We need a place for our dry cure, fermented sausage, and whole muscle projects. This is meant to be like the Lacto-fermentation thread - a place to share, ask questions, and show us what’s going on in your kitchen, cave, or curing chamber.
I’ll start with my curing chamber (since I don’t have a cave). Many thanks to
@lkapigian for his patience and expert advice as I worked over my freezer.
I finally obtained a 13 cu ft frost free freezer. I added an ITC-308 temp controller and an IHC-200 humidity controller, both manufactured by Inkbird. I added a dehumidifier by Seavon and a small electronics cooling fan for air circulation.
Here are a few pics of the process:
here’s the basic freezer.

I had to remove a panel and find a place to drill a hole so that I could run the temp and humidity probes into the freezer. I also needed to run out the power cord for the dehumidifier and the fan.
Next, I drilled the hole being careful not to run into anything important, lol

Once the hole was made, it was just a matter of running the wires and then filling the void well with insulation.
Now it’s ready to accept my first project.

Comments
My rudimentary log sheet
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
Sexy hole punches in your setup. As nuts as I went on everything else, I just slid the wires through the hinge side.
Nice to see a lot of folks going uncooked.
Joule SV
GE induction stove
Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location
On a related note - I went into a Mexican market in Dallas this weekend and they had whole hog legs for sale...
Maybe a project for a later date...
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
As for the leg, for curing I would get as awesome a leg as you can find. With a little lead time, I could source one from my guy and drop it off your way. Alternatively, in your neck of the woods, I'll bet there's an FFA hog that might hang nicely.
Joule SV
GE induction stove
Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
It amazes me, how many people do not realize how the future works.
Time to go scouting those FFA hogs. Give a guy a heads up if you need to share one.
Joule SV
GE induction stove
Gasser by the community pool (currently unavailable)
Scale (which one of my friends refuses to use)
Friends with BGEs and myriad other fired devices (currently unavail IRL)
Occasional access to a KBQ and Webber Kettle
Charcuterie and sourdough enthusiast
Prosciuttos in an undisclosed location
It amazes me, how many people do not realize how the future works.
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle
San Antonio, TX
The large one behind the salami is Pancetta Arotolata ( rolled pork belly ) , that has been going since July...its being stubborn on weight loss but maturing nicely .....in th back are a couple Calabrese Salami ( ground pork)Soprasetta (pressed),below, those will be ready in 4 weeks ..your whole muscles are the simplest and take the longest , salami is pretty quick...tje far left in the picture below is Lonzino ( cured pork loin) started back in September
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
Chamber- Do you have to have one, no , but it will give you consistent repeatable results. I have aged out doors, in the fridge , and recently in a closet
Curing Salts- There is a lot out there on this and the science of it-To keep it simple Cure 1 if it will cure/age less than 30 Days and you will cook it- Cure 2 if Longer than 30 days and you will eat it uncooked ( but can be cooked )
Salami-Typically refers to Ground Meats that will be fermented then aged/matured/dried ....
Salumi- When you hear people talking about curing Whole Muscles that is Capicola , lonzino, pancetta etc
Fermentation- Usually done with Salami to bring down the PH, you do not need a special chamber but can. The Starter Culture I use does well at room temp....For those fermenting hot sauces and such, Yes You can use that as a starter.....Do you have to use a starter culture, no but it gets you over a safety hurdle
Curing- You Cure Whole Muscles , several ways , but I always use Equilibrium Method, This is done in the Refrigerator then after that process it goes into the Chamber
Recipes -The only real hard and fast rule you should follow is 2.25% salt and .25% Curing Salt everything else is seasoning...I have a few go to's that work and are easily tweaked
Mold-White Good Green, not horrible, black Toss It
Yes there is a ton more, but these are common questions , @nolaegghead an better explain the science of it all
If @Little Steven suitcase chicken won't hurt you, curing meats won't either
Daughter of a colleague raised a hog for FFA. He named it Tasty, and was happy with the sausage and other cuts he got from it.
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon
- @Legume