Charcuterie - Show us your work

nolaegghead

I know, I know. Speculation is a waste of words.

SciAggie

nolaegghead said:

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

I was thinking it was a nut cracker (owch!).

I think it’s a tortilla press. 

nolaegghead

SciAggie said:

nolaegghead said:

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

I was thinking it was a nut cracker (owch!).

I think it’s a tortilla press. 

Sans the hinged plates....I can see that.

FarmingPhD

nolaegghead said:

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

I was thinking it was a nut cracker (owch!).

Haha - it looks like a plane blade mounted on my the lever arm and just had me wondering.

SciAggie

nolaegghead said:

SciAggie said:

nolaegghead said:

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

I was thinking it was a nut cracker (owch!).

I think it’s a tortilla press. 

Sans the hinged plates....I can see that.

On second inspection I think I’m wrong. 

lkapigian

SciAggie said:

@lkapigian I have an idea. Sometime when you have the opportunity, it would be great if you explained how you dry your chilies and make garlic powder. I know you have mentioned it before but it is lost in a thread somewhere. I think it’s great how you do that. You have a wealth of knowledge that others can benefit from. 

Not sure about a wealth of knowledge ,but tried a lot of stuff  . I have found that
making some of the basic spices can elevate ANY cook ...My Go To's are smoke dried peppers ( in mexico they wither sun or smoke) , like you see in the mexican section of the stores-- Mainly I do Ancho ( Pablano Fresh) Chipotle ( Fresno's Fresh ) and Gualillo ( anaheim fresh) and Paprika ( sweet peppers, like bell)  I smoke with Hickory , 150 degrees for 3 days ...The thinker skin peppers take longer- No prep ....

I do think if you are going to do Salami or Sausage making your own does make a difference 

I blend them THEN separate the seeds and stems through a mesh screen. Make your own Chili Powder ( not to be confused with Powdered Chile ) powdered chili, Adobo is the best and can be used from sausage making to soups and stews 





I am a big fan of making my own garlic and onion powders, kind of a pain, but no comparison to the store bought stuff ........Pro Tip on garlic and onion, pulse in a dehydrator first ( slices take forever ) spread on parchment , into the dehydrator @ 135 till done OR oven with door propped open @ its lowest setting 

Roasted Garlic SPC

 

Pepper mash From Fements make a great rub as well, if you are not fermenting , grab a store bought Sriracha , spread it on some parchment and into the dehydrator or oven, I blend with Kosher Salt 

SciAggie

Is your smoker a stick burner? Contemplating how to hold 150 degrees for 3 days. I’m thinking with charcoal instead of splits. Maybe a few chunks of wood for smoke. Not sure how much charcoal I’d go through in 3 days. 

lkapigian

SciAggie said:

Is your smoker a stick burner? Contemplating how to hold 150 degrees for 3 days. I’m thinking with charcoal instead of splits. Maybe a few chunks of wood for smoke. Not sure how much charcoal I’d go through in 3 days. 

@sciaggie that one is my stumps XL Stretch. Fuilly Insulated 

johnmitchell

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

It is a Biltong slicer.There was a local guy back in South Africa making them. The blade is from a wood planner, works really well.

SciAggie

That’s not something you see every day. Cool. 

lkapigian

johnmitchell said:

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

It is a Biltong slicer.There was a local guy back in South Africa making them. The blade is from a wood planner, works really well.

Looks like something a Mohel could use 

nolaegghead

lkapigian said:

johnmitchell said:

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

It is a Biltong slicer.There was a local guy back in South Africa making them. The blade is from a wood planner, works really well.

Looks like something a Mohel could use 

More like Lorena Bobbitt....

nolaegghead

I opened up some sausage Larry sent this afternoon.  I kept going back for more until it was done gone.  Delicious!  Probably equivalent to eating half a stick of butter in the fat department, but so worth it.

Botch

SciAggie said:

@lkapigian I have an idea. Sometime when you have the opportunity, it would be great if you explained how you dry your chilies and make garlic powder. 

Wow, that's quite a trick!    

lkapigian

Botch said:

SciAggie said:

@lkapigian I have an idea. Sometime when you have the opportunity, it would be great if you explained how you dry your chilies and make garlic powder. 

Wow, that's quite a trick!    

LoL

FarmingPhD

johnmitchell said:

FarmingPhD said:

@johnmitchell what is the contraption in your last picture that the meat is sitting on?  

It is a Biltong slicer.There was a local guy back in South Africa making them. The blade is from a wood planner, works really well.

Thanks for the info, I thought that was a plane blade, just couldn’t think what it would be used for on a kitchen counter.   I’ll keep that in mind if I ever buy a prosciutto ham, just have to decide between the No.4, 5, or 7, or maybe a good job for a spoke shave.

lkapigian

nolaegghead said:

I opened up some sausage Larry sent this afternoon.  I kept going back for more until it was done gone.  Delicious!  Probably equivalent to eating half a stick of butter in the fat department, but so worth it.

Thanks Carey, I think that is the Pepper Sauce one?.....Roasted Hatch Chilies from New Mexico into and adobo paste 

Sea2Ski

Fantastic thread, and I did not even read half of it. 

My contribution:
I have had these guys hanging for 5-6 months at this point  
1 plain
1 salt and pepper
1 garlic Rosemary (hoping this comes out as good as the lamb prosciutto I made a few years ago)
1 hot. I want to say I put nearly 300gms of 90,000 heat units of cayenne in with the cure. 

Need to do a weight check, but I am sure they still need a few more months. 

SciAggie

Those look great!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Sea2Ski said:

Fantastic thread, and I did not even read half of it. 

My contribution:
I have had these guys hanging for 5-6 months at this point  
1 plain
1 salt and pepper
1 garlic Rosemary (hoping this comes out as good as the lamb prosciutto I made a few years ago)
1 hot. I want to say I put nearly 300gms of 90,000 heat units of cayenne in with the cure. 

Need to do a weight check, but I am sure they still need a few more months. 

Yes!

lkapigian

Sea2Ski said:

Fantastic thread, and I did not even read half of it. 

My contribution:
I have had these guys hanging for 5-6 months at this point  
1 plain
1 salt and pepper
1 garlic Rosemary (hoping this comes out as good as the lamb prosciutto I made a few years ago)
1 hot. I want to say I put nearly 300gms of 90,000 heat units of cayenne in with the cure. 

Need to do a weight check, but I am sure they still need a few more months. 

Overachiever LoL

PigBeanUs

This is photoshopped. How do I know?

because pigs don’t have four hind legs. 

Busted. 

lkapigian

PigBeanUs said:

This is photoshopped. How do I know?

because pigs don’t have four hind legs. 

Busted. 

LoL

xfire_ATX

while I was warming up the egg for the turkey I threw some andouille on and cut up some previously smoked Havarti.   Not fancy looking but tasty

lkapigian

Was trying to go old school as much as possible on this, moved back to the back room as weather is more favorable ...controlling the temp with the window...max was 60.5 for and hour or so but hanging in the 50s...No Cultures added ( pardon the cluttered racks )

Sheldon_Nigel

Bump

lkapigian

Thanks @Sheldon_Nigel. 

Finished product 

Foghorn

@lkapigian, you're making so much great stuff that I can't imagine that you could possibly consume it all.  

Therefore, I can only conclude that you are planning to send charcuterie gift bags to all of us who are regulars here.

Thanks in advance.  We really appreciate it.

lkapigian

Foghorn said:

@lkapigian, you're making so much great stuff that I can't imagine that you could possibly consume it all.  

Therefore, I can only conclude that you are planning to send charcuterie gift bags to all of us who are regulars here.

Thanks in advance.  We really appreciate it.

LoL @Foghorn I'd be glad to send some!....My middle sun is a Nut Broker ( walnuts almonds pistachios etc )  and wanted to hand some cure meat out to some of his customers, these will be paired with mini hot sauce bottles of fermented jalapeno sauce and we will be making a metric s load of Smoked Linguica ......I'm just glad he has enough confidence to give this stuff out 

Sea2Ski

PigBeanUs said:

This is photoshopped. How do I know?

because pigs don’t have four hind legs. 

Busted. 

Ha!  We butchered 2 pigs. Kept the rear legs of both. We think this is the beat use of those hind legs. Just trying to dial it all in.