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charliebravo77 posted:Shot a couple antelope back in October, finally got around to trying to make some sausage. I winged the recipe, I guess it's merguez inspired, heavy on garlic, hot smoked paprika, shallot, red pepper flake, coriander. Smoked them today to take to a party tonight. Grainy textures can come from the meat being torn instead of cut by the grinder blades. Did you end up with a lot of pink muck jamming up the grinder? Before you grind, cube up your meat and place it on a sheet pan in the freezer for about 20 minutes. The partially frozen meat will easier to grind and have a better texture. I would recommend Rytek Kutas' book over Charcuterie for smoked and cured sausage. It's a dead horse, but Ruhlman has some bad math in his book and isn't very concerned about food safety.
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Jan 1, 2015 23:16
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Also, really spend the time cleaning and trimming the meat before you grind. It only takes a few minutes longer and it will help keep the blades clear of jams, which will help the 'cut-don't-tear' aspect. The first time I did my own sausage grind, I barely bothered to get it down to just meat and fat. Big mistake. Not only was any time I saved not trimming lost on time spent clearing out the grinder, sausages were so grainy they were nearly inedible. Thankfully it was a small batch.
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Jan 2, 2015 21:05
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Tripped over this thread a couple weeks ago, and finally managed to stop by a market on the way home from work last night that has pork belly. Now there's five pounds of it bagged and curing in my fridge. I went with the basic Ruhlman recipe in the OP; I'm already thinking of doing a curry cure next time, and maybe making rillets. Eventually I want to start hanging things that'll be good to take camping and don't need refrigeration. Anyway, I'll end up heating the bacon-to-be in my oven next week. My housemate inherited a small charcoal smoker from a coworker, but I've never used it before and truth be told, this isn't the time of year I want to spend all afternoon dickering around outside with it for the first time.
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Jan 6, 2015 20:51
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I went to Zingermans the other day and picked up a ton of cured meats, pate, and cheese for an upcoming lambic tasting - anybody have any recommendations for a nice quality picnic/table knife of some sort?
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Jan 12, 2015 01:09
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Hey guys, check your meat grinders, Kitchener 10 and 32 pound manual grinders have been recalled for creating metal shavings. http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2015/43185r-eng.php
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Jan 14, 2015 18:06
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I was curing some bacon before becoming ill and forgetting about it. I've had to throw it away after about 2 weeks in the cure since it was a pretty horrible shade of green in places. Any reason that it went off by staying in the cure when it would likely have been fine otherwise?
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Jan 20, 2015 22:55
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Was it a metallic shade of green? If it was, it could just be an oxidization reaction with the myoglobin in the meat. Same thing happens if you sous vide a piece of beef before searing it. The other (more likely) problem was it just simply went rancid. Maybe too much air in the bag?
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Jan 20, 2015 23:22
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holttho posted:Was it a metallic shade of green? If it was, it could just be an oxidization reaction with the myoglobin in the meat. Same thing happens if you sous vide a piece of beef before searing it. Is this why Roast Beef looks rainbow sometimes?
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Jan 20, 2015 23:22
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I rinsed my whole ham for equalization yesterday and it had some greenish brown spots. Didn't smell off though so I'm just trudging along with the original plan.
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Jan 20, 2015 23:24
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holttho posted:Was it a metallic shade of green? If it was, it could just be an oxidization reaction with the myoglobin in the meat. Same thing happens if you sous vide a piece of beef before searing it. It smelled really, really bad so I tossed it. I pushed the air out the bag but wasn't particularly careful about it since its never been an issue before
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Jan 20, 2015 23:29
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goodness posted:Is this why Roast Beef looks rainbow sometimes? Yea, and it's perfectly safe. If you just sear it, no one will ever know it was there. It has virtually no flavor or texture difference. Jose posted:It smelled really, really bad so I tossed it. I pushed the air out the bag but wasn't particularly careful about it since its never been an issue before Probably just went rancid. Less air next time will definitely help.
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Jan 20, 2015 23:30
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goodness posted:Is this why Roast Beef looks rainbow sometimes? The iridescent color is due to "structural color", where the microscopic structure of the material causes only certain wavelengths to bounce back to the viewer. I thought it was bad until just recently when my friend studying material science told me about it while trying to explain the structural color based inks he is working on.
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Jan 21, 2015 00:21
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holttho posted:Probably just went rancid. Less air next time will definitely help. When doing the bacon from the OP, should I use a vacuum sealer for best results? I made it years ago and it didn't stir my loins but I want to give it my best shot again. Back when I did it I don't think I even though of squeezing the bag completely.
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Jan 21, 2015 21:58
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I always get the air out not so much for the lack of air, but rather so the liquid that will come out of the meat will submerge the whole thing. Since the belly is an agricultural product and also how long has it been exposed to the drying effects of air at the processing facility/shop, the amount of liquid that comes out isn't always the same from batch to batch. So if it is on the dry side and only gives up a few tablespoons of liquid, having less air in the bag will allow that small amount to totally encompass the whole belly. Vacuum sealing it would be fine, I usually just fill the sink up with water and do the submerge-seal method; which is ultimately the same thing, but I only have the Food-Saver vacuum thingy, not a chamber sealer. If you're doing the OP recipe, I would highly recommend doing some sort of smoke and not the oven. Even if it just putting out on a grill for an hour or so with some plain chunk charcoal. (only a tiny bit, you just want the smoke, not the heat) It will do worlds of good for it. Hell, even a glug of liquid smoke in the cure will be pretty good. The curing of a belly does not make bacon. It makes cured belly. It's the smoke makes the bacon. I did the oven-only way the first time and I was like you: unimpressed. But the next one I just threw on a barely firing charcoal grill and it was an eye-opener. And it only gets better from there. Also, don't feel forced to use belly. If it is prohibitively expensive or just simply unavailable, you can use shoulder. Farmers have been making cottage bacon out of shoulders since forever. Just slice it down to 1.5" slabs, cure and smoke as usual. Just make sure you get a good, fatty one. Too lean and it isn't as good.
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Jan 21, 2015 23:45
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I use pork loin because its on sale all the time and all the belly seems to have very little meat
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Jan 22, 2015 20:16
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Finally started some bacon from the pig I got from my little brothers. I cut a six-pound belly in half and did one with maple syrup, Maker's Mark, and a little black pepper. The other is red pepper, fresh garlic, bay leaf, cilantro, and tequila.
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Jan 26, 2015 06:03
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Martello posted:...The other is ....tequila. Why did you have to ruin a good thing? =(
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Jan 26, 2015 15:06
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Bone_Enterprise posted:Why did you have to ruin a good thing? I love drinking it so I figured it was worth the experiment.
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Jan 26, 2015 15:09
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 My first dabble into dried meats. Pancetta stesa with black pepper, juniper, nutmeg, sugar, salt, and Cure 2! It turned out very well and it tastes awesome. I have never had pancetta before, and I didn't feel like paying $25.00/lb for it
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Jan 29, 2015 05:11
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would
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Jan 29, 2015 07:34
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Most definitely
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Jan 29, 2015 14:19
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Found a butcher with 3.50/lb frozen pork belly 16/lb frozen duck breasts Good deal on the belly right? Idk about the duck as I have not bought it before.
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Jan 29, 2015 21:47
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goodness posted:Found a butcher with Duck doesn't seem special but buy all the belly he will sell you.
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Jan 29, 2015 21:49
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99 ranch market in Rowland Heights had belly for 2.99/lb a few weeks ago. I bought like 5 bellies lol They also routinely have "stewing ducks" for 1.69/lb
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Jan 29, 2015 21:51
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Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Duck doesn't seem special but buy all the belly he will sell you. I guess it should last a long time frozen. I may go back and grab 10-20lbs. tomorrow.
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Jan 30, 2015 03:19
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Bone_Enterprise posted:Why did you have to ruin a good thing? Tequila bacon turned out delicious, even my wife approved and she hates tequila. The bourbon bacon, apparently I went a little heavy on the bourbon though I didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
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Feb 3, 2015 02:42
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If anyone is in the central Texas area I am more than willing to sell you guys bellies from my restaurant. I buy cases at a time now so I can get them for about 2.20/lbs right now. I don't mind trimming one down to the size you need and selling it by the pound to any goon that wants to come and get it. I have 80 lbs in my freezer right now.
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Feb 3, 2015 06:42
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Errant Gin Monks posted:If anyone is in the central Texas area I am more than willing to sell you guys bellies from my restaurant. I buy cases at a time now so I can get them for about 2.20/lbs right now. Are you in Austin? This is the most exciting thing that I've ever heard.
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Feb 4, 2015 02:41
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I am also in Austin, and in desperate need of more belly in my life (that isn't $8.99/lb at Salt and Time).
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Feb 4, 2015 02:44
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Im in San Antonio guys.
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Feb 4, 2015 04:43
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Martello posted:Tequila bacon turned out delicious, even my wife approved and she hates tequila. The bourbon bacon, apparently I went a little heavy on the bourbon though I didn't think there was anything wrong with it. I am in that tequila hate zone, so as long as you could not taste said tequila I would like it as well....possibly.
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Feb 4, 2015 05:37
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Doom Rooster posted:I am also in Austin, and in desperate need of more belly in my life (that isn't $8.99/lb at Salt and Time). Austin East Side: Every penny we don't spend on rent we spend on food.
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Feb 4, 2015 07:29
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A Rambling Vagrant posted:Austin East Side: Every penny we don't spend on rent we spend on food. And bike accessories. Don't forget the bike accessories. Errant Gin Monks, I may definitely be willing to drive all the way down there and back for belly at that price. Thank you very much for the offer. I'll let you know. VVVVVV I'll check that out. Thanks for the tip. Doom Rooster fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 16:33
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Doom Rooster posted:I am also in Austin, and in desperate need of more belly in my life (that isn't $8.99/lb at Salt and Time). Try Longhorn Meat Co. on East MLK Its a no nonsense butcher that I've been going to for years. Or if you really want to go right for the source J&J Packing Company http://pork2go.com/index/ They sell to the public and have great pork prices. Gegil fucked around with this message at 16:38 on Feb 4, 2015 |
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Feb 4, 2015 16:34
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feelz good man posted:
 This is pretty fantastic.
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Feb 7, 2015 16:46
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Can anyone give me a recommendation for a goon-approved meat grinder? I'll be using it for general grind purposes, but would love to be able to stuff sausage as well. Preferably something in the sub-$100 price range and available on Amazon (gift cards!) All the varieties I've looked at have had mostly good reviews, but then a small spatter of really bad reviews, so I'm reticent to choose.
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Feb 11, 2015 08:44
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It depends on what you want, the big factor is if you want manual or electric. I went with a manual because it was cheaper, easier to clean, and all the parts are universal. The downside of course is having to turn that crank and you need a bench to bolt it to. (Because of this, we grind our meat in a dirty, dark basement like some kind of prison movie.  ) An electric model is easier, but more difficult to clean every nook and cranny, and you may need to stick to brand/model specific plates and parts.If you want to stuff sausage, you'll need a verticle stuffer. A lot of grinders advertise as being dual purpose, but they are garbage at stuffing compared to a verticle stuffer. You just end up with way to many air pockets and an inconsistent "flow."
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Feb 11, 2015 18:05
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I was thinking manual. http://youtu.be/GQ1J0UNQwI0
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Feb 11, 2015 19:04
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Unctuous Cretin posted:Can anyone give me a recommendation for a goon-approved meat grinder? I'll be using it for general grind purposes, but would love to be able to stuff sausage as well.
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Feb 12, 2015 03:11
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feelz good man posted:I use the kitchenaid one. I almost guarantee every bad review about it is caused by people not chilling their meat properly before grinding. I got mine used and I love it. Don't forget to chill/freeze the grinder parts too.
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Feb 12, 2015 07:20
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