senorguanciale

I saw that video on Gourmet.com yesterday, its called "porchetta di testa". Im basically curing a small portion of that. heres the {link}

HA I thought you might show up mr. molinari! And Magictofu, its just the rolled up meat, sans liquid. Ill let everyone know whats up when I cut into it in a couple weeks. Thanks!

There is no bacterial starter, since its a whole cut, which was rolled. It is not stuffed inside a casing since it looks similar pancetta, it's tied. I havent checked the acidity; Ive got no way to. Ive taken the ratio of cure#2 and pared it down based on the weight the roll. Its an experiment, and Im not gonna flip out if it doesnt turn out. Ive got coppa curing too, so Im holding out for that. Im really going by feel on this one, and hoping it keeps firming up and losing weight.

Well, me neither, this is an experiment. It is losing weight, which is a great sign that at least its drying out.

Okay. So Ive got a couple questions Im hoping the more experienced folks could advise me on. Im attempting to cure a rolled "headcheese", which is really just jowl and head meat rolled. Its pretty thick, about 4" in diameter, and about 6"long. The fat on the outside is still fairly moist, and it has been in a curing chamber at 52F and 70-75% humidity for about 2.5 weeks. The fat is still soft, and moist, and Im wondering how long it might take to hang until its ready. (check my blog for pics of this.) The method is as follows: Take a pigs head, take the meat off in one piece, roll, tie, poach for 6 hrs, cool. This is the French Laundry recipe for warm pigs head, which Ive been eating, but I wanted a cured product. So after cooking, I cured it with a mix of salt, cure #2, sugar, thyme, pepper, garlic, coriander, and pepper flakes for 1 week. It has been hanging since. How long should it take, and what might be some indicator, since Im effectively curing guanciale + meat which is rolled...?? Thanks!

Ok. This is close to home for me. I went to college, worked in a few kitchens, found out I loved to cook, and then went to the CIA. And wasted $40,000 and change. For the money you pay, the education and quality of teachers there simply isn't worth it. The best chef I had there was in the last kitchen class I took, after 90% of the AOS program was over. I have worked in San Francisco, New York, and Spain (Mugaritz), and can tell you that the best thing the CIA did for me was networking. As far as learning how to cook, not $40,000 worth. No way. Go to college, have fun, work on the side, and then go cook your ass off. Good luck.