[Urbane Guerrilla]

Hey, flint, there's a very rough equivalent out there already, in Middle Eastern markets.

It's "pastirma" or "basturma," variously spelt. The word is a cognate with pastrami and it bears a general resemblance to it: it's very lean beef, dried, spiced generously with a rather bitter mix of red chile peppers and lots of garlic and some salt in what looks like a dry rub. If you're doing your own chile blend, get some guajillos into it. I'd suggest starting with guajillos, a lot of hot paprika, rather less powdered dried New Mexico or ancho, and some cayenne for throttle control.

So whattaya do with this prodigy after it's ripe? Slice it into thin rashers and fry it like bacon -- quite good with fried eggs, though it's something of an acquired taste with its bitter note. I didn't think much of it the first time I ate it, but the very next weekend I was down at that same Sinop restaurant, ordering more. I ate it all through my time in Turkey.

Light smoking might do it good too.