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Charcuterie - Show us your work

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Comments

  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
    lkapigian said:
    Thanks @Sheldon_Nigel. 

    Finished product 


    Whose the overachiever (and over producer) here?

    Keep rocking it @lkapigian
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    I went down a big rabbit hole this morning looking for information about how nitrates and nitrites are reduced in the body. I thought I'd link the two articles I found most informative.
    Food Chemistry of Nitrates, Nitrites, and Cured Meat

    Nitrate Reduction to Nitrite, Nitric Oxide and Ammonia by Gut Bacteria under Physiological Conditions

    I've decided I've been worrying too much about this issue.
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    If those didn’t put you to sleep and you enjoyed the material - peruse this article on Nitrosamines. 
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    "To ameliorate the formation of DMN in food caused by sodium nitrite, manufactures now add antioxidants such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C), erythorbic acid (an isomer of ascorbic acid), and α-tocopherol (vitamin E)."
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    I pulled my Spanish Chorizo from the curing chamber. It was passing 40% moisture loss. It was made with cure #2 so it still needs a bit of time to break down the nitrates. I vacuum sealed the links and I’ll rest it in the refrigerator for a few more weeks. 

    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    That looks pretty effin good....
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    Bravo @Sciaggie!
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,088
    Man...  I have to get my azz in gear ang get going. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    I hung the bresaola today. Applying netting is a challenge. I’ll have a better plan next time. 

    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    My No Starter Culture Experiment Calabrese ...Just Salt, Cure 1 and seasoning ...38-42 mm hog casings ....Like!


    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,646
    lkapigian said:
    My No Starter Culture Experiment Calabrese ...Just Salt, Cure 1 and seasoning ...38-42 mm hog casings ....Like!


    Can we be neighbors?

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @lkapigian So was there a difference in flavor? Do you attribute that to the time it takes for the pH to lower? I assume you are depending on the available bacteria from the environment to be the "starter culture"? Or is it more a reliance on the cure #1 to provide the bacterial protection you need?
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    edited December 2020
    SciAggie said:
    @lkapigian So was there a difference in flavor? Do you attribute that to the time it takes for the pH to lower? I assume you are depending on the available bacteria from the environment to be the "starter culture"? Or is it more a reliance on the cure #1 to provide the bacterial protection you need?
    @sciaggie , yes to the PH , but it is also a more " unique  cheesy type flavor " , ...I will say , if ever I source a fresh pig, I would skip the culture for sure...

    Edit: I did side by side, same mix....added culture to on and not the other, both great but without wins 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • Mark_B_Good
    Mark_B_Good Posts: 1,516
    lkapigian said:

    Looks Amazing ... from one Italian to another???
    Napoleon Prestige Pro 665, XL BGE, Lots of time for BBQ!
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    Mark_B_Good said:
    lkapigian said:

    Looks Amazing ... from one Italian to another???
    Thanks @Mark_B_Good .....Armenian here 
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    More meat going in to dry out and get moldy. Today I added two coppas. They are cut from a pork butt so a bit small. I managed to use one bung for both of them. Everything got sprayed with mold 600. 
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Here are some things I’m learning that some of the more experienced folks may take for granted. 

    Humidifier/dehumidifier:
    In the beginning with an empty chamber these two “fought” each other constantly. No matter the delta I set between them - they just chased each other in a wild sine curve. 

    Once I started to add material to the chamber I learned how to handle it. Lesson - you can’t set it and forget it. 
    Material in the chamber acts as a buffer that eliminates wild swings in humidity. 

    When I add fresh material I’ve learned to just turn off the humidifier for a few days. I let the dehumidifier keep the humidity down. Moisture in the meat brings it back up. After a few days/week I can run both the humidifier and dehumidifier to keep the chamber stable. With meat in there both metrics change relatively slowly and the controllers can handle it. 

    When there is just a little material in the chamber that has been there a while I turn off the dehumidifier. Just running the humidifier keeps it stable. 

    I’m just putting this out for information and discussion. Maybe it will help someone out there like me just getting started.
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    Great input @sciaggie
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    Bresaola 35% weight loss very good and beefy ....my thoughts are I like baterma better 


    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    edited December 2020
    @lkapigian @The Cen-Tex Smoker @20stone Y’all are a bad influence. I decided I needed another chamber. I mean, I need a fermentation chamber. I don’t have room for storing cardboard boxes and I don’t want to have to hunt them down. I could build a plywood fermentation chamber but with wood costs, that wouldn’t exactly be cheap. What about if I want to dry age meat? I’ve never done that - why stop this train now that it’s rolling?
    So - I picked up a freezer at Dam’s today. 

    The universe hates a vacuum so I needed a project. I found a 10 pound ribeye roast that should be just about right in 45 days... Valentines Day is going to be a feast this year. 

    This piece of beef will be ready, some coppa, bresaola, and pancetta...


    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    That's awesome @SciAggie
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    y'all


    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    nolaegghead said:
    y'all


    Thanks @nolaegghead , don't need them right now but bought 2
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @nolaegghead Thanks! That’s a good deal.  
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Chamber #2 up and running. 

    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    See you in 45 days...

    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • FarmingPhD
    FarmingPhD Posts: 839
    edited December 2020
    @SciAggie - what temp are you holding the rib roast at?
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    FarmingPhD said:
    @SciAggie - what temp are you holding the rib roast at?
    I set it at 35 degrees and 75% humidity. This is my first go at aging meat. 
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 10,749
    @SciAggie did you wind up going from below?
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
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  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @lkapigian Yes. I came in from the bottom. Worked like a charm. 

    We put the freezer on the saw horses so that I didn’t have to worry about the oil in the compressor. 
    Coleman, Texas
    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
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