Basturma air-cured Armenian beef

Production timeline for basturma/pastirma: - The process starts with beef (typically New York strip steaks) that is marinated in salt and nitrates for 10 days (a USDA-set limit) ^[1]. - After marination, the meat is washed with water to remove excess salt, then hung in a warm (90°F), humid room for 24 hours to dry ^[1]. - The beef is then oven-heat-treated until the internal temperature reaches 127°F ^[1]. - A spice paste called chaman (fenugreek, paprika, garlic, flour, cumin, black pepper, and other secret ingredients) is applied ^[1]. - The meat is further dried until it reaches 0.92% water content, at which point it is ready to eat ^[1].

Cuts used: - The source specifically mentions New York strip steaks (a cut of beef tenderloin) ^[1].

LA Armenian delis making house basturma vs. importing: - Garo’s Basturma in Pasadena (1088 Allen Avenue) produces 2,000 pounds of basturma per week in-house, using a secret chaman recipe prepared by a single employee ^[1]. It is a dedicated production facility, not just a deli that imports. - The question asks about Sahag’s, Aroyan’s, and Western. None of these three delis are mentioned in the provided sources. The sources only cover Garo’s Basturma and a general Greek pastourma guide ^[1][2]. Therefore, I cannot answer whether those specific delis make house basturma or import it.

Differences between Armenian basturma, Turkish pastirma, and Greek pastourmas: - The sources do not provide a direct comparison. Source ^[1] describes the Armenian version (Garo’s) in detail: a 2mm spice crust, chewy texture, powerful fenugreek odor, and a secret spice blend ^[1]. Source ^[2] is a general guide to Greek pastourma but its full text is not provided in the excerpt, so no comparative details can be extracted. - Without source material comparing the three, I cannot state how they differ. To answer this, one would need sources that explicitly contrast the spice blends, curing methods, meat cuts, and cultural variations among Armenian, Turkish, and Greek traditions.