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I haven't tried doing a wet cure with booze before but what I have done is use a bourbon syrup. While I dont think I would have noticed if I used it or not, you could try it with a little bit more bourbon than what I used. I made a simple syrup where I substituted water with bourbon. Equal parts bourbon to sugar then i added a bit of maple syrup when it was almost done to help thicken it (or I hoped it would). This would substitute the sugar you'd be adding to the belly during the cure. Give it a shot?
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Dec 20, 2013 18:18
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lifts cats over head posted:I'm toying with doing a whiskey/bourbon bacon this weekend. I'm thinking of using Ruhlman's basic dry cure plus some dark brown sugar and maybe some honey. For the whiskey flavor I think I'll marinade the belly in whiskey before hand. Does the alcohol pose any harm or additional challenge to the process? I'm prepared to cook the alcohol out of the whiskey if needed. I haven't ever marinaded in alcohol beforehand, but I have cured bacon with a decent slug of bourbon in the Ziploc (maybe 1/4 cup) for a five pound piece of pork belly and it turned out great, though I couldn't really taste any bourbon flavor. Smaller amounts of alcohol definitely don't cause problems in my experience, almost every batch of maple or molasses bacon I cure has a few tablespoons of vanilla extract in it.
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Dec 20, 2013 22:16
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Would premature denaturing of proteins in a high-alcohol brine at all be a problem? I have two questions: Tomorrow my meat will have been on cure for 7 days but my cheesecloths has not yet arrived. I don't want to buy it twice, so can I just leave the meat on cure an extra week or do I need to get it rinsed off as soon as it feel firm? Also, how big of a deal is temperature for hanging meat? I read ideally I would want between 50-60 degrees F. My window sill is around 68 most of the time, and if I mess around with opening and closing the window (cheesecloth duct taped o'er it of course), I can modulate it down usually into the right range. Is temperature really that big a deal so long as the moisture content is low enough? They need all of FATTOM to grow, not just most, yeah? I just figured I could toss a tension bar in my sill with a drip-pan under it. I really don't want to make room in my garage fridge. I thought about my shed, but it's full of spiders.
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Dec 20, 2013 22:38
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lifts cats over head posted:I'm toying with doing a whiskey/bourbon bacon this weekend. I'm thinking of using Ruhlman's basic dry cure plus some dark brown sugar and maybe some honey. For the whiskey flavor I think I'll marinade the belly in whiskey before hand. Does the alcohol pose any harm or additional challenge to the process? I'm prepared to cook the alcohol out of the whiskey if needed. I actually have a maple whiskey bacon that is curing right now. I just mixed whiskey with maple syrup and added it to the basic cure. I hope it comes out alright.
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Dec 20, 2013 23:55
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Can anyone recommend a good monthly charcuterie club?
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Dec 21, 2013 00:08
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I just pulled a slab of belly out of the fridge after a week in the Ruhlman cure, bacon time. I'm getting ready to pop it in the oven for a couple hours, per instructions and I noticed the skin has a greenish cast in a couple spots. The meat looks fine, there's no odor, it doesn't feel slimy. Just a couple color patches. Trouble? Or just slice it off?
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Dec 22, 2013 01:29
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CaptainCrunch posted:I just pulled a slab of belly out of the fridge after a week in the Ruhlman cure, bacon time. I'm getting ready to pop it in the oven for a couple hours, per instructions and I noticed the skin has a greenish cast in a couple spots. The meat looks fine, there's no odor, it doesn't feel slimy. Just a couple color patches. No smell, no slime, you're good to go. http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2012/05/mystery-green-bacon-solved
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Dec 22, 2013 02:18
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Awesome! Thank you very much!
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Dec 22, 2013 02:30
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Anyone got a good source of supply for pork belly in Houston?
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Dec 22, 2013 04:28
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nwin posted:Anyone got a good source of supply for pork belly in Houston? 901 Bagby St?
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Dec 22, 2013 04:41
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Stringent posted:901 Bagby St? But thats, city hall apparently?
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Dec 22, 2013 04:43
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Nine days ago was Cure Day:  So out came my mise and I got straight to work.  I cured them, bagged them up, and deairified them best I could, and double baged them:   Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand done.  All told that's 5 lbs of bacon, two pork loins, 4 pork chops, 4 hunks of beef, and a leg of lamb split in two. Nine days ago being Cure Day, Yesterday was Smoke Day. First the pork:  Then the beef and lamb:  Hey, that beef is looking pretty good:  The lamb's none too shabby either:  Hey, let's get this poo poo hangin':   Only problem now is my fridge is full of meat. 
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Dec 22, 2013 15:16
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lifts cats over head posted:I'm toying with doing a whiskey/bourbon bacon this weekend. I'm thinking of using Ruhlman's basic dry cure plus some dark brown sugar and maybe some honey. For the whiskey flavor I think I'll marinade the belly in whiskey before hand. Does the alcohol pose any harm or additional challenge to the process? I'm prepared to cook the alcohol out of the whiskey if needed. My attempt at whisky and brown sugar bacon came out kinda gross in a "low grade ham" way but I haven't figured out what happened.
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Dec 22, 2013 17:36
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I ended up doing Ruhlman's cure, about 1/2 cup of whiskey, 1/4 honey, and about 5 grams of cracked pepper for about 2.75 lb belly. We'll see in a week how it goes.
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Dec 22, 2013 20:41
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Tweek posted:Only problem now is my fridge is full of meat. This is a feature, not a bug.
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Dec 23, 2013 19:34
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Nicol Bolas posted:This is a feature, not a bug. I keep reminding myself that they used to do this poo poo in caves, because it's so crowded some of the meat brushes the walls of the fridge. Next time I do this, my base cure is getting more sugar. Everything tastes slightly too strong of corning.
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Dec 23, 2013 21:30
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I am currently eating a half-toasted peanut butter and cured beef sandwhich. I feel like I'm somehow sinning, and I don't care. Seriously, jelly can go gently caress itself.
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Dec 24, 2013 04:20
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If you guys really want a whiskey bacon try a brine with a lot of whiskey and hot smoking the bacon. The texture comes out more like a canadian bacon but the flavor is pretty drat good. It will be more moist than dry cured bacon, but it never really mattered in the end after it is fried up. Just use Ruhlman's canadian bacon brine and substitute however much water for alcohol. I have gone as high as 2 cups before.
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Dec 24, 2013 16:51
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I sliced all my bacon up and the end pieces are super salty. I'm trying a couple of regular pieces. If it's still as salty, soak in cold water? Blanch? What's the best method?
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Dec 24, 2013 23:14
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gently caress that, make some beans.
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Dec 24, 2013 23:22
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Tweek posted:gently caress that, make some beans. I'm making some brussel sprouts with it tomorrow. I cooked a piece of it and it isn't as salty. I must've had some of the end pieces.
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Dec 24, 2013 23:43
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I've found it's great to just have meat hanging whenever I want it. I can age it to perfection, or decide I'd fancy some cured beef with my eggs I am having for breakfast for dinner. Seriously, cure a poo poo-ton of meat, people. To have the ability to add ready-to-go delicious smokey meat to any culinary undertaking at will. ...the power is exhilerating
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Dec 24, 2013 23:53
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goodness posted:Can anyone recommend a good monthly charcuterie club? I signed my girlfriend up for Olympic Provisons' club and she seems pretty happy with it so far...
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Dec 25, 2013 19:25
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lifts cats over head posted:I ended up doing Ruhlman's cure, about 1/2 cup of whiskey, 1/4 honey, and about 5 grams of cracked pepper for about 2.75 lb belly. We'll see in a week how it goes. I've been doing a variant of the basic cure + maple syrup, dark brown sugar, szechuan pepper (try it!) and a few tablespoons of rum. It's pretty fantastic.
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Dec 26, 2013 15:20
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I plan on making some bacon for the first time when I get back home to Arkansas. Can a one suggest another thing that is fun and easy to make for a beginner? Lardo, rilletes, prosciutto, etc?
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Dec 28, 2013 08:49
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duck prosciutto is quick and easy. Get duck breast, pack in salt for ~16hrs, cold smoke if you want, hang for 3-5 days, ready!
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Dec 28, 2013 08:54
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Ok, now I just need to figure out how to smoke things. Wonder if I can do it in an oven?
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Dec 28, 2013 12:16
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Is there an upper limit to how long I can leave meat hang so long as I stay vigilant for mold growth? I'm thinking leaving pancetta et al to February.
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Dec 28, 2013 14:52
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Just depends on how dry you want it. If it's dry enough, don't leave it longer.
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Dec 28, 2013 22:51
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How dry is too dry really if I plan to cut it so thin I can read through it and wrap it around cheese? They don't turn to bricks in the two months I intend to keep them up, surely. When they're where I want them, I can just vacuum seal and freeze, yes?
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Dec 29, 2013 00:27
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got a mini country ham curing. Anyone ever try tri tip bresaola? I wonder how it would be. It's got more fat than top round anyway, so maybe it would be better?
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Dec 31, 2013 02:12
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GrAviTy84 posted:got a mini country ham curing. Like Luxembourg Style or something?
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Dec 31, 2013 02:17
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Tweek posted:Like Luxembourg Style or something? it's a 4 lb chunk of bone in pork butt. Got it curing in salt/pink/sugar, ginger, coriander, arbol/california/ancho chiles, and dark rum. gonna cold smoke it for idkyet hours then hang it to dry in my garage. what is Luxembourg Style? this is what I mean https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_ham
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Dec 31, 2013 02:21
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GrAviTy84 posted:what is Luxembourg Style? You had said you had a mini-country ham on the cure.
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Dec 31, 2013 06:12
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Tweek posted:You had said you had a mini-country ham on the cure. o. welp. I get it now. 
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Dec 31, 2013 06:20
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GrAviTy84 posted:it's a 4 lb chunk of bone in pork butt. Got it curing in salt/pink/sugar, ginger, coriander, arbol/california/ancho chiles, and dark rum. According to the blog you mentioned on the hotchats (on phone, so I don't have it bookmarked) they claimed their ham cured for a year in just...whatever the gently caress temperature it happened to be, sub zero or 100+, and it still came out awesome. How long do you think you'll need to age your 4lb ham, and at what point do you think it would start getting those wonderful crystals? I have a spare room with a closet that I'm considering turning into a ham closet, because that's really the best closet.
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Dec 31, 2013 06:40
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My bacon came out pretty well this time. I did a christmas cure for one part using cloves, cinnamon and star anise to give it christmasy feel and this was delicious. I also got a stove top smoker for Christmas so I made something different. Potted duck from the Heston at Home book and that is absolutely amazing. Confited some duck legs in a water bath with a mix of juniper berries, star anise, cinnamon bay leaves and peppercorns. Smoked them over cherry for half an hour then shredded them into a jar, sealed with some of the run off fat from the confit. Really easy to make if you already confit duck legs and great to have in the fridge as an alternative to pate.
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Dec 31, 2013 10:57
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Tweek posted:How dry is too dry really if I plan to cut it so thin I can read through it and wrap it around cheese? They don't turn to bricks in the two months I intend to keep them up, surely. Yes they will turn into bricks if you hang them two extra months. What's your goal for hanging them longer? You can indeed vacuum seal and freeze, though I'd just seal em and keep in the fridge. I'm not sure what freezing will do to air dried salumi.
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Dec 31, 2013 20:45
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The extra two month ('til Groundhog's Day) would be just because that's when I have a dinner party planed. Leaving them hanging is just laziness, though judging by the panccetta I had two nights ago, I'll probably take it all down soon. I don't have any experience with cased sausages yet; everything I have hanging it whole muscle, if it makes a difference.
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Dec 31, 2013 20:53
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Tweek posted:I have a dinner party planed. Leaving them hanging is just laziness
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Jan 2, 2014 19:12
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SoroScrew