such as the caperchurri salami and misocured bacon often make a comeback The inspiration for the salami came from a dream to infuse it with chimichurri and the addition of capers was a spontaneous decision when a jar from Iska Farms caught his eye For the bacon Drego meticulously sources koji rice from Brown Koji Boy and prepares the miso a year in advance ensuring monthly availability ldquoItrsquos a timeintensive process but the live bacteria in the miso are crucial for curing the meat We aim to create new flavours using locally available ingredients a truly Indian culinary experiencerdquo says Drego reflecting his dedication to his craftThe Daily Cut has ample other offerings including a pork mortadella studded with pistachios peppercorns and brined olives an Argentine chorizo flavoured with red wine nutmeg oregano smoked paprika garlic pepper and some parsley and a hickorysmoked chicken with a Kashmiri chilli garlic and olive oil marinadeAs Drego keeps getting creative items come on and go off the menu Sometimes an aroma he catches in the market could carry inspiration at other times he imagines flavour combinations ldquoI carry around a notebook my book of ideas Every week my team and I try a few things Out of 10 maybe eight flavours donrsquot work Whatever does eventually finds its way to the menurdquo he saysThe Daily Cut sees a challenge in the quality of meat in India Drego says itrsquos a messy topic figuratively and literally as there are few regulations in the country for pork slaughter This lack of regulation can lead to issues with quality and safety If the pork does not have the ideal pH levelsmdashwhich is possible when the meat is slaughtered incorrectlymdashhe does not buy it He is committed to sourcing only the highest quality meatWith a Mumbai expansion Drego is back in the kitchen to experiment Hersquos using natural starter cultures from Denmarkrsquos Chr Hansen a differentiated bioscience company to acidify cuts like pepperoni without citric acid This process involves introducing specific bacteria to the protein producing lactic acid lowering the pH leveland the result is a tangy flavour These cultures add bacteria that eliminate harmful bacteria such as Ecoli and salmonella providing chemicalfree bioprotection ldquoItrsquos an expensive process but itrsquos much tastier than what you would get in the marketrdquo he saysTo order wwwthedailycutco smdmailmiddaycomEating instructionsBest way to consume As far as possible consume on the same day or the next Build a charcuterie board with cheese and sourdough bread for salamis Sausages are best eatewith eggs for breakfastBest way to store Donrsquot place cold cuts in the freezer immediately Salamis are best stored in the chiller tray Store in the freezer to consume after a week Keep raw meat sausages in the freezer at all times