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Has anyone seen any deals on Weber Smokey Mountains lately? Amazon still has it at $330.
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Dec 1, 2011 16:35
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themummra posted:This thread has really inspired me to try my hand at this. I LOVE prosciutto, and I think first I will try making the duck prosciutto. To anyone that has made it, how was it? Very tasty, very rich. I probably should have let it cure a little longer, the meat was perfect but the skin was kinda squidgy. I'm to the point that I considered buying a deli slicer to better slice my meat. I don't have any room to do this, though.
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Dec 1, 2011 16:39
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I like turtles posted:I'm to the point that I considered buying a deli slicer to better slice my meat. I don't have any room to do this, though. If you have a mandoline, try using that. Just pop the duck breast in the freezer for a half hour to firm it up and you should be able to get thin, even slices.
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Dec 1, 2011 22:05
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I like turtles posted:I'm to the point that I considered buying a deli slicer to better slice my meat. I don't have any room to do this, though. The Deli at the grocery store will always slice my homecured meats for free, usually all you have to do is ask!
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Dec 4, 2011 19:41
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themummra posted:This thread has really inspired me to try my hand at this. I LOVE prosciutto, and I think first I will try making the duck prosciutto. To anyone that has made it, how was it? I was surprised at how well mine turned out. Just follow the advice and it's basically impossible to gently caress up. I will say that I thought the flavours in the cure would come out a lot more. My cure was loaded with orange peel but the final product doesn't even hint at it. It's still drat good stuff, though!
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Dec 5, 2011 08:27
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ok, I'm pissed off. I can't get my curing fridge (using a small wine fridge) to maintain good humidity. there's gotta be a small (no bigger than mason jar sized) humidity keeping device out there. how do I keep this poo poo humid? I've tried misting it daily with a starsan solution, leaving cheesecloth in front of a fan draped in to saltwater, etc etc. ugh. I just want a set and forget solution.
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Dec 6, 2011 04:54
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I haven't kept a solid track of what the humidity looks like in my curing fridge, but I just leave a cup of water uncovered in there when it seems dry.
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Dec 6, 2011 06:31
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I like turtles posted:I haven't kept a solid track of what the humidity looks like in my curing fridge, but I just leave a cup of water uncovered in there when it seems dry. I have a hygrometer. my wine fridge at 48-52degF has a humidity level of like 10-25% with no aid. uncovered water is like 20-30%. cheesecloth in front of fan draped in salt water is like 40-50%, as is misting once a day. nothing gets me up to the ~55-95% I want for cheese maturation and properly aging meats. I need like a mini humidifier, but my searches have been fruitless
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Dec 6, 2011 07:06
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mindphlux posted:I have a hygrometer. my wine fridge at 48-52degF has a humidity level of like 10-25% with no aid. uncovered water is like 20-30%. cheesecloth in front of fan draped in salt water is like 40-50%, as is misting once a day. nothing gets me up to the ~55-95% I want for cheese maturation and properly aging meats. I need like a mini humidifier, but my searches have been fruitless Cigar humidifier for use in a humidor?
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Dec 6, 2011 17:00
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mindphlux posted:I have a hygrometer. my wine fridge at 48-52degF has a humidity level of like 10-25% with no aid. uncovered water is like 20-30%. cheesecloth in front of fan draped in salt water is like 40-50%, as is misting once a day. nothing gets me up to the ~55-95% I want for cheese maturation and properly aging meats. I need like a mini humidifier, but my searches have been fruitless Maybe something like this http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16030902
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Dec 6, 2011 17:43
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The cigar humidifier is nice because you can specify desired humidity levels between 50% and 90% on the ~$80 models I was looking at.
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Dec 6, 2011 18:04
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I've got a ~3.5 lb piece of pork belly getting its pellicle on in the fridge right now, using the recipe in the OP. I'm worried now that I screwed it up. I made the whole recipe from the OP (for 5lbs) and threw it all in the bag with the belly.. is this going to be the saltiest bacon ever? Last night I soaked it in cold water for an hour after I rinsed it off.. Maybe I should do a test fry before bothering to smoke it?
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Dec 6, 2011 18:11
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Taste it before smoking (it is delicious), but it should be fine.
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Dec 6, 2011 18:19
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cobra_64 posted:Maybe something like this http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16030902 this looks good, except I need to be able to set the humidity level, and I'm really tight on vertical space (the wine fridge is a 8 bottle horizontal one) I like turtles posted:The cigar humidifier is nice because you can specify desired humidity levels between 50% and 90% on the ~$80 models I was looking at. yeah, that's a thought. I was hoping for cheaper, but I guess you can't have something that works well and is cheap as balls. I'll probably just pick up one of these.
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Dec 6, 2011 19:07
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This thread has inspired me! I've got the OP's recipe curing in my fridge right now. Babby's first bacon. I've never cured meat before so I'm really excited to see how it turns out. In my rub, I'm using Maple Syrup and some Tennessee Whiskey. I went hog wild (ha ha) and bought three pork bellies at my local Asian market. But apparently they don't cure meat in the Appalachian Mountains anymore because none of my local food stores or supermarkets had any curing salt. I had to travel two towns over to get my hands on some Morton's Tender Quick, which was the closest thing I could find to the pink stuff. The ingredients on the package say it's salt, sugar, and potassium nitrate, so I hope it works okay. Every source I've looked at says I should just use it as I normally would use it in a recipe, so I'm doing that and crossing my fingers. I hope it turns out okay. If I can give my dad a slab of homemade bacon for Christmas I think it'd pretty much be the most ballin' gift ever.
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Dec 8, 2011 04:14
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mindphlux posted:this looks good, except I need to be able to set the humidity level, and I'm really tight on vertical space (the wine fridge is a 8 bottle horizontal one) What about a shallow pan, like a cookie sheet, filled with water? More surface area, more evaporation? You're fighting an uphill battle any way you go, since the cooling system is actively reducing your humidity as a function of its process...but I'm sure you'll find a way. Really, what you need is a larger fridge, and this humidifier: http://www.amazon.com/My-Fine-Ultrasonic-Humidifier-Mf-5k138p/dp/B004GB3BA0 
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Dec 8, 2011 16:40
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Bacon making success! Wife even thought it was "Gift-worthy" so that's a thumbs up if I ever heard one. The hour-soak in cold water did enough to get the salt level down on my too-heavily rubbed belly, I think. Now, I need to find a better source for belly than the asian market, since I got a measly pound or so out of the 3.5 lb piece I started out with. Also need some sort of slicing aparatus, I was only able to cut super-thick cut with my chef's knife.
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Dec 8, 2011 16:42
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PainBreak posted:
oh hell yes
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Dec 9, 2011 04:49
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Is the duck breast prosciutto good to eat after taking it down, or does it need to be cooked with heat? It seems to taste fine, but no recipe I've found has talked about it so I'm being paranoid.
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Dec 9, 2011 18:54
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It's fine uncooked.
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Dec 9, 2011 19:34
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Thanks! I was pretty sure, but didn't want to just cram potentially raw meat into my mouth.
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Dec 9, 2011 19:36
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Does anything about this scream scam? They're asking $125. Doesn't really look like any I've ever seen, nor does it appear to have the pebbled finish.
icehewk fucked around with this message at 20:22 on Dec 9, 2011 |
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Dec 9, 2011 20:18
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Definitely a cheapass knockoff. Real BGE has dimpled surface, different hinge mechanism. I highly doubt the knockoffs can handle high temp cooks.
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Dec 9, 2011 21:08
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How much brine should I be seeing in my gallon bag? I followed the cure from Ruhlman's book and it covered my 4lb pork slab (Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey) but isnt producing much brine. I have a couple tablespoons worth and its been 4 days now. Should it be pulling enough out to submerge one entire side or am I doing okay?
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Dec 14, 2011 09:43
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Patient Zer0 posted:How much brine should I be seeing in my gallon bag? I followed the cure from Ruhlman's book and it covered my 4lb pork slab (Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey) but isnt producing much brine. I have a couple tablespoons worth and its been 4 days now. Should it be pulling enough out to submerge one entire side or am I doing okay? I'm experiencing similar results. I think you should be okay.
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Dec 14, 2011 13:23
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It really depends how much moisture was in the pork to begin with, how well you dried it before putting it in there, how much salt is in there, etc. The amount you'll see will move around a bit between individual pieces of meat. Nothing to worry about.
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Dec 14, 2011 18:07
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Patient Zer0 posted:How much brine should I be seeing in my gallon bag? I followed the cure from Ruhlman's book and it covered my 4lb pork slab (Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey) but isnt producing much brine. I have a couple tablespoons worth and its been 4 days now. Should it be pulling enough out to submerge one entire side or am I doing okay? My first time doing this at home did the same thing and the bacon was still wonderful. Just remember to keep overhauling it every other day. When we have done this at work it produced massive amounts of liquid but it could be because at work we get high quality belly and I was dealing with god knows what from local bodega.
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Dec 15, 2011 14:51
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icehewk posted:Does anything about this scream scam? They're asking $125. Doesn't really look like any I've ever seen, nor does it appear to have the pebbled finish. For $125 I'd just about have to pull the trigger. A BGE is enameled cast iron, and if that's what this is, I don't see how it could be much different. Aldi sells "fake" Le Creuset pans, for about 1/10th the price, and I can't imagine how they'd be much different than the super loving expensive kind. The whole idea behind a BGE is that it retains heat ridiculously well, due to the thick rear end cast iron. This allows for higher internal temperatures (if that's what you're going for), because you retain more of the heat from your fuel. vvv Replace everything about the BGE being cast iron with ceramic. It still applies. Unless the Chinese ceramic is made from lead. vvv PainBreak fucked around with this message at 19:47 on Dec 15, 2011 |
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Dec 15, 2011 18:31
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BGE's are not cast iron...not even close. They are ceramic. You would be better off buying a used large bge than a lovely Chinese knockoff.
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Dec 15, 2011 18:46
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OK, I was trying to make buckboard bacon with pork shoulder, made with Morton sugar cure for 7 days, and when it came out I soaked it for an hour in cold water and then cooked it. It was far too salty to eat straight. It was tasty in bean soup and pork and beans but... What do you think I did wrong? The recipe I have calls for 2 tablespoons of sugar cure and one tablespoon of brown sugar per pound of meat. That seems higher than OP's recipe, d'ya think that is what I did wrong?
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Dec 18, 2011 06:18
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Bacon experiment was a huge success! This stuff is amazing! And I thought store-bought bacon tasted good! It's nothing compared to this. I can't believe how easy it was to do! I put whiskey in the cure rub, and while you can really taste it, but it doesn't overpower the bacon flavor. The bacon grease has a hint of whiskey in it, which is awesome for toasting bread for sandwiches. I'm sold. From now on, it's homemade bacon all the way.
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Dec 21, 2011 03:20
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My first home made batch of bacon was awesome, I'm going to look around for someone who sells fresh pork belly in my city for this next batch.
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Dec 24, 2011 00:54
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So Chernobyl Princess and I decided to investigate this whole "rillette" thing. With some success. The recipe we followed resulted in two very tasty 0.5l canning jars of rillettes and paté. To create the pork rub, combine the following in a spice grinder and give it a few pulses.
 For the meat:
In a large bowl, toss the pork with the spice blend until well coated. Add the thyme and garlic and knead the garlic into the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Add the melted pork fat to a slow cooker with the pork and seasonings. Cover partially and cook over low heat until the meat is very tender, 4 hours, or up to 6 hours. Let cool slightly, then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork and garlic to a large bowl Shred it up and it should end up looking something like this...  Stir in 1 cup of the fat and season with salt. Pack the meat into individual crocks. Reheat the fat and ladle a 1/2-inch-thick layer on top of the pork. Cover and refrigerate overnight.  We took a slight departure from the recipe here. You'll note the jar on the left is missing its fat-cap, because we dediced, screw it, let's make paté with some of this poo poo. Into the food processor it went with about 1/4 cup more of the fat and a dozen capers.  Serve on toast or Cheese Straws  with cornichons, bread & butter pickles, or something sweet to cut the salt. The recipe called for 1/4 cup, which I think could easily be ignored if you don't plan on keeping the pork for months on end.  Edit: 24 hours later the salt taste has mellowed considerably, and everything is super flavorful. Hired_Sellout fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Dec 26, 2011 |
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Dec 24, 2011 03:33
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Well I seem to have miscounted my recent bacon making episode. I have found another package that had fallen behind the bottom drawer of the curing fridge. This means it has been in the cure for a month. I rinsed it off and it still smells fine. Should I dare it?
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Dec 24, 2011 04:58
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I went to a butchery course at a living history site a month ago. We went nose-to-tail, 1790's style. Really interesting stuff and the instructor was knowledgeable about butchery in practically every decade in American history. So I started looking at local butchery courses and found a place that was having a class taught by Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats. I wasn't able to make it, but I checked out the restaurant and they have a Christmas charcuterie basket. I just picked mine up today and sitting in my fridge right now are: 8 oz. jar duck foie gras 8 oz. jar pork rillettes 1 lb. venison terrine 4 oz. finocchiona 4 oz. saucisson sec 1/2 lb. pancetta Along with some crackers, insanely delicious biscuits, and mustards. So I know where I'll be spending a lot of money soon.
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Dec 24, 2011 05:18
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Errant Gin Monks posted:Well I seem to have miscounted my recent bacon making episode. I have found another package that had fallen behind the bottom drawer of the curing fridge. This means it has been in the cure for a month. Probably just be salty as hell, but why not?
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Dec 24, 2011 10:25
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Errant Gin Monks posted:Well I seem to have miscounted my recent bacon making episode. I have found another package that had fallen behind the bottom drawer of the curing fridge. This means it has been in the cure for a month. Just got the Ruhlman charcuterie book for Christmas, and it states that if it has cured too long or tastes too salty, blanch it in simmering water for 1 minute before cooking. This assumes you have already cooked it to 150* internal temperature, per the standard procedure for bacon.
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Dec 25, 2011 10:42
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I don't think blanching it is going to be able to get that much extra salt out of it, but... I think you can salvage it by pretending it's a ham hock and using it for some extremely awesome ham & beans, or...red beans and rice, using it for the smoky and the salty components. Mmm, red beans and rice.
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Dec 25, 2011 18:31
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Since my first meager 1 lb bacon-making attempt has been met with great success (positive reactions from whomever's tasted it), I decided to do a bigger batch. A much bigger batch: DSC_0300 by dedianmn, on Flickr At first I was disappointed I couldn't find any place that had belly that wasn't an Asian market whose meat counter smelled awful, or a "premium butcher" (also the only "butcher" in town) whose belly was 4.99/lb. I eventually found a place downtown that made their own bacon, who had a frozen belly they'd sell to me for 2.99/lb. Turns out this one was 14 lbs! I'm definitely not a pig expert, but it looks like there's extra meat on this belly, but I just cut it up into ~4.5 lbs pieces, and it'll be a bacostraveganza.  DSC_0302 by dedianmn, on Flickr The curing wasn't a problem (other than hand-grinding three batches-worth of pepper), but I might be a bit over my head in the final smoking/cooking, as I only have a 22" charcoal Webber (in Minnesota). I might just half-smoke each piece, and finish them in the oven... I was able to borrow a meat slicer, which will definitely improve on my super-thick sliced first-attempts. I also got lucky and got (read: asked for) a new food-saver for Christmas, so storage is taken care of. I basically used the recipe from the OP, except omitted the bay and nutmeg. Will be exciting to see how this all turns out, and be set for bacon for the next half a year, probably 
dedian fucked around with this message at 05:50 on Dec 26, 2011 |
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Dec 26, 2011 05:47
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I have one pork belly in the fridge and I plan to buy two more. I got it at wholefoods and they don't carry products with nitrates. Would kosher salt be enough to cure the bacon? Any loop holes on how to only use kosher salt and still be safe? Would they sell curing salts at trader joes or any other places near union square?
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Dec 29, 2011 19:53
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