tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91909849422074109532024-03-13T17:20:00.471-04:00Cured MeatsThe Art and the CraftJasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-68756630397919594482018-06-19T23:24:00.000-04:002018-06-19T23:24:35.327-04:00Well, it sure has been a while! No real news. I continue to make cured meats, always looking to improve. I don't really have the time to update this blog any more, and the basics of everything you need to make pretty much anything (as far as salumi go) is here. From here on out it's just varying recipes, and methods to change the outcomes.<br />
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If you want to follow what i've been making I post every so often on Instagram as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cured_meats/" target="_blank">Cured_meats</a>. <br />
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I do still answer questions posted on here, so if you have any ask, or come ask me on Instagram.Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-28153319629352841622014-08-29T20:45:00.001-04:002017-03-30T21:40:38.683-04:00Prosciutto Crudo<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P_c61O19BAo/VAEeggQx13I/AAAAAAAAEUU/PGGKzdcbKCg/s1600-h/photo%2525201%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="photo 1" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-mB271d_WkTU/VAEgXGZZL2I/AAAAAAAAEUg/47x95p7gSGY/photo%2525201_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="photo 1" width="244" /></a>Oh my, it’s been a while since a last posted something here. I haven’t stopped making stuff, I’ve just been making stuff which I’ve already posted about, like coppa and bresaola. So I didn’t think it was worthwhile to post them. <br />
But now, finally, I’ve made something new. A whole, bone in prosciutto crudo. Don’t think prosciutto needs any introduction, but just in case, basically it’s a whole real hog leg salted and then dried. I didn’t have veyr high expectations for my outcome, given it was my first try with a prosciutto. I followed Craig Deihl’s advice on salting time and general process.<br />
In this case I used a rear leg of an American Guinea Hog, a small heritage breed hog from Carolina Heritage Farms. This is a great breed for home curers as they are only about 100lbs fully grown.<br />
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QkTCoiaJCoI/VAEehkaVK5I/AAAAAAAAERk/xGriKaP_wdA/s1600-h/Screen%252520Shot%2525202014-08-29%252520at%2525208.16.08%252520PM%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Screen Shot 2014-08-29 at 8.16.08 PM" border="0" height="318" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-Bqqv-IPXna4/VAEeiHoI92I/AAAAAAAAERo/o7jtihNhBeA/Screen%252520Shot%2525202014-08-29%252520at%2525208.16.08%252520PM_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen Shot 2014-08-29 at 8.16.08 PM" width="321" /></a> <br />
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As you can see from the recipe above, it’s exceedingly simple. Just salt in the cure. You can count on the quality of the pork coming out in this.<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 545px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fdYbLIgIXso/VAEeiv2Uw-I/AAAAAAAAEUo/iihi39dtmxw/s1600-h/photo%2525281%252529%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="photo(1)" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-dNc0_PNKK08/VAEejeU0ikI/AAAAAAAAEUw/6kG6WfWHZhI/photo%2525281%252529_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="photo(1)" width="244" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="343">Here’s the hog leg, removed from the body. I cut through the hip, leaving the aitch bone in as recommended from Craig Deihl to avoid removing any more meat than necessary, given how small the leg is already. <br />
The femoral artery was well massaged to make sure to get all the blood out. A video of that operation can be seen in my <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">culatello post.</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ypoW-5Mkbi8/VAEej-_zAII/AAAAAAAAEU4/6-7xkrUiIoE/s1600-h/20130309-IMG_1687%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="20130309-IMG_1687" border="0" height="164" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-FhQNHtSnhQM/VAEekLuRNuI/AAAAAAAAEVA/Wv_ZTVF5-rg/20130309-IMG_1687_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="20130309-IMG_1687" width="244" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="343">The hog leg ready for salting. Trimmed up and artery milked.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VqRyertuhqM/VAEek9lN0zI/AAAAAAAAEVI/tXkcI0_VuOQ/s1600-h/20130309-IMG_1690%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="20130309-IMG_1690" border="0" height="164" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-9TavERP4VdI/VAEeluIy5PI/AAAAAAAAEVQ/2NySJPLguhs/20130309-IMG_1690_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="20130309-IMG_1690" width="244" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="343">The leg was rubbed and covered with the salt. 3.5% and was then bagged for <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2013/02/equilibrium-cure-vs-excess-salt-cure.html">equilibrium curing. </a>The leg was left in the fridge for 35 days. It was flipped and massaged every so often.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dZXSH-u3M0Q/VAEemJnXqyI/AAAAAAAAEVY/iCn7LHq99Z0/s1600-h/20130415-IMG_1790%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="20130415-IMG_1790" border="0" height="164" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-LO7a_zdXDX0/VAEemjqOcHI/AAAAAAAAEVg/6Bzu0Y0Xx44/20130415-IMG_1790_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="20130415-IMG_1790" width="244" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="343">After the 35 days it was rinsed and soaked in water in the fridge for 24 hours.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ded3RQHajyY/VAEenZRQnEI/AAAAAAAAEVo/KXQYLoSTggE/s1600-h/20130513-IMG_2265%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="20130513-IMG_2265" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/-G86YQz-E_EY/VAEenkYsQOI/AAAAAAAAEVw/o0PIQCUrPxM/20130513-IMG_2265_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="20130513-IMG_2265" width="164" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="343">The leg was then put into the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a> for a month to start drying out. <br />
It lost about 9% of its weight after a month uncovered in the chamber. (Edit: Mar 30, 2017 - In hindsight, this wasn't really enough loss before larding. The meat was still a bit too wet, delicious, but not quite right. I should have let it lose about 20% before larding)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-E18WlAvWqHk/VAEeoJ9Ky4I/AAAAAAAAEV4/vrOLconi-kk/s1600-h/photo%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="photo" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-GqoRBRLHIP8/VAEeoszrldI/AAAAAAAAEWA/vg1CGZtn2BM/photo_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="photo" width="179" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="343">After a month it was wiped off with vinegar and water to clean off any molds and covered with the sugna, which is a lard/rice flour/pepper paste. This slows the drying and protects the meat. <br />
Make really sure any exposed meat is covered and all cracks and crevices are filled.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-H61CWe-W6UM/VAEepIULjQI/AAAAAAAAEWI/UOyDAq5R3lQ/s1600-h/20130513-IMG_2267%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="20130513-IMG_2267" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/-wjDQApnLMKM/VAEepsr0LQI/AAAAAAAAEWQ/Lpkn_UCvaho/20130513-IMG_2267_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="20130513-IMG_2267" width="164" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="343">Prosciutto stuccato (prosciutto to which the sugna has been applied) hung.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P_c61O19BAo/VAEeggQx13I/AAAAAAAAEWY/649lmIDMtUI/s1600-h/photo%2525201%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="photo 1" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-mB271d_WkTU/VAEgXGZZL2I/AAAAAAAAEWg/ndp8o_C3wiI/photo%2525201_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="photo 1" width="244" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="343">After 18 long months the prosciutto is ready. The plan was to cut this at 12, but for various reasons it aged 18. That can only be a good thing really. Assuming no rot at the bone (unknown until cut or skewered with horse bone, shown in picture), or assuming I didn’t oversalt. <br />
A couple skewers with the horse bone promised well. The aroma was great.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SJRycefbpZo/VAEerV5b5AI/AAAAAAAAEWo/SvbcLNH30S8/s1600-h/photo%2525202%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="photo 2" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/-44DvHnHdsTM/VAEer9xoy-I/AAAAAAAAEWw/P1TiOOyKlsw/photo%2525202_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="photo 2" width="184" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="343">After cutting through a rather substantial fatcap we finally hit the meat. <br />
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The meat is a dark ruby red, very very moist. Much moister than I would have thought after 18 months of aging.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W-5EEnG9-xM/VAEese3f4cI/AAAAAAAAEW4/VX0fdAnSFSY/s1600-h/photo%2525203%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="photo 3" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh5.ggpht.com/-j-zxn2zDSws/VAEetNXf9fI/AAAAAAAAEXA/i1I1qiQAP-Q/photo%2525203_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="photo 3" width="184" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="343">Upon tasting this my mind was blown. There is no point even describing it because words wouldn’t do it justice. <br />
The salt level is perfect, very low, making the prosciutto very sweet. It does not taste like a Parma prosciutto, it’s much much closer to a Jamon Serrano Iberico in flavor. It has that “funk”. <br />
Upon trying it I immediately contacted Gra’ to procure another leg and get it going ASAP. <br />
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It’s truly a masterpiece. It’s, BY FAR, the single best piece of cured meat I’ve made.</td> </tr>
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Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com99tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-54085845162084113242014-02-20T15:42:00.001-05:002014-02-20T15:42:45.290-05:00A Facebook group of curersA while back a friend of mine, Scott from Sausage Debauchery, started a Facebook group for open discussion of sausage making, curing meats and anything else involving deliciousness. It's a good place to ask questions and get advice from a group of folks who know their way around a curing chamber and a grinder!<br />
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Come join us. Search for the "Sausage Debauchery" group in Facebook or use this link:<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/sausagedebauchery/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/groups/sausagedebauchery/</a><br />
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See you there!Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-41494906097529798132014-01-09T22:39:00.001-05:002014-01-09T22:39:10.908-05:00Heritage Foods Guanciale Taste-off<p><a href="http://www.heritagefoodsusa.com/"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20131214-IMG_4097" border="0" alt="20131214-IMG_4097" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CuSp5NB95EI/Us9rF4oR-GI/AAAAAAAAD9Q/0xR1iZw4SpI/20131214IMG_40976.jpg?imgmax=800" width="295" height="203" /> Heritage foods</a> is a company which sources and resells premium, small farm, meats from around the country. Really, this is the kind of pork you want to be curing. Small farms raising heritage breed pigs in a happy environment on good feed. A while back someone from <a href="http://www.heritagefoodsusa.com/">Heritage Foods</a> contacted me asking if I wanted to try some of their products for curing. Of course I did! After a little back and forth with them, I told them that rather than just curing a couple different cuts of pork, why not cure the same cut from two different breeds, and see if there are any organoleptic differences between just breeds, keeping all other variables the same.</p> <a name='more'></a> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dGDFJF8GkI4/Us9rGRq26TI/AAAAAAAAD9Y/iqtevAdkmDo/s1600-h/Screen%252520Shot%2525202014-01-09%252520at%25252010.20.59%252520PM%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Screen Shot 2014-01-09 at 10.20.59 PM" border="0" alt="Screen Shot 2014-01-09 at 10.20.59 PM" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KPguXi3G18A/Us9rHDpXGHI/AAAAAAAAD9g/XH8OgT-Kg4M/Screen%252520Shot%2525202014-01-09%252520at%25252010.20.59%252520PM_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="403" height="298" /></a> As you can see, I kept the curing mixture about as simple as it comes.</p> <p>You’ll have to excuse the generally poor pictures. It was really hard to get the right color balance and exposures of the meat for some reason. Anyhow, you’re not here because this is a photography blog! </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="551"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AS9PpZ7VN_g/Us9rHkHw5zI/AAAAAAAAD9o/_VDwtQ7Ytr8/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22732.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2273" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2273" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lhajH9XGaWY/Us9rIdNHelI/AAAAAAAAD9s/CU1gqojcCrY/20130519IMG_2273_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">2 Berkshire jowls in the package. These came from Larry and Madonna Sorell of Lazy S.Farms in Cloud County, Kansas.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--m7BrczSdyc/Us9rI6WShjI/AAAAAAAAD94/a7EPgDE4ivg/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22752.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2275" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2275" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5VhlvhbMoE8/Us9rJWJap4I/AAAAAAAAD-A/m_VMO-9yxtA/20130519IMG_2275_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">The untrimmed, just out of the package Berkshire jowls</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dfOcWFfekvM/Us9rKDbBFZI/AAAAAAAAD-I/t9gfbPOaMCI/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22762.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2276" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2276" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HV2MYrAZXR8/Us9rKyavZPI/AAAAAAAAD-Q/Y0DdBTwGuhI/20130519IMG_2276_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">Back side of the jowls. Unfortunately the processor skinned them. I’m not sure why, but it would be nice if one could request these skin on, it’s very preferable, you’ll see why later.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9am8pMLDfVQ/Us9rLYZrBWI/AAAAAAAAD-Y/cZVtcoszGVI/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22772.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2277" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2277" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZDEIJHRMGIQ/Us9rME8iKSI/AAAAAAAAD-c/dYs-upjLRgc/20130519IMG_2277_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">Berkshire side shot</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-72e43cMa-as/Us9rMvBebuI/AAAAAAAAD-o/dx4qVInLJcI/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22782.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2278" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2278" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PKj7vYmTaw8/Us9rNPlUXrI/AAAAAAAAD-s/Xzb6ZG_LrhE/20130519IMG_2278_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">Red wattle package with meat from David Holthaus's 500 acres in Decorah, Iowa.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PDh89Q7mmGE/Us9rNpNWckI/AAAAAAAAD-4/FMg8bliDTOk/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22792.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2279" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2279" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NCVEEVxBYvM/Us9rOFP5t8I/AAAAAAAAD_A/Fz8iwGr_kvU/20130519IMG_2279_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">Again, untrimmed red wattle jowls</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mZL5anKQpJg/Us9rO17yyGI/AAAAAAAAD_I/CfzmF3CPHSE/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22812.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2281" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2281" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2_7Bd5OJnds/Us9rPSGPlXI/AAAAAAAAD_Q/qIw9CzS0BA8/20130519IMG_2281_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">Trimmed from glands and other undesired materials.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vJZ4FyHtM4o/Us9rQAze8hI/AAAAAAAAD_Y/BDdIPlhMz5g/s1600-h/20130519IMG_22822.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130519-IMG_2282" border="0" alt="20130519-IMG_2282" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T1ao2UscjCQ/Us9rRCXOfRI/AAAAAAAAD_g/lFt4-4iAjWg/20130519IMG_2282_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">I cured one of each jowl type under vacuum</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mZUoXwOBGnk/Us9rRqdbDlI/AAAAAAAAD_o/7ZjvuboBiek/s1600-h/20130608IMG_27032.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130608-IMG_2703" border="0" alt="20130608-IMG_2703" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gdH5TS3cIcY/Us9rSLNi-7I/AAAAAAAAD_s/Tw62BqNNFmY/20130608IMG_2703_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">After a couple weeks the jowls were rinsed and patted dry and then….</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2H6gg7Swj-Q/Us9rS_psVqI/AAAAAAAAD_4/Zu5MzqMXjWI/s1600-h/20130608IMG_27042.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130608-IMG_2704" border="0" alt="20130608-IMG_2704" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3KktNaNBSGA/Us9rTRBzGDI/AAAAAAAAEAA/68Frf5LSYWk/20130608IMG_2704_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">Coated in plain black pepper. Nothing more.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0XhS5K4_6fQ/Us9rUXpCXGI/AAAAAAAAEAE/lXlZ5f9k5ZA/s1600-h/20130608IMG_27102.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20130608-IMG_2710" border="0" alt="20130608-IMG_2710" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7oARnWg7V3k/Us9rU7ohnAI/AAAAAAAAEAQ/mWArw9k_cjY/20130608IMG_2710_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">Ready for the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber <br /></a> <br />  <br /></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vvVdqiqKyk8/Us9rVuEeT8I/AAAAAAAAEAY/tdqfALx6qWY/s1600-h/20131214IMG_40932.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20131214-IMG_4093" border="0" alt="20131214-IMG_4093" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WFMEkSfWH4A/Us9rWBo3VuI/AAAAAAAAEAg/n88-ZKbxiss/20131214IMG_4093_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">The jowls dried for 5 months at about 55 deg. F and 75% RH. <br />Berkshire on the left, Red Wattle on the right.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="244"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9_JTDeF78ek/Us9rWoOijnI/AAAAAAAAEAo/HAUdPhuVAnI/s1600-h/20131214IMG_40972.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="20131214-IMG_4097" border="0" alt="20131214-IMG_4097" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dqLVlylKDRo/Us9rXT5sTAI/AAAAAAAAEAs/xPMzth06JC8/20131214IMG_4097_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="305">The finished, cut product. Berkshire on left and Red Wattle on right again. <br />These are beauties. The only “error” is the very slight oxidative rancidity that can be seen as yellowing fat on the outer bottom edge. This is do to the jowls being skinned, and not having that extra protection. <br />Not a huge deal, it can be removed, or eaten if one prefers.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p></p> <p>So….what’s the result? Do different breed pigs taste different? The answer is…..maybe! :) Let me explain. The two guanciali I produced taste REMARKABLY different. The Berkshire is smooth, tasty, mellow and nicely porky. Really nice…it’s like a warm embrace of pig. The Red Wattle is a punch in the mouth of porkyness. It’s heavy, thick in flavor, intense and punchy.</p> <p>So, what’s the deal? Obviously the breed made a big difference! Well, maybe! There are a couple of uncontrolled/uncontrollable variables, a major one being feed. While both these pigs led happy lives, their diets were almost certainly very different, and THAT could have been the major contributor to the flavor difference, and not the breed. We’ll never know I guess.</p> <p>The question remains unanswered then, in the meantime I will thoroughly enjoy BOTH these jowls immensely, and want to thank <a href="http://www.heritagefoodsusa.com/">Heritage Foods</a> for sending me this amazing product. I highly recommend you guys take a look at their products, they’re really superb. If you order, ask if they can leave the skin on:)</p> Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-10076203884300171652013-08-20T08:55:00.001-04:002013-08-20T23:22:16.502-04:00Coppa di Testa<img align="left" alt="20130309-IMG_1674" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-07jmQaDzNks/UhNnLlMtwhI/AAAAAAAADxQ/a12rT8pnQv8/20130309IMG_1674_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130309-IMG_1674" width="332" /> A while ago I decided to buy 1/2 of a Guinea Hog from a local farmer. Of course, every part of the pig had to be used to make delicious salumi!<br />
Initially I had intended to photo document the breakdown of the pig, I started out well, but then it just got too complicated and time consuming, it got late, the pig had to be broken down and refrigerated, and basically I didn’t do a good enough job to post it up here. So i’ll go through what I have produced and show as much as I can of the breakdown.<br />
First up: Coppa di testa !<br />
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<a name='more'></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-s6YqCgsoSSc/UhQphTkg2sI/AAAAAAAADzA/A3j1p3UoXPU/s1600-h/ScreenShot20130820at10.24.48PM6.jpg"><img alt="Screen Shot 2013-08-20 at 10.24.48 PM" border="0" height="438" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gKEUqEqD-_E/UhQph0RIK3I/AAAAAAAADzI/gszPue0xVlE/ScreenShot20130820at10.24.48PM_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen Shot 2013-08-20 at 10.24.48 PM" width="358" /></a><br />
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<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ce3HjRkzmC0/UhQpiab6R_I/AAAAAAAADzQ/sifIho8bwbY/s1600-h/20130308photo22.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130308-photo 2" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YEzgjQ31cQ4/UhQpjIXtPXI/AAAAAAAADzY/eStnjs7rLaQ/20130308photo2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130308-photo 2" width="250" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="321">First you procure yourself a pig head, and preferably a helper.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6gMnUjgcyi4/UhNnLINY3-I/AAAAAAAADxI/Gmmut_8XmbM/s1600-h/20130309IMG_16742.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130309-IMG_1674" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-07jmQaDzNks/UhNnLlMtwhI/AAAAAAAADxQ/a12rT8pnQv8/20130309IMG_1674_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130309-IMG_1674" width="332" /></a></td><td valign="top" width="321">Here’s the guinea hog head. The guanciali have been removed to make guanciale….obviously. The head went into a pot with water to cover, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, bay, clove and pepper corns.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UIcQyGFceCw/UhNnMZ40E8I/AAAAAAAADxY/x78L1hoyPeM/s1600-h/20130309IMG_16752.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130309-IMG_1675" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bleL45Zp2Rw/UhNnM_8l22I/AAAAAAAADxg/n1ovYNKHsHM/20130309IMG_1675_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130309-IMG_1675" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="321">I let it boil for 3.5 hours. Basically until everything is just falling apart. It was gently removed and allowed to cook a little.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2jeQdtOa5Xw/UhNnNb22LeI/AAAAAAAADxo/idDoZX2vhpo/s1600-h/20130309IMG_16802.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130309-IMG_1680" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Dz1Jg7jczZk/UhNnNy-2oyI/AAAAAAAADxw/lTzHDzrBRkE/20130309IMG_1680_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130309-IMG_1680" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="321">Everything was plucked off the head and put into a bowl. Large blobs of pure fat were discarded. Skin and meat definitely kept.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GJtLW2owAEM/UhNnOfFaweI/AAAAAAAADx4/or2vC6RXXUM/s1600-h/20130309IMG_16812.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130309-IMG_1681" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JoaIhReMR5w/UhNnO4XIIdI/AAAAAAAADyA/gy-0r13Bsfw/20130309IMG_1681_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130309-IMG_1681" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="321">The meat, skin and fat was chopped up and seasoned as listed above and some reduced head broth added in and gently mixed.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" ref="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sWssYAOgn08/UhNnPcUqlEI/AAAAAAAADyI/OwzgniqcVHI/s1600-h/20130309IMG_16822.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130309-IMG_1682" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Uw-bVDyRsnk/UhNnPxTQOuI/AAAAAAAADyQ/2OqG5NoALwc/20130309IMG_1682_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130309-IMG_1682" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="321">The mixture was spooned into a 100mm collagen casing, tied tightly and then pressed between two plates in the refrigerator overnight.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1FLW314IekU/UhNnQCrt1JI/AAAAAAAADyY/Eg8HOn2Gx38/s1600-h/20130310IMG_16912.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130310-IMG_1691" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CTg494_jk2k/UhNnQn_DCKI/AAAAAAAADyg/o7Hhg1YUth0/20130310IMG_1691_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130310-IMG_1691" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="321">The next day everything was nicely compacted and stuck together thanks to all the gelatin in the skin and bones.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J-noLLdu-Cg/UhNnRYawRHI/AAAAAAAADyo/bEkRl9_hLMg/s1600-h/20130310IMG_16952.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20130310-IMG_1695" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_U2rWPrx49Q/UhNnR_pMRJI/AAAAAAAADyw/GuoumH0qKCQ/20130310IMG_1695_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20130310-IMG_1695" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="321">Sliced. It’s delicious. Definitely piggy tasting, but absolutely wonderful. Sliced fairly thinly, but not too thin because it’ll fall apart, it’s great in a sandwich. <br />
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A great use for a pig head!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-54317111138573350172013-05-16T23:16:00.001-04:002013-05-17T11:32:45.599-04:00Pancetta Steccata dei Monti Nebrodi - Tasting<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eu2g4aTXgP0/UZWfZHrewBI/AAAAAAAADvw/QDO-YMYmNI8/s1600/20130516-IMG_2269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eu2g4aTXgP0/UZWfZHrewBI/AAAAAAAADvw/QDO-YMYmNI8/s320/20130516-IMG_2269.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2012/11/pancetta-steccata-dei-monti-nebrodi.html" target="_blank">pancetta</a> I made late last year is ready (well, it was actually ready in February!), and it's FAAAANTASTIC.<br />
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The quality of the pork from <a href="http://www.mosefund.com/" target="_blank">Mosefund farm</a> is spectacular. The fat has a wonderful low melting point and just disappears on the tongue.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vj15BUuTzQ0/UZWfZwbWrsI/AAAAAAAADv4/eM2NsSLWCjI/s1600/20130516-IMG_2271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vj15BUuTzQ0/UZWfZwbWrsI/AAAAAAAADv4/eM2NsSLWCjI/s320/20130516-IMG_2271.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The folding allowed the pancetta to stay quite a bit moister than leaving it all flat, while allowing for long aging.<br />
The spicing is great, and evident, but the flavor of the pork stands out beautifully.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VM5ZOQgwYxw/UZWfa6U7VDI/AAAAAAAADwA/ErGis6HE1og/s1600/20130516-IMG_2272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VM5ZOQgwYxw/UZWfa6U7VDI/AAAAAAAADwA/ErGis6HE1og/s320/20130516-IMG_2272.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>This is great both eaten sliced thin on bread, put on warm pizza or in cooking. It's a winner all around!<br />
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Thanks again to Mosefund for the Mangalitza belly. I can't recommend them enough. Their pork is great, go get some right now!Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-24492975119818319632013-04-16T22:04:00.001-04:002013-05-16T23:18:47.561-04:00Mangalitza Culatello<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7ZpdRp7bV6M/UW4DEmGLmhI/AAAAAAAADsc/kclMi_AdNtQ/s1600-h/20121121-IMG_0890%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121121-IMG_0890" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v89jmQ45BlQ/UW4DFRWcg4I/AAAAAAAADsk/Ddy6t-OtMuA/20121121-IMG_0890_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121121-IMG_0890" width="223" /></a> <br />
I think by now pretty much everyone who is into pork and heirloom pig breeds has heard of Mangalitza pigs. Long story short; they’re an old world Hungarian lard pig, and when properly raised are about as good as it gets for curing.<br />
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I had the opportunity to purchase a leg from a Mangalitza pig, and I immediately thought “culatello time!”<br />
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I’ve gone into great detail on my <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">last culatello post</a>, so this one will just be some pictures showing the big differences between that commercial one and this one.<br />
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I used a little less salt on this one. 3% instead of the previous 3.5%, as the last one was a touch salty.<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 528px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yrvfonvOrp4/UW4DFpQjdHI/AAAAAAAADss/O0gn755h8Ks/s1600-h/20120204-IMG_6845%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120204-IMG_6845" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F51dd91UJIE/UW4DGfi-VZI/AAAAAAAADs0/OeQJ6oLeibE/20120204-IMG_6845_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120204-IMG_6845" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="301">Here’s the leg as it came to me. You can clearly see this is no ordinary pig leg. The fat layer is incredibly thick!</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UQGv2c2xso0/UW4DGlHfjnI/AAAAAAAADs8/h9RS4TagPg0/s1600-h/20120204-IMG_6850%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120204-IMG_6850" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pMsef_aaYfk/UW4DHV1saTI/AAAAAAAADtE/H1BFRM2GmME/20120204-IMG_6850_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120204-IMG_6850" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="301">The culatello extracted from the leg. Again, if you want to know how to do this, see my <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">previous post</a>. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Certainly NOT the “other white meat”.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k8D18ZPWtJ4/UW4DH2HQ9oI/AAAAAAAADtM/ct58jpBNw5s/s1600-h/20120204-IMG_6851%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120204-IMG_6851" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QuBXTzOH9zU/UW4DIdFM03I/AAAAAAAADtU/FTE7k0coXus/20120204-IMG_6851_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120204-IMG_6851" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="301"></td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OvphIVHIrlA/UW4DI8aT_BI/AAAAAAAADtc/m5WHQwTpt5k/s1600-h/20120204-IMG_6852%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120204-IMG_6852" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GNx3IemiW4g/UW4DJQAfNJI/AAAAAAAADtk/Ddgiu4zQ6FQ/20120204-IMG_6852_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120204-IMG_6852" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="301">“Outside” side of the culatello. <br />
<br />
This was tied and salted with 3% salt and some pepper, and refrigerated for about 3 weeks. <br />
<br />
It was then cased into a beef bladder</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mNIQtSEQc9k/UW4DKB7B-AI/AAAAAAAADts/4dEzamybn6c/s1600-h/20121121-IMG_0890%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121121-IMG_0890" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9AeqazwcFbA/UW4DKhOE_xI/AAAAAAAADt0/cN4Rttn6kpM/20121121-IMG_0890_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121121-IMG_0890" width="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="301">After about 11 months of drying, I figured Thanksgiving was a good time to cut into it.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JhYb3vDYZI0/UW4DLKQEdgI/AAAAAAAADt8/fdcnnowgGh4/s1600-h/20121122-IMG_0896%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121122-IMG_0896" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zbi2net-Xf0/UW4DLliCLMI/AAAAAAAADuE/aTNlxgSYdFM/20121122-IMG_0896_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121122-IMG_0896" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="301">Fantastic. The difference between this one and the commercial one is completely obvious. This is sweeter, much much richer in flavor and just tastes much much better. <br />
<br />
I think I might have spoiled myself.</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-91855561070926250632013-04-16T21:40:00.001-04:002013-05-16T23:19:07.580-04:00Crema di Lardo<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--D-iyBlcXgY/UW39ZCCinNI/AAAAAAAADrM/eT9RiXxqc6g/s1600-h/20121116-IMG_0882%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121116-IMG_0882" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AQj5pzzl6pc/UW39ZkQ1i3I/AAAAAAAADrU/Z2m-oi9LFD8/20121116-IMG_0882_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121116-IMG_0882" width="332" /></a> <br />
I’m not sure if this is the actual name of this product, but it’s fits! It’s something I made for a party where I wanted to share my <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2010/06/lardo-darnad-tasting.html">lardo d’Arnad,</a> but didn’t feel like dealing with slicing it.<br />
If you have lardo ready, it’s incredible easy, and incredibly delicious!<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 578px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cgzKsgX-kUg/UW39aNLK6LI/AAAAAAAADrc/HCBQtX-GKTk/s1600-h/20121116-IMG_0877%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121116-IMG_0877" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OCWnMQhkWM4/UW39au26wwI/AAAAAAAADrk/gmV_6vwle90/20121116-IMG_0877_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121116-IMG_0877" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="351">First, you take your nice block of prepared <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2010/06/lardo-darnad-tasting.html">lardo</a> out….</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tKtir3m-F7c/UW39a0Mw7nI/AAAAAAAADrs/dUBC6mDYffk/s1600-h/20121116-IMG_0879%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121116-IMG_0879" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vdMr90vM4_0/UW39blbiaRI/AAAAAAAADr0/_0bu4jnK7qE/20121116-IMG_0879_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121116-IMG_0879" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="351">You grind it through the smallest die you have on your grinder….</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-x14EuLsTwhI/UW39cAOUCZI/AAAAAAAADr8/etPKmFmuqnw/s1600-h/20121116-IMG_0885%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121116-IMG_0885" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BGmVKf8M9hg/UW39cUt83-I/AAAAAAAADsE/FslBUmMOmRw/20121116-IMG_0885_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121116-IMG_0885" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="351">You “knead” it into a paste….</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ur_x_aBloKY/UW39c_uZBVI/AAAAAAAADsM/6_pCs1PmB4c/s1600-h/20121116-IMG_0882%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20121116-IMG_0882" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-N3KaUuCbSBo/UW39dHL50QI/AAAAAAAADsU/WTyLk6LtejI/20121116-IMG_0882_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20121116-IMG_0882" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="351">And you serve it with bread. A nice tuscan saltless bread would actually work here because the lardo is quite salty. <br />
<br />
Delicious! </td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-25574326155486077662013-03-07T09:33:00.000-05:002014-02-15T14:19:19.948-05:00Plug and Play Thermohygrostat<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=265" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EC2OQLwRqWw/UTifHTSvsXI/AAAAAAAADq8/jvna0Zi30bU/s200/HD01a.jpg" height="191" width="200" /></a>When I first made my <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html" target="_blank">curing chamber</a> finding the necessary temperature and humidity controllers was a bit of a challenge. They were out there but they were expensive and somewhat specialized. (at least for humidity control, temperature has always been easy)</div>
Recently I ran across something which would make the whole thing a little easier. It's a <a href="http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=265" target="_blank">thermohygrostat</a> all in one with two plug and play outputs.<br />
<br />
Basically, with this controller, you plug the fridge into one outlet, the humidifier into the other, put the sensor in the fridge, and set it and go. Seems pretty awesome to me!<br />
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If anyone has tried one of these, I'd like to hear how it works, but I suspect it's pretty good, as Auber Instruments makes good, inexpensive, controllers.<br />
<br />
UPDATE 2/15/14: A friend pointed out that Auber now makes a <a href="http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37&products_id=377" target="_blank">controller for high humidity environments</a> which has a more robust humidity sensor...i've heard the ones on the standard one go out if they get too wet....it's $20 more but seems to be worth it.<br />
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<br />Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-89190297490057894902013-02-13T20:43:00.002-05:002013-02-13T20:45:47.243-05:00Curing chamber change<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQCPK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0002AQCPK&linkCode=as2&tag=curmea-20" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4gdTymTrVMs/URxA8O7x0KI/AAAAAAAADp8/8RFty1nMuy8/s200/410fVDyeJyL._SX450_.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
My <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html" target="_blank">curing chamber</a> has been working very well for a very long time, but just the other day I decided to make a small change. I've had a bulb in the fridge, on a dimmer, which generates heat to force the fridge to cycle more often, lowering the humidity. This is especially useful in winter when the fridge isn't cycling as often and when a new batch of product is added, which is losing a lot of moisture.<br />
The bulb has worked well, but I've read a lot about how light affects fat and speeds up the oxidation. I'm not sure I've experienced this, but I've read it and heard it from so many sources I figured it must be accurate. To address this I replaced the bulb with a<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQCPK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0002AQCPK&linkCode=as2&tag=curmea-20" target="_blank"> non light emitting ceramic heater used in reptile cages</a>. It plugs right into a bulb socket and can be dimmed just like a bulb. It's perfect!<br />
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So far I like it. My chamber was running around 83% RH after I put my latest batch of salame in, which is a touch high. I turned the heater on real low, and it's now around 78-80 which is good; and no light!Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-31244931656294103952013-02-08T14:31:00.001-05:002013-02-08T14:31:47.034-05:00Equilibrium cure vs. Excess salt cure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QsSY-k2gyS8/URVNf_2RYtI/AAAAAAAADpY/zR5gzhqb1Ok/s1600/salt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QsSY-k2gyS8/URVNf_2RYtI/AAAAAAAADpY/zR5gzhqb1Ok/s1600/salt.jpg" /></a></div>
I've gotten a number of questions regarding the application of salt during the curing phase of cured meats as it related to quantity and duration, so I thought a small post was in order to clarify various curing methodologies.<br />
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There are generally 2 methods to cure meat:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>The older method (I believe) is what I would call "excess salt" curing. This basically involves applying a generous quantity of salt to the piece of meat, together with the spices, and waiting a certain amount of time for the meat to absorb the salt.</li>
<li>The other method is what I (and others) call "equilibrium curing" in which a calculated quantity of salt is added to the meat, with the spices, and allowing enough time for the meat to absorb all the salt.</li>
</ol>
<div>
While both methods will work, the excess salt method involves guessing, hopefully based on experience, how long the meat should be left in this salt mixture to cure. If it's not left long enough, not enough salt is absorbed to preserve the meat, if it's left too long the end product will be salty. This "guessing" will have to vary based on the percentage of meat to fat in the product (fat absorbs salt less readily), whether the product has skin on it (skin acts as a barrier), the thickness of the product, the temperature of the fridge, and probably many more variables. I've heard people say to leave items for 1 days per kilogram of meat, but that doesn't really make sense as it doesn't account for thickness or fat content. Sounds to me like the old recipes where people were told to cook something in the oven for X number of minutes per pound. It'll work, but most likely you'll end up with overcooked/undercooked food because the variables are not accounted for! Honestly, this type of curing doesn't make much sense to me. I don't see an advantage, but I would be happy to hear from people who do this (and there are many!) to correct me.</div>
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<div>
I always cure using an equilibrium cure. I use between 2.5% and 3.5% of the meats weight in salt, rub it all over the meat, and put the meat in a sealed bag, flipping it every 3-5 days in the refrigerator to make sure the chunk is always exposed to the brine that is formed by the salt pulling out water from the muscle. After a fairly arbitrary amount of time, but one which is long enough to make sure all the salt i've applied has been absorbed, I consider the meat cured and ready to move to the next phase, into the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/08/key-equipment-piece-4-fermentation-box.html" target="_blank">fermentation box</a> or <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html" target="_blank">curing chamber</a>. To me this is much easier than excess salt curing. By applying a known, wanted, quantity of salt, the product will not become over-salted, ever, no matter how long it's left in the fridge. The question is really what the minimum amount of time is for the meat to absorb the salt. I don't really have a good answer, other than "leave it long enough to be SURE it's absorbed the salt". I always leave my items in the fridge curing at least 2 weeks, and for very large things like a <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html" target="_blank">culatello</a>, I give it 3. That's the beauty of this system..... you can't overcure! I guess if I'm in a analogy to cooking mood, this method would be the sous vide cooking of the curing world. By cooking a product at it's final temperature, you can't overcook it, and it won't be undercooked if you leave it long enough.</div>
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I hope that sheds some light on the different methods, and why I do things the way I do.</div>
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Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-63533229234936953442012-11-17T21:45:00.001-05:002013-02-08T14:32:14.635-05:00Pancetta Steccata dei Monti Nebrodi<br />
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eUU5UZIehk8/UKhLY0Yon9I/AAAAAAAADe0/h2447NiyNiY/s1600-h/sicilia_sel%25255B4%25255D.gif"><img align="left" alt="sicilia_sel" height="328" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eM7T9o_phzI/UKhLZpWCOXI/AAAAAAAADe8/h6CksmfUO84/sicilia_sel_thumb%25255B2%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="sicilia_sel" width="297" /></a> <br />
Sicily may not be the first place you think of when you think cured meats, but just like all the other regions, they too have their specialties. In fact, Sicily has an indigenous pig; the black pig of Nebrodi. Nebrodi is a mountain range in the northeast part of Sicily. <br />
Theoretically this recipe would have to be made using one of those pigs, but try as I might, I was unable to find one in Atlanta. What I DID have was a belly from a Mangalitza hog which I was fortunate enough to have been given from <a href="http://www.mosefund.com/">Mosefund Farm</a>. Michael at Mosefund clearly knows his stuff as his pigs are sold all over high end New York City restaurants. This stuff really is something special.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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This recipe is a little different in that the curing and spicing occurs twice. First the belly is cured with its spices and herbs, then it’s rinsed and rubbed with additional spices and herbs, really accentuating the flavors.<br />
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Unfortunately, by request I've been asked not to share the exact recipe. You'll have to work out the ratios on your own for this one! I can tell you that the main flavors are oregano, black pepper, garlic and fennel. <br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 575px;"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7q2L2baAWCg/UKhLcmDJI3I/AAAAAAAADfk/B7C6eaatarA/s1600-h/20120826-IMG_9722%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120826-IMG_9722" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--yA6FlohRzQ/UKhLdYf8MdI/AAAAAAAADfs/cjxYRT8XRTI/20120826-IMG_9722_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120826-IMG_9722" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">The belly in all its glory. <br />
Thanks again to Michael at <a href="http://www.mosefund.com/">Mosefund</a>.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LVgEjta4rRI/UKhLeCaXREI/AAAAAAAADf0/61KNOqzotFE/s1600-h/20120826-IMG_9723%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120826-IMG_9723" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--arVrKb0gJA/UKhLfBZjD6I/AAAAAAAADf8/n4NZpPMS09c/20120826-IMG_9723_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120826-IMG_9723" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">Look how beautiful this is. It’s about 3” thick. The fat feels quite different from other pig’s fat I’ve felt. It’s softer and seems to have a lower melting point. I have to assume this is because of the pasturing of the pigs at Mosefund.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jBp46L27YjA/UKhLgMDvUgI/AAAAAAAADgE/W2_0Q7he1eM/s1600-h/20120826-IMG_9728%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120826-IMG_9728" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hTpcQUZRqFU/UKhLgnuQPgI/AAAAAAAADgM/QcEIFFosAeE/20120826-IMG_9728_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120826-IMG_9728" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">If you’re going to make this, do us both a favor and don’t use generic oregano. This is one of the main flavorings, so find the good stuff. I conveniently had a bag of Sicilian stuff.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-As5pKpu-MJA/UKhLhGATRZI/AAAAAAAADgU/9dkvff62xMw/s1600-h/20120826-IMG_9740%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120826-IMG_9740" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mnJyNEj0L94/UKhLh8rUNBI/AAAAAAAADgc/yPJ9ULYX9ew/20120826-IMG_9740_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120826-IMG_9740" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">The cure mix ready to apply. Smells AMAZING.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4kp1AGuidsE/UKhLij8TZXI/AAAAAAAADgk/844Whs85Nxw/s1600-h/20120826-IMG_9742%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120826-IMG_9742" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VZZGI5S-ILA/UKhLjLqDNxI/AAAAAAAADgs/1txNn46Lc3U/20120826-IMG_9742_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120826-IMG_9742" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">As usual, spread the cure mix all over the belly, bag it up and put it in the fridge. <br />
I left it in the fridge for 20 days. This is probably longer than needed, but that’s the beauty of equilibrium curing (using the amount of salt in the cure that you want the meat to absorb), it can’t overcure.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H3O9hF0lL_c/UKhLj-3_AxI/AAAAAAAADg0/Qw3UDZnMSM0/s1600-h/20120915-IMG_9863%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120915-IMG_9863" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6UVPuOuoi0I/UKhLkYyZZzI/AAAAAAAADg8/Duc69L6uFVI/20120915-IMG_9863_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120915-IMG_9863" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">This is the spice mix, ground as fine as possible in a spice grinder and ready to apply after the belly was rinsed.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Q9rSXVE3bqA/UKhLlLegegI/AAAAAAAADhE/FsEZ56CIg7k/s1600-h/20120915-IMG_9864%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120915-IMG_9864" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F0JumkJH8Sc/UKhLl3L68bI/AAAAAAAADhM/EFKyeBMrlgI/20120915-IMG_9864_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120915-IMG_9864" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">Rinsed belly and testing the “folding”</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9kOGhxm9mk8/UKhLmhvx8gI/AAAAAAAADhU/ljkkoeupgOs/s1600-h/20120915-IMG_9867%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120915-IMG_9867" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Ct170n3jWvU/UKhLnP6151I/AAAAAAAADhc/HQZ2hCQbjzE/20120915-IMG_9867_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120915-IMG_9867" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">Spice mix liberally applied</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d7_b-62JkaM/UKhLn9XKHnI/AAAAAAAADhk/RUzOR_ysga8/s1600-h/20120915-IMG_9868%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120915-IMG_9868" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v16IwCvtNTo/UKhLogNd-QI/AAAAAAAADhs/cVbYY4BqBFg/20120915-IMG_9868_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120915-IMG_9868" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">This is where things get interesting. Instead of doing my usual <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2008/08/pancetta-easiest-cured-meat-of-all.html">pancetta</a> method and hanging flat, i decided to make it “steccata”. This involves folding it over and clamping it with wood boards. This is meant to slow the drying and reduce the possibility of oxidation of the exposed fat. <br />
I used cedar boards. Initially clamped with woodworking clamps. Note how much pressure is on there, the boards are flexing quite a bit.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r6y1fNnalEo/UKhLpETlzzI/AAAAAAAADh0/b3yjhZgDrYg/s1600-h/20120915-IMG_9870%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120915-IMG_9870" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OeDfpHYDJno/UKhLpkqwikI/AAAAAAAADh8/5C3FGVXfhZw/20120915-IMG_9870_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120915-IMG_9870" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">And then the boards were tied with strings. You want the boards to be really right to make sure there are no air pockets in the pancetta and get the meat to adhere to itself over time.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NC6l5sxq_vU/UKhLqR2I13I/AAAAAAAADiE/2Ms9-n5gu2A/s1600-h/20120915-IMG_9873%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120915-IMG_9873" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ERb5O4Pchjo/UKhLqx_83II/AAAAAAAADiM/XDh9s4VO3gU/20120915-IMG_9873_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120915-IMG_9873" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">Traditionally the belly would be folded and cut in such a way that the edges are actually sewn together as the skin ends up touching. I didn’t want to trim this and waste and of the precious belly, so I covered it with a beef bung which I split so it would be like a sheet. <br />
<br />
This will slow the drying on the exposed area. </td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NjZ0j-We8L4/UKhLrU46urI/AAAAAAAADiU/Z7943hvXNnY/s1600-h/20120915-IMG_9880%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120915-IMG_9880" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yeJc0ONH6gM/UKhLsEq_AmI/AAAAAAAADic/d4zfNofllyw/20120915-IMG_9880_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120915-IMG_9880" width="223" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="348">This is to show I had to add additional boards to make sure the whole belly was equally compressed. <br />
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This went into the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a> at about 55 deg F and 80% RH, and will remain there at least 4-6 months I would think. Likely longer. <br />
<br />
Looking forward to trying the Manga belly from <a href="http://www.mosefund.com/">Mosefund</a>! If this is half as good as it looks, it’ll be amazing. </td></tr>
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Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-35049020737998011432012-11-14T17:00:00.000-05:002012-11-14T17:00:48.455-05:00Nice salame tying videoThanks to blog reader Carl for pointing this video out to me. It's a great demonstration on how to tie larger caliber salami (for example in a beef bung).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hCwCkAhyDX4" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<br />Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-9544829655671335042012-08-23T22:21:00.003-04:002012-08-23T22:21:47.233-04:00Let's talk curing chambers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fz0EmZdjYwY/UDbkjEQ6-II/AAAAAAAADco/-69XsJU5Jdg/s1600/fridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fz0EmZdjYwY/UDbkjEQ6-II/AAAAAAAADco/-69XsJU5Jdg/s1600/fridge.JPG" /></a></div>
I've received many many emails asking about specifics of my <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html" target="_blank">curing chamber</a>, and more specifically about using different types of refrigerators to use as a curing chamber, so I wanted to post some quick information on choosing a fridge.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
The general idea when we're turning a fridge into a curing chamber is that we want to control temperature, through a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002EAL58?ie=UTF8&tag=curmea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0002EAL58" target="_blank">temperature controller</a>, and humidity, through an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ADL1SG?ie=UTF8&tag=curmea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001ADL1SG" target="_blank">ultrasonic humidifier</a> and a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012BJ142?ie=UTF8&tag=curmea-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0012BJ142" target="_blank">humidity controller</a>. In order to do this the fridge has to run "dry" so that we can add moisture back to the level of our choice, generally 70%-80%.<br />
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Easy enough, right? Well, sort of. Most normal, large, kitchen refrigerators, run "dry". Basically, they work by blowing air over a cold evaporator coil, and direct it into the fridge. Since the evaporator coil of a fridge is rather chilly, the moisture in the air condenses out, and the air that ends up in the fridge is very dry. At the same time the water which condensed out of the air onto the evaporator coil freezes and needs to be melted off periodically and directed out. This is exactly what a "frost free" fridge does. Every 12 hours a small heater wire melts the ice which forms on the evaporator coil and the water is collected and directed out to a pan where the water can evaporate back into the environment. So, in the end we have a "dry" fridge, which on it's own would normally run somewhere around 20-40% RH, we add humidity back in and control temperature, and voila'! curing chamber.<br />
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The questions arise when people start wanting to use standup freezers, chest freezers, or compact fridges such as the ones used in dorms or wine refrigerators (since they conveniently run at temperatures suited for what we need) or some other kind of system for their curing chambers. The two most common questions about fridges are in regards to wine fridges and compact refridgerators, and whether they can be used. The simple answer is.... sort of. Let me explain.<br />
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All the compact and wine fridges I've see have one thing in common which makes them very different from the standard fridge I recommend for curing. They cool not by blowing air over an evaporator coil but by cooling the fridge directly via a cooling plate inside the fridge; just a metal plate with channels in it in which the refrigerant runs. You can often see the metal plate at the back of the fridge, or if the compact fridge has a "freezer" section at the top, that's what cools the fridge. The problem with these is that the cooling plate <b>does</b> work to cool the fridge, and it <b>does</b> condense the water out of the air (remember we want a "dry" fridge so we can rehumidify) <b>but</b> the water isn't removed from the refrigerator section, at least not very well. The water condenses out; some does drip away into a collection tray, but most re-evaporates right back into the chamber, so we're back where we started.<br />
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Wine fridges generally cool using the same principle, at least the ones I've seen, they use a cooling plate inside the refrigerator section.<br />
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The bottom line is that these compact refrigerators, from what I've seen, have no good way of extracting moisture from the air and keeping it out, which means when you put meat in there to lose water, the moisture loss has no where to go, and ends up making the fridge more and more humid as your products dry.<br />
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Are there ways to get them to work? Sure, there are, I haven't given them much thought because I haven't had to. You'd have to figure out a way to dehumidify to a specific level. If you want to try, give it a go, but I have to tell you I'm not sure how to do it, so...sorry! I know for example, <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-thoughts-on-humidification.html" target="_blank">as I've said before</a> one can buy beads and sheets which absorb and release moisture to maintain a humidity of choice, or that a <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-thoughts-on-humidification.html" target="_blank">tray of wet salt</a> will maintain about 75% RH. I have no idea how effective these things are though and how fast they actually work.<br />
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What about standup freezers? Well, looking at my standup freezer, it does look like it would work. Mine doesn't have a cooling plate, it blows cold air in through a vent, so I have to assume there is an evaporator plate somewhere cooling that air before it gets to the freezer ( add to that that it's a frost free freezer and i'm even more sure about that). But, i have never measured the RH in there and I don't know how it would do or what it would do running at 55 deg. F.<br />
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How about beverage fridges with nice sliding glass doors? Well, I know that <a href="http://www.sausagedebauchery.com/" target="_blank">Scott at Sausage Debauchery</a> has successfully converted one of those, but I don't know how he did it. I do know that he was pulling his hair out for a week to get it to work properly.<br />
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How about chest freezers? I don't know, I don't own one so I don't know what cooling method they use. <br />
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I'm sure there are 100 different types of refrigeration systems, and I cannot possibly know if every one will or will not work. The first questions you should ask yourself is "Does this fridge have an evaporator coil outside the refrigerator section which will dry the air before it blows into the fridge"? If the answer is "Yes", then the fridge <b>SHOULD </b>work. If it doesn't, well, you're on your own to figure it out:)<br />
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Good Luck! <br />
<br />Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-45207335641922573162012-08-07T22:45:00.001-04:002012-08-07T23:09:14.872-04:00Guanciale Affumicato<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h_SW3RU9PfY/UCHWilCyzVI/AAAAAAAADXk/FqcLS9lH1N0/s1600/20120519-IMG_8068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h_SW3RU9PfY/UCHWilCyzVI/AAAAAAAADXk/FqcLS9lH1N0/s320/20120519-IMG_8068.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I’ve done <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2010/08/guanciale-finally-ready.html">guanciale</a> many times before, so this really isn’t anyhing new. What’s IS new is the cold smoke I applied to it before putting it into the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a>.<br />
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<img alt="Screen Shot 2012-08-05 at 4.13.23 PM" border="0" height="320" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-L60epJ3K9sE/UCHSfocpYPI/AAAAAAAADV8/cLCz6lc_3BU/Screen%252520Shot%2525202012-08-05%252520at%2525204.13.23%252520PM_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen Shot 2012-08-05 at 4.13.23 PM" width="332" /><br />
You may notice the addition of sodium ascorbate to the curing mix, this sounds like some crazy chemical, but sodium ascorbate is nothing more than viatmin C. Vitamin C is used to reduce the formation of cancer causing chemicals called nitrosamines which are formed when nitrItes are cooked at high temperatures (such as frying). Since i often cook my guanciale and pancetta at higher temps, I’ve been giving this some thought.<br />
I’m not sure how necessary this is for a dry cured product, as I would think that over the 3-4 months the guanciale or pancetta hang, the great majority or all of the nitrites in the product have already reduced to nitric oxide, meaning no nitrosamines would be formed anyhow. Since i’m not certain of my last statement, and since this is really just vitamin C, and since it doesn’t affect flavor, I decided to add it in an abundance of caution.<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 552px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-whbmvnwdavQ/UCHSiKBD45I/AAAAAAAADWE/9D9PqbJbE50/s1600-h/20120114-IMG_6713%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120114-IMG_6713" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Z-aFAJrDjXE/UCHSjPgk8kI/AAAAAAAADWM/jC_nYLIQHHI/20120114-IMG_6713_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120114-IMG_6713" width="288" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="325">Not much new, as I said. The cure mix was applied to the jowl, vacuum packed and refrigerated for about 2 weeks. <br />
It was then rinsed and dried. <br />
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This was a <a href="http://cawcawcreek.com/">Caw Caw</a> jowl. Always great stuff.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AO4kwu2n7Rw/UCHSk0HFmqI/AAAAAAAADWU/KCmOtLJINy0/s1600-h/20120519-IMG_8062%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120519-IMG_8062" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nHhbFrRJRBs/UCHSlyv1uxI/AAAAAAAADWc/XPSTCDwIEI8/20120519-IMG_8062_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120519-IMG_8062" width="223" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="325"><br />
It was cold smoked (about 50 deg. F) over hardwood for about 24 hours and then hung in the chamber at 55 deg. F and 75-80% RH.<br />
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I use a <a href="http://www.macsbbq.co.uk/CSG.html" target="_blank">Pro-Q Cold Smoke Generator</a> to cold smoke. <br />
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-emw-LwSu69M/UCHSniXJD-I/AAAAAAAADWk/BIbKQRUpKbU/s1600-h/20120519-IMG_8059%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120519-IMG_8059" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4l8XQg4F2C8/UCHSof9HkpI/AAAAAAAADWs/-1lHzwDZZno/20120519-IMG_8059_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120519-IMG_8059" width="223" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="325"><br />
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Skin side, after smoking</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PS51QyoGSow/UCHSpvh7-OI/AAAAAAAADW0/3g1edY4I9sg/s1600-h/20120519-IMG_8065%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120519-IMG_8065" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A5-7x2oWCl0/UCHSqtTl3RI/AAAAAAAADW8/IP5x7freBus/20120519-IMG_8065_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120519-IMG_8065" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="325">After about 4 months it was removed and eaten. It lost about 15% of its weight.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="225"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vrYnP_QKm7o/UCHSrgfjEbI/AAAAAAAADXE/Lw3_IQNrazI/s1600-h/20120519-IMG_8068%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120519-IMG_8068" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aLVon5CzliQ/UCHSsJA9_jI/AAAAAAAADXM/eILMnrPZwz0/20120519-IMG_8068_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120519-IMG_8068" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="325"></td> </tr>
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I think the pictures do this guanciale affumicato justice. It’s incredible. Its super rich, and the smokyness is just right. Its great stuff in amatriciana or carbonara. I love it.Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-35541205262190111522012-08-04T16:56:00.001-04:002012-08-04T22:20:24.619-04:00Ribeye Roast Bresaola<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5aIfenDfbEA/UB2LykJ4kLI/AAAAAAAADOA/PaOdCS2LFcg/s1600-h/20120306IMG_70882.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120306-IMG_7088" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-x2pWBt1g4-0/UB2LzPj4OpI/AAAAAAAADOI/CFSGcWM8ok4/20120306IMG_7088_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120306-IMG_7088" width="332" /></a> I think i’ve previously said that <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/11/bresaola.html">bresaola</a> is always made with lean pieces of meat. This is true traditionally in Italy, but some discussion with other home curers made me wonder why, and what if I were to make a bresaola using a fattier piece. Would it be tastier? Would the fat taste funky? I wasn’t really sure, so I had nothing left but to try it.<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KEriZG7-kQM/UB2L5HxF1yI/AAAAAAAADOQ/F_5DIpeGtqI/s1600-h/ScreenShot20120804at4.45.03PM3.jpg"><img alt="Screen Shot 2012-08-04 at 4.45.03 PM" border="0" height="283" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--S0W_RT5pMA/UB2L5sbOb2I/AAAAAAAADOY/QTnJYE6I64g/ScreenShot20120804at4.45.03PM_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen Shot 2012-08-04 at 4.45.03 PM" width="332" /></a><br />
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-meJ2Ukg-mkc/UB2L5w-pKvI/AAAAAAAADOg/SOHpNQeeqQY/s1600-h/20111220IMG_64542.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20111220-IMG_6454" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-26F9iXQtQzg/UB2L6UYGkLI/AAAAAAAADOo/6ZVxjPnAL0E/20111220IMG_6454_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20111220-IMG_6454" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">I started with a bone in standing rib roast. this is basically a ribeye roast on the bone.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WfTzOVp_3BM/UB2L6wAFHhI/AAAAAAAADOw/uY0QUeRcri4/s1600-h/20111220IMG_64562.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20111220-IMG_6456" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Qn-0tQN1kIQ/UB2L7W_xxJI/AAAAAAAADO4/dDreGF3b620/20111220IMG_6456_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20111220-IMG_6456" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">The meat was removed from the bone, and trimmed just a little bit. This is one side of the rib roast</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FGD_bkVMhVc/UB2L8A7aRuI/AAAAAAAADPA/-WxgX2C5W7g/s1600-h/20111220IMG_64572.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20111220-IMG_6457" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-86x-XLSV104/UB2L8SpPb1I/AAAAAAAADPI/9b5NrB5NGvs/20111220IMG_6457_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20111220-IMG_6457" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">The other side of the rib roast. Looks fantastic. Nice marbling.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dbCCV4UdIls/UB2MFyJDK4I/AAAAAAAADPQ/wgU6dmzmBX0/s1600-h/20111220IMG_64582.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20111220-IMG_6458" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gA5fTX3pjcY/UB2MGasTG5I/AAAAAAAADPY/4rTvy_8UFds/20111220IMG_6458_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20111220-IMG_6458" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">The curing mix. I kept it purposefully very simple to be able to taste the meat.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-INjnKxX0WxA/UB2MGyjgCmI/AAAAAAAADPg/4P1_DVKSLq4/s1600-h/20111220IMG_64592.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20111220-IMG_6459" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tgq_iEgFBSE/UB2MHX5_wbI/AAAAAAAADPo/xmPNWDM9fvY/20111220IMG_6459_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20111220-IMG_6459" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">The rib roast was coated with all the curing salts and spices, and vacuum packed. I’ve been doing this for a little while now and i really like that it keeps everything contained and in contact with the meat, and there is no chance of meat juices leaking all over the place.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jalO04-u8mo/UB2McTA1BNI/AAAAAAAADPw/6TlmKW2cIxE/s1600-h/20120109IMG_66692.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120109-IMG_6669" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HNGOS5cKdsc/UB2Mc-0pfHI/AAAAAAAADP4/Wh-PTgY6q9o/20120109IMG_6669_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120109-IMG_6669" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">About 3 weeks in the fridge and the meat is nicely cured .</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UoQhpjqAXeU/UB2MeIf-p1I/AAAAAAAADQA/YMBHOkKM6fw/s1600-h/20120109IMG_66702.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120109-IMG_6670" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MgXYMHtbxaI/UB2Mek35NFI/AAAAAAAADQE/nBCPcv8cQm8/20120109IMG_6670_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120109-IMG_6670" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">The meat is quickly rinsed and dried. It’s now ready to be cased and put into the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/08/key-equipment-piece-4-fermentation-box.html">fermentation box</a> and then the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a>.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tV2zlp6_S9E/UB2MfT1vDtI/AAAAAAAADQI/nbTfYvwTiDA/s1600-h/20120109IMG_66732.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120109-IMG_6673" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1_hnXCX1wT8/UB2Mf8vX89I/AAAAAAAADQM/nDfS1FAxlMY/20120109IMG_6673_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120109-IMG_6673" width="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">The odd shape of the meat made casing a little tricky. I had some casings which are unavailable here in the US, which are made from the membrane surrounding the organ cavity. They’re called “pelle di sugna” in italian. I’ve used them before in my <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2012/01/capocollo-di-calabria.html">capocollo di Calabria</a> and they work nicely. If i didn’t have these i would split open beef bungs and layer them like sheets over the meat. Should work perfectly.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8Zq54nIFdzM/UB2MgKi63KI/AAAAAAAADQQ/agAtlyLx2Dg/s1600-h/20120109IMG_66762.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120109-IMG_6676" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-p2hDYKV9ZEw/UB2Mgi8ZjQI/AAAAAAAADQY/_Sci9_qhcHc/20120109IMG_6676_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120109-IMG_6676" width="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">The other side of the meat, just before going into the chamber. <br />
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I sprayed this with M-EK4 mold solution and put it in the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/08/key-equipment-piece-4-fermentation-box.html">fermentation box</a> for about 48 hours at 71 deg. F. <br />
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I don’t have a picture of it, but a nice bloom showed up on the meat.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gOETqGLyd7E/UB2Mg9zNhcI/AAAAAAAADQg/1PqOv05xXNw/s1600-h/20120306IMG_70832.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120306-IMG_7083" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-T2UyWrnhanc/UB2Mi7ka0zI/AAAAAAAADQ4/5v12lvLPp_w/20120306IMG_7083_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120306-IMG_7083" width="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">After about 2 months the meat had lost about 33% of it’s weight. Didn’t take long. The chamber was held at about 55 deg. F and 75-80% RH. <br />
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I think it' dried pretty quickly because it has a large surface area and the pelle di sugna casing is very thin.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y_88uw592c8/UB2MjancudI/AAAAAAAADRA/eAqDmbvHDs0/s1600-h/20120306-IMG_7087%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120306-IMG_7087" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-n74BuAj_Dh8/UB2Mk99pz0I/AAAAAAAADRI/CxUu-wKd7as/20120306-IMG_7087_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120306-IMG_7087" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="364">Had to slice this longways because of the grain. It’s AMAZING. It’s incredibly tender, the beef flavor is very evident and delicious. It’s MUCH more flavorful than an eye of round bresaola. The fat melts in the mouth and has a nice flavor as well. The few spices put on shine nicely without interfering with the beefyness. <br />
It’s a little salty, so next time i would reduce the salt to 2.75% or so.</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-39109595954253281892012-05-03T22:30:00.001-04:002012-05-03T22:30:49.462-04:00La Zia Ferrarese<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uH1cyvjNtJw/T6M_Oh7-dWI/AAAAAAAADJI/emoZFCeMor4/s1600-h/emiliaromagna_sel%25255B7%25255D.gif"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="emiliaromagna_sel" border="0" alt="emiliaromagna_sel" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pgH8PEPsCcQ/T6M_POgUtEI/AAAAAAAADJQ/jQ6zv92FWF0/emiliaromagna_sel_thumb%25255B3%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="299" height="330" /></a> </p> <p>Emilia Romagna might be the unofficial capital of salumi in Italy. It’s the home of Prosciutto and <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">culatello</a>. The variety of cured meats from this region alone is endless!</p> <p>Part of what I like about this hobby is the research and study of all the different salumi, finding one that is little known and making it. My latest finding is the Zia Ferrarese. I’m not sure where the name comes from or why it’s “the aunt from Ferrara”, but the fact that it’s a salame that is little know even in Italy, and one that books claim is very challenging to make because of what it’s cased in, meant I had to go for it!</p> <a name='more'></a> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dLcfChh6fWw/T6M_Pgw7SpI/AAAAAAAADJY/kjeUmkjgV5M/s1600-h/Screen%252520shot%2525202012-05-03%252520at%25252010.15.58%252520PM%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Screen shot 2012-05-03 at 10.15.58 PM" border="0" alt="Screen shot 2012-05-03 at 10.15.58 PM" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mSY01C5Yr08/T6M_Pz2SsdI/AAAAAAAADJg/U7iZK3JueXI/Screen%252520shot%2525202012-05-03%252520at%25252010.15.58%252520PM_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="374" height="381" /></a></p> <p>The main features of the Zia Ferrarese are the use of a hog end cap casing, and garlic in the mixture.</p> <table border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="544"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="280"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CMERpvCphq8/T6M_Qs4fJzI/AAAAAAAADJo/BVFDmm-xyjE/s1600-h/20120226-IMG_7021%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="20120226-IMG_7021" border="0" alt="20120226-IMG_7021" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UmXH9L_7SFk/T6M_Q6B_a7I/AAAAAAAADJw/XRZ648wOywQ/20120226-IMG_7021_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="260">I used pork leg for this salame. I prefer this to shoulder as there is less trimming to remove sinew and less fat, making controlling the fat quantity easier. <br />Used Caw Caw creek fatback.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="280"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-21GbDUycGLc/T6M_RthoilI/AAAAAAAADJ4/Xr5qKUdnewo/s1600-h/20120226-IMG_7023%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="20120226-IMG_7023" border="0" alt="20120226-IMG_7023" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NwBL6OrsX3E/T6M_TMztDFI/AAAAAAAADKA/HpLanOe9EWA/20120226-IMG_7023_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="260">Spice mixture, starter culture and curing salts.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="280"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IaoZXZu-f4Q/T6M_Ty5Xr_I/AAAAAAAADKI/hkuqut4gzRk/s1600-h/20120226-IMG_7024%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="20120226-IMG_7024" border="0" alt="20120226-IMG_7024" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hp1tIzOvEVs/T6M_UJRPJvI/AAAAAAAADKQ/9vU0iXROZD8/20120226-IMG_7024_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="260">Meat and fat ground through 1/2” plate, ready to be mixed.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="280"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y_wn3zYY5-4/T6M_Uh9pxHI/AAAAAAAADKY/JemLYwU29AI/s1600-h/20120226-IMG_7027%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="20120226-IMG_7027" border="0" alt="20120226-IMG_7027" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dAvztpkDlQw/T6M_VG5AYNI/AAAAAAAADKg/QtnJaoPQC4c/20120226-IMG_7027_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="260">Meat paste mixed and ready to stuff. Note the myosin on the bowl surfaces indicating a good bind was achieved and the salame wont be crumbly.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="280"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VMeYm1iMhj8/T6M_Vte9-yI/AAAAAAAADKo/ka6qQTS7-Ko/s1600-h/20120226-IMG_7030%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="20120226-IMG_7030" border="0" alt="20120226-IMG_7030" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JWE_XY4xQtk/T6M_WPTAMiI/AAAAAAAADKw/1-sApzAYpFs/20120226-IMG_7030_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="223" height="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="260">Stuffed into a hog middle cap casing. This is a large casing, holding all of the above mixture. It’s comparable to a gigantic hog middle. This was sprayed with an M-EK4 mold solution. <br /> <br />The salame was fermented in the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/08/key-equipment-piece-4-fermentation-box.html">fermentation box</a> at 70-72 degrees, and then put into the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a>. <br /> <br />Given the size i’m expecting this to take 3-5 months!</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-9166543838770465302012-04-08T22:18:00.002-04:002012-04-08T22:21:13.445-04:00For those who care....sneak peeksJust a heads up...for a couple months I've been using Twitter to post quick updates on what I'm making. I have to admit I post a lot more on Twitter (still not much...probably less than 2 tweets a week) than on here. It's much easier and quicker...but it's only a picture of what I've made/eaten.<br /><br />If you want what might be called a "sneak peek" of what's to come on the blog when I get time, follow me on Twitter as @Cured_meats. <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/cured_meats">https://twitter.com/#!/cured_meats</a>Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-36159180812378168782012-01-25T21:01:00.001-05:002012-01-25T21:01:16.525-05:00Culatello – Tasting Notes<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uuH_rUdLDDQ/TyCz36xenjI/AAAAAAAAC9M/slToc-ex0hM/s1600-h/20120121IMG_67336.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20120121-IMG_6733" border="0" alt="20120121-IMG_6733" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--CbQ1VcRdSg/TyCz4Cf0eqI/AAAAAAAAC9U/BNnfh-oJxjc/20120121IMG_6733_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="373" height="307" /></a> It was a long journey, but the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">culatello</a> is finally ready. Actually, it was ready about 4 months ago. We cut into it to celebrate the birth of my son as it just happened to have lost enough weight by then and felt hard enough to go for it. It lost a total of about 40% weight in about 7 or 8 months in the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a>. I guess I was so excited to taste it that I forgot to take a picture of the whole thing before cutting it! </p> <a name='more'></a> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="551"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="282"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CRrE2Qbih1Q/TyCz4rY14zI/AAAAAAAAC9c/jdSdIXyqWb4/s1600-h/20120121IMG_67272.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20120121-IMG_6727" border="0" alt="20120121-IMG_6727" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-i-oifdMpgp8/TyCz5EYPgeI/AAAAAAAAC9k/T0hRLdrvSyM/20120121IMG_6727_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="259" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="267"> <p>Here is a nice picture of the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">culatello</a> after being cut. This is about 1/2 (excluding what i’ve eaten). The other 1/2 was taken by my brother and quickly devoured.</p> <p>There was a small air pocket on the top left which I think is where I cut around the bone. Luckily it didn’t affect anything. Next time I’ll be sure to clean up loose flaps of meat</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="282"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Uur7XQhT4QE/TyCz5rnvbPI/AAAAAAAAC9s/WSdsXxTlcUA/s1600-h/20120121IMG_67342.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20120121-IMG_6734" border="0" alt="20120121-IMG_6734" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-q8cbENCKVIc/TyCz6Bzaj4I/AAAAAAAAC90/3a55wg97x4o/20120121IMG_6734_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="253" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="267">Backside of the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">culatello</a>. It molded up nicely on the areas where there was meat contact with the casing. Where there were thick layers of fat the mold didn’t grown, which is something I’ve noticed before on other meats too.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="282"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-m1CgznNUwug/TyCz6uWjnPI/AAAAAAAAC98/5GVWxLtddi4/s1600-h/20120121IMG_67455.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20120121-IMG_6745" border="0" alt="20120121-IMG_6745" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VIDytjP7IzA/TyCz6x-UGxI/AAAAAAAAC-E/1V6ptNQjZEc/20120121IMG_6745_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="239" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="267">Sliced and ready to eat. So good. So, so good. <br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>Overall it’s delicious. Really really fantastic. The aroma is intoxicating. It smells like old caves and ancient places. It’s has a nice strong flavor sort of like a prosciutto but with some added……funk. It’s hard to describe. It’s very tender. There is a small ring on the outermost edge which is just a little harder. I think if i had followed the traditional method to wrap the culatello in a wine soaked cloth for a couple days before cutting it would have softened it. I may still do that.</p> <p>The flavor is much better than the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/08/fiocco-ready-to-eat.html">fiocco</a>, The additional waiting time was certainly worth it. It’s a more mild flavor than fiocco and quite different. Somewhat surprising to me given that they both came from the leg, just opposite sides. The fiocco has more “funk” and this has more meaty, pork flavor. Not sure if it’s due to the different casing or the additional time. Just like for the fiocco I think a nice pasture raised hog would make a big difference here.</p> Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-24559354031736225622012-01-21T14:47:00.002-05:002012-01-21T14:49:01.300-05:00Capocollo di Calabria<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E5VbA9s37nQ/TxsWOgoPOtI/AAAAAAAAC4s/r_DFtB3GWa4/s1600-h/20120121-IMG_6743%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120121-IMG_6743" border="0" height="201" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sLA_RbokCrg/TxsWPLIFEuI/AAAAAAAAC40/TttN2sg_8ac/20120121-IMG_6743_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120121-IMG_6743" width="332" /></a> In the southern part of Italy what’s “coppa” in the north is called “capocollo”. That’s where the American term “capicola” or “gabagool” comes from. Most of the Italian immigrants to the US were from Southern Italy, bringing with them the term and product “capocollo”<br />
I’ve already gone through the whole <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2010/11/coppa-whole.html">coppa making process</a> in a previous post, but this one is slightly different. My buddy <a href="http://twitter.com/sausagedebauch">Scott</a> at <a href="http://sausagedebauchery.com/">Sausage Debauchery</a>, who’s family is original from Calabria, is a Calabrian FREAK. He’s so obsessed with the place that he opened a store to source and resell Calabrian chili pepper and other goodies. All I hear from him is how Calabrian cured meats are the best, tastiest, blah blah blah. Mostly in an effort to shut him up, I made a capocollo following the Calabrian DOP production methodology.<br />
<a name='more'></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fBGQ-kz8jAw/TxsWPqFrTwI/AAAAAAAAC48/U1snPS55yss/s1600-h/Screen%252520shot%2525202012-01-21%252520at%25252010.46.22%252520AM%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Screen shot 2012-01-21 at 10.46.22 AM" border="0" height="211" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iZgUcgUNXhY/TxsWP8g6-AI/AAAAAAAAC5E/hydao33plIo/Screen%252520shot%2525202012-01-21%252520at%25252010.46.22%252520AM_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Screen shot 2012-01-21 at 10.46.22 AM" width="332" /></a> Capocollo di Calabria is pretty interesting in how it’s made. As you can see above the cure is done very simply with just salt and <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2009/04/critical-ingredient-cure-1-and-2.html">Cure</a>. After its salting period it’d then rinsed in vinegar and rubbed in peperoncino/chili powder (<a href="http://www.sausagedebauchery.com/products/?category=Peperoncini%20Products">Calabrian</a> please! Cayenne is not an acceptable substitute!)<br />
I’m guessing the rinsing in vinegar is an old world remnant when it was done to make sure the meat surface was as “clean” from bacteria as possible before entering its long drying phase. Now days I think it’s just done as part of tradition as i can’t imagine a rinse in vinegar could impart that much flavor. <br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 542px;"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vN3tQTCHmdg/TxsWQPyFDfI/AAAAAAAAC5M/uj84gXmgVdc/s1600-h/IMG_3584%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_3584" border="0" height="205" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bxbi_00gBiE/TxsWQctyS6I/AAAAAAAAC5U/5UaVp2xIKeU/IMG_3584_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="IMG_3584" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">Nice whole coppa muscle. Big one too, 2688g! Didn’t do much trimming to this</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-J_PHuliPJsA/TxsWQ6LED-I/AAAAAAAAC5c/C0-E7yPxj7c/s1600-h/IMG_3586%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_3586" border="0" height="202" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UvmZ1IV6VTY/TxsWRDn0zpI/AAAAAAAAC5k/DlG0ZBrdzHM/IMG_3586_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="IMG_3586" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">Salt, cure and that’s it. I’ve been putting stuff to salt cure in vacuum bags. I like how it keeps everything clean, no leaks and makes sure all the salt is in contact with the meat during the cure.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tNLfUXjrnsk/TxsWRfQKvKI/AAAAAAAAC5s/ObQcBoo1fpg/s1600-h/20110712-IMG_4341%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110712-IMG_4341" border="0" height="181" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ExdTU61WYvY/TxsWRu9z7RI/AAAAAAAAC5w/cAD6aCZsg6A/20110712-IMG_4341_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110712-IMG_4341" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">After cure. Meat looks pretty similar. Rinsed and dried.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sccyj9L64K0/TxsWSX76P9I/AAAAAAAAC58/v-yo2zVTWhU/s1600-h/20110712-IMG_4343%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110712-IMG_4343" border="0" height="205" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tjm_KW8nK40/TxsWSiHentI/AAAAAAAAC6E/vs_wROghiQ8/20110712-IMG_4343_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110712-IMG_4343" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">Vinegar rinse and then heavily rubbed with Calabrian peperoncino.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rKTH9EXTf9Q/TxsWTByRMmI/AAAAAAAAC6M/Iq_DTnIQKNk/s1600-h/20110712-IMG_4345%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110712-IMG_4345" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-afiIdnazsyc/TxsWTdU8GNI/AAAAAAAAC6U/1bHIqdEIfHY/20110712-IMG_4345_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110712-IMG_4345" width="265" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">The muscle is cased in “pelle di sugna”, which is a casing made from the lining of the inner walls of the pig organ cavity. <br />
You can’t get it here, as far as i know. I don’t even know the name for it in English. <br />
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I suggest a beef bung as a substitution.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FglKRfFjefw/TxsWULuRUZI/AAAAAAAAC6g/A-_XrexZMVk/s1600-h/20110712-IMG_4348%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110712-IMG_4348" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GKRQtikKmGQ/TxsWU0XSHaI/AAAAAAAAC6o/KOXPpNK9ecQ/20110712-IMG_4348_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110712-IMG_4348" width="223" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">Tied and ready for the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/08/key-equipment-piece-4-fermentation-box.html">fermentation box</a> for 48 hours at 75 deg F.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8WtVZlWehzQ/TxsWWh4FYuI/AAAAAAAAC6w/JTqFJMcbVqo/s1600-h/20120121-IMG_6741%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120121-IMG_6741" border="0" height="216" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-s55nmTWOvnM/TxsWW494mvI/AAAAAAAAC64/csrrpij9yuM/20120121-IMG_6741_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120121-IMG_6741" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">A quick 3.5 months in teh <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a> and the capocollo had lost about 45% of its weight. <br />
The chamber was running around 75% RH at 55 deg. F.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="298"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ucl5_82cu2Q/TxsWXS3YtWI/AAAAAAAAC7A/g7smFdvNfBs/s1600-h/20120121-IMG_6737%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20120121-IMG_6737" border="0" height="231" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-F6CWHcSpzRg/TxsWXoJT7wI/AAAAAAAAC7I/MPwT3dWCqP4/20120121-IMG_6737_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20120121-IMG_6737" width="332" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="242">Sliced thin, it’s delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The capocollo is deeeeelicious! It’s a little salty, so I think iIll lower the salt content next time. The peperoncino is barely detectable. I would like it a little spicier. I think I’ll try curing it with peperoncino as well as rubbing it before casing, see if i get a little more heat.Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-19001736216053686922011-11-27T15:29:00.006-05:002013-11-11T11:03:54.861-05:00Prosciutto Cotto / Spalla Cotta<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wMCFLIw7Ctc/TtKdhBEaA4I/AAAAAAAACwU/OUM1QNnvkqw/s1600-h/20110830IMG_48902.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110830-IMG_4890" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GxLCZhnAE-E/TtKdhiHDV5I/AAAAAAAACwc/lTZqFHW82hw/20110830IMG_4890_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110830-IMG_4890" width="332" /></a><br />
Prosciutto cotto is just an Italian cooked ham. Not really all that different from good American cooked hams, except maybe for the spicing. Technically, what I made here wasn’t a prosciutto cotto, as I didn’t use a prosciutto, I used a “spalla” or shoulder. No matter, this same method applies to both. I used a shoulder because that’s what was available at the market, and because a whole cooked deboned ham would have been a little unwieldy.<br />
<a name='more'></a>The method I used was developed by a fellow on <a href="http://forum.sausagemaking.org/viewtopic.php?t=3336&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=combination+cure">Sausagemaking.org</a> which involved pumping the meat with 10% of its weight with a brine and also adding a surface rub. The spices I used came from <a href="http://blog.frazionesantanna.com/?p=80">another fellow with a bed and breakfast in Italy</a>. I modified the quantities I used to more suit my tastes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BBo3U4HQtDg/TtKonHDkgpI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/IyFKGZHfWfU/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-11-27+at+4.15.14+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BBo3U4HQtDg/TtKonHDkgpI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/IyFKGZHfWfU/s400/Screen+shot+2011-11-27+at+4.15.14+PM.jpg" width="431" /></a></div><br />
<img align="left" alt="Screen shot 2011-11-27 at 3.09.50 PM" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9cWiwFwMHfc/TtKdiwADtII/AAAAAAAACws/5LoamEYn2TQ/Screen%252520shot%2525202011-11-27%252520at%2525203.09.50%252520PM%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="Screen shot 2011-11-27 at 3.09.50 PM" width="332" /><br />
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The reason I chose to both inject and rub was to make sure that the whole muscle reached salt and cure equilibrium quickly. It’s also a way to make sure that there are no uncured spots where the meat might be touching the bag or other surfaces as it floats in a brine.<br />
If you run the numbers I've listed above, using the brine at 10% of the meat weight, and the amount of rub listed above for each kilo of meat, you end up with a product with 155PPM of nitrites (Thanks to reader Yeo for catching my error, previously listing the PPM at 175), 3% salt and 1.6% sugar.<br />
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The formula for calculating the PPM of added product in a pumped item is:<br />
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<b>((grams of ingredient) * % pump * 1000000) / grams of pickle = PPM</b><br />
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Using that formula correctly the PPM of nitrite added to the ham is in fact about 72.<br />
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((14.53g cure #1 * 6.25% nitrite in cure)) * 10% pump * 1000000) / 1250 (pickle weight including water, salt, sugar, cure) = 72<br />
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The calculation for the PPM added by the dry rub is as follows:<br />
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<b>((grams of cure mix)*(% nitrite in mix)*1000000 / weight of meat) = PPM</b><br />
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I would not include the additional 10% pumped in the weight of the meat, so the PPM added by the dry cure would be (1.34*6.25%*1000000)/1000 = 84PPM<br />
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That would give a total of 84+72 = 155PPM nitrite.<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 551px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LNtHpn2EX-0/TtKdjUbB62I/AAAAAAAACw0/zXSJW172xqg/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4836%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4836" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iOhU9A74MKw/TtKdj56GHsI/AAAAAAAACw8/swuJ2wU7t98/20110821-IMG_4836_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4836" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">Here is the brine “tea” I made. I heated 1 liter of water, added the salt, sugar and cure, then the spices, brought it to a simmer, turned it off and left it covered for the spices to steep. It was then filtered and used for injection.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ONwVx5sntKM/TtKdklve8HI/AAAAAAAACxE/OnJ2r-GX0CM/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4837%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4837" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Y3G4AEV4KG8/TtKdlDW0nTI/AAAAAAAACxM/JbKGNo6TTrM/20110821-IMG_4837_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4837" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">I started with a whole picnic shoulder. You can see I like to lay out my cutting path with toothpicks. I poke toothpicks following the bone, so I know the general area where to cut.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-trLn9j4CGNU/TtKdljfvzsI/AAAAAAAACxU/0IJqm837ONE/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4838%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4838" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uWyeerWA8YQ/TtKdmGW7bEI/AAAAAAAACxc/l8jFgzWQkxs/20110821-IMG_4838_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4838" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">The leg split open and bone removed.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yqzqxAOvhQU/TtKdmcrzXsI/AAAAAAAACxk/s3_DhSXuUfU/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4842%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4842" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8lAMUkXiRp8/TtKdm_sc_9I/AAAAAAAACxs/54a-XUrh-C0/20110821-IMG_4842_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4842" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">The leg flipped over. I cut off the ankle piece to give it a more even thickness and width.</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DqAEuN6-g-M/TtKdnNicm5I/AAAAAAAACx0/-cW_ruIzRek/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4843%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4843" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ABLb4Rhz8yw/TtKdnhyy1EI/AAAAAAAACx8/awC3fRMeHLE/20110821-IMG_4843_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4843" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">Front side of the deboned leg. Leave the skin on there!</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-koGZxTi8wfM/TtKdoE5z7yI/AAAAAAAACyE/Nn9_Pz1ngAY/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4844%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4844" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EA8G88NYxao/TtKdoo08BFI/AAAAAAAACyM/-BDyXIOsG6Y/20110821-IMG_4844_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4844" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">I injected 10% of the deboned leg weight with the brine tea from above. I did this on a plate so I could collect any brine that squirted out and put it in the bag with the leg. I then rubbed the dry rub all over the meat surface as well as a little on the skin. <br />
I then put it in a vacuum bag and took out most of the air and sealed.</td> </tr>
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</td> <td valign="top" width="349">Traditionally prosciutto cotto is cooked in metal pots which have spring loaded tops to keep the ham compressed as they’re cooked in the oven, taking on a nice “hamly” shape. Since I didn’t have one of those pans, I tied the leg up super tight instead……..</td> </tr>
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Rk99-I2Qyr0/TtKdsfkukcI/AAAAAAAACzU/D9PneJ0qCe8/s1600-h/20110830-IMG_4887%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110830-IMG_4887" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Xlc5rfbWhLw/TtKdsud5aBI/AAAAAAAACzc/EAH5JJfHtgE/20110830-IMG_4887_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110830-IMG_4887" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">9 hours later, and an overnight stay in the fridge to let everything set up and the product is ready!</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kOMUlZMZCTQ/TtKdtNtQs-I/AAAAAAAACzg/UITfXPIqaOE/s1600-h/20110830-IMG_4890%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110830-IMG_4890" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-a63aN6tfsRo/TtKdtUuovbI/AAAAAAAACzs/5Kqrq91uZy8/20110830-IMG_4890_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110830-IMG_4890" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="349">Here’s the spalla cotta! It’s quite a bit fattier than a prosciutto cotto as there is more fat in the shoulder than the ham. It’s nice to see no uncured areas.</td> </tr>
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</tbody></table>This is a definite winner. I’d make this again in a minute, and in fact I will for sure. I’ll vary up the spices a little even though it’s pretty perfect as it is!Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-36800044260097849912011-11-25T16:27:00.001-05:002011-11-25T16:27:37.766-05:00Salam D’La Duja - Tasting<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xmi0WvtFSsE/TtAIQ2c_1-I/AAAAAAAACvk/r0suH_HxjcY/s1600-h/20111112-IMG_6001%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20111112-IMG_6001" border="0" alt="20111112-IMG_6001" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VjdotMshqAk/TtAIQ4-RyOI/AAAAAAAACvs/GU7SX9wvTlw/20111112-IMG_6001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a> </p> <p>The <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/01/salam-dla-duja.html">Salam D’la Duja</a> has been ready for a little while now, but I haven’t had a chance to post about it. The one pictured here on the left is about 10 months old. I tried some at 4 months and the flavor is pretty similar. This one might be a little more intense.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <a name='more'></a> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="564"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mocJHn6B4-A/TtAIRSfn0FI/AAAAAAAACv0/ZI8VkXP5Ka8/s1600-h/20111112-IMG_5995%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20111112-IMG_5995" border="0" alt="20111112-IMG_5995" align="left" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mrRA58-yX8A/TtAIRj9b3cI/AAAAAAAACv8/PzUg7BswycA/20111112-IMG_5995_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="362">Here is my tub of lard. There are more salamini under there, buried in their fat tomb.</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M5D-vxWVlBk/TtAIR7TbeHI/AAAAAAAACwE/t6Iqvek3D08/s1600-h/20111112-IMG_5998%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20111112-IMG_5998" border="0" alt="20111112-IMG_5998" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PHEifvMMSME/TtAISCuAPaI/AAAAAAAACwM/JFN0MhF0hBY/20111112-IMG_5998_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="362">The 10 month old salame extracted and wiped off a little. It’s still very soft obviously as it doesn’t really lose any moisture during its aging time in the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a>. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xmi0WvtFSsE/TtAIQ2c_1-I/AAAAAAAACvk/r0suH_HxjcY/s1600-h/20111112-IMG_6001%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="20111112-IMG_6001" border="0" alt="20111112-IMG_6001" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VjdotMshqAk/TtAIQ4-RyOI/AAAAAAAACvs/GU7SX9wvTlw/20111112-IMG_6001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="362">And here is the salame sliced. It’s very soft. It feels pretty much like raw meat. I must admit it is very disconcerting eating a salame that hasn’t lost any moisture. It’s texture is soft, it’s not really spreadable as the acidification has bound up the meat. Imaging eating a beef tartare and that’s about the texture. <br />The flavor is, surprisingly, incredibly mild. Slight sourness from the fermentation and a faint meaty flavor, but not much else.</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p></p> <p></p> <p>I’m glad I made this singular salame as I always have fun trying new stuff, but to be perfectly honest, I don’t know that I care to make them again, they just aren’t to my taste I guess. The texture is disconcerting and the flavor too mild. Maybe if I used a super high quality pastured pork the flavor would be better.</p> Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-81719499376859719802011-09-18T22:48:00.001-04:002011-09-18T22:49:56.583-04:00Boccia al Finocchio – Tasting<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NMnr2yyR0VE/TnatcUetkoI/AAAAAAAACtM/K-0nUn9r8K8/s1600-h/IMG_3497%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_3497" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ciQNCDVTkm8/TnatcpOMnvI/AAAAAAAACtQ/igZa7KfmfbY/IMG_3497_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="IMG_3497" width="227" /></a> <br />
The <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/03/la-boccia-al-finocchio.html">boccia al finocchio</a> has been ready for a while, but I’m just not getting around to writing about it.<br />
I apparently forgot to take notes on timing so I can’t say how long it stayed in the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a>, nor how much loss there was when I took it out! I’m assuming it was 2 or so months and about 35% loss.<br />
Either way, I’ve been enjoying it quite a lot!<br />
It’s got GREAT flavor, but the fennel is not strong enough, in fact, I can barely taste it. It could easily use twice as much next time.<br />
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<tr><td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GDpuHfIL6zQ/TnatdXJyFkI/AAAAAAAACtU/3CVZOZGbbIw/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4829%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4829" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_uzaC0hdZS0/Tnatd5ICenI/AAAAAAAACtY/xqYX-PGFcoI/20110821-IMG_4829_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4829" width="246" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="345">Picture of the sliced boccia. I’m surprised I was able to pack the meat into the bladder well enough to avoid air pockets. There are some small ones, but they’re pretty minor really.</td></tr>
<tr><td valign="top" width="200"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nno1cUbtUh8/TnatfP7BkqI/AAAAAAAACtc/qLaAK3ImZQE/s1600-h/20110821-IMG_4835%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4835" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fn4imT1bbbs/TnatfZSLVgI/AAAAAAAACtg/LtnqIqNLDXQ/20110821-IMG_4835_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4835" width="223" /></a> </td><td valign="top" width="345">Nice thin slice. Plain or on a sandwich this stuff is fantastic. Fat content is right on, salt is nice, but fennel is way too low. <br />
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Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-3858611012327119782011-08-25T22:08:00.005-04:002011-08-25T22:16:47.963-04:00Fiocco – Ready to eat<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0K2108ocLWg/TlcAJofbSRI/AAAAAAAACsI/eUY-Itq2Liw/s1600-h/IMG_34945.jpg"><img align="left" alt="IMG_3494" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tb-ga6QDy0g/TlcAKGFAKEI/AAAAAAAACsM/pM8ydJd_UVM/IMG_3494_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="IMG_3494" width="223" /></a> <br />
The poor brother of the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">Culatello</a> is ready! As described in the Culatello post, the Fiocco is made from the small muscle of the hog leg. It’s cured in the exact same way as the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2011/02/culatello-king-of-cured-meats.html">Culatello</a> is, but because its quite a bit smaller it takes a lot less to dry.<br />
This piece was in the <a href="http://curedmeats.blogspot.com/2007/07/key-equipment-piece-3-curing-chamber.html">curing chamber</a> for 4 months and lost about 40-42% of it’s weight.<br />
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Let's look at some interior pictures, shall we? <br />
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="352"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hZE-LDXAIig/TlcAK2JGscI/AAAAAAAACsQ/5LsZpw7YYBE/s1600-h/20110821IMG_48274.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4827" border="0" height="223" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mSwybeO_Nvo/TlcALPEIGpI/AAAAAAAACsU/Ork5eDquMwM/20110821IMG_4827_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline;" title="20110821-IMG_4827" width="332" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="210">The fiocco as a whole is nicely firm but not dry in any way. The slices are very supple and soft. The color is beautiful as you can see in this picture. <br />
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<tr> <td valign="top" width="356"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4wLr4F10Nn0/TlcALs32C-I/AAAAAAAACsY/wOnUruWLId0/s1600-h/20110821IMG_48232.jpg"><img align="left" alt="20110821-IMG_4823" border="0" height="332" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9JBbwlS-1Ek/TlcAMMCRxZI/AAAAAAAACsc/ii6ig-Ea5j8/20110821IMG_4823_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" title="20110821-IMG_4823" width="223" /></a> </td> <td valign="top" width="207"><br />
You can see in this picture there is a small air pocket which is where the muscle was folded over itself before it was cured. I’m not sure if I cut the muscle incorrectly or if i just didn’t tie it up tightly enough. <br />
Either way, the air pocket, fortunately, did not seem to cause a problem. </td> </tr>
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Overall, I’m quite pleased. One interesting thing i noticed is that when i first cut into it the flavor was VERY mild, almost boring really. I wrapped it and put it in the fridge for sort of forgot about it for a couple weeks. When I tried it again it was MUCH better. The flavor had intensified and become much more pronounced. I can’t explain it. Funny thing is, <a href="http://sausagedebauchery.blogspot.com/2011/06/fioccofiochetto-byproduct-of-culatello.html">Scott at Sausage Debauchery</a> experienced the same thing!<br />
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Sliced thin it has a nice flavor. It’s a little prosciutto-like, but clearly recognizable as something else. It has a pleasant “funk” to it which I THINK is attributable to it being cased in a beef bung and molded, but I’m not certain.<br />
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I have a feeling this is a product in particular where the quality of the pork would make a detectible flavor difference. I used a commercial ham as I wanted to learn how to butcher it before spending a lot more on a pasture raised pig. The very simple curing (just salt really) really would allow the pork to shine on its own as there are no strong flavors or spices to cover up the pork flavor. I think the extra intramuscular fat on pastured pigs would make the texture even better.<br />
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It’s a good meat for sandwiches, for sure, and I'll enjoy eating it. I am looking forward to the Culatello to see if the extra 6+ months of aging develop more flavor.Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9190984942207410953.post-36809168353397583572011-07-28T07:23:00.000-04:002011-07-28T07:23:15.071-04:00For anyone is still reading....I've been busy, really busy. I acutally have a couple things I need to post about, I just have to find some time to do it. One of them is quite interesting, so stick around if you're still there!Jasonmolinarihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053725760642707017noreply@blogger.com27