Prosciutto maintenance (so far, so good)

blind99

Very very well done. 

Sea2Ski

Looks spectacular guys.  I see the weight is at 20 lbs.  Do you know what it was when you started it to figure out the % weight loss?  

nolaegghead

Sea2Ski said:

Looks spectacular guys.  I see the weight is at 20 lbs.  Do you know what it was when you started it to figure out the % weight loss?  

Mark, page 1: about 25%

nolaegghead

Keep up, man!

YukonRon

This is fascinating for me. Our home we bought and we are trying to restore (send prayers and money) has a cellar that was used for this purpose at one time in its history, as many homes were in this area.

This is, without a doubt, one of the, if not the best posts, I have ever seen in this forum.

Thank you for sharing.

20stone

nolaegghead said:

Sea2Ski said:

Looks spectacular guys.  I see the weight is at 20 lbs.  Do you know what it was when you started it to figure out the % weight loss?  

Mark, page 1: about 25%

That is less than we were expecting, particularly with the time it’s been hanging, but I think it reflects the (much) higher fat content of these legs.  There is a good 1.5” cap on the outside. 

SGH

20stone said:

Update

That shot right there gives me goose bumps. It’s like seeing young Cindy Crawford in the Pepsi commercial. You can’t help but to stare and drool. Simply fantastic sir👍

SGH

20stone said:

Is that Myron Mixon? If it is, he’s looking rough

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SGH said:

20stone said:

Is that Myron Mixon? If it is, he’s looking rough

Myron needs to cut back on the booze. Hard living  

JohnInCarolina

I officially hate you all.  By the way, I’ll be in Austin later this summer (hint hint).

The Cen-Tex Smoker

JohnInCarolina said:

I officially hate you all.  By the way, I’ll be in Austin later this summer (hint hint).

Come on down. We will save you some (maybe)

Legume

Nobody mentioned the knives?  Outstanding choice with the handles - beautiful knives.

20stone

Legume said:

Nobody mentioned the knives?  Outstanding choice with the handles - beautiful knives.

Thanks.  

I had been researching carvers a bit, and remembered one my mom (who passed a few years ago) had forever, and asked Spawn1 to ask for it when he was seeing my mom’s widower on his way to us.  They couldn’t tell which one I wanted (I wanted the one with more patina, all carbon), so he brought both.

My mom’s childhood home had pecan trees in the back yard, which I grew up climbing, so pecan is a sentimental favorite. The knife smith in Austin did a great job with them, and they are razor sharp.  

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Can confirm they are razor sharp. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Can confirm they are razor sharp. 

And totally badass

Sea2Ski

20stone said:

nolaegghead said:

Sea2Ski said:

Looks spectacular guys.  I see the weight is at 20 lbs.  Do you know what it was when you started it to figure out the % weight loss?  

Mark, page 1: about 25%

That is less than we were expecting, particularly with the time it’s been hanging, but I think it reflects the (much) higher fat content of these legs.  There is a good 1.5” cap on the outside. 

Yea, that is less than I would have thought it would have lost by now, but depending on all the variables that affect the rate, better slow than fast.
would love to taste a slice of that.  

GATraveller

Incredible.  Start to finish.
Curing thread of the year!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Curing thread of the year(s)!  FTFY.

This one is over 2 years in the making. Seems like just yesterday when I was elbow deep in pig...

20stone

Spotted in London, a posh restaurant serving expensive STORE BOUGHT prosciutto....pffft.  I hope I am never so desperate. 

Sea2Ski

@20stone you are such a prosciutto snob.

20stone

Sea2Ski said:

@20stone you are such a prosciutto snob.

I think that is an accurate observation 

nolaegghead

I have a whole leg of prosciutto that was on my counter for about a year, then in the garage fridge for maybe 2 years, including through one power failure where I had about 15 jars of Kim Chi explode.

It's packaged in it's original wrapping, unopened.  Safe?

20stone

nolaegghead said:

I have a whole leg of prosciutto that was on my counter for about a year, then in the garage fridge for maybe 2 years, including through one power failure where I had about 15 jars of Kim Chi explode.

It's packaged in it's original wrapping, unopened.  Safe?

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/25a74dc4-980d-4a4d-a9aa-9f6fcf43265b

I am pretty sure you are kidding, but if it was already cured and down to fighting weight when it got the heat shock.....maaaaayyyybeeee?

There are, however, better things to die from, so you might work your way down your bucket list first. 

20stone

Update
”Maintenance?”  Not so much anymore.  2.5 years in, and it’s time to break the seal. 

(Incision through the very tough skin)


(Reflecting it back. Skin saved for covering later)


(Fat cap exposed)


(Now we’re talkin’!)


(Soooo marbled)


More thoughtful reflections later, but now I’m going to have another glass of wine and watch fireworks with one of my good buddies (and a founding member of the Hairy Hog
Club for Men)

The Cen-Tex Smoker

That is some damn fine salty pig leg right there. 

Elijah

Been to Italy several times this year. Our store bought prosciutto doesn't touch the real stuff. If you need a taste tester let me know! 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Elijah said:

Been to Italy several times this year. Our store bought prosciutto doesn't touch the real stuff. If you need a taste tester let me know! 

Can’t wait to get back. This is as far from store-bought as you can get (we raised and butchered the pigs). 

GrateEggspectations

20stone said:

When last we spoke, our garage-butchered prosciuttos had been carefully packed, and moved to an undisclosed location:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1202264/charcutapalooza-long/p4

Well, the hour (or month, in this case) for our first one is drawing pretty close, (2 years on 1/1/19), and I have been a little worried about how slowly it’s been losing weight.  What MIGHT have happened would have been the meaty face, which has been covered in sugna (lard, rice flour and pepper), MIGHT have hardened (like the rind on cheese or salami), blocking the moisture from migrating out. 



There was only one way to find out - Go to the undisclosed location, scrape off the sugna, test, shave off the scabby bits (if necessary), reapply sugna, rehang.  Given the tenuous nature of our rental agreement, we took all the tools... like Dexter playing an away game - paper towels, knives (to scrape), fresh sugna, two sets of gloves (each), a trash bag, a scale (to check on progress) and a horse bone.


After a good scrape, we saw BEAUTIFUL, unscabby meat.  Maybe we should have a taste with a glass of wine. Man, it is really coming along. 


Fresh sugna applied to eliminate future scabby risk


Last, it needed a poke and a sniff to make sure things are good all the way through. 


Good times!

What’s @caliking doing drinking wine? No bourbon slushy available? 😉

Photo Egg

GrateEggspectations said:

20stone said:

When last we spoke, our garage-butchered prosciuttos had been carefully packed, and moved to an undisclosed location:
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1202264/charcutapalooza-long/p4

Well, the hour (or month, in this case) for our first one is drawing pretty close, (2 years on 1/1/19), and I have been a little worried about how slowly it’s been losing weight.  What MIGHT have happened would have been the meaty face, which has been covered in sugna (lard, rice flour and pepper), MIGHT have hardened (like the rind on cheese or salami), blocking the moisture from migrating out. 



There was only one way to find out - Go to the undisclosed location, scrape off the sugna, test, shave off the scabby bits (if necessary), reapply sugna, rehang.  Given the tenuous nature of our rental agreement, we took all the tools... like Dexter playing an away game - paper towels, knives (to scrape), fresh sugna, two sets of gloves (each), a trash bag, a scale (to check on progress) and a horse bone.


After a good scrape, we saw BEAUTIFUL, unscabby meat.  Maybe we should have a taste with a glass of wine. Man, it is really coming along. 


Fresh sugna applied to eliminate future scabby risk


Last, it needed a poke and a sniff to make sure things are good all the way through. 


Good times!

What’s @caliking doing drinking wine? No bourbon slushy available? 😉

Looks like they are hiding out after hours at Home Depot waiting for lump to go on sale

SciAggie

Every now and again I delude myself into believing I have some measure of culinary knowledge and skill. When that happens someone always posts something that makes me realize I am a small insignificant country hack that barely makes edible food. 
Thanks for the reality check...

Dang that looks good. Thanks for posting.