JeffWIce

Etherdog, if you have mastered pork belly bacon, get your hands on some pork jowls and go for some guanciale! We just made a bunch, leading to some KILLER artery clogging pasta alla carbonarra! Highly recommended! On another topic, anyone know why, in Charcuterie, for bresaola it is necessary to apply a cure to the beef twice? According to the book, you make a cure (with TCM #2), apply half and cure for 7 days. Then, you rub in the second round and air cure until done. Isn't TCM #2 a "time capsule" that allows for lengthy cures? Any ideas?

GREAT topic idea, maher. I'll post my cabinet info in a bit... interestingly, cigars are held at a similar humidity as most sausage curing (around 70% humidity), so I have been playing with humidifiers for made for humidors. A question for the bacon-heads: what is the flavoring (meaning aromatics... I assume the salt, sugar, and pink salt are all the same) difference between typical bacon and Spanish beicon, or for that matter flavoring in Italian pancetta and Spanish panceta?

Jomlinari... How is it that you are not getting any mold? Are you brining the outside to prevent it? If so, why? Thanks!

Thanks, J... Is it typical for "good" mold to come in a little fuzzy then go chalky?

Hi All! Been curing some chorizo for almost 2 weeks, and would love some help determining if I have "good mold" or "bad mold:" This is my first attempt at dry-curing, and the sausages were washed with brine (as recommended in Charcuterie) and then went into a sterilized cabinet. For insurance, I also hung a sausage with "good mold" in the cabinet. They've been held around 60F and 70% humidity for almost 2 weeks now. At first the mold was very white and a touch fuzzy, but now it is very white and very chalky/dusty. Still, I don't feel like spending all night on the toilet! Below are the pics. Opinions? Thanks from a newbie charcutier! Jeff Chorizo album

Thanks for the advice, Ore.... I am using a proofing box for the 70F, 70% humidity, 72 HR phase, and will switch to an electronic smoking cabinet for the final phases. The meat is straight lean pork and pork fat with hog intestine as the casing. Are the characteristics you are referring to simply temperature zone-issues? Another question: To saltpeter or not to saltpeter?

Hello fellow chorizo lovers! I am new to this discussion and am looking for a savior, or at least a little reassurance! That said, my apologies if this is a repeated question... I'm a culinary student and like so many have a love of Spanish-style cured chorizo, lomo, etc. and have tried several attempts at making them, to various levels of success.My most recent attempt at chorizo dulce, out of a charcuterie book, is curing for 72 hours at 70F and 70% humidity, then I'll smoke at 110F for 12 hours, and finally raise the temp. to 115F for 1 hour. My questions: Is this crazy, correct, safe? Following Penelope Casas's traditional chorizo recipe, I am not using saltpeter or other preservatives. Does anyone out there have an opinion on this? I promise pictures of the finished product in the near future...Thanks to anyone with an opinion! Jeff

Hey All... Has anyone out there tried this process with an alcoholic base, such as making bourbon or another liquor into the "caviar" form? I would be curious to know if the chemical properties of the alcohol would cause issue with forming up... Thanks!