Charcuterie

[Angry Perch]

Squirrel hams are done. A little heavy on the salt, but pretty good!

[Skillet]

Dang man, this all looks most excellent.  I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between your cure and what I'd seen hanging in the shops in Italy. 
But, I would be more sure if I could taste it...

[Angry Perch]

First batch of venison landjaeger. 50/50 venison/ pork shoulder.
Pressed between 2 sheet pans in the fermentation box for 2 days, then will cold smoke and hang in the chamber for a couple weeks.

[Angry Perch]

Landjaeger was pressed and fermented for 2 days. Just went in my low budget cold smoker. Cardboard box with an A-maze-n pellet smoker. Will hang it in the curing chamber tonight.

 

[GBoyd]

Looking good! Your jerryrigged setups are inspiring. I think I've got room for one of those heat boxes in the living room...

[DoubleJ]

Venison bresaola just hit the target of 35% weight loss. Funky, herby, meaty, and so good.

I have my first ever batch of this hanging in the basement right now.  What was your recipe?  I don't know that I'm happy with mine.  Seemed like I was doing something wrong

[Angry Perch]

Venison bresaola just hit the target of 35% weight loss. Funky, herby, meaty, and so good.

I have my first ever batch of this hanging in the basement right now.  What was your recipe?  I don't know that I'm happy with mine.  Seemed like I was doing something wrong

I did 2 small pieces totaling 1135 grams. Here are measurements and percentages of total weight.

Kosher salt - 28g (2.5%)
Cure #2 - 3g (.25%)
Sugar - 25g (2.2%)
Black pepper - 6g (.5%)
Fresh rosemary - 6g (.5%)
Thyme (dry) - 1 Tbsp (don't know why I didn't weigh?)
Juniper berries - 5 (.05%)

Last 4 ingredients ground in spice grinder

Rub 1/2 of cure on meat. Seal in Ziploc for a week. Drain liquid (there was very little), and add second half of cure for another week. Rinse, dry and hang.

I pulled at about 35% weight loss, and it was great. But I hung it back up to dry longer, and it was better.

If it makes you feel any better, I've felt like I was doing something wrong for a couple months, and everything tastes great!

[DoubleJ]

Thank you.  Have you done a wine wash on anything yet?  On my venison bresaola, I rinsed the cure off with a cabernet.  The recipe I had said to do that because the wine will help flavor a little bit as well as act as a little bit of a mold deterrent.   I also wrapped mine in muslin before hanging.  I did 4lbs of meat total but there were 9 pieces so each one is about half a pound to start.  They are hanging in the basement now at about 45 degrees (I'd like a little warmer but....) and 80-83% humidity.  After 1 week of hanging, they will be moved to the garage to 50 degrees and 70% humidity to hang until they lose 40% of their weight.  I was told to start them in the higher humidity to avoid case hardening

[Angry Perch]

Thank you.  Have you done a wine wash on anything yet?  On my venison bresaola, I rinsed the cure off with a cabernet.  The recipe I had said to do that because the wine will help flavor a little bit as well as act as a little bit of a mold deterrent.   I also wrapped mine in muslin before hanging.  I did 4lbs of meat total but there were 9 pieces so each one is about half a pound to start.  They are hanging in the basement now at about 45 degrees (I'd like a little warmer but....) and 80-83% humidity.  After 1 week of hanging, they will be moved to the garage to 50 degrees and 70% humidity to hang until they lose 40% of their weight.  I was told to start them in the higher humidity to avoid case hardening

I rinsed one with cabernet, and vacuum packed it. I have yet to try that one. My chamber runs around 50-53F, and 75-80% humidity. (It spikes to 85% when I add new product, so I'm installing a dehumidifier with a separate controller). I did not wrap them in muslin, but it certainly wouldn't hurt, especially if it's in a common living area where there might be dust, bugs, etc. Sounds like you've got some sweet natural conditions at your place.

[DoubleJ]

Thank you.  Have you done a wine wash on anything yet?  On my venison bresaola, I rinsed the cure off with a cabernet.  The recipe I had said to do that because the wine will help flavor a little bit as well as act as a little bit of a mold deterrent.   I also wrapped mine in muslin before hanging.  I did 4lbs of meat total but there were 9 pieces so each one is about half a pound to start.  They are hanging in the basement now at about 45 degrees (I'd like a little warmer but....) and 80-83% humidity.  After 1 week of hanging, they will be moved to the garage to 50 degrees and 70% humidity to hang until they lose 40% of their weight.  I was told to start them in the higher humidity to avoid case hardening

I rinsed one with cabernet, and vacuum packed it. I have yet to try that one. My chamber runs around 50-53F, and 75-80% humidity. (It spikes to 85% when I add new product, so I'm installing a dehumidifier with a separate controller). I did not wrap them in muslin, but it certainly wouldn't hurt, especially if it's in a common living area where there might be dust, bugs, etc. Sounds like you've got some sweet natural conditions at your place.

In the winter time I do.  Summer, it never holds that much humidity

[DoubleJ]

Angry perch, help!

I set the cure on my pork loin a couple of days ago, vacuum sealed them, and put them in the fridge for what will be 2 weeks.  I checked them yesterday and, while the seal is still good and the bags are holding tight to the meat, it looks like a LOT of moisture has been pulled from the loin and is laying in the bag, with my spices/cure.  Should I open them up, re-spice/cure and put into new bags or just let them sit?  I'm worried they won't cure properly now but I'm worried about over salting/curing if I pull them and re-apply

[quadrafire]

Any cure with salt is going to draw out moisture. At least every thing I have cured has. My vote is just leave it

[sumpnz]

If you just leave it you'll be brining the meat.  That will make it saltier than if you pull it, drain in and add some more cure to the bag.  Salty liquid will transport more salt into the meat than a dry salt pack will.  If that's what you're after then leave it be.  Otherwise I'd drain it and reapply some additional salt mixture.

[Angry Perch]

Angry perch, help!

I set the cure on my pork loin a couple of days ago, vacuum sealed them, and put them in the fridge for what will be 2 weeks.  I checked them yesterday and, while the seal is still good and the bags are holding tight to the meat, it looks like a LOT of moisture has been pulled from the loin and is laying in the bag, with my spices/cure.  Should I open them up, re-spice/cure and put into new bags or just let them sit?  I'm worried they won't cure properly now but I'm worried about over salting/curing if I pull them and re-apply

Are you making Lonzino? Canadian bacon? Did you use an equilibrium cure (EQ) or pack it in salt? I am far from an expert, but I'd be inclined to do one of 2 things.

1) Let it ride.
2) If the piece is big enough, cut it in half, and let 1/2 ride as is, and re pack the other.

In my limited experience, I've found you can't take too may notes. I think the only real risk you run is over salting, as whole muscles are pretty safe. If you used an EQ cure, it's not possible to over salt. It could cure for 6 months.

[DoubleJ]

It's a pork loin with a capicola recipe.  I had loin.  I didn't have access to a shoulder to cut the colla from.

Per 1kg of meat

Salt 28gm
Cure #2 6gm
Sugar 2.5gm
pepper 8gm
paprika 8gm
garlic powder 1.5gm

rub and vacuum pack and place in fridge for 12-14 days
Remove and rinse with Cabernet until cure mixture is gone
Tie up pork until tight
completely cover with new paprika, use as much as it takes
Add Cayenne pepper to taste if desired
hang to dry until 40% weight loss